Total pages in book: 54
Estimated words: 52437 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 262(@200wpm)___ 210(@250wpm)___ 175(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 52437 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 262(@200wpm)___ 210(@250wpm)___ 175(@300wpm)
“We use our blades to remove them before going into battle,” Gabrio says. “Safer that way.”
“Oh.” I want to ask if there’s a reason they all let their hair grow to begin with, but who gives a crap? Also, I know these men aren’t into primping and fussing over their looks. They probably don’t shave or trim their hair because that would be “soft.”
“Did you tell her?” Alwar asks Gabrio.
“No.”
“Tell me what? Did you kill him? Is Benicio dead?” I ask, disgustingly worried.
Alwar frowns. “The Blood King is alive, as far as I know. He is not fighting, but he is directing the Mountain People’s men, who have taken the central portion of the wall, dividing my warriors into two groups. It is difficult to tell, but we believe the Mountain People are in the process of conquering the east side of the wall now. It won’t be long until they break our barricade and attack us here on the west side.”
“How’re they doing this? Aren’t your men bigger?” I ask.
Alwar inhales and grumbles, “Yes, but we are at a disadvantage. Under the Proxy Vow, we are only allowed to kill in self-defense, but nothing more.”
I don’t get it. “Then defend.”
“Waiting for your enemy to swing with a sword, so that you may then react, is not enough. We must be able to attack their soldiers head-on regardless of what they are doing in the moment or who they are engaged with. We need to flank them, ambush them in our tunnels, chase them down should they retreat.”
Gabrio adds, “The law only allows a War Man or War Woman to kill to avoid being killed, but nothing else.”
So they have to stand there waiting for the enemy to take a jab before they can jab back? My mind starts to connect the dots. The War People are bound by the treaty, the Proxy Vow. They cannot wage war without ending up as No One pate. The Mountain People are the only kingdom who refused the treaty. They can do anything they like, which is exactly why Benicio convinced them to attack the wall while he plays armchair quarterback.
What did he promise them in exchange for doing his dirty work? Who knows? The point right now is that the Wall Men’s hands are tied.
“Lake,” Alwar says, “if we are unable to orchestrate a full-scale offense, we will lose.”
I start to feel nervous because both men are staring at me.
“You want to kill me and end the Proxy Vow so you can fight, don’t you?”
“Why would you say that?” Alwar sounds offended. “I have vowed to protect the Norfolk. It is also forbidden to harm a proxy.”
Gabrio steps in. “Alwar has another solution to void the Proxy Vow immediately so the Wall Men can mount an attack instead of simply defending ourselves.”
“The Mountain People are not expecting us to flank them,” Alwar says. “But we have several ways to exit the keep and come from behind—”
“Guys! I get that you’re Wall Men and really get off on all things war, but could you please get to the point?”
“You will marry me. Here. Now,” says Alwar. “This will void the Proxy Vow. No one will see it coming, as our kinds are not allowed to intermingle.”
“Uh, what? Marry you? I don’t understand.”
“You do not need to understand,” says Alwar. “You will simply do it.”
CHAPTER SIX
Alwar and I go at it verbally for a few minutes. His idea is crazy. Crazy enough to possibly work. According to the laws of Monsterland, there is a pecking order to vows—something I did not know.
According to him, the vow of marriage supersedes most other vows. They believe that each War Man only has one mate, and it is his job to protect her. He cannot be compelled to place her in harm’s way for any reason. Apparently, this is one of the land’s oldest laws and still stands.
So, basically, if Alwar marries me, he would not be able to have me proxy for him. He cannot put me in harm’s way without breaking the marriage vow. And that means there would only be one “active” proxy left on the Wessfolk slash Blood People side. The Proxy Vow would be unenforceable and therefore void.
There’s only one issue with his marriage idea, and it’s big. Pun intended. In order for the marriage to be valid, it must be consummated. And that’s not going to work.
I clear my throat, feeling my insides shrink. This is not a comfortable topic. “The only way for you and me to…you know—”
“Fuck?” Alwar says.
“Yes. That. The only way is for you to come here, but then you’d be human size forever. And didn’t you tell me it’s prohibited for the War People to cross over?” Then there’s the issue of it being a no-no to have sex with a proxy. It’s some part of the Proxy Vow—not allowing their bloodlines to mingle with ours. I guess because it could give someone an unfair advantage if, say, my bloodline was mixed with that of someone from Monsterland who might have abilities or strength. Whatever. Who cares? The point is, until the marriage is consummated, the Proxy Vow still stands. Yet we can’t void the Proxy Vow without consummating. It’s a catch-22.