Page 60 of Blood and Fate

“Speaking of your Mama, Bug.” Kais lifted his gaze to survey the group of people who were beginning to gather and greet them. “Where is she?”

Adalyn shrugged. “She was hanging laundry, so I left to play. I don’t like doing laundry.”

Something like resignation flitted through Satori from Kais. The feeling of someone who had to do something but wished they could avoid it. Satori took in the little girl again; her hair, her skin, even her smile was so similar to his. She was practically Kais’ twin.

From nowhere, a thought struck her. Adalyn and Kais were close. Close enough to be related? Close enough for her to be his daughter? The resemblance could not be denied. And if this girl was his daughter, who was her mother? Did Kais have a wife in this village? Was that why he had been in such a hurry? He’d never mentioned a wife or a daughter, though she hadn’t had a lot of conversations with him where his family might have come up.

But he’d flirted with her, hadn’t he? Or, not precisely flirted, but he had pulled her aside to discuss the bond between them. Why even acknowledge it if he had a family already? Why explore it at all? No wonder he wanted to get here so quickly.

She couldn’t explain the emotion that hit her chest. Betrayal? That was silly, there was nothing to betray. Sadness? Was it sadness that Shala and Miram had thrown her and Kais together, only to show her his family? Why did she even care? She wasn’t staying with him, anyway. And had he mentioned them? Had he brought them up, and she just hadn’t been paying attention? Had there been signs that she’d missed? Why hadn’t Teague told her? But he had, hadn’t he? Or he had implied it. Satori had asked, and Teague had told her that was Kais’ story to tell. Had Teague been talking about Adalyn and her mother?

Satori pressed her eyes closed and shook her head, blowing out a shaking breath. She opened her eyes when she felt Kais’ attention on her. He still knelt on the ground, listening to Adalyn’s animated stories, but he looked up at Satori, his brows pinched.

“Alright?” He mouthed the word at her.

Satori forced a smile and nodded, moving her attention to anything but the sight of Kais and the girl who had to be his daughter.

She moved away from him, joining Teague, who seemed to have an audience around him. He turned and beckoned her toward him.

“This is my friend, Satori,” he said. “She’s spending some time with us as we see her safely home.”

A young girl, maybe eleven or twelve, stepped shyly up to Satori. “Your hair is so beautiful.”

“Thank you.”

“It almost matches Teague’s,” another child said, eliciting a laugh from the small gathered group.

Then Teague looked up and his smile fell.

“Here we go,” he muttered under his breath, and Satori turned to see what he was looking at.

A woman stood a length away, one hand on her hip, a laundry basket perched on the other, and a disapproving expression on her face. She had auburn hair wrapped in a loose bun. Satori couldn’t see her eyes from this distance, but she would bet they were a deep blue.

Kais, who was still kneeling on the ground chatting with Adalyn, looked up. Recognition lit his features, and he nodded toward the woman. Adalyn stopped her animated story to look over her shoulder.

She gasped and rushed in the direction of the woman. “Mama! Mama! He’s here!”

“I see that.” Annoyance played on the woman’s face. “I don’t recall asking him to come, yet here he is.”

Adalyn either ignored her mother’s jab or didn’t even notice. “He brought blankets, Mama. And food!”

Kais stood and brushed off his pants. “Lena.”

“Kais.”

Whatever it was Kais was feeling towards the woman, it certainly wasn’t affection. Maybe she was his wife, but they had separated? Was that why he’d thought discussing the bond with Satori was okay?

Teague moved quickly to join them. “Hey, Lena.”

Lena’s expression softened only slightly as she looked at Teague. “Teague, you’re still with this one?”

“Always, Lena.” Teague shrugged. “You should know that.”

“Oh, I do.” She glanced behind them at the men still coming, greeting people they knew or just sitting on the ground for a rest. “I suppose you’ll all need some space.”

“Don’t worry about that,” Teague said. “Marta’s kept a small supply of tents for us. We’ll double and triple up, and it won’t cause you any worries.”

“No, you folks never cause me any worries.”

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