“But—” Enka started, trailing after her as she headed for their SUV.
I had only just learned to drive the bigger vehicle as well—in preparation for when I met my mate and she birthed our ten younglings.
I was nowhere near that goal yet, but I still held the hope strong in my chest. She hadn’t appeared to be repulsed by my brothers at the table, so I was fairly certain that she didn’t have anything againstorcsthe way some humans did. It was more likely that she didn’t likeme.
Since we’d only just met, I wasn’t sure what I’d done, but whatever it was, I was sure that with time and perseverance,she’d recognize that I wasn’t as bad as she thought I was. She’d give me a chance and then I’d be able to get her to fall in love with me.
“Don’t touch that,” Savla called from where he was sitting with alaptop—a portable magic box—on his legs. I hadn’t even noticed that I’d lifted one of his carvings—this one was barely taking shape so I wasn’t sure what it was—and tossed it between my hands.
“Sorry,” I said, contrite. I hadn’t meant to. Back on Hellplane, when he’d had less time for his craft, I would find pieces like this all over the cave. Now that he was here, it was unusual for him to not finish his work.
Confused, I looked around the room for what felt like the first time. Unfinished pieces littered almost every surface.
“Lost your muse?” I asked, and he gave me a sharp look, searching my face, before shaking his head.
“I just haven’t…” he trailed off, staring into the distance for a long moment and then going back to typing on the laptop.
I was used to that from him. If he didn’t want to explain further, or wasn’t sure how to, he’d stop talking. I hid a smile, rubbing my palm against the back of my neck before making my way to a seat.
“You can tell me,” I said with a small shrug. “Maybe I can help.”
He kept typing, but I knew he heard me, because he nodded. That was the most that I was going to get from him, so I ran my palms over my knees, trying to be patient while the muscles in my leg twitched with the need to return to Emma.
CHAPTER 10
Krusk
“She has four jobs,” Savla said with a frown as he stared down at the screen. “She’s working at the Bureau of Magick, the Green Kobold which is the restaurant that you forced us to eat at, the Twisty Naga which is some kind of exercise place and…” his eyes widened with glee, a grin crossing his face for the first time in alongtime.
I didn’t think I’d seen Savla this excited since we were much younger. It was so rare for Savla that the distress that I’d felt hearing that my mate needed to work four jobs to survive was pushed aside for a moment.
“What?” I asked, my lips already curving in an answering grin.
“She works as a dogwalker,” he told me, his eyes wide and alight with excitement.
“What’s that?” I asked, tilting my head, and Savla typed on the laptop before turning it to face me. On the screen were images of furry beasts that I had to admit were adorable. “What are theyused for?” I asked, tilting my head at the screen.
“Hunting and protection originally,” Savla enthused, “but most of the time, dogs are pets. Human companions.”
I snorted out a laugh, shaking my head. “Like that one trichot you brought home,” I joked. “The one that you had to get rid of because he made Enka sneeze.”
His face froze in a pained smile and he nodded. “Yes, that one,” he said, clearing his throat and continuing to bob his head as he turned the screen back to him.
Immediately suspicious—because I knew my brother’s tells very well, and it seemed like he was hiding something from me—I sat on the sofa nearest to him. “So what dodogwalkersdo?”
He was facing the screen, the same odd expression still on his face. “A lot of beings have busy schedules, so they’re not able to meet the exercise requirements for their pets. That’s when they hire dogwalkers to come take them on… well,walks,” he finished with a shrug. “The dogs are happy, the owners are happy and since most dogwalkers love animals, they’re happy, too.”
“And they’re paid for this?” I ask, my fingers thrumming on my left thigh.
“Yes,” he said, turning to show pictures of a cervitaur running with a group of dogs, leashes stretched between them.
“So that’s four jobs,” I sighed, running my palm over my face. “Do you know why she has to have that many jobs? Is there something she’s working toward? Something that she owes?”
He shook his head, lips pursed as he turned the screen back to him. “I can’t tell yet. I’m not as adept as the rest of the staff, yet. Darak—”
“Don’t involve Darak,” I groused, not wanting another male other than my brother looking at personal details of my mate. “Can you find out what she needs?”
He nodded, closing the laptop and turning to face me head-on. “If I have enough time, I’m sure I can learn. But what’s the plan,Krusk? How are you planning on wooing her?”
