Endine squeezed her hand. “And it is so. For the two children you and Dancer already have that you plan to share lineage with, and for the one he just told me about that is to be born to you a few months hence.”

Heat scalded her cheeks as his mother announced what they’d been waiting to tell the others until after their wedding.

Thia smiled knowingly and mouthed the words fertile turtles at her.

“Thank you, Ger Tarra.”

“Matarra,” Endine corrected. She placed a kiss on each of Sumi’s cheeks. “It is my honor and privilege to welcome you to our lineage.” Stepping back, she inclined her head respectfully to her mother-in-law and Cairistiona before she took her leave.

Kiara took the ring and slid it onto Sumi’s thumb. “You give this to him when the two of you are alone.”

“Thank you.” Grateful for all of them, Sumi took a deep breath. “Okay. Let’s do this. I’m almost ready to be naked in public.”

“Just think of Hauk,” Kiara said with a wink.

Fighting the urge to cover herself with her hands, she followed after them.

They led her out in a small procession and left her to stand before the decorated altar of the temple Dancer had been attending services in since his birth. It was here that he’d been first baptized and named as an infant. Here, he’d said good-bye to his family members who’d passed, and here Dariana had humiliated him every year since he was eighteen.

That thought brought a lump to her throat that tightened as she saw Dancer entering from the door to her left. His incredible body was bare except for an ornate burgundy loincloth. Avoiding her gaze, he moved to kneel on the gold cushion by her side.

It was only then that the full cruelty of Dariana’s actions against him struck her.

The temple was filled with his family. And just as Fain had said, their disdain for his scars was plainly evident. Not even the priest would look at him.

His head held high, Dancer kept his gaze on the floor. But even so, she saw the pain and shame he felt at being so exposed before them all.

The priest cleared his throat. “Sumi of the Most Sovereign Blood Clan of eton Anatole, you have come before this altar and our gods to declare your allegiance to Dancer of the Warring Blood Clan of Hauk. To combine your two bloodlines and lineages into one. This is the most sacred action any Andarion can make and it is not one to be lightly undertaken. From this day forward, you will be joined and loyal to one another above all others. Do you both understand the solemnity of this event?”

“I do,” Sumi said.

The priest looked to Dancer.

“I do.”