“Come. We shall go to Nona Mai. I think it’s time we had a talk.”
Chapter Thirteen
Ezah
“Vorah and Nicah make a good match.”
I made the comment ten or so minutes after we reached the top of Nona Mai and sat down under a blanket of stars in the night sky. Levi was tense and doing a lot of mumbling under her breath. She needed to talk, but I did not think she knew how … or at the very least, I did not think she knew how to talk to me about her worries. She was very reserved, timid, and scared. She was always scared. I hated that.
“They don’t know one another, my prince.”
“But they want to,” I said softly. “They want one another. This is a good thing. A family has become whole today.”
“Our family wasn’t broken.” Levi’s tone was clipped. “I am Nicah and Asia’s family. I have always been.”
I sensed her growing fear, and for once, I knew the cause of it.
“Just because Nicah has an intended now does not mean you will be cast out of her family.”
Levi ducked her head as if she was ashamed that I could read her so well. She kept her gaze locked on the grass. “How do you know, my prince?”
“Because she loves you.”
“But it won’t be the same now. I always took care of her … I can’t do that if she gets a mate.”
“Why not?” I enquired. “I know plenty of mated pairs who still have siblings who care and fuss over them. I know that when my sister is eventually mated, nothing will change in my relationship with her. I will still come running whenever she calls for me.”
Levi said nothing as she processed my words.
“I guess … I guess this is why we’re on Ealra.” She swallowed. “To expand our families.”
“Exactly,” I agreed. “Having more people to love is a wonderful thing.”
“I still think they’re moving too fast.”
“The Maji way is different to the human way,” I gently reminded her. “When we know what we want, we don’t let the unknown deter us from taking what we want. Vorah and Nicah want one another. That is enough.”
Levi exhaled a deep breath.
“Thank you, my prince,” she said softly. “I … I feel better having talked about this.”
“Good. I knew you would.”
She peeked up at me.
“You did a really good thing, you know?” She tilted her head. “Maji way or not, I do think they’re moving a little too fast, but I could see just as plainly as you that Vorah liked Nicah and that she liked him. I know she was wary of males because of our history with human men, but Vorah does seem to be an honour filled male.”
“That is exactly what I thought.” I nodded. “I have watched their interactions with one another today, and it was plain to me that they both had keen interest. Vorah was just concerned about the young’s father. He was worried Nicah was mated to him and still held love for him in her heart.”
Levi suddenly went very quiet, and when I glanced down at her, an expression of pure despair coated her features.
“What did I say to upset you?”
“Nothing, my prince.”
“Levi,” I pressed. “I sense the change in your emotions, and I can see just as well as you. I said something that has made you sad and even a little fearful. I scent it on you.”
“That damn scent might as well just cling to me,” she grumbled.
“Levi.”
“Okay.” She exhaled. “Okay, just give me a second to form the words. Talking about this is very hard for me, my prince.”
I reached out and placed my hand on her bare shoulder.
“I am right here. You don’t need to be scared. I will protect you from everything.”
“Not everything. Ghosts from my past haunt me every day, my prince.”
“Tell me about them, and I will haunt them right back.”
Levi’s smile made my heart flip inside my chest if such a thing were possible. This female awoke the primal male inside me. A part of me I thought long dead was alive and well and watching Levi with keen eyes. It was such a conflicting emotion because it brought me happiness yet to feel something other than despair made me feel great shame. These feelings of happiness and excitement were those I shared with Kovu. I tried to tell myself of the promise she made me give her, but it was difficult.
“I will tell you as much as I can, but please … I know it’s in the nature of the Maji to get to the bottom of things, but what I’m about to tell you is something only Nicah knows. I haven’t even told Nuni all of my past, my prince.”
I nodded, then in sync, we lay back on the cool grass and stared up at the night sky.