Punished, Tana Stone [top reads .txt] 📗

Murmurs rippled through the growing crowd. Most females on the planet wore dresses that covered their ankles, but pants weren’t unheard of, although I might have tailored mine a bit tighter than usual. It seemed only fair to ditch my cloak since the Vandar was bare-chested, a fact that was impossible to ignore considering the sweat glistening off his hard muscles and the dark lines swirling across them.

His dark eyebrows lifted. “You wish to train as a warrior?”

Hope blossomed in my chest. Maybe he was different. “Don’t you think I should? As far as I can see, I’m the best fighter you’ve got.”

His expression was solemn as he studied me then he shook his head. “I agreed to train the males of the planet.” His upper lip twitched into a sneer. “Not human females.”

Now that felt personal. “You have an issue with humans, or females, or is it just the combination that intimidates you, tough guy?”

Before he could respond, the crowd was jostled to the side and Donal appeared.

“Sienna.” He took purposeful steps over to me and grabbed my arm. “What are you doing?”

I jerked out of his grasp. “Honestly, I’ve never had so many people ask me questions that are completely obvious. I’m here to train.”

He glanced around him before scowling at me. “This is no place for the woman I plan to marry.”

I couldn’t help cutting my eyes to the Vandar warrior, who’d crossed his thick arms over his chest and appeared to be watching with some level of amusement. The fact that he was watching all this made my face heat. I turned back to Donal, dropping my voice. “I never agreed to marry you.”

He shrugged, as if what I’d said was irrelevant. “You will.”

This made the flush of my cheeks become a blaze. “No, I won’t. I’ve told you that I have no desire to be anyone’s wife.”

Donal spluttered out a laugh. “That’s ridiculous, Sienna. What else would you do?”

I hated that there was no good way to answer him. What else would I do if I never married and had a family? I had a very long life to be the village outcast and oddity. I fisted my hands by my sides, aware of all the eyes on me. “I don’t know, but I do know that I can’t marry you. I don’t even know why you’d want to marry me, anyway.”

He gave me what I’m sure he thought was a sweet smile, but to me it just looked patronizing and smarmy. “Sienna. You know it’s always been you.”

I huffed out an exasperated breath. “This isn’t the place to discuss this, Donal. We’re both here to learn how to fight and defend our planet, and that’s what we should do.” I pivoted back to Corvak. “Right?”

“The female is correct.” The Vandar unfolded his arms and braced them on his hips, making his leather kilt slip down a bit.

My mouth went dry as I noticed the sharp indentation of muscle on both sides of his hips forming a downward-pointing V. I’d never known males could have muscles like that, and for a moment, I imagined touching the corded ridges of his stomach. Then I tore my gaze away and cleared my throat. “I am?”

He gave a sharp nod. “We’ve spent too much time watching you two argue. This is a place for training, not personal issues.”

“I’m ready to resume training,” I said, taking another step away from Donal.

Corvak slid his gaze to me, his long tail twitching. “Not you, female. You need to return to your home.”

His words were like a punch to my gut. I stared at him for a moment as they sunk in. “But you said I was excellent fighter.”

“That was before I knew you were a female.”

I threw my hands up. “Why does that matter? You didn’t even know I was a woman until you pulled my hood down. You couldn’t tell the difference between me and a man, so why does it matter?”

“I’m sure he could tell the difference,” Donal said, giving a conspiratorial look to Corvak. “He was probably just being nice to you, Sienna. Trying not to hurt your feelings.”

I didn’t deign to look at Donal. He was being such a pathetic suck-up that I wanted to kick him in the teeth. I kept my eyes locked on Corvak.

“No, she is correct,” the Vandar warrior said. “I did not know she was a female—until I touched her.”

I started at that, watching his cheeks color slightly. My heart was pounding, but instead of it beating from fury, it was something else entirely.

“Oh,” Donal stammered, looking back and forth between us. “I didn’t know you touched—"

“When I pinned her on the ground,” Corvak added quickly. “But that is not the point.” His gaze shifted back to mine. “I agreed to teach the males. If females on this planet do not engage in battle, I am not going to be the one to defy that.”

“Even if it’s a stupid, sexist tradition, and I’m the best fighter you’ve got?” My fingernails bit into the flesh of my palms as I clenched my hands.

The Vandar crossed his arms again. “Even so.”

“I thought the Vandar were the best warriors in the galaxy,” I said. “I thought you were the ones who fought against the unjust empire and saved planets that were being oppressed. But you’re not even brave enough to stand up to a stupid rule.”

A muscle ticked in his jaw as his tail swished rapidly behind him. “It is done.” His gaze hardened, all the heat vanishing. “You should go.”

Fresh humiliation caused the backs of my eyelids to burn with tears, but I blinked quickly so they wouldn’t fall. I wouldn’t give the asshole the pleasure of seeing me cry.

I leveled a finger at him. “This isn’t done.”

“Sienna, honey.” Donal stepped toward me, his voice dripping with fake concern.

I grabbed his wrist and twisted it hard, bringing him to his knees, then I released him and backed away, shooting a final, scathing