Page 53 of Serpents of the Night

“Yes,” he hissed with a sigh. “It is different in the nara. Here, males and females live together, and though we recognize the darker times of our history, our lives here are shared completely. We work as one, we thrive as one, and we have our laws to protect each member regardless of age, mated status, or whether they are male or female. And each nara is overseen by a council of males and females who collectively make decisions for the community, each representing different interests in the community.”

“And what interest do you represent?” she inquired.

He trilled softly in delight. “Very observant. Although I was not born among the Vehal and, having been released from the haga, was a juvenile of age when I joined them, I quickly rose to lead the hunters. Because hunters have the most direct contact with outsiders, it also makes me the speaker for the council’s will.”

His gaze lingered on her, his admiration too obvious as he waited for her response. Clearly, he anticipated that, at least, would impress her. Lori twitched uncomfortably but refused to rise to the bait. Sooner or later, he would give up once it was made abundantly clear that she was not interested in taking another mate.

The admiration in his gaze shifted to speculation as he regarded her. “You are truly not interested?”

Bingo. Though she appreciated that he was quicker on the uptake than some guys were.

“No,” she agreed. “I am not. I will wait for my mates.”

He inclined his head, his gavo flicking. “I respect that choice and it makes you even more admirable in my eyes, but I will not bother you. If you change your mind in the future, I will welcome you.” With a sigh, he rose from his relaxed position and turned to the door. “I have other things requiring my attention now, but I hope to speak with you again,” he added with one last wistful look before leaving.

Lori didn’t even bother watching him leave as she didn’t want anyone in the room to get the wrong idea. Unfortunately, that meant she was looking in Sara’s direction when the medic rounded on her with exasperation.

“Are you crazy?” she demanded. “You just turned down Therxian! Have you any idea of how many have tried to get his attention with zero success before moving on to greener pastures.”

Lori shrugged. “I suppose better luck to him next time for the next female who attracts his interest, but I’m not the one for him. I have mates—three if you remember correctly,” she added with a faint smile.

“Of which there hasn’t been any sign of,” Sara argued. Sighing heavily, she set down the bowl filled with the paste that she had been mixing and crossed her arms over her chest. “Don’t forget you have a Seshanamitesh fetus growing inside of you.”

“It’s a little difficult to forget about him when he likes to regularly remind me that he is there and I’m starting to feel like I’ve swallowed a ball,” Lori replied wryly.

“Funny lady,” Sara snorted but she shook her head. “You are going to need help, Lori. Real help. More than what just being part of the nara can provide, even though we will all help as much as we can. You need a mate to be there with you who can help you give your nestling the best chance possible. Even the mountains of Seshana are a harsh, dangerous place for anyone to try to do this alone.”

“I won’t be alone once my mates find me.”

“They haven’t yet, and you’ve been here weeks now. What if they don’t?”

Lori swallowed thickly. They weren’t coming, not without help. She had known that all along, but she hadn’t said anything to Sara with the hope of avoiding this exact conversation. She didn’t want Sara, or anyone else, thinking that the answer to her problems was to find her a new mate.

She didn’t want any other mates.

“If they don’t, then I will manage,” she whispered and couldn’t quite hold back the tears as she met the medic’s gaze. “I can’t just forget about them and move on, Sara. They are mine and I am theirs. There is no going back.”

“But...,” Sara protested. Whatever she had planned to say, however, was discarded as Yuneril gently drew her beneath one of his wide wings.

“Enough, Sara,” he hummed soothingly. “You would be no different if it was you in her position.”

The medic sighed but nodded grimly as her mate hugged her closely. Lori glanced away, lost in her own thoughts. If only she could just get her hands on a comm!

Chapter 43

A call echoed, its familiarity taking on a strange note in the open skies of the night. Kehtal’s gavo rose alertly as he craned his neck and peered towards the horizon curiously. The open desert made everything sound off, but he could have sworn that he knew it. He was certain that it wasn’t Daskh, however. Although he and Daskh had been exchanging calls over the distance as they searched the dunes, taking care all the while not to disturb any fazthal that might still be lurking nearby beneath the sand, the direction was wrong for his nest brother’s last position. He also believed he had become accustomed to the male’s calls over the last several days.

There was a chance that it was a hunting party drawing out closer to the mountains from Raza colony, but he did not think so. The hunting parties typically avoided the dunes even if they decided to venture out further. Gasthan herds seldom went out onto the dunes, preferring to circle far around them instead. With their size, fazthals were quick to discover them, otherwise. The dunes were more likely home to giant zarkulths which most Seshanamitesh did not find pleasant enough to eat to be worth the effort to pierce their exoskeletons. Kehtal had come across a few danthas while he searched with Daskh, but they were scrawny and would not even be worth the effort of hunters looking for bigger game to feed the colony.

The call echoed again over the sand and his ears fanned. It sounded closer. His curiously piqued, he shrieked back, the resonating sound carrying to whoever was approaching. His head cocked, his ears flicking as he listened... and then it came, the sound rising jubilantly over the sand with a distant rush of wings. Kehtal’s eyes widened, his hearts leaping abruptly in his chest.

He knew that call!

“Slengral! Daskh, Slengral has come,” he shouted and then remembered belatedly that neither male would even hear his words. Shaking his head sharply as he laughed, he sent out two sharp calls of welcome as his wings spread and kicked up sand as he launched into the air.

His wings beat the air rapidly as he rose over the crest of the dunes. His head swiveled as he eagerly peered along the horizon. At last, his gaze fell at last on three figures rising over the sand and a shout of elation rose rapidly from within his chest as he recognized the male flying at the center of the formation. There was something off about his nest brother’s flying but Kehtal mentally set that aside to investigate later as he hurdled through the air toward to meet him, his sharp calls of greeting echoing between them, unconstrained with his excitement.

Sand rose in a cloud from the left with Daskh’s approach, his massive wings stirring the dunes as he flew low to conceal himself and the nestling he carried. The male was cautious but his own cries of welcome which just as jubilant and sweet to Kehtal’s ears as he twisted in the air and spun around Slengral, his wings moving in a wild sequence of acrobatics as he spun happily around the male, his soft trills falling from him in welcome.

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