Receiving so much praise was something I wasn’t used to.
“Thank you, my princess.”
“Nona,” she winked. “I prefer it when you call me that.”
I had no problem with refusing Ezah and Surkah when they asked me to drop their titles, but when Princess Linsah asked, I couldn’t refuse her.
“Of course, nona.”
I looked up when a tall, intimidating male came up to the princess’s side. His hand snaked possessively around her waist, tugging her body close to his. I recognised him as the male who kneeled at Princess Linsah’s side the day of her accident.
His skin tone matched Ezah’s. He had dark hair and dark eyes too. Like the rest of the Maji males I had seen, he was tall, muscular, and looked like he could snap me like a twig if he decided to. I instantly knew he was the sibling to the Maji king, his fraternal twin brother. Nuni had been schooling me on information she believed I should be aware of when it came to Ezah’s family, and I was so glad I had retained everything she told me.
“Levi.” His deep voice rumbled. “I have heard much about you. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Prince Novik of the Maji, and it is an honour to meet you.”
I placed my fist over my chest and bowed my head.
“The honour is mine, my prince.”
“She’s so respectful, zeeza,” Surkah whispered loudly. “Muma will love that.”
“Quiet, pest.”
I didn’t give my attention to the princess and Ezah behind me. I focused on Prince Novik when I raised my gaze back to his.
“Thank you, Levi,” he said, his dark eyes searching mine. “From the bottom of my heart. You saved my mate, my heart, my female. I will forever be in your debt.”
I felt my body sizzle with embarrassment at his words.
“My prince, I assure you that helping your mate and seeing her alive and well is all I need to be happy.”
That comment was apparently the right thing to say.
I spent a few minutes more speaking to Prince Novik and Princess Linsah when Surkah suddenly announced she was hungry. Princess Linsah flicked her ice-blue eyes her niece’s way, and she chuckled.
“My niece is famished,” she said. “Let us be seated, and we can continue to converse as we fill our bellies.”
“Thank you, Auntie.”
Surkah swept me away before I could say a word.
“You know,” she murmured. “Auntie and Muma are forbidden to speak to one another.”
I gasped. “No!”
“Yes,” she bobbed her head. “They would always argue and they fought one another over an argument two centuries ago and when Papa tried to separate them he was rough in handling my aunt-in-mate. Uncle and Papa fought viciously because of this, my brothers who were born and grown at that point had to stop them from killing one another. When everyone was calm, Papa forbid Auntie and Muma to ever interact and they’ve being ignoring one another ever since.”
That blew my mind.
Surkah huddled close to me and pointed out each of the huge males in the room, rapidly introducing them as her brothers. She told me each of their names, but she was doing everything so fast it made my head spin. I tried, but I couldn’t keep up with her. A hand removed mine from Surkah’s, making her halt her movements and turn her head.
“No,” she suddenly growled. “I have only spoken to her for a short time.”
“You can speak to her later. I want her company now.”
The princess didn’t back down, but when Ezah growled at her, the sound was different. I was beginning to realise that growling, snarling, and all the other sounds the Maji made was like a language in itself. They each had their own meaning. This particular growl made Surkah’s eyes drop, and her shoulders slump. Without a word, she turned and stormed away. The male, Mikoh, behind Ezah yawned as he followed her. I watched her until she was seated at the table and angrily picked at some of the breaded food.
“Don’t fret over my sister. She will ignore me for a while to punish me, but all will be right by the night’s end.”
“But why is she angry?”
“Because I took you away from her,” Ezah answered. “She does the same thing when Kol wants to spend time with his mate. Surkah tries to claim his female’s time because she enjoys her company so much. She was doing the same with you.”
“Oh.” I blinked. “But you and I … we aren’t mated.”
“We will be.”
I jumped at his words. “My prince—”
“Ezah.”
“We are in public and also in your home, which is the royal palace. I will address you as ‘my prince’ and nothing else. Okay?”
Ezah’s lips twitched. “Yes, tola.”
My heart was beating erratically, and my face scolded when I realised I had just given him an order.
“Oh, why is it that my boldest moments are with you?” I asked in a whisper. “I never contradict anyone, and I never go against anyone’s words, but now I find myself going against yours and telling you what to do. Why?”