Page 25 of Rhaz's Redemption
“Still, someone should take him down,” Anusha commented.
“Agreed,” I replied.
Anusha looked down at her knitting project again and frowned. “I think I’m going to take a walk.” She got up, grabbed her coat, then headed for the entrance.
Fatima watched her go but her gaze lingered on Zander who was talking with Neelu and her mate, Gogron.
“I’ll be headed back to the valley tomorrow,” he told the older couple.
“You’re leaving so soon?” Neelu looked disappointed to hear about the hunter’s departure.
“I’m afraid I have no choice. Trivix agreed to keep an eye on my sister for me, but she’s an adult now with a mind of her own. I fear she’s far too capable of getting into mischief when the elder isn’t looking.”
“Viana’s an adult already?” Neelu shook her head in disbelief. “It feels like just yesterday she was learning to walk.”
“Well now she can walk, run, and do many other things that make me worry for her safety.”
“If she’s eighteen seasons old that would make her Favalor’s age would it not?” The usually quiet Gogron interjected.
Zander’s jaw clenched at the mention of Drovo’s younger brother. “Unfortunately, yes.”
“Unfortunately? How so?” Neelu inquired.
“I don’t like him,” Zander said flatly.
“Why not? Has he started working with Dameron like Scaron and the others?” Gogron asked, concern lacing his voice. “I always thought he was such an honorable young hunter.”
“No it’s not that,” Zander stroked his chin. “He…he looks at Viana too much. I don’t like it.”
A knowing smile spread across Neelu’s face. “Young adults will do that, you know? It’s not a bad thing for your sister to have a suitor.”
Zander crossed his arms over his chest and frowned. “I don’t know that he’s worthy of her.”
“Why not?” Neelu asked.
“If he was an honorable male, why hasn’t he left the valley to come live here? There’s no honor in staying under Dameron’s command.”
“But you live under his command,” Gogron argued.
“I don’t have a choice. I promised my sire I’d do my best to raise Viana after he died, and Viana insisted on staying in the valley. I have a suspicion it’s because Favalor is there.”
“Ah I see,” the elder male nodded.
“Perhaps, Favalor has his reasons to stay. His sire is growing old. He might need his son by his side.”
“His sire has two sons living in the valley. He doesn’t need Favalor,” the grizzly looking hunter huffed.
Neelu and Gogron glanced at each other and communicated something with their eyes, a secret message that only two people who’d known each other for a long time could share.
“Well, I’m sure everything will work out in the end,” Neelu assured Zander and patted him on the shoulder.
“I hope so,” he sighed and quickly glanced over at Fatima who blushed the moment their eyes met.
My normally confident friend, averted her gaze and suddenly stood up. “I…I’m going to go…somewhere.”
“Alright,” I replied with a questioning tone. “I’ll see you later then,” I assured her, I doubt Fatima heard me. It was almost as if she were locked in a trance. Zander might not be able to lumines to anyone, but he certainly seemed to have some sort of mystical connection to my friend nonetheless.
Now that I was alone, and wholly unmotivated to knit, I looked toward the entrance again and willed for Rhaz to be there, but just like the past two weeks, he never arrived. The more time that passed the deeper the sinking feeling went. Something was wrong. I could feel it.
