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sure.”
    “I’ve just arrived and came into town with her today for the first time.”
    “I see. Well, Tara, Reena’s niece, I’ll be thanking you for breaking up the fight for my younger brother’s sake.”
    Tara returned her gaze to his before she could stop herself. Younger brother, not married?
    His expression didn’t change nor did he bother to say who he was. He also gave no indication if he thought it odd that a Gothman woman prevented a fight. He looked at her a minute longer and then drove down the street.
    Tara exhaled slowly, willing her heart to stop pounding as she walked to the sidewalk and stared after him. Had he said thank you for breaking up the fight? Had he seen her shoot the trashcan?
    Reena walked down the sidewalk toward Tara, the older woman’s attention moving from the departing man to her niece . “Well, child, don’t it figure, your first day in town, and you’ve the honor of meeting Lord Darius himself.” Reena sounded absolutely delighted.
    “ That was Lord Darius?” Tara asked quietly as she stole another glance at the handsome man disappearing down the stone road.
    “Yes, my dear. What’d he say to you?” Reena handed the bags of yarn to Tara and started walking to the car. “Come now, tell an old lady everything. He hasn’t claimed anyone yet, although I daresay the rumors are that he’s been with each girl in this town, he has. Now he’s seen you, maybe that will change. Ha, it’s plain to see you are a mite prettier than any other girl this town has to offer.”
    “He said ‘thank you’.”
    Reena turned to Tara, a puzzled look on her face. “A bit strange, but then he always has been odd, he has.”
    The two reached the car, and Tara put the bags on the floor behind the two seats. Her mind raced. What should she do if the ruler of this land had seen her with a laser that was more sophisticated than any Gothman had ever created? He had to be the same man who instigated a search for a Runner on his land the night before, and she credited the man as intelligent.
    Eventually, he would put two and two together and uncover the identity of the Runner who had eluded the guards.
    Letting out a gasp, Tara realized her next move in this community had better be carefully thought out if she were to stay alive.

Chapter Three
     
    “There were some children fighting in the alley. One of them was hurt and I was going to help the child when Lord Darius showed up and told the child to go back to school,” Tara explained as Reena drove through the remainder of downtown. “I didn’t know it was Lord Darius.”
    “Well, now you know who he is and he most certainly knows who you are, there’ll be no mistaking that.” Reena seemed quite pleased. “Imagine the lord, himself, taking a fancy to you. And I might add, I saw the way you were looking at him, I did.” She nudged Tara with her elbow and let out a low chuckle.
    “You act as you want me married, or claimed, as you call it.”
    “Well my dear, you can’t very well experience our culture as a female if you’re not claimed, that’s for certain. There’d be nothing else to do with you at your age but to show you off for a claiming.” Reena smiled at the young girl. “I’m an old lady, my dear. I daresay you’ve brought excitement to my life.”
    “I don’t want to be claimed.”
    “Ach, shh, you better keep thoughts like that to yourself, love. You’d be suspected as odd for sure if you say thoughts like that out loud.” Reena chuckled some more and glowed as she glanced at Tara.
    The two were silent as Reena drove slowly through the town.
    Tara looked out the window at the community, watching the people she saw on the streets. Young women worked in gardens with children running around them. The houses appeared clean and well kept, for the most part. She wondered at a lifestyle in which the people lived in a home all of their lives and raised children.
    This was all so new to her. She’d spent months in one