Page 18 of Aria's Desire

“Speak you thoughts, my brother.”

Kix faced forward again under pretence of watching where they were going, but Tirox felt the telltale tickle in the back of his mind. Rolling his eyes, he growled, but allowed his friend to poke about in his head.

Finally, Kix spoke. “You have become friends with Rellik and Sin.”

Ah. So that is what he dances around.

“Yes, I, too, would be amenable to her taking them as mates.”

That surprised a chuckle out of his serious friend and they shared a grin. More relaxed now that he’d spoken plainly, Kix let out a breath.

“Have you spoken with her about them?”

Tirox’s face screwed up with disbelief. “Have I pressed my female to consider other males? Of course not. That is not done. It is her heart and body. Who she offers them to is entirely her decision.”

Kix nodded with agreement, but his expression was confused. “I do not understand her reticence. I have searched her feelings for them and theirs for her. They are genuine. Yet, she will not broach the subject with us. I admit this baffles me.”

Snorting, Tirox gave his friend a disapproving look. “You rely too heavily on your mind magic. If you would open your eyes, you would see the struggle in hers.” At Kix’s frown, Tirox shook his shoulders. “I know her spirit as I know my own, but I do not play at understanding her mind. Even so, I see her struggles plainly.” He sighed deeply. “Not that seeing them has helped me. I am lost as to what to do. I have appraised the males carefully. I have shown her my approval by learning their names, offering mine, and befriending them. I have tried to show her we work well together, that our spirits and natures are agreeable. I do not know how else to show my approval.”

“I… have perhaps not done quite as well with that.” Kix grimaced. “Much of my mind is occupied of late.”

Tirox made a low sound in his throat at that understatement. Cutting his friend an exasperated look, he rumbled, “Your mind would be free if you would admit defeat and move to a clone without mind magic.”

Kix flashed blue, his ire at that suggestion plain. “And leave our Aria without the ability to know her enemies' minds and intentions? You would take that advantage from her? No. She depends on me to do this. What is a little pain if it keeps her safe?”

“A little?”

A muscle in Kix’s jaw ticked and his expression became steely with determination. “She is worth any pain.”

Tirox had no argument for that. He would sacrifice all for his heart, so how could he berate Kix for doing the same? He could not, but that did not mean it sat well with him.

Sighing, he rubbed at one of his horns. “I hear your words. And I would do the same, were our places switched. But, I do not mind telling you, I struggle in your absence.” He almost did not say the words, but if they were speaking truths… “Some days, it feels as though our Aria has one mate. And she is not the only one who feels the loss of your presence, my friend.”

Kix flinched. “I know. All the more reason for her to accept Sin and Rellik.”

“That is your motivation behind wanting her to take them?” Tirox growled, appalled. “Foolish male! Their presence will not replace the lack of your own. And well you know it!”

Kix shook his head. “That is not what I am saying.”

“Was it not?” he challenged.

Instead of answering, he got a contemplative look on his face and noted musingly, “She is human.”

Not following his thoughts, Tirox shook his shoulders. “What of it?”

“She is human,” he repeated. “We have been behaving as though she is like us. Yet, she is not.”

Tirox understood suddenly what his friend was saying and wanted very much to disagree. Much to his discomfort, he found he could not.

“You suggest that, in loving her, we have lost sight of her differences?” Tirox grimaced, twisting his mouth at the bad taste that left. “I do not like it, but… perhaps you are not wrong.”

Tirox did not think of her as being other, if he ever truly had. To him, she was just Aria. Hisrwy’n la, his heart. But, Kix had a point.

“We have forgotten that her people have different ways. You think her hesitation comes not from a lack of want, but from a lack of… experience?”

Kix nodded slowly. “Think of our own bonding with her. I confess my perception is heavily colored with what I felt, but think of it. Did we not make the decision for her? Did we not decide we would both mate her? I cannot say if she would have come to such a decision on her own. Further, you know as well as I that we are the first males she has given her heart to. Perhaps she fears creating discord in her house.”

Thinking on that, Tirox nodded. “So, what is the solution? Do we go to her and speak plainly? Do we go to Rellik and Sin and offer this new wisdom?”

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