Page 33 of Unfinished

R’kash looked at her like she’d suddenly grown two heads. “Our bedroom?” he repeated.

Oh. Oh, no.Maybe she shouldn’t have taken that message with the Xithilene love “poetry” to heart, but it’d certainly seemed to signal that R’kash was looking forward to something physical between them happening as much as she was. From the stunned expression on his normally dignified face, she had the feeling she’d misread something somewhere along the line.

“Yes, your chambers—R’kash, you don’t need to worry that they’re not ready. We’ve already prepared everything for your first night together as mates.” Jesthi grinned like a cheerful Cheshire Cat as he motioned for them to proceed him back inside.

R’kash’s dark feathers laid back down neatly against his scalp again, the cartoon-electrocution style disorder he’d been sporting before gone. “Thank you, Jesthi. As always, you seem to have everything well in hand.”

Was that it? Had he just been concerned that the room wasn’t ready yet? Had all her worries been borne of her own insecurity? She knew she needed to work on that. Her time with Edgar had made her constantly question herself, but she was done listening to that little voice in her head that knew just how to cut the deepest.

“How late do you normally work before you go to bed?” Sienna asked. She hoped his schedule at the temple wasn’t too strict. She had the feeling one lazy evening together wasn’t going to be nearly enough.

“I usually walk the temple at sundown to make sure everything is in order. Sometimes we practice our exercises outside beneath the moonlight, but like I told you before, life is quiet at Evathi.”

Sienna let herself lean into R’kash’s side. “That sounds good to me.”

When they entered the courtyard again, someone had cleared away the table, and only two of the priests were still moving about tidying the mess from earlier. The benches had been rearranged, and there was no sign of Veesha and Faseeth.

“Do you need to say goodnight to Veesha?” she asked.

R’kash’s feathers brushed against her hair as he tipped his head. “No. Faseeth and Ivekth normally see to her evening routine.”

Sienna bit her tongue. From a few of the things R’kash had said so far that day, she knew she had a lot to learn about Xithilene family life, especially at their temples. They could discuss it more another day.

“We have a lift that leads to the upper floors, but it’s primarily for moving heavy items or for our elder visitors. I’ll let R’kash lead you to the ramps while I gather the others,” said Jesthi. His feathers shifted against each other as he glanced back at them with a little smile before he put a hand over the left side of his robe and bent his head, lips moving rapidly.

“I believe that means we’ll have an escort to my—our—chambers,” R’kash said, that dry tone of his in full force.

She glanced up to see a half smile on his face. “Is that a typical Xithilene custom?” she asked.

He made a noise between a hiss and a snort. “It’s anEvathicustom.”

Sienna smiled. It seemed that answered that. She was quickly learning that Evathi was its own world. Maybe she’d need to tell Kayla they should adjust those orientation seminars during their first moon cycle’s check-in with the Mate Portal. The information she’d learned was fine for Verkissat or even the mates heading to Xithlene’s forests, but much of it didn’t seem to apply here.

The ramps Jesthi had mentioned were just what they’d sounded like, long, sloping walkways that zigzagged up the back of the temple. They had to walk to the right side of the temple to access the bottom of the first ramp, passing by the way he’d taken her to the courtyard earlier. Large potted plants were positioned at regular intervals on either side, and their small yellow flowers made the air fragrant with a scent that reminded her of lavender and pine. Slender, elongated windows let in the light from outside, but large swathes of shadow still cut across much of the walkway.

They were halfway up the second ramp when the sound of rapid footfalls had Sienna looking back. It only took a moment before a flash of red heralded the arrival of the other priests. Jesthi and H’viss were the first to appear around the corner, and they lifted their arms, their feathers fanned out around their faces before a sharp, percussive sound made her want to slap her hands over her ears.

“What is that noise?” she whispered towards R’kash. It seemed to grow even louder as the other men ascended the ramp.

“They’re celebrating us. The noise is from their nails. Do you hear the rhythm?” R’kash grinned and lifted the hand not currently clasped with her own. He cupped his hand so his fingers were close together and then started tapping out a startling rhythm with his thumb nail.

“Oh,” she said, hoping they wouldn’t have to take many more ramps before R’kash’s floor. She appreciated the sentiment, but the music from this particular Xithilene custom wasn’t her favorite serenade.

The youngest priest started hopping from foot to foot, slowly turning as he continued on with the nail clacking. That seemed to be the signal for the rest of them to start making a low, two-tone sound with their rattles. Sienna walked faster.

They turned onto the next ramp, and half the priests pulled ahead of them. Jesthi moved closer, until he was walking right beside them. Then he started to sing.

“The Lady’s moon shall bless you both, in times of joyful beginning and at this long journey’s sorrowful end. Take pleasure in your mate, let your venom run free. Scent her desire beneath the moonlight and drink deep of it. Claim her now, son of the stars! Receive your mate, daughter of the Lady!”

If he hadn’t repeated himself before they came to a stop at the top of the ramp, Sienna probably wouldn’t have been able to make out all the words. Her sophisticated Xithilene translation device couldn’t overcome all of the noise the priests were making. She looked up at R’kash. If the man were capable of blushing, she’d bet his face would’ve been as red as her own. He set a second hand around her waist, bringing her even closer.

“Thank you, my brothers,” he said quietly. “Your loyalty will not be forgotten.” He bowed his head, and the raucous noises faded to nothing as his men returned the gesture, some of them dipping their back knees to her as they did so.

“The door to our chambers is just ahead,” R’kash told her as he turned her towards another broad hall.

When she looked back at the other priests, several had lifted their arms again, and their fingers moved in a series of intricate gestures. “Is that sign language? What are they saying?”

“They are wishing us happiness in our mating. Those are blessing sequences. Come, we’re almost there.”

---