“Yes, and the head queen of all bitchery’s only child lies over there.” Thia cut her gaze toward Darice before she looked back at Sumi. “While normally a female can withdraw from an unwanted pledge with no drama, Dariana’s is a special case. There are only two original and completely pristine Andarion bloodlines that females and their families will sell their souls to tie into. One is the direct royal bloodline of the ruling house.”

“The Most Sovereign Blood Clan of eton Anatole.”

Thia smiled at Sumi’s knowledge of their world. “Very good. The other bloodline belongs to the family of the first thirteen Andarion heroes. The Warring Blood Clan of… Hauk.”

Legendary warriors who’d been regaled since the beginning of interplanetary travel. Before there had been a single noble bloodline established on Andaria, the Hauks had stood united as a family to defend their race from the offworlders who’d come to conquer, kill, and enslave them.

It was a story of raw grit, patriotism, and exceptional sacrifice that everyone learned in school, no matter what species they belonged to. Seven Andarion males and five Andarion females. Brothers and sisters, along with their father, who was a retired veteran and shaman. When the first offworlders had come to Andaria to conquer them, their father had led their family out to stall the enemy’s advance, while their mother ran to spread word of the invaders and warn their people.

Single-handedly for three days, the Hauks had battled the tech-superior army, and held the invaders back from their capital city walls, until the Andarion chief could mount a counterattack. But the cost to their family had been a high one.

When that battle ended, only two Hauks remained. Father and son. The father died just days later of his injuries, leaving his son to found what was considered the first true blood lineage of Andaria. A hero who would later refuse to be the chieftain of his homeworld when they’d offered him the first united crown of Andaria.

“A Hauk is not a politician. There is no room in our hearts to sit in peace with those who would do any Andarion harm. We are, and will forever be, protectors of our brethren, family, and homeworld. So long as a single War Hauk lives, no nation will defeat us. No race will dare to invade our air, lands, or sea. We will stand and we will defend.

“For we are not bred of mercy and we are not bred for peace.

“We are born of fury.

“Forever Andaria!

“And forever fear the Warring Blood Clan of Hauk.”

Sumi had learned to recite that speech as a class project to honor Fain’s Andarion heritage. He’d never once said a word about it being his direct ancestor who’d originally given it.