fierce. It depends on the man, of course. The good ones? They put up a fight. I figure it’s because women love taming a wild man as much as men love taming a wild woman. Humanity is surprisingly equal at times. But women are more common. For many years, a male heir was more desirable than a woman. But times changed.”
That startled me. “How so?”
“Only a woman can guarantee that the bloodline remains intact. Having a daughter for an heir confirms the child is of the appropriate bloodline. The identity of the father is less important than the confirmation that the child does belong to the family bloodline. DNA tests can confirm it, but if the heir is the mother, there is no doubt. Families dislike doubt. A woman’s value is rising now—and many families don’t care who the father is if it means they have a child of the blood.”
People disgusted me. “Men aren’t trusted to stay with their woman, then.”
“Exactly. So, a woman is the most valuable thing a family can have. In your case, your children will be DNA tested to confirm the child belongs to the family line. The heir would be DNA tested prior to marriage to ensure he’s actually of the line, too—if the head of the family is a man. If the head of the family is a woman, he’s DNA tested anyway, but his status as a part of the family isn’t questioned.”
I’d been dumped into an insane hell hole, and I already regretted being such a bitch to Mother Nature. Mother Nature hated my guts, but I understood her.
I didn’t understand society, and I doubted I ever would. “And what if any kids aren’t his?”
“This is where it gets interesting.”
I raised a brow at that. “Spill, Noah.”
“You’re not the kind to break a promise, so if you had another man’s child, it would be because of rape. They’d bring you to the Alley, find out who had violated you, and rain hell on them and their family for their crimes. Your child would be adopted into the family but would not be the heir. You might be given the choice to have the child adopted to another family line. There are other options, which you, as the courtesan, would be given.”
Next time, I would remember Noah didn’t mince words or pull punches. “What can you tell me about the bounty hunters?”
“You have a collection of good bounty hunters after you. There are three official bounty hunters who’ve staked claims on you. Two are from the Alley, and one is an import from the East. The one from the East is going to give you the most trouble.”
“Let me guess. The import’s name is Sandro?”
Noah chuckled. “Sandro Flores Moretti. He’s a quadrant master, and if he decides he wants you, he’s going to get you. You don’t become a quadrant master without being driven and skilled.”
I sucked in a breath. Quadrant masters had to pass through the boundaries to train in magic. They could be witches, mages, or elementalists, and when they showed up, they could change the world—or possibly rule it.
Unlike most, the boundaries didn’t destroy their ability to use magic.
They overcame the boundaries, they learned everything every quadrant had to offer them, and they could function anywhere.
I could, too, although I’d always viewed my witch powers as a punishment more than anything else.
I hated my magic in the Alley, where touching the wrong object could fling me back in time to witness things better left unknown.
Taking deep breaths to regain my composure, I asked, “What kind of quadrant master is he?”
“He’s a mage. I can’t tell you anything more than that. His abilities are a closely guarded secret. I can tell you this much, however. He has an open invitation to dwell in Asylum, so you best be careful around him.”
Shit. I needed to go apologize to Mother Nature immediately for thinking mean things about her. If my luck kept heading south, I’d be dancing to Mother Nature’s tune to remain free. “The other bounty hunters?”
“Carlos Lòpez isn’t going to give you any trouble; he’s slow on the draw, thinks you’re an easy grab, and won’t believe you’re aware of what’s going on. He’s dumb enough he’ll think you’re just lucky when you evade him. He underestimates women. Swing for his left side if you get into a fight with him. He flinches because of an old wound.”
Carlos didn’t worry me, but Sandro did. In the Alley, there were two