My mate giggled. “It’s just a saying.”
Oh.
“I knew that.”
Levi snorted. “What I mean is, this is a lot of food for just two of us.”
“I did not know what you would like, so I ordered some of everything from today’s tariff. Whatever you do not eat, I will.”
Levi eyed my body. “I bet you have to eat a lot to maintain your physique.”
“Yes, food is the body’s fuel. If I did not eat well, I would not have the strength when it comes to training. I am an Elite of the Guard … We’re all at peak fitness.”
“Tell me about it.”
I was ready to do just that when my mate held her hand up.
“Just another saying.” She smiled. “I’m not actually asking you to tell me about it.”
I felt a little nagging pain in my head.
“Your words confuse me.”
My mate had promptly ignored me as she grabbed a platter and piled food from different salvers onto it. I followed suit and did the same before we retreated to the banquet chamber to sit and eat.
“This table is huge, Ezah,” Levi said as we sat down. “How many people can it sit?”
“Thirty, I think,” I answered. “It is for our future family, though I’m aware human women do not birth so many young.”
“No, we don’t, but with Maji essence in us, we just might.” Levi picked up her utensils. “I mean, I’m going to live as long as you live, right? Your essence will extend my life span and alter my reproductive system, so instead of ovulating once every month like I normally would, I’ll ovulate once every few years like Maji females.”
I was eating a chunk of meat as she spoke, the flavour of the spices that the meat had been soaked in made my stomach rumble in appreciation as I swallowed.
“All correct.” I nodded. “Maybe we can have a large family, but I want you to know that even if it were just you and me, I would still be the happiest male.”
“I would be the happiest female too.”
I smiled. “Do you know that because we mated last night, it was technically your fortieth natal day?”
“What?”
“The Council recently decided that the aging system of humans is confusing so in order for humans to fit in better with our society, the day a human female mates, that will be her natal day of entering femalehood because her mate’s essence will change her aging clock to that of the Maji.”
“That’s pretty clever … so I’m forty now?”
“Yes,” I smiled. “You’re a grown female.”
Levi snorted. “Lucky me.”
Happily, we ate the rest of our meal in silence. Later that afternoon, when we were lounging in the main living chamber of our wing watching old holo recordings of my brothers, I got an idea.
“Tola, what do you say to recording a message for my brothers so I can introduce you?” I questioned. “They haven’t heard from me for a long time. When they see me with you, they will know why my face is on their screen.”
Levi sat upright from her position of lying on my chest, turned her body to face me, and gnawed on her lower lip. “What if they don’t like me?”
The question was hilarious.
“Tola.” I chuckled. “They are your brothers-in-mate. They will love you like brothers are supposed to.”
My mate bobbed her head, exhaling a breath.
“Right, okay,” she said. “Let’s do it.”
I sat up next to her on the divan chair, looked at the holo point on the wall facing us, and said, “Holo, turn on.”
“Holo is active. Good afternoon, Prince Ezah.”
The female’s voice made Levi lean against me.
“Is that voice a real female?”
“No, she is only a program.”
Levi relaxed.
“Holo, open a recording portal. Confirm command.”
“Command confirmed, Prince Ezah. Opening recording portal.”
Levi gasped when the wall in front of us was no longer blank. Instead, lifelike projections of our bodies mirrored our every movement.
“Wow!”
I smiled. “It is not recording yet. Let me know when you’re ready.”
She ran her hands over her hair thirteen times, fixed her ensemble six times, and brushed invisible dust from her face four times. Then she looked at me.
“Do I look okay?”
“You look beautiful.”
Her whole body relaxed. “Okay, I’m ready.”
We both turned to look at the blue dot of the holo point on the wall.
“Holo, record message. Confirm command.”
“Command confirmed, Prince Ezah. Recording in three, two, one.”
“My brothers, it has been a long time since I have sent a message your way. I apologise for my coldness and distance, I had been … I have been in darkness for the past few decades after the loss of my Kovu, but I am surrounded by light and happiness as of late.”
My female leaned into me.
“This is Levi,” I snaked my arm around her waist. “She is my mate so say nothing about her attractiveness, or I’ll kill each of you.”