“I will see to it that it is done,” Rhyst agreed solemnly.
The king inclined his head a fraction in acknowledgment. “See that you are at the palace at sunrise. I am eager to review everything that you have found. This information shall determine how to proceed.”
Fucking hell. That… didn’t sound good.
Chapter 24
The king, Fa’suh’teln, never wasted time on pleasantries, and Rhyst was glad that the male didn’t linger. His orders delivered, Fa’suh turned away, confident his orders would be obeyed, and strode back to the palace, leaving the people to return to whatever duties and pleasantries they had been engaged in before he arrived.
Rhyst stared down at his human, his lips tightening with an unfamiliar rush of uncertainty.
The a’sankhii lived on the edge of the city near the outer wall. Not only was it far from any comforts, but their rotations took them away from home for long periods. Two lunar cycles in the city serving as guard, and one lunar cycle scouting. During his imprisonment by the humans, he had been away for twice the usual amount of time. His home would be in a pitiful state to receive a female and have little in the way of comforts.
A movement caught his attention, and he cast an exasperated glance at Ag’hana. She had yet to depart and was beginning to circle with curiosity, eyes alight. His fur prickled. That look always meant trouble when they were young.
“You should return home. I am sure your mate will be worrying after you,” he hinted.
His sister flicked her tail dismissively at him. “I will send Lli’foren a transmit. This is far too important for me to ignore. You most certainly need my assistance with this—” he shot her a warning look as she lifted a hand toward Cha’lii and met his scowl with a guileless smile “—human.”
The human frowned, her blue eyes narrowing with suspicion. Ag’hana was undeterred by Cha’lii’s demeanor. Instead, she raised her brows at him, and he had to concede that she was not wrong.
“Very well. You may accompany us,” he grumbled.
Cha’lii shot a horrified look at him. “I’m sorry—I think I just hallucinated. What?” she hissed. “He and I will be just fine.”
Rhyst’s jaw tightened. He may have learned to lower his expectations with what his sister would tolerate many solars ago, but he bristled that Cha’lii would question his lead in public. She needed to trust him, especially here among his people, who would be watching their every interaction. He would have to address this with her later in private.
“I have been away for two lunar cycles, and I continue to be placed in the position of responsibility for your welfare. I do not have time to see to your comfort. Ag’hana will be invaluable in acquiring what you need and making my home habitable again,” he said.
He watched in fascination as her hostility mounted. Her hairless cheeks began to redden in warning, as if she were a kind of venomous creature preparing to strike. The fact that he knew that she had no such abilities helped him to resist the urge to step back. Instead, he drew to his full height and flattened his ears as he watched to see just how she might decide to behave among his people.
Several females paused nearby; ears tilted toward them curiously. Cha’lii’s eyes landed on them, and she let out a slow breath, though it did not reduce her alarming color any.
If anything, the color deepened right up the roots of her short brown mane. The color fascinated him. A shame that it was cut so short. He had noticed that the males of her species frequently styled their mane in such a fashion, but the females he identified among them had seemed to wear their manes long, like his species preferred.
“Thank you,” she said, her voice low as she bit out every word, “for putting up with my inconvenient presence. I assure you that I expect nothing so don’t concern yourself at all. I won’t be a burden.”
Despite the technical graciousness of her words, his fur continued to prickle in warning. He felt the eyes of their remaining audience turn on him, waiting for some kind of response. He puffed out his chest, pleased that she had not spoken carelessly among his people. He opened his mouth to acknowledge her acceptance when Ag’hana pushed between them, green eyes flashing in warning at him before she turned to Cha’lii, her tail flicking in amusement.