Sullha smiled. "I've been wondering about that. What are their names?"
"Number Two's mother's name is Mirumah. Number Three…"
He stopped when she lifted a hand. "It would help if I knew their real names. Not their numbers. If I approach their mothers, I might need to mention that."
"Next time I see you, I'll give you their names. For now, all I have is their mothers' names. Number…" He stopped, realizing that telling her who was whose mother was meaningless without their real names. "I'll just give you the mothers' names. Mirumah, Rohilah, Baruha, Karina, Zohara, and Gindah. You already know Vinnah, and she's not a candidate."
"Mirumah, Rohilah, Baruha, Karina, Zohara, and Gindah," Sullha repeated. "Got it. I hope there is only one of each. Some names are more popular than others."
Across the yard, Tomek was scanning the benches for his mother, looking worried.
"I need to go." She rose to her feet. "Thank you for telling me all this."
"You're welcome."
24
RUVON
Ruvon woke with a warm, soft weight pressed against his chest and the slow, even rhythm of Arezoo breathing against the side of his neck.
He didn't move, savoring the feel of her in his arms.
It was the third morning he'd woken up next to Arezoo, but it still felt like a miracle that she was here, in his bed.
His wife.
His mate.
It was also the third time she'd enjoyed his venom bite, and he had woken up several times during the night, surfacing briefly to check on her and then sinking back into a contented sleep. She had stayed under the entire night, not waking up after the venom trip ended, but he knew she was alright because he'd heard her murmur in Farsi in her sleep. Or at least he'd thought it was Farsi. He knew a few words in the language after listening to her recite poems and then translate them to English for him, but that wasn't enough to understand what she'd been saying in her sleep.
A shame, really.
He hoped she'd been singing his praises.
She felt so warm against him.
Too warm.
He came fully awake, drew his hand up from her waist, and pressed it to her forehead. Her skin was hot, and it wasn't the pleasant warmth of being wrapped in his arms under the duvet on a chilly morning.
"Sweetheart," he said softly.
Arezoo made a small sleepy sound and pressed her face deeper into his neck.
"Arezoo."
"Mm."
"You have a fever."
"Mm."
She refused to wake up even though the venom must have left her system hours ago. She was still human, which meant that she needed more sleep than he did, but she should've at least opened her eyes.
He shifted and propped himself on one elbow.
She stirred, and her eyes opened, just enough for the dark line of her irises to show. She blinked at him with a puzzled expression.
