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At least, that’s what I think until Nexus lets out a high-pitched whine that sounds an awful lot like a tone of piteous agreement.
The likar lets out another woeful mewl and tosses his mud-covered head into Althia’s lap as though lamenting his loss. Althia fawns over him, making unintelligible sympathetic sounds as she strokes his face.
What in the gods’ names am I watching right now?
Nexus strikes fear into the hearts of everyone he comes across, even the most powerful of dark elves. I’ve seen him take out entire steeds for fun, and I have had to pay for more than my fair share of damages when he was still young because he decided he was hungry.
And yet here he is, bawling and whining like a youngling in the arms of my delicate, brave, absolutely maddening Althia.
The parallels are almost too strange to think about. Rather than taming my wild side as she has for Nexus, however, Althia drags out something much darker in me. Something possessive, insidious, and demanding.
I like it – and I know she does, too.
I blink to myself a few times, shaking that line of thinking out of my mind as I refocus on Althia. She pushes herself up to her feet, giving Nexus an affectionate pat on the butt and promising that they’ll get those ‘mean old mynahs’ next time.
Nexus huffs his agreement, slinking back off, presumably to get some water as Althia’s attention lands on me.
Althia must see the surprise on my face because she gives me a pleased smile.
“You didn’t think he’d take to me, did you?” she asks me, laughing as we both stand.
I offer her my hand and help her to her feet, and then I turn to face her.
“Nexus is a wild animal, despite all outward appearances,” I tell her seriously. “He can barely be around the zagfers, who are all afraid of him and pose no threats. My mother also terrorizes him whenever she sees him. So, no, I never thought I’d see him act so… docile. Only you could tame a creature like that, Althia.”
* * *
We spent all of yesterday choosing flowers for the mating ceremony. We’re having paradise blossoms imported, and the floral designer has promised us even more exotic blooms if we’re willing to wait.
“I just want to be mated to you already. I don’t particularly care about flowers.” I grumble as Althia fixes my collar before we head for dinner.
I spent all of my day painting, and Althia and I still need to catch up with one another.
“What did you do today?” I ask her as she straightens her shirt and skirt.
Nexus comes bounding in from outside then. And instead of running up to greet me, as he always does, he goes straight to Althia and walks around her in an excited circle.
I cannot help but burst into shocked and pleased laughter as Althia kneels to pet the likar, who purrs and chirrups lovingly, after which he buries his head in her skirt and inhales deeply.
“What happened between yesterday and today?” I ask, and the disbelief in my voice is blatant.
Althia smiles up at me as she continues petting Nexus.
“I just spent some time with him. We went on a walk around the grounds early this morning after you got up to paint. I fed him, brushed him, and gave him a bit of a washdown. He even had a thorn in his paw, and I think removing that for him really got me in his good books.”
I sigh with relief as Nexus slumps to the ground and rolls onto his back.
Everything might actually work out.
“Okay, well, are we still going to dinner?” I ask her.
“Why don’t we stay in? I’m sure Nexus misses you, now that you’re spending all your time painting or with me.”
* * *
I am painting up in the turret when I see them.
My view from the turret shows me most of the grounds of my family’s estate, as well as some of Pyrthos.
