Punished by Tana Stone (best books to read for knowledge .TXT) 📕

came to Sienna. Not only would it be bad for me, but any contact between us was also strictly forbidden by her planetary customs. As backward as they were, I did not want to buck them when I was living as a guest in their community. Being exiled twice was not appealing.

I glanced back at the stone shower. My fantasies about the human would have to remain just that. Nothing could ever happen between me and the female.

I stomped off to bed, praying to the gods of old that Sienna did not haunt my dreams.

Chapter Ten

Ch 10

Sienna

As soon as I stepped inside our dwelling, I knew. My insides turned the consistency of jellied algae when I heard his voice.

“Where have you been?”

I pulled the door closed behind me and squared my shoulders as I turned. Just my luck that my father would be home when I returned. I could usually count on him staggering in long after I’d gone to sleep, but today I wasn’t so fortunate.

“Out,” I said, knowing that my reply would only stoke his anger, but not caring.

My father sat on the couch, his elbows on his knees and his hands clasped in front of him. His sandy brown hair was still unkempt, and the pervading scent of fish told me he’d been to work. Although his eyes were bloodshot, he looked more sober than usual. More bad luck for me.

“I heard what you did.” Even though his voice was quiet, it trembled with anger.

I bit back a smart-ass response about me being shocked he knew anything about me. It wouldn’t do me any good to enrage him more. Instead, I met his gaze and remained silent.

He held my eyes for a few moments, then looked away. “Did you really think you’d get away with it? Trying to be like one of the males?”

“I wasn’t trying to be like a male. I just wanted to learn to fight.”

“Like a male,” my father said. “You know females on Kimithion III don’t do such things. It’s never been done.”

“Which is a stupid reason. I was the best fighter out there, male or female.”

Now my father stood. “I also heard that Donal had to step in.”

My face heated as I thought about Donal and how he’d treated me like I was his property. “He didn’t have to do anything. I was handling myself just fine.”

My father rubbed a hand over his face. “Your actions shame him, Sienna. Don’t you see that? No husband wants his wife running around acting like a man.”

“I’m not his wife.”

He threw his arms open wide. “You will be. Unless you ruin everything.”

“I’ve told you before, but maybe you were too hungover to remember.” I folded my arms tightly in front of me. “I’m not marrying Donal.”

His face reddened and he advanced on me. “You will marry Donal.”

When I was younger, I would have shrunk from him barreling toward me. But now, I was just as tall as him. Now, I could take him in a fight. I drew myself up to my full height and dropped my arms to my sides, balling them into fists.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Juliette enter the living area from the hallway, her face pinched as she wrung her hands. She hated when we argued, which was why I usually went to great lengths to avoid him.

He stopped, glancing at Juliette then back at me and taking in my stance. “You would hit your own father?”

I clenched my fists tighter. “You would force your daughter to marry someone she hates?”

He hesitated for a moment, clearly sizing me up, then he turned and waved a hand dismissively at me. “You don’t know what you want. You’re still a child.”

“I’m past the age of maturity, and I know that I will never marry Donal. I don’t care what you do to me. I won’t spend hundreds of years with that man.”

My father turned back to me, his face twisted. “You’d rather spend hundreds of years alone? Like me?”

I knew he meant that he would spend the rest of his life without my mother. Juliette choked back a sob, and I glared at him. “At least you picked each other.”

He sank back down on the couch, putting his head in his hands. “And I still lost her. Making a choice doesn’t mean anything. It’s all a game of chance.” He peered up at me through bleary eyes. “You have just as much of a chance of being happy with Donal as you do with anyone. And this way you’ll be secure and taken care of. You’ll never have to worry about anything being married to a minister’s son. None of us will.”

And there it was. For the briefest moment, I’d thought he might actually be thinking about my future, but it all came down to him. If I married Donal, he’d be better off. The father-in-law of a minister’s son would never be allowed to work at the shore. He’d probably be given a cushy job he wouldn’t even have to do. Or maybe Donal would support him entirely. Bile rose in the back of my throat.

“Sorry I’m ruining all your grand plans,” I spat.

His eyes narrowed. “Your mother would be ashamed of you.”

Juliette sucked in a breath and then held it as no one spoke. We never mentioned my mother—he didn’t allow it—so the shock left us all speechless. When I allowed myself to breathe again, my chest ached, the physical pain almost making me double over.

I thought of the picture of my mother tucked away in my drawer, her eyes kind and her smile bright. I didn’t remember much about her, but I did know that she’d loved me. Snatches of memories floated through my mind of her singing to me and kissing my stomach as I giggled. I would not let him stain what memories I had left.

“You think she would be ashamed of me?” I asked, my words cold and cutting as