Page 120 of Theirs to Crave

“This is madness, mother.” Zaf breathed deeply, trying to keep his tone even as his tail was a rigid line of rage at his back. “Estrayuh didn’t kill anyone. She can’t kill with a touch, none of thetetezha’acan.”

I concentrated, and my eyes didn’t so much as twitch in Yin’s direction. Deadly spit was probably just as bad, and although none of the Quoosalk would kill someone without cause...this would be a really awkward time for that exciting bit of trivia to come out.

Saytireka sneered. “She is poison. They all are. You do not see it, because she has infected your mind. See how she’s turned you against me, your own mother! It is my duty asRalaytuh Naisetto protect the people of this village, and I will do so, even if they do not realize they need protecting. I will not allow Sezan’s spirit to be dishonored.”

“Sha’vail—” Tareth inserted in a soothing, “talk them down off a ledge” voice, placing his hand on his mate’s shoulder. Beside him, Zaf’s other fathers—Falk and Zirrast—looked horrified. Arvel, on Saytireka’s other side, wore an expression of righteous triumph. Deeply unsettling excitement flared his nostrils.

I looked away, shuddering.

“No,sh’irra, this needs to be said,” Saytireka insisted. “I have been silent too long.”

“You haven’t been silent at all!” Zaf exploded. “You’ve done nothing but insult and undermine thetetezha’a, me, my mates, anyone who doesn’t agree with you! You’re so convinced you’re right, nothing—not even the truth right in front of you—makes any difference. But this is taking it too far, mother.”

Litha wrapped her hand around his wrist, stopping him before he took another step towards Saytireka.

I felt like I should be terrified. On some level, I was. If we couldn’t smooth this over—I was pretty sure the consequence for murder was death. I didn’t want to die. I didn’t want things to be harder for my family, and Saytireka unleashed would be very bad for them. Worst case scenario looked like all of us dead, or maybe me dead and everyone else kicked out—which would just be a slower death sentence.

But not even my accomplished anxiety brain could make me spiral right now. The echoing chant of, “This bitch is crazy” drowned everything else out.

Movement at the corner of my eye drew my attention. Kurz stood behind Mariano in a mirror of Revik and I, but whereas Revik’s hold was comforting as he tried to keep himself from pouncing on Saytireka—Kurz’s arm muscles bulged as he strained to keep my brother in place.

“Murder is a serious accusation,” Litha inserted, her voice level. “One not to be made without certainty. Estrayuh sat next to Sezan days ago. I assure you; she has been closer to us for much longer, and yet we all stand before you, quite alive. It is a deep heart-hurt, when one of our elders passes. I understand. I feel it too. But we must be careful with our words. Some things cannot be unsaid, and once said, have consequences that will be hard to stop.”

Saytireka’s focus shifted to Litha like a shark who’d scented blood in the water.

“Wemust do nothing.Weare notRelaytuh Naiset, Litha.Iam. And it’s a very good thing. You are selfish and rash. A good leader thinks of her people first, and sometimes that means sacrificing personal happiness for their sake. You almost started a war the first time you thought you knew better than I, and now death walks among us because you desired her in your bed. If you wereRelaytuh Naiset, you would lead a village of the dead.”

“¡Son mamadas!” I didn’t realize I’d spoken out loud until everyone looked at me. Mariano made a choked, wheezing sound. I had the sudden urge to pee and run away, but I caught a flicker of pain in Litha’s sweet honey eyes, and my jaw firmed. Some of Saytireka’s arrows had hit their marks, and that would not fucking do.

“The only selfish person here is you, Saytireka,” I spat. I wanted to march up to her, get in her face, but the bitch was eight feet tall and would slap me into next week. I settled on planting my fists on my hips and jutting my chin at her, safe in Revik’s embrace. “You don’t care about what’s best for your people, you only care about what’s best foryou. Whatyouwant! Do you know what the difference is between you and Litha? She brings peace to the people around her. Safety. You only bring judgement.”

Litha was staring at me, mouth agape. She spun—faster than I could track—and caught Arvel mid-lunge. She swiped at him, an open-handed slap with her whole body behind it, and he flew back, landing in an unmoving sprawl several feet away.

“We are leaving.” Revik’s voice snapped with viciously contained rage. “We will return for the funeral. All of us. If you speak such insults again, I will forget you are my mate’s mother. If yourcreaturetries to touch ourLeleshaagain, I will help him find the death he seeks.”

Zaf looked from Arvel, who still hadn’t moved, to his mother. Without a word, he walked away.

Saytireka thrust a hand towards him, but her mates held her back, whispering furiously.

Revik shook his head. “You’re a cabrón, Saytireka. You push and push. Zafett is a forgiving man. But you will push him too far, and you will lose him.” His voice dropped to a growl. “I am not a forgiving man. Do not continue to push me.”

Just before we passed the tree line and out of sight, I looked back, meeting my Abuele’s eyes. Xe nodded, somberly, then xe was gone.

???

“Mi hermana, did I just hear Revik call Saytireka a cabrón, then threaten to kill her?” Mariano sounded amazed, and not out of breath at all as he jogged beside us.

I smiled weakly, my head spinning. Now that I was away from the immediate danger and what-the-fuckery, panic sloshed and stabbed my insides, making my fingers tingle.

“Yes,” Revik answered for me, scooping me up like a baby without breaking stride. He sounded absurdly smug over the still simmering anger.

“¡A huevo!” my brother crowed, cracking his knuckles. “I’m in. Her and that fucker Arvel.”

Kurz made a growling sound of agreement as he loped beside him. Zaf had broken into a run once he’d passed the tree line, and we hurried to catch up.

“Don’t be a fool,” I snapped. “This is a fucking disaster. Did you see Saytireka’s face? ¿Dios mío, qué he hecho?” My lungs wouldn’t work. I could only gasp tiny breaths. “She’s going to kill me. Kill all of us. Fuck! Shit! ¡Mierda! Maybe if I leave she’ll calm down and let the rest of you stay.”

“Don’t be stupid. You’d die.” Mariano snorted.

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