“I know that.” I tilted my head. “She’s still practically a little one … and you’re allowing her to mate with a male who will touch her.”
Mikoh looked anywhere but at me when I spoke those snarled words.
“Mikoh’s decision to mate his intended is his own,” Father reminded me. “Otherwise, Surkah’s uva will cause her pain. You know this. Her duty to carry and birth the next Revered Father is a big task and a great honour, Ezah. She cannot use her lissa to calm her uva. She has a big responsibility. Like my mother had and her mother before her.”
“Yes, yes … but just because I know about it doesn’t mean I have to like it.”
“That’s because you coddle your sister and always will.”
He said this like it was news to me.
“I treat her no differently than any of the others.”
“Incorrect,” Father mused. “Komi, you, Killi, Arli, Arvi, Kol, Remi, and Nesi are quick to do her bidding whenever she cries. Your older brothers would have much better tolerance.”
“They left on their mission when she was only four years of age. She has no memories of them in the flesh. She has only ever spoken with them on recorded holograms, and they tell her stories of before she was born. They haven’t been exposed to her skills of manipulation yet like the rest of us have.”
“You’re right.” Father sighed. “When they return home, she will likely have them jumping to do her every whim too. They have missed out on her entire life.”
“They will be home before we know it,” I assured him. “We’re all counting down the intervals.”
Father nodded. “Maybe Ryla will be stronger when it comes to Surkah’s tears … not like you.”
“Whichever.” I scowled. “I am a male who does not like to see my sister weep if I can help it.”
“Whatever, my prince,” Mikoh corrected. “They humans say whatever. Nesi says it all of the time because of Nova.”
Whatever. Whatever. Whatever.
“Speaking of Nesi,” I said. “Has Kol forgiven him yet?”
“Nope.” Mikoh grinned. “They’ve fought a dozen times already. Nesi won’t yield because he does not see the insult in his observation of Nova this morning.”
“What observation?” Father asked me. “What happened?”
I gestured for Mikoh to tell my father of another brother who Kol was at odds with.
“You know Nesi, Revered Father. He grunts more than he speaks, and when he does speak, it’s usually to let someone know what he thinks they need to know.”
“What did he say to my daughter-in-mate?”
“This morning, he told her that she should eat more because Kol previously shared sex with Maji females with bigger behinds, stomachs and thighs. Nova is petite, and it made her cry fat tears. Nesi believes he was only trying to do her and Kol a kindness. Kol attacks him whenever he sees him because it made Nova cry so much. Nesi constantly seeks him out because Kol has bested him eight out of the dozen times they’ve fought. He wants to even the playing field.”
“Please.” Father closed his eyes. “Please, Ezah, tell me that you know that females, of all species, don’t like to be told how their bodies should look?”
“Of course.” I scoffed. “I’m not stupid.”
I wasn’t entirely clueless about females.
“Then Nesi is the only son who I have failed to instil this knowledge within. Stupid little male.”
When Father closed his eyes, I knew he was summoning Nesi, who arrived a few minutes later.
“You wanted to see me, Father?”
“Kneel.”
Nesi hesitated at Father’s tone, but he did his bidding and kneeled in front of him.
“What did I do—”
“Silence, you loose-tongued fool.”
Just as he said this, Kol and Nova entered the chamber. I tried not to appear too pleased to see her, but when she caught sight of me and broke into a smile, I couldn’t help but return it along with a little wave of my hand. I dropped my arm and gaze when Kol growled.
“Leave him alone, you bully. He only waved at me!”
Kol muttered something to her, and she muttered something angrily back before she turned to my father. “You wanted to see us … Father?”
She was still getting used to calling him by that term. I could tell with her hesitation.
“My foolish son,” he growled, glancing down at Nesi, “has an apology that he would like to give to you.”
Nesi grunted, and it made my father snarl. I looked at Kol with wide eyes that he mirrored. It had been a long time since our father had snarled at one of his sons with enough rage for it to lead to a fight. I closed my eyes and reached out to my mother because I knew what was going to happen before it did.
Mother, Father is snarling at Nesi. We’re in Surkah’s fabric chamber.
She didn’t respond to me, but I knew she would be running from whichever corner of the palace she was in to get to Nesi before Father because Father … he was not a male any of us wished to cross. Not even me, who loved the challenge of a fight.