Page 52 of Monster Married
Chapter 16
Inkiri
Two days later.
The Raikenga waiting for me in Hove’s office smiled pleasantly in his impeccable dust-gray robes of the makers, his dark braids flawless in their intricacy. His eyes narrowed only the tiniest fraction when he saw me.
“Brother,” Zeddira said, the delay of his greeting as smooth as the slow movements he went through to stand up from his seating cushion at Hove’s table.
Zeddira was hangu, older than I, and from what I knew about it, my father was close to Zeddira’s hangu father. Zeddira visited home often—much more often than I did—and had the bearings of a head of House when it served him, the bearings of second high counselor of the Raiken when that served him better.
I inclined my head. “Zeddira. I was surprised to hear you had come here to offer your support.”
Zeddira clicked and bowed in turn. “The report I read left no other option but to come to your aid and bring a whole company of our best along. Although Visdena Hove has made quick work of strengthening the fortifications and interrogating the prisoners taken during the attack.”
Hove had hired Vergis to refortify the wall and also to reapply fire protections to all structures that did not currently have them, something that was keeping our mage busy for long hours each day. Hove laid plans and executed them with finesse and a certain ruthlessness that made me think he was visdena rather than dena only because he preferred it that way.
“You flatter me with such praise, Second High Counselor.” Hove showed his political acumen by using hangu honorifics of a High House rather than those of the Raiken.
Zeddira looked pleased. “Not at all. Visdena Hove, might I ask to borrow the privacy of your office while I speak with my brother? We have not seen each other in a long time, and you will understand how some matters between family are best handled in private.”
“Of course, Second High Counselor. My rooms are yours.” Hove stood, then strode out the door. He’d chosen to wear a short dagger strapped to his sash to show his warrior’s prowess to Zeddira. I didn’t think Zeddira cared.
“You won’t sit?” Zeddira asked when we were alone, dropping to familial address right away.
“I would rather not stay long, Zeddira. My mate is unwell, and I wish to be by his side.”
Zeddira poured himself some of the tea laid out on the table. “One of your sentenmen is with him, yes? Our fathers agree you think those three more family than them, so you must be confident they will take the best of care with your mate. You can have a cup of tea with me, Brother.”
Zeddira was fishing. I decided to bite. I took a seat at the table and let him pour me tea into a finely made cup.
I waited until he was finished before I said, “There are four in our sentenmen beside me and my mate. We’re counting Vergis as ours.”
“Is that so?” Zeddira pushed back his sleeve to take his own cup.
I said nothing because I knew it would annoy Zeddira the most, not that he would ever show it. I sipped my own tea, prompting him to follow suit.
After a brief stretch of silence, he put his tea down with just a bit too much force. “I came because I imagine you are not aware of some of the incursions we have seen from the human side. The Koa Esher who attacked Esaka were working with humans.”
I nodded. “Theirs began as an uneasy alliance born of need, though I cannot say what it is now.” I said it because I had to, in my duty as protector. Besides, the captured Koa Esher had already confirmed as much, and Zeddira would be aware of the reports.
“The humans wanted your human mate.”
“That is what the prisoners say.”
“Your human mate can do incredible things.” Zeddira spoke with exceeding politeness about Rory, which made his angle all too clear.
I was glad that only Lissir, Nokim, Fellisse, and Vergis knew what Rory had been used to do at the Stone of Destiny two years ago, and that all but Vergis had been in full agreement on not putting that into a report. Vergis had simply stated that it wasn’t his business at all and he had no reason to tell anyone anything. The bagu was sentenmen to us and acted like it, whether he accepted it or not.
I cast my gaze to the table. “It’s unclear yet what he can do. None of that matters, since right now, he cannot do anything.”
He nodded. “I have brought the best doctors and our mages. I know that Earth-born Vergis of yours is skilled, but I thought no skill is wasted when my own brother’s mate is hurt. The best the Raiken has to offer is here for your mate, Brother.”
“I thank you for that, Brother.” Which would have been true if Zeddira had a selfless bone in his body. I knew that anyone who examined Rory would report right back to him. Fellisse wouldn’t let anyone touch Rory, and Vergis wasn’t beyond claiming Rory had promised himself as Vergis’s exclusive conduit to keep those mages at a distance.
“Had you and your mate discussed your future together? Our parents would be delighted to welcome you and even your sentenmen, should you wish to retire fully from the Raiken. On the other hand, the Raiken would cherish such a rare and uniquely skilled individual as your mate. He will need to be trained in at least the basics, of course, but that can be easily achieved.”
“We had not discussed it,” I said.
