Kah looked like Kuat himself had appeared before her and was going to take her straight to the Underworld.
“Ezah,” Komi’s voice called from behind me. “Have you seen Remi? He was supposed to come and help me pick a new blade at the forge, but I think he is somewhere sharing sex with … Kah, what has caused your tears?”
I sighed as my older brother rounded on me and placed his hands on Kah’s light blue cheeks. She tried to wipe away her tears, but my brother took care of that for her.
“I am fine, my prince,” Kah sniffled. “I promise.”
“Kah,” Komi rumbled. “Look at me, nenna. Don’t cry, beautiful female.”
Nenna, beautiful female. I mimicked him with a snort. You do not even know why she’s crying, baja.
Because of you, no doubt.
I ignored him.
“Kah,” I addressed her. “Three times a term. I will update your schedule when I see fit to start your first lesson. Do you understand?”
She looked miserable as she bobbed her head.
“Lessons?” Komi repeated. “Lessons for what?”
“Her senses,” I answered. “She does not listen when a male is approaching her, it is dangerous. I’ve warned her to improve, but she does not listen, so she will partake in lessons with me.”
Komi sighed. “Lessons to improve how alert you are is good, nenna. Ezah is the best when it comes to such teachings. You will be receiving vast knowledge.”
Kah still looked sad, but she nodded once more.
“Yes, my prince.”
Komi tipped her head back. “Can I have a kiss from such a pretty female?”
Kah’s face darkened, but it was anger and not embarrassment that clouded her face.
“No, I’m working.”
She placed her fisted hand over her chest, bowed her head to us, then gathered her cleaning supplies and moved down the hallway. Komi watched her go with hungry amber eyes. I looked at him and shook my head.
“She is not one to be seduced, baja. None of you have been successful with her.”
“I’ll have her,” Komi said, his eyes following the sway of her wide hips down the hallway. “Thanas, I will have her.”
He took off after her, whacking me in the face with his dark brown braid as he went. I turned and resumed walking when he was out of sight. I did not stop until I reached Kol’s wing.
Kol, I reached out to his comm, relieved he hadn’t blocked my connection to him. It is me ... Ezah. I am outside the main door of your wing. May I have a moment of your time, brother?
He didn’t respond to me, which I expected. I knew he’d come to me because I was so close to the quarters he shared with his mate. I was not allowed near her, so he would meet me in person to warn me away. When the door was yanked open less than a minute later and his growl filled the space, I straightened.
“Brother—”
Kol shot me a glare accompanied with a snarl, causing me to sigh. I took his warning in my steed and took a step back away from him. I forced myself not to respond to his growl, even though my instincts told me to make him yield to me. I was older than him by one hundred and two years and the better fighter. I wanted to remind him of that, but I couldn’t because of what I did. I stole his female and almost ruined his bond with her all because of my own fear.
“What is it?” Kol asked, annoyed by my presence. “I can’t be near you right now without wanting to fight. Not enough time has passed for me to tolerate your presence.”
“Well …” I cleared my throat. “I wanted to ask you a question … about human females.”
A glance up showed my younger brother’s features smoothed and his visual anger was replaced by shock.
“Human females?” he repeated. “You want to ask about human females? What about them?”
I cleared my throat again. “They are quite timid. Well, this particular female is. She is terrified of me. I want to know what to do to show her I am a friend instead of the enemy?”
My brother stared at me, unblinking.
“What’s wrong?” I asked, concerned for his lack of response. “Are you having a mind attack? Is your brain failing you? Shall I heal—”
“I’m not sick,” he cut me off. “I just can’t believe what I’m hearing. You want to show a human female that you are her friend and not her enemy … you hate human females. You think they’re beneath Maji.”
I looked down at my feet as shame slammed into me. My brother wasn’t lying. I had once thought those things to be true about human females. I thought they were weak and unworthy of strong Maji bloodlines, but that all changed when I met Kol’s mate, Nova, my beloved sister-in-mate.