Page 28 of Temel

She hesitated a moment longer, then slid down from her horse and followed Mary into the house.

CHAPTER 12

“Well, this is a surprise.” Borgaz grinned at Temel as soon as the two females entered the house. “Weren’t you just telling me you had no need for a mate?”

He started to deny that Ida was his mate, but the words felt wrong. Even though Kemberians didn’t believe in fated mates, the connection between them was too strong to deny.

“I… I don’t know,” he said instead. “She has responsibilities—a family—and so do I.”

His friend gave him a thoughtful look as he dismounted.

“That does not have to be a barrier.”

“I agree, but I’m too old to go rushing into anything.”

Borgaz’s gaze was uncommonly penetrating, and he found himself grateful that his skin did not betray his emotions as Ida’s did. Anger, passion, amusement—all of it was reflected on her skin.

“Not rushing?” Borgaz said eventually. “The bond between the two of you is already clear.”

He sighed and rubbed his face, but again, he could not deny it. Not that he wished to, but he usually preferred to take his time preparing and executing his plans.

“It’s a shock, isn’t it?” His friend’s face was surprisingly sympathetic. “When it happens at last.”

He couldn’t find the words, and eventually just shook his head. Borgaz accepted his lack of response as he took the reins of Ida’s horse and led the way to the somewhat crooked barn.

“Am I right in assuming that these are the travelers you went off to rescue?”

“You are. It was just as well that I did. Her son was in danger of being swept away.”

He shuddered at the thought of what might have happened if he hadn’t been there.

“Her son? You said she has a family?”

“Yes. She has a daughter, two daughters, as well.”

“Ah. A nice little brood for a matma to cluck over.”

A matma was an avian who spent much of her time circling her brood. Borgaz had been the one to give him the nickname, and he shook his head again.

“I do not cluck.”

“I disagree.” Borgaz grinned at him as he began brushing down the mare. “So what happens now with your not-quite-mate and her family?”

“As she said, it’s complicated,” he said, picking up his own brush. “They are looking for a new residence and are considering the house at the crossroads.”

“That shack? It’s far worse than any of the farms in our cluster. Why not give her one of those?”

Because I prefer to have her under my own roof.Ignoring that truth, he resorted to the more obvious answer.

“You know those are intended for other warriors.”

“We don’t exactly have a stream of candidates yet,” Borgaz said dryly.

“I offered to let her stay at the main house, but she didn’t want to take what she saw as charity. Then Kalpar suggested we offer her a job as a cook and housekeeper. She’s considering it.”

“Kalparsuggested it? Is she that good a cook?”

“Yes, she is.”

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