Ride: Awakening

Chapter Four

Niall could feel his stallion pawing at the ground when he thought about taking a mate. Pressure built in his chest. Suddenly, the great hall felt too small, as panic and claustrophobia set in. He'd known the day his father would finally demand he take a mate was approaching, but he didn't anticipate that today would be the day he'd be trapped. Forever. It was a very long time to contemplate spending with anyone, and he enjoyed his freedom as much as the next púca.

His stallion shook his head, lobbing it from side to side. He was ready to bolt at the thought of being tamed. Niall had to think of something to change his father's mind, but Fallon wasn't easily swayed. Once he'd made his mind up there was no unmaking it. So Niall turned to the only tactic that might work to his advantage.

"Sire, my duty should be guarding the veil, not finding someone to breed with," Niall said, trying to appeal to his father's sense of logic. "It would be wise to postpone my mating until the realm is more stable."

Fallon rose from the table, turning his back to him, and he couldn't tell what his father was thinking. Niall held his breath during a pause that felt like it would last forever.

Finally, his father spoke. "Aye, we have a duty to guard the veil, but protecting our interests and the survival of the púca is paramount. This season you will take a mate."

Niall's nostrils flared at Fallon's words, his stallion bucking and kicking. "Why now?"

He knew his father would catch the true meaning of his question. Fallon had not forced Maelíosa to honour a long-standing arrangement with the arse of a stallion she was betrothed to. Even though Niall loathed the stallion, he'd have to accept Ryan as family on the day he mated with his sister. Undoubtedly, Ryan would cause her a world of heartache which Niall felt powerless to protect her from. Still, he didn't understand why Fallon would demand this of him now. Why would he force the issue when they needed to discover why they'd been awakened? The Samhain harvest festival the farmers still observed in their own way was months away.

Fallon hardened his eyes as he turned toward him.

Niall felt like his back doors had been kicked in, but he knew better than to argue with that look. He was far too familiar with it. His father meant business, and there would be no getting out of this.

"Only two foals were born this past spring, and one of them died at birth. Either you take a mate or your sister will have to honour her promise and mate with Ryan," Fallon said.

"No, you can't make me!" Maelíosa screamed.

-I was only sixteen when I made that promise, and didn't understand what it meant. Please don't make me do this.- She echoed through Niall's mind and he saw Fallon flinch at the volume of her telepathic shout.

Tomas closed the distance to Maelíosa and pulled her into his arms. She'd always been like a little sister to his best mate. Niall met Tomas's eyes over the top of Maelíosa's head. Her body sagged against his friend in defeat and Niall couldn't stand to see the spark go out of her.

Niall knew as well as Tomas did what Maelíosa's life would be like with a stallion such as Ryan. His cruelty was no secret, and mating wouldn't stop Ryan from his favoured pursuits, which included bedding most of their sparse female population. In fact, the foal that had died this past spring had been Ryan's, and the lass was far too young to breed, so they'd both died.

He clenched his jaw at the thought of his sister mating with that bastard. But Fallon had promised her to the son of a powerful and noble family when they were both young, before Ryan had grown into the stallion he was today.

Maelíosa peeked up at him through her dark lashes, her head still nuzzled against Tomas. She looked so vulnerable. Not the Maelíosa he knew and loved, with that rebellious light in her eyes. No, she was so fearful he hardly recognized his sister. And that cinched it for him. -I'm begging you, Niall. I can't mate with him. Please.- Maelíosa's eyes were filled with terror.

Niall couldn't stand to see his sister in such a state, and he closed his eyes against her pain. When he opened them again, he nodded. "I'll do it."

Fallon looked like he'd aged ten years, but somehow that didn't make Niall feel better about taking a mate he certainly didn't want. He'd do it for his sister, for his clan, and nothing more. "If you won't see reason, Sire, and break Maelíosa's promise, then I'll do this for her. I'll do it for our clan."

His father's stance softened at his son's agreement, but his eyes remained hard. "You may find that you actually enjoy taking a mate."

"I highly doubt that," Niall said before he turned to stride out of the hall.

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