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The human female blushes and flashes a bright smile.
“Thank you,” she says.
“Why are you here?” Mazabuta asks. “Is everything okay with the human? Is your brother in trouble?”
“She is fine. He is fine,” I say, looking between him and her.
Can I trust him? Her?
She reaches across the table and lays her hand over Mazabuta’s.
“Maz,” she says, speaking softly. “You’re being mean. You haven’t even introduced us.”
He growls but when he looks over to her his face softens and he sighs and then nods.
“Yes,” he agrees. “The Maulavi have me… on edge. I apologize. Annalise, this is Dilacs. His brother, Khiara, is the one caring for Gweneth.”
“No need,” I say. “But thank you. A pleasure to meet you Annalise.”
“You too,” she says, smiling. “How is Gweneth?”
“She is…” I trail off unsure what I want to say. My mouth is suddenly too dry and my breath catches in my chest thinking about her. I know she’s not alone and my brother will do everything possible to protect her, but what if the Maulavi have showed up while I am gone? What if they are hurting her? I push those dark thoughts aside. “She was fine when I left.”
“Good,” Annalise says. She studies my face as I speak. She purses her lips and shakes her head. “I did not know her, myself, but I admire the girls who came here. They were very… brave… to have… wandered far enough to be captured like that.”
The way she pauses to think about each phrase holds my attention. It feels as if she is saying something more than the words alone. I don’t understand what it is though.
“Yes,” I agree, chewing on the hidden message I feel she is trying to say. I can’t figure it out so instead I push ahead with the opening that Mazabuta gave me and look to him. “We are also on edge. My brother and I, we are concerned.”
His eyes narrow picking up on the inflection of the last word. He clears his throat, looks at his mate, then back.
“Concerned?” he asks. “There is more on your mind than the current troubles?”
“If you mean only the quake and the riots, then yes,” I say.
“I trust him,” Annalise blurts out.
Both our heads jerk to her and I see my own surprise mirrored on his face.
“You do?” we ask almost in unison.
“Yeah,” she says, with a shrug and a smile. “He has a kind face.”
Mazabuta and I look at one another. He gives me an appraising gaze with narrow eyes and a deep frown. At last he grunts and shakes his head.
“Fine,” he says.
“Has Maz told you the news?” she asks.
“News?” I ask, looking between the two of them.
“Maz, come on, I thought you’d share that at least,” she teases him with a smile. He grunts and shrugs. “I’m pregnant!”
My mouth drops.
8
GWENETH
