“Why are you calling our mother by the term ‘muma’?” I raised an eyebrow in mock insult. “I thought you were almost a grown female, but it seems you’re still a teat-suckling infant.”
Surkah sucked in a dramatic, outraged breath. She hated being compared to youngsters because she was so close to her fortieth year, the natal day that would officially welcome her into femalehood. Only youngsters called their parents muma and papa, but Surkah still used those terms often even though she was due to become a mated female in four moon cycles time when she turned forty.
My sister bellowed, “Mother!”
The door to Surkah’s fabric chamber opened, and instead of our mother entering, it was our father followed by Surkah’s intended male, Mikoh.
“I’m not your muma.” Father grinned at my sister. “But Papa is here to save his princess’s day. What is the matter?”
“He”—she pointed dangerously at me—“is being mean to me.”
It was a tale as old as time. It was true that I wasn’t the most pleasant male to share company with. I had been … different since my intended was killed. I never brooded in Surkah’s presence, if I could help it, so her statement struck a nerve.
“I am being mean?” I scowled. “You’re trying to force me to wear female’s clothing.”
Mikoh seemed to choke on air but quickly composed himself when I sent a snarl his way. Mikoh was a good and just male, but because he was Surkah’s intended, he sometimes forgot himself and behaved like a prince. He was not only jara to my brother Kol but he was also his best friend. I believed the forgetfulness of his status stemmed from that relationship. When he mated my sister, he would become a prince, but until that time came, he had best remember his place, or I would happily remind him of it.
“Female’s clothing,” Father repeated, perplexed. “Surkah, why would you make a male do such a thing? Especially an Elite of the Guard?”
Thank Thanas he saw the insanity in such an outrageous request.
“I’m bored.” She threw a bunch of high-quality fabric onto the floor. “You’ve had me under palace arrest for decades, and I have nothing to do!”
I rolled my eyes at her dramatics. She had been under palace arrest for four moon cycles. Four of them. The second the Ebony touched down on Ealra and Surkah returned to the palace, she had not been allowed to leave and it bothered her deeply.
“You shouldn’t have stowed away aboard the Ebony without permission when Kol went to collect the human females then, should you?”
Surkah hissed at me, so I snapped my teeth at her, but it didn’t have the desired effect. She scoffed at me instead of whimpering. She was such a little pest. She looked from me to Mikoh to our father, and within the blink of an eye, she burst into floods of fat tears. It startled me, so I jumped down from the stand she had me perched upon and gathered her up in my arms before Mikoh had a chance to reach her.
“Stop, stop.” I tucked her against my body. The top of her head only brushed against my chest. “No tears, please. I hate it when you weep.”
I loathed how it made me feel when my sister cried. It was like a sharp blade was jabbed into my heart over and over. Surkah was most precious to me, and she knew it. I found myself growling before I said, “I’ll let you dress me like a female.”
Her tears turned to mere sniffles in a matter of seconds.
“Really?”
“Yes, really,” I grunted. “No more tears, though … okay?”
“Okay! Oh, you’re my favourite brother, zeeza.” Surkah squealed, her tears suddenly evaporating as she leaned up onto her tiptoes. I leaned down to meet her and allowed her to press the tip of her nose to mine, then slid it up to between my eyes where she replaced her nose with her lips. The mate kiss, along with her using her personal nickname for me, erased any annoyance I felt and endeared me to her more than I already was. “I’m so happy. I’m going to get the shiny pink fabric Muma got me. It will match your eyes. Don’t move a muscle!”
Like a breeze, she came and left without a trace … except for her various fabrics, threads, and pins thrown everywhere. I placed my hands on my hips and looked at the males staring at me. I wanted to kick myself when it dawned on me what just happened.
“I know, I know.” I growled before either of them said a word. “She tricked me with tears to get her way … again.”
She was a pest.
“She’s only thirty-nine.” Father laughed with merit. “She’s only a young one, no matter how much of a grown female she wants to be.”