Once I was outside of the feast hall, I told the other females I would see Nuni out. I just never said where I would see her to.
“Yeah, but he’ll be busy with healing his brothers for a while.” I chuckled as Nuni and I walked. “He’ll get angry and raise his voice, but that’s about it. It serves him right for starting such a fight. I’m angry with him over it.”
“Levi, look at you.” Nuni beamed. “Two moon cycles ago, you would have been rattling with fear at the thought of Prince Ezah shouting at you, and now you’re not bothered. You’re even angry with him!”
“Because I know he will never hurt me.” I smiled fondly. “I feel so complete with him, Nuni. He’s made me angry tonight, but I know he cannot help his instincts. He’s helping heal the pain in my heart. I know I’ll always miss my mama, but I’m doing what she wanted. I’m free, and I’m happy.”
“You’ve done your mama proud, girl. I know she is so proud of you.”
I linked my arm through hers.
“I’ve never said the words, but you know I love you … don’t you?”
“Yeah, honey, I do.” Nuni flung her arms around me. “I love you too. I knew this part of you just needed to be unburied from all the fear your past brought. I’m so happy for you. I mean that from the bottom of my heart.”
I hugged Nuni tightly, just not as tight as she hugged me.
“Can’t breathe.”
“Sorry!” She released me with a squeak. “I’ve had these stupid arms since I was a kid, and I still forget how strong they make me.”
“No harm done.” I beamed. “Come on, let’s get you home. I wonder if Hilah is in.”
“Oh, that woman would try the Most Holy, Levi,” Nuni said as we walked. “She’s decided that she doesn’t want to do lessons anymore or anything anymore. She’s reached her limit of following rules, she said. She just eats and sleeps all day, like a kit. The weirdest thing about it all, she’s plum happy with her never-changing routine. Sometimes she’ll take a walk, but on her time and no one else’s. She’s gonna get a shock one day because she made a deal when she agreed to come to Ealra. She can’t stay in our homestead forever.”
I chuckled. “I think she’ll try.”
We reached my old homestead ten minutes later, and when we entered, a delicious aroma perfumed the air. Hilah was cooking, and even though I had a platter full of food at the feast, it made my mouth fill with saliva. Nuni and I walked into the kitchen.
“Mouse!” She beamed when she spotted me. “You’re here!”
When Hilah hurried across the cookery and threw her arms around me, I was just as surprised as Nuni.
“Did you miss me?” I asked, not able to keep the shock out of my tone.
“I actually did.” She pulled back. “Which is weird because you were skittish as a mouse and hardly spoke to me, but lo and behold, I’ve missed you these past couple of months. I’m the only one big mouth Nuni can talk to now that you don’t live here anymore.”
“I can hear you, lazy ass.” Nuni commented from the stovetop. “And I resent that.”
I covered my mouth with my hand to keep from laughing.
“So, tell me, Mouse …” Hilah wiggled her eyebrows. “Do we have to call you Princess Levi or ‘my princess’ now?”
I felt my body burn. “No.”
“Yes,” Nuni chimed in. “It’s disrespectful not to address the royals with their titles.”
“That’s the real royals.”
“Baby, you are a real royal.” Nuni grinned. “You’re shacked up with a prince and married the guy, so you’re a real live princess. I’m happier than anyone about it too.”
I snorted, and Hilah chuckled.
“What was it like, Mouse?” Hilah asked me, hopping up onto the cookery counter. “The biting part of the mating?”
She ignored Nuni trying to tug her back onto her feet. Nuni hated when she did this, and I think Hilah only sat on the countertops because Nuni hated it. It amused me.
“It wasn’t so bad, just a pinch.”
I said the lie so easily I almost convinced myself.
After Ezah and I mated, he informed me that all mated females had to talk down the pain of an essence bite. Maji females did it, and now we human mates had to as well. Otherwise, all the single females of Ealra would run every time they saw a male. I didn’t feel great about it, but I agreed simply because while the pain was severe, it didn’t last long, and what followed was so worth it.
“Just a pinch, huh?” Hilah repeated. “That doesn’t sound so bad.”
“I told you.” Nuni successfully jerked her off the counter. “Maji take care of females. The males would never hurt us.”