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Hedoreth paused, tears formed in his eyes, and then he chuckled. “Papa would suit me. Graddy for the younglings.”
Laksi hugged him, and he hugged back hard. Kyda blinked. Aluhara smiled a watery smile. Her mother murmured, “He has held my hand the whole way. He wished for success during extraction and held me when I cried when the eggs were gone. Every year we didn’t have children, he held me tighter and said I was enough.”
“And she saw it at a glance.” Kyda looked at her sibling’s calm demeanour and the pain in her expression.
Aluhara nodded, and they waited until she was released from the hug. The ladies and girls converged on Hedoreth and hugged him. He burst into loud, raucous sobs, and Laksi slowly eased out of the huddle. Kyda met her, and they walked a few feet away.
“Laksiana, what happened?”
“Oh, my sister tried to kill me. It blew up most of my right side, but I survived it and was brought to Kritz for reconstruction. I punched my way out of my restoration tube, so folks will be pissed when I get back.” She chuckled. “If they let me come back.”
Kyda blinked. “You are still hurt?”
“Really sensitive. I don’t know how recovered I am. My skull, jaw, and ribs are back though. So, hooray.”
Kyda stared. “I was recently shattered while being thrown through the window.”
“You are doing well.”
She chuckled. “Kritz put me back together. Our brother convinced me to let the healing work.”
Kynor looked up and grinned.
“He’s only sixteen. Don’t let the appearance fool you.”
“Oh. Wow. Well, thanks for pulling us together. I am an auntie, and that is rather nice.”
Kyda blinked. “Right. Nieces.”
She walked over to Riithan and his parents. “Thank you for allowing us our space to introduce ourselves.”
Ylara introduced her to the king and queen and said, “Kyda is a BDC companion rating. Not escort.”
Kyda sighed and curtsied. “I am also known as the blood witch of Uradda, though I don’t think that will work anymore.”
Ylara gasped, and Riithan asked, “Why not?”
“There is more in my blood now. I don’t know that it would try to undo anyone anymore.”
Riithan frowned. “Your blood takes action?”
“Yes. I am not sure how it works, but I imagine it like a rat. A rat on your torso is uncomfortable and distracting; a rat inside your torso is devastating. Like an acid injection.” She saw his eyes flare with understanding.
“I see. Well, my parents would like your siblings and their children and partners registered with the stronghold.”
Kyda felt the relief of pressure. “That’s up to them. I know that Ados already put me on your books.”
“We will want you to remain here.”
“No.” She looked at him calmly. “I am going back to Nandy’s house.”
“Well, I am sorry to do this.”
She saw the black strike and felt the puncture in her arm. Riithan stood and looked at her blood gleaming on the stinger, and then his tail disappeared.
“Laksi, can you split my dress up the back.” She held back and heard the rip of fabric a moment before she was wearing Riithan’s tail and looking out through his eyes.
Ylara was next to Riithan, and she exhaled slowly. “He’s just shocky, and his ass is better than I thought it would be without the tail.”
