Thia nodded. “It’s why my parents remarried – to make sure no one disputed the legitimacy or heritage of their children. Tradition dictates that a pledge be made before a priest and that the parents and immediate families bear witness to it. After that, the couple has to wait a full Andarion year before they meet back at temple. Then before the priest, they disclose if they’ve allowed another to touch them during the time they’ve been pledged. If their public Disclosure is accepted by both parties, they go forward with unification, and the next day they have their marriage completed and blessed.”

Sumi didn’t like the sound of what Thia described. “What exactly do they admit to in this Disclosure?”

“If they’ve allowed someone of the opposite sex to touch them in any way that could be construed as sexual contact.”

Sumi gaped at her. “Wait! Are you telling me that high-lineaged Andarions have to publicly catalogue all the sexual activity of their lives before they can marry?”

“No,” she said quickly. “What happens before pledging is inconsequential. Even what happens between the male and female who are pledged is inconsequential. They accept the fact that Andarion passions are fierce, and that many couples don’t wait. But once pledged, it becomes a sacred trust, like marriage. To allow any part of your body to be touched by someone other than the one you’re pledged to is the same as adultery. And it’s treated that way. Darice’s paran is extremely lucky that my yaya was already in love with my grandfather, and was more than happy to release him from his pledge. Otherwise, she could have demanded his offending body part be given to her… or his head. It’s called Restitution, and the dishonored party is allowed to choose what they find acceptable physical payment for a broken pledge.”

Was the girl kidding? “Excuse me?”

Thia nodded grimly. “If he’s slept with another, a male can be castrated at the command of his pledged. If he’s touched another female, he loses his hands. A kiss can cost him his tongue and lips.”

She felt sick over what she’d inadvertently done. And Dancer hadn’t said a word about it. “Are you serious?”

“Very. Andarions don’t take disloyalty or broken pledges lightly. We are a fierce proud race. You do not break an Andarion oath. Ever.”

What have I done?

Sumi wished desperately that she could go back and refrain from a kiss that, knowing Dariana, could get Dancer killed. “So what do they do to females, then? They can’t castrate them. Right?”

Thia actually flinched. “You don’t want to know. Trust me. I don’t want to think about it. But if a female has slept with another while pledged, the best she can hope for is death.”

“Is that true of who they slept with, too? Do they get the same punishment?”