Page 122 of The Black Witch

“Well, then,” says Rafe, “why don’t we all go over to the dining hall and get something to drink?”

* * *

“It is not our custom to be unclothed,” Rafe explains as I bring over a tray with hot tea and dried fruit from the kitchens.

“Yes, yes, I know, but it’s ridiculous,” Diana counters. “How do you bathe? You don’t smell bad, so you must bathe. My ridiculous roommates are very crazed about no one walking in on them in the washroom, but I assume there is bathing going on.”

Rafe smirks at this. “Yes, we bathe, but it’s unacceptable for us to be unclothed around other people.”

“Even little children? Even babies? Do they always need to be clothed?”

“Yes. Everyone needs to be clothed. Especially older children and adults. And they can’teverbe unclothed around people of the opposite sex.”

“Ever?” Diana screws her face up in wry disbelief. “How do you mate? There are quite a lot of you, so you must mate at some point.”

Rafe lets out a surprised laugh, spitting out some of his tea as he does so. Diana smiles at him smugly.

“I would assume...there is, in fact...the removal of clothing,” Rafe concedes, his eyes swimming with amusement as he stumbles over his response. “But in all seriousness, Diana, I know it seems ludicrous to you, but there are...religious beliefs that condemn it.”

“What?”

“Nudity.”

“Religiousbeliefs?”

“Yes,” he tells her. “There are people who would assume that because you’re comfortable being naked, that you have no morals...and that you would...mate with any man.”

“That’s ridiculous,” Diana says, waving her hand in the air. “We mate for life.”

“I know. Buthere,there are men who would mate with you who have no desire for a life bond. They wouldn’t even have to like you.”

Diana pauses and stares at Rafe for a long moment, her mouth agape. “That is very shocking. This is extremely immoral.” Diana purses her lips in disapproval, glowering at my brother. “You are a strange people.” Someone across the room catches Diana’s eye, and she holds up a hand to get his attention. “Jarod,” she calls to her brother.

Jarod sees her, smiles and approaches our table.

“What we heard about their people is true,” Diana says to him, with no lead-in. She motions to us with a wave of her hand. “These people will mate with people theydon’t even like.” She’s clearly appalled.

Rafe holds up both hands at Diana, as if warding off this accusation. “I meant thatsomeGardnerians and Kelts are like this, notall,” he vehemently clarifies.

Jarod’s face takes on a shocked expression as he sits on a chair next to Diana, straddling it backward. “Really?” he asks his sister in a low voice, ashamed on our behalf. “I thought that was just a nasty rumor.”

“As did I,” Diana agrees. “I thought Father was exaggerating.” She turns to me censoriously. “Have you mated in this way, Elloren?”

I nearly spit out all the tea in my mouth. “Me? No!I’ve never...” My voice gets smaller and tighter with each word.

“And you.” Diana jabs a finger at Rafe. “Have you mated in this way? With someone you don’t even care for?”

“No!” Rafe says defensively, his hands flying up again. “Like my sister, I haven’t...” He trails off.

Diana relaxes her accusatory posture, sits back in her chair and sighs deeply. “I have not yet taken a mate, either, although I am greatly looking forward to it.” She smiles happily at the prospect, then points to Jarod with her thumb. “My brother has also not yet taken someone to mate.”

Jarod grins brightly at us. “I, too, greatly look forward to it.”

“You must be looking forward to taking a mate, Elloren,” said Diana, her tone conversational. “You’re almost of age.” She and her brother smile at me expectantly, and I begin to wonder how hot my face can get before it causes some type of physical problem. I desperately want to crawl under the table and disappear.

“Listen,” says Rafe, leaning forward toward Diana, grasping his mug with both hands. “I happen to agree with you that it is morally wrong to...bewith someone you don’t care for. I just want to clarify that.”

“You know,” I say to Jarod and Diana, “I’ve heard quite a few rumors about Lupines, as well.”

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