“Thank you.” Levi relaxed. “And don’t remove her. It will be even worse if you take her job away. If she wants to switch positions, she will ask you first.”
I nodded. “You’re a wise female.”
Levi glanced down at her body. “I’m a naked female. Where did you throw my clothing last night?”
I placed my hands on her shoulders and slid them down her back to cup her backside.
“You’re so short,” I mused. “I will get a hump in my back if I stay bent over like this.”
“Maybe you should pick me up then.”
I did just that, and Levi latched onto me. Her arms encircled my neck, and her legs wrapped around my waist.
“Hmmm.” I purred softly. “That’s much better.”
“I love when you purr,” she said. “I didn’t know Maji could purr too.”
“Purring is saved for sex or special moments with intendeds and mates. Growling and snarling is for everyone.”
Levi grinned. “I like it when you growl too.”
I growled for good measure, and she laughed.
“Oh, Ezah, I’m so happy,” she said, pressing her forehead to mine. “I never thought I would ever feel this happy. When my mama died, I wanted to die too. I wanted to die every day up until I met you. You give my life new meaning, and I …”
“And you what?”
“I feel so strongly for you. Mating you has intensified it. It’s crazy to feel so strongly for you so quickly.”
“Not for Maji. It is instant for us.” I squeezed her tightly. “I feel just as strongly for you, and now that I have nothing holding me back, I feel no shame in admitting that.”
“What is no longer holding you back?”
I sat on my bed with her still wrapped around my body, naked and pressed close. Just like how I always wanted her to be.
“Yesterday, before the feast, a seer came to see me on behalf of the Most Holy.”
Levi gasped. “She is the Vicar of Thanas, is she not?”
“She is, and she brought a message to me through the seer from Kovu in the Beyond.”
Levi’s entire body tensed so much that I had to nuzzle her face with mine until she relaxed.
“Kovu wanted me to let go of the hurt and guilt I’ve been carrying around since her death,” I said. “She wanted me to be happy and give myself completely to you. I learned, through the seer, that a Maji’s spirit is not whole in the Beyond. When I die, part of my spirit will be with Kovu, and the other part will be with you.”
“I bet I am nothing like her.”
“I could never compare you to Kovu, or her to you, Levi.” I was surprised she would think that. “You’re both as different as night and day.”
“You love her still.”
“Greatly,” I answered truthfully. “She will always be in my heart, but I am ready to say goodbye to her until I see her again so I can share this life with you.”
“Do you think she would have liked me?” Levi asked, her voice barely a whisper. “She sounds like a warrior, someone who I would have looked up to and wished to be.”
I nuzzled her neck.
“Kovu would have loved you, tola,” I answered. “Kovu would have taken you under her wing and appointed herself as your protector. Not even I, a prince, would have been able to speak to you unless she was sure you approved of it. She was a strong female, just like you. Just because you’re different from her doesn’t make you any less wonderful.”
“I don’t want you to bury her away.” Levi looked into my eyes, placing her hand on my chest. “I want us to remember her always. If she is a part of your heart, then she is part of mine, too.”
A strange lump formed in my throat, and I had to struggle to swallow it down.
“You … You want us to remember her?”
“Of course,” my mate said. “I would be in pain if I had to bury away the memory of my mama, so we will not be doing that to Kovu’s memory. She is part of our family, just like my mama is. We will honour them like we are supposed to.”
Wordlessly, I leaned forward and pressed my nose to the tip of hers, then I dragged it up to the centre of her eyes before I replaced my nose with my lips. Levi smiled, knowing how important a mate kiss was to my people.
“You’re a wonder, tola.” I held her tightly. “Many Maji females would be jealous if I remembered a female who I have love for.”
“I am a human woman,” Levi answered proudly. “I feel no jealousy because I know how you feel for me already. I can feel it. You can romantically love more than one person, Ezah. Your love for Kovu will never go away, and I don’t want it to. Your love for her helped turn you into the male you are today.”