Chapter Thirteen
Skiden:
I see a lone, two-legged figure scurrying down the pathway to our village. Odd that one of my brothers would let their mate out in the dark before a storm hits. The way she walks, nervously, shoulders hunched against the world—reminds me of Lucy.
But, of course, it isn’t. Lucy’s on Earth, not Pimeon. It’s River, and it’s not the first time River reminds me of my own love, but then again, Lucy is always on my mind.
I follow her and call out softly, not wanting to scare her. “Hey, sis. Walk you home?”
River spins around. “Sky!” She flings herself into my arms, forgetting this is the reason why I’ve been gone for so long. That I was too touchy-feely with Isabel and earned myself a black eye.
“I thought I’d sneak away and visit Isabel,” she says. “Since Tiran was off making sure Maman was alright.”
“What’s wrong with Maman?” I growl.
“Oh, she’s just upset over the breakup.”
“What breakup?”
What has happened between her and Tiran?
“Isabel left Bronan.”
“What?”
River’s nodding. “She found out they were mated and it didn’t go well. She insisted he move her into one of the hunter cabins, or she’d go home to Earth. To be fair, she’s really moody. She took a test and is pregnant.” River smacks my chest. “And you! Leaving like that! Tiran and Bronan searched everywhere for you, you know. Good thing Mikhail let us know you went to Earth. But Isabel probably would have calmed if you were here to talk her down. I think she probably felt a little guilty that you’ve been gone for so long and everything just blew out of proportion from there.”
“I’ll go talk to her.”
“She’s scared, Sky. She told me she was afraid to be in a marriage—a mating—because her husband used to hit her. That was why she just wanted the freedom to be a breeder and by Bronan tricking her into mating him? It made her go a little crazy, wondering if she was manipulated by males again.”
I wince. Bronan really fucked this up. “Let me walk you home.”
She continues to babble all the way back to the village. “We haven’t seen Bronan since Isabel moved out. He’s been inside his house all day, and Wrombley won’t leave his side. I visited with Isabel, but even though she promised to give it some thought, I’m sure she intends to remain right there in that dreadful little cabin. There’s no way she can raise a baby in there and I’m afraid she’ll go home.”
River’s eyes fill with tears.
“River!”
We both turn at Tiran’s voice.
“Skiden.” My brother crushes me in his embrace. “You little shit. We were so fucking worried.”
“I was fine. I’ve been on Earth, living with Isabel’s friend.”
He nods. “Mej and Kal told me after they got back. Said they thought you were interested in her, but hell, they’re both so melancholy themselves—”
I snort. “Because they’re just as interested in Lucy’s cousin.”
River gasps. “Lucy has a cousin?”
“Samantha. The limo driver. The one that introduced her and Isabel.”
Carefully, I push myself out of Tiran’s arms, trying not to say anything when his arms tighten. But then I can’t help myself. “Tir, control yourself.”
“Shut up. You worried us sick. And River likes when I show my emotions.”
Poor River nods eagerly.
“Are you going to see Bro?” Tiran scowls down at me, either at my snort because he’s suddenly using a pet name like the two grew closer without me here.
“I want to go see Isabel first. See if I can talk her into remembering the love for the big oaf.”
“Yes. Then go make up with him, Skiden. He hasn’t been the same since you left,” Tiran says.
I can’t help my grin.
“But wait. You’re both telling me my depressed, guilty brother was thinking about me the entire time he was impregnating his mate?”
And now Tiran snorts. “While I don’t condone violence—”
Both River and I start laughing at his ludicrous statement.
“—I can understand why he decked you.”
And this time, my guffaw is even louder as I hug him to me.
“She’s at the old storage hut,” Tiran whispers in my ear.
I nod, and push him aside to kiss the top of River’s head.
“Place falls apart without me. Let me go get Bel fixed, and then I’ll straighten out Bronan. Can I talk to you after?” I ask Tiran.
“I’ll be down in the main cave waiting.”
I head back down the path to get to where the hunters line the beach.
Sure enough, the old storage hut now has a stoop that makes it look more like a home than a closet. There’s also a soft light that shines through the curtain covered front window.
Softly, I knock, not wanting to startle her since she’s already had one guest this evening. She answers so quickly, I almost think she’s waiting for someone to knock.
Perhaps Bel isn’t so enamored with living on her own.
Her mouth drops open when she sees it’s me. “Skiden? Oh my God. When did you get here?”
“Presecca!” I hold my arms open and she throws herself into them, making me think I was right. Bel is having second thoughts about her little home.
I squeeze her to me for a minute. Funny how River reminds me of Lucy, yet Isabel reminds me of River. And though Isabel and Lucy are friends, I don’t really mix them up, despite the fact that they pretend to be each other.
When I feel her shiver with cold, I usher her inside. “Invite me into your lovely home, you mannerless oaf.”
She giggles. “Oh, come in, goof.”
“I’ve never seen the storage shed look this good,” I say, looking around. They’ve brought in several seats and propped them up against a cushioned headboard propped against thew all to mimic a human sofa. But I can tell she was sitting inside doing nothing because it’s been a while since River’s left… and Isabel hasn’t bothered stoking the flames in the fireplace.
“Shed?” she huffs. “You’re talking about my home, good sir.”
I tap her strange little nose. “Look at you, a house on every planet. I just came from your other home.”
I head to the fireplace and add some wood from the bundle next to the brick encasement. Soon it’s blazing again, adding warmth to her small place, before I join her where she sits.
“So. I’m guessing since you’re out here, you broke up with him. I told you to give the knucklehead some leeway. He means well.”
“I know,” she sighs. “But this was huge. Did you know? That we’re mated instead of me being a breeder?”
“Yes.” I reach out to pull her hair. “But he’s loved you from the first time he laid eyes on you, Bel.”
“All he had to do was tell me that!”
“Would you have believed him?”
She sighs. “Probably not.”
I click my tongue at her unreasonable thinking. “Then you can’t blame him for taking it slow.”
“I know. I just wasn’t prepared for him to take my choice away. Besides, look at you. A fight with Bronan caused by your dad and you didn’t excuse Bronan’s behavior. You fled the planet, Skiden! Left us all behind.” Her tone rings with accusation and I know she was really worried about me.
Not realizing I’ve been basking in Lucy’s arms all this time. I should tell her, but first I need to make sure she and Bronan are fixed.
“I know. It took me a minute to cool down but when I did, I realized I’m just as bad as my brother. Instead of admitting my feelings to Lucy, I looked for an excuse to head back to her.”
Her eyes are wide as plates. “You and Lucy? Really?”
“More like me. Lucy’s not looking for love in all the wrong places, as she told me.” More like she told me this the first time she threw me out of her house, but I don’t want Isabel to think Lucy’s safe with loving me and entering the Match Program. If Samantha manages to get Mikhail to break up the political party, he’ll need Isabel’s help. As much as it tears me up, I manage to shrug.. I agreed to remain friends. Talked to her about what happened here. As soon as I realized everything was blown out of proportion, I wanted to talk to him, but it was too late.”
“He felt awful.”
“I did too. So, I came to make sure you weren’t making the same mistake I did. Leaving before you thought things through.”
“Well, I did.” Isabel smiles. “But at least I didn’t go to a whole other planet.”
“Touché. So, when are you coming back to the main cave?”
“River and Maman are picking me up in the morning. I was sitting here on the sofa wondering if I should just show up tonight.”
“Did you decide?”
“Nope.”
“I’m surprised that fool isn’t out there in the woods watching you like a lovesick pup.”
She laughs uproariously. “Nah, I was pretty serious when I said I needed space. Not sure what constitutes divorce on your planet, but he knew we were at that level.”
“You are?”
“Well, probably not. But he needs to think it.”
Skiden grins. “Payback’s a bitch. Now is my chance to counsel him. Make him fully aware of how badly he’s fucked up—for striking me and for running you off.”
“Don’t be too hard on him,” she says, defending him suddenly. “His heart’s in the right place.”
I start laughing. “He won’t be able to grump at me. Not when he’s sorry for my black eye.”
“I still can’t believe your dad caused that fight between you two.”
“He caused stuff all the time when we were growing up. We just didn’t realize it until we became grown males.”
“I probably shouldn’t have kissed you,” she says guiltily.
“Puhlease. It was fine. I had no idea my patron witnessed it, though, or I would have mentioned it to Bronan first.”
“I saw him at the edge of the trees. I didn’t know who he was. I thought he was just some lost man, minding his own business and skirting away from us. I wish I would have mentioned something.”
“You didn’t know. How could you? It was just unfortunate… but I guess it showed you the depth of Bronan’s feelings for you.”
“It did. I would never have put him through that had I known. What if I did pick up a male lover? I can’t stand to think that this whole time I was actually mated and could have cheated on my marriage. Mateship?”
“He would never have let it get that far. The entire clan knew they had to best him in the javel’inkt trials to be interviewed for sponsor to your breeder. And our family knew it wasn’t a breeder relationship. We knew the two of you were mated.”
“Then why did Maman drag me down and parade me in front of the locals in the hot caves?”
“Maman wanted some companionship for those caves. Her sons showing up cramped her style. And maybe she wanted to stir things up with Bronan. She’s tired of waiting for grandkish, you know.”
“She’s as sneaky as her son,” Isabel says, smiling.
“You want to know the real reason why Maman became a breeder?” I ask.
“Sure,” Isabel says, leaning in for the gossip.
I wink. “She was a hussy.”
“Skiden!” She smacks my chest, which makes me bark out laughter.
When our laughter dies down, I think I hear something outside. I move to look at the front window, not wanting to alarm her, because it’s probably just the little house creaking from the rain coming and the fireplace warming up the inside.
There’s nothing out in the distance, though. And what do I think should be? I made sure Patron understood I wouldn’t put up with anything from him, and he’s the only one who would try to cause any trouble.
“I’m going to go find Bronan. Let him apologize to me.”
I grin when she smacks my chest again.
For the second time that night, I head back to the caverns. I don’t head into the main dwelling, but take the back way to head up the stairs to Bronan’s quarters.
I pound the door and wait patiently until it’s answered.
“Skiden?” Bronan’s face has paled to a dull gray, and he’s aged about a thousand years. I would never tell him he looks like our patron, though the thought runs across my mind.
“Brone. I’m back.” I grab him before he can protest and lock him to me in a man-hug, squeezing my eyes to keep them from glossing over.
“Goddess, you dick! You left before I could apologize,” he mutters into my neck. It doesn’t escape my notice that he’s hugging me back just as hard.
“Not a cool way to apologize,” I chide, though I can hear the laughter in my voice. Who calls someone a dick when they’re making up? “No wonder Isabel left you.”
He lifts his head from the vicinity of my neck to glare at me. Goddess, he’s ugly. So lucky Bel’s a blind sweetheart and doesn’t mind.
“Now, now.” I shove his head back down to my neck. “Let me love you.” Laughter rumbles deep in my chest as he pulls away and yanks me to the sofa.
“Isabelae left me,” he blurts, like a forlorn kish.
“I know. You had to know it was gonna catch up to you.”
“I thought I had more time,” he says. “I thought I could make her love me before admitting we were mated.”
“Mission accomplished. She loves you,” I say wryly.
“Well, yeah. I know she does… but not enough to be mine.”
“She’s just upset. That’s all. She is gestating, you know.” Then I study him, his haggard appearance, the lack of light in the room. The fact that Wrombley’s in his little cave and peers out once in a while with a look of relief that someone else is dealing with Scowly Brow Bronan. “So, what in the creation were you doing?”
“Nothing.” Bronan mutters guiltily.
Moping, then.
I swear this place falls apart without me. How my idiot brothers mated is beyond me.
“How do you know?” Bronan asks, like it just dawned on him that I know Isabel is pregnant or that she’s left. And I guess it doesn’t matter which one I answer.
“I came home and saw River walking. She’d just come from Isabel’s—which surprised the hell out of me that Isabel had a place—so I went there.”
“Did she say anything about me?”
Great Goddess. “What are you, thirteen rotations old?”
He growls but I decide to stop torturing him.
“She regrets moving so suddenly. I think she was just so freaked out over the mating.”
“I could never let her become a breeder.”
“Have you told her why?”
“I-I tried to.”
Translation, no.
“Or did you just shut down when she said how wrong you were because deep down you knew you were wrong?”
He looks stupid when his mouth hands open. My brother has some harsh lessons to learn.
“Which made her assume you’re like every male she’s ever encountered. From the one who left her pregnant when she was but a kish herself, to the patron who betrayed her and married her off to a loser, to the male himself she was forced to mate for over a decade.”
And then he looks ashamed. Sheepish.
So I gentle my voice. “But the difference is you did it for love. You did it because you love her. And she loves you too.” Again, I take a look at the clumsy oaf. Not sure what Isabel sees there. “Poor female is addled mentally.”
He pretends not to hear. “I’m not sure how she can love me.”
“You did knock her up,” I remind him. “And she’s coming home. She was just trying to decide whether to do it tonight or in the morning. Why not go give her an excuse to do it tonight? An escort? Some begging wouldn’t hurt, either.”
For the first time, some of the tension eases from his face. “She’s really coming back to me?”
I snort, then reach out to smooth the frumpy look on his brow. She’s not coming back to him with that scowl etched there. “Of course, you idiot. She loves you.”
He jumps up, rudely heading toward the door, so I sprawl out on the sofa, then call out after him, “but it might be wise to keep her pregnant at all times just in case.”
The door slams as he mutters something, which makes me laugh.
But then there’s a little Tiiblet at my feet, wringing his hands. “Th-thank you for perking the master up.”
“He’s not your master,” I growl.
“He’s everyone’s master,” Wrombley says, stars in his eyes.
I lean down to peer at the little dude. “Look. Everyone screws up. I know you love him to pieces, but remember he walks on the same ground we do, eh? And you might want to make yourself scarce because he’s going to bring Bel back and they’re going to be going at it for hours.”
Wrombley nods. “Shall I help them, you think? I can probably—”
“No. Go bug Morky and Villi. I have a job for you, though you’ll need to discuss it with Bronan at some point. My plan is to get Isabel and River to make another visit to Earth and while they’re gone, maybe the Adroki Tiiblets can come out to help you decorate the nursery.”
“I can plan this!” he says, his eyes wide.
“I know you can. It’s a huge project, but no one can do it better than you. So keep it quiet, but as soon as Mikhail mentions he’d like Isabel and River to go to Earth, I’ll message Juris of the Adroki and make arrangement for the rest of the little monsters to come here.” I tweak his nose. “And when Mikhail brings Isabel and her daughter back, he can take the Tiiblets home to the other clan.”
“Yes, yes,” he mutters excitedly, waving his little hands in the air. “I’ll go grab Morky and Villi and tell them of the plan! We might have to head down to the Tiiblet quarters to start plans with the others without everyone overhearing us.”
“Perfect timing, since Bel and Bronan will be bedded a while,” I assure him.
Then, the second person in that household rudely scuttles out the door, leaving me alone in the apartment.
Mannerless oafs. Their whole family.
I rise, not wanting to be present when Bronan walks in with a boner and a giggly mate in his arms, and head downstairs to the main cavern. Maybe Tiran will be there.