Serpents of the Night (The Darvel Exploratory Systems #5)

Chapter 33

Daskh’s wing twitched once, twice, three times. A heavy groan tore from his chest as he shifted, the bulk of his body moving lethargically. The hissed conversation around him slowly penetrated his mind as he heaved himself up on his arms, his head lolling for a moment before turning as his gaze shifted to the two males arguing a short distance away as young Hashan watched them anxiously. Daskh’s arms shook with relief. After the nightmares that had plagued him, it was good to see that his nest brothers were there and well, but where was their mate? Where was Lori? He could not scent even a trace of her pheromones nearby.

He shot upright, however, as their words finally penetrated through the mental fog that was slowly dissipating. “Trial? What is this about the maiden trial?” he snapped, but not quite as impressively as he would have liked as his voice croaked in a broken rasp.

Kehtal’s gaze shot to him in surprise, the look of worry clinging to him briefly erupting to happiness. He snapped his wings as he shot forward, speeding toward Daskh as he abandoned a frustrated Slengral at the entrance of their sleeping chamber.

“You are awake!”

Daskh grunted as the male’s smaller body collided against him but thumped a wing around Kehtal in a brief embrace before releasing him.

“I am well,” he assured his nest brother, but his gaze lifted warily to Slengral, “but what is this discussion regarding a maiden trial and what does this have to do with our nest?”

Slengral’s gavo flattened and he proceeded to explain in sharp, bit off words that made Daskh increasingly alarmed with each one uttered.

“What? Why have you not gone after her?” he demanded in alarm as he came out of their bed, his gavo and wings snapping and vibrating anxiously.

His nest brother scoffed disdainfully and gestured toward the entrance of their nest. “You think I have not tried? I was to leave here at the end of that first night when the guard would typically be relaxed following the return of the escorts, but there are eyes upon our nest at all times. I have gotten no further than the shinara walls before I am intercepted and commanded to return to the nest. I have even reached out to Raza, but Eddie is unable to track her since her comm shows that she is still within the shinara.”

Which meant that she was left without a way to ask for help much less a way for her to be tracked using human technology.

Daskh swallowed, his protests dying as the gravity of the situation hit him. “How long has it been?”

“Two days,” Kehtal replied morosely at his side.

Daskh’s eyes slid closed in the face of his failure, unable to ignore the way his large frame shook, reminding him that he was still not well. He was useless to their mate in such a condition, and their enemy had not hesitated to take advantage of his moment of weakness. “I have been unconscious so long?”

His nest brothers snapped their gavo, the rippling sound as they expanded and lowered again filling the room. His eyes opened at the sound, meeting their eyes. There was no blame within the gesture or in their expressions, but it did not settle the disquiet that was growing within him.

“This is my failing,” he sighed. “If I had been awake—”

“Do not blame yourself,” Slengral interrupted gruffly as he closed the distance between them, his wing sliding companionably against Daskh’s wing in comfort. “Vekatha would have taken the advantage no matter what happened. She merely looked for the first opportunity.”

“She is likely responsible for the one spying on us now and reporting to the guard,” Kehtal groused as he flitted around Daskh, examining him closely for any sign of lingering health concerns. “She may be sealed away with her mother in punishment for now, but her family have long memories and are vindictive.”

Daskh battled back the urge to push his nest brother away. The concern came from a good place in the male’s heart, and he was not to blame for doing what any concerned brother might do. His own intolerance was solely due to his frustration. He wanted to claw his way out of the nest and fight off any who might attempt to keep him within the shinara. But Lori would not be pleased if he did and ruined all of their hard work to prove that the matings between the males of the upper caverns and humans were good things.

Groaning low, he scraped a hand over his gavo. “Our hithana is alone on the surface.”

Slengral inclined his head, his gavo once again snapping. “It is not a happy thought even if Jathella assures me that her supplies from the colony will more than adequately provide for her needs. Nor does the presence of her maiden at hand give me any reassurance. We should be guarding our mate and no other.”

Kehtal’s gavo rippled miserably in agreement, lacking even the energy to properly snap as he seemed to sink into his own dark thoughts.

Daskh’s mouth tightened as he searched his memory regarding what he recalled of the maiden trial. He did not recall much and what little he knew didn’t seem perfectly applicable to their situation. A female being forced to attend a maiden trial after mating was unheard of as far as he was aware, but it seemed to violate all of the laws in place that provided protection for the males of the shinara. A forced separation from one’s mate was considered cruel and would only be levied against a male in cases of extreme punishment. Why was that not taken into consideration?

Perhaps this would provide an opening for them to help their mate?

Gavo shooting upright, he turned to Slengral in excitement. “Is it possible for you to arrange an audience for me with your mother?”

His nest brother peered at him in surprise but slowly snapped his gavo. “What are you thinking?”

“That, as usual, no one with the court of noble matrons has considered the laws protecting males if it does not benefit their aim,” he replied drily. “They are all so focused on finding a way to discredit our mating and make it as difficult as possible for Lori to be legally mated that they conveniently disregard the laws that protect our welfare as mated males.”

He took considerable pleasure watching his usually self-contained nest brother be taken by surprise. The male’s mouth parted, his gavo expanding fully in a slow ripple of movement in shock before shock gave way to an expression of triumph. His wings suddenly fluttered in a burst of excited movement that startled Hashal into ducking out of the way with a squeak as their nestling hurried over to Daskh and quickly climbed into his arms. Hugging the small male to his chest, Daskh smiled as Slengral turned abruptly toward the entrance.

“I will arrange it immediately,” the male called back as his wings flared and moved, sending him quickly through the room as his tail glided over the floor. His movements were propelled by rapidly shifting to adjust to the added speed.

Kehtal watched him leave, his face still tight with worry. That looked tugged at Daskh’s heart as the male’s head turned toward him inquiringly. “What if the queen matriarch refuses to hear him?”

Daskh’s ears flicked in response. “We will meet that obstacle should it come.” His jaw hardened. “We must be prepared for the possibility that we will be denied our protections, but our protest should at least be heard so that the shinara as a whole is aware of the actions of the court.”

“You think that Queen Zathexa will not allow us to follow Lori?” Kehtal’s wings drooped but Daskh could see the frustration brewing in the male despite his submissive demeanor.

Although Kehtal yielded, he had demonstrated before the strength of his determination when it counted. If the queen matriarch refused them, it would likely be Kehtal who would break first.

“If she is sensible and obedient to her own laws then she would,” Daskh replied.

Unfortunately, a determined mother was not always the most sensible when it came to what she desired for her offspring, regardless of their own wishes. He hoped that Zathexa would take the matter seriously and concede.