Page 24 of Queen Isabella

“No need to thank me, my queen. Simply turn the sphere until the columns are as bright as you wish. The spheres will be in a similar location when you enter a chamber,” he explained.

Isa turned the sphere until he was squinting at how bright she made the room.

“Oh sorry. Is that too bright?” She cringed. “Be considerate, Isa, their eyes are larger. They probably are more affected by the light.” Again, she didn’t vocalize as she reached for the adjustment sphere a second time.

Artifex smiled, amused that they’d had similar observations about each other.

“My queen, no need to adjust it.” He grabbed her hand to halt her before she adjusted the sphere again. “I believe my eyes do take in more light than yours while in the dark interior of the hive. We do go outside regularly, though, and I can adjust to very bright sunshine.”

Queen Isabella’s mouth dropped open as he spoke. It was her shocked expression. It then occurred to him, when their queen’s mouth was closed, she’d been unintentionally projecting her private thoughts.

“I have already surprised you,” he grimaced, “so I might as well add that you are not too short. I find your diminutive size adorable, and perhaps I am overly tall,” he chuckled.

“You heard what I was thinking!” She gaped at him.

“You project your internal thoughts much the way we regularly communicate.”

“I guess I should’ve expected that. Crap, that’s embarrassing. I hope I haven’t said anything unkind.” Queen Isa’s brow furrowed and she cringed, baring her blunt teeth.

Artifex thought on it. “No,” he replied, not recalling anything that offended him in any of their conversations. Even if she had conveyed something unkind, he would’ve kept it to himself. “It just occurred to me you weren’t doing it intentionally.”

“Oh good.” Isa’s shoulders eased. “I’ve been shell shocked.”

“I understand, my queen, truly, I do.” He gently squeezed her shoulder. “Let me show you the cascade, since I’m certain itis different than what you are familiar with, or maybe it’s not.” Artifex tipped his head toward the angled trough with a ledge seat at the lower end. “Similar to the light, roll this sphere to open the water valve. You relieve yourself in the lower section,” he pointed, “and clean your hands here in the upper section of the cascade.”

“Okay. Do you bathe in here, too?” The queen looked around.

“No. We have a separate space for that.”

“Ah.”

The queen went to the lower end of the cascade, then her furry brows drew together. He immediately saw what was wrong as she stood next to the carved stone ledge. Despite what he said earlier about her being the perfect size, their queen was a bit short for the cascade.

“I will have our craftsmen make a step for you.” He gripped his queen’s hips and lifted her up, setting her on the ledge.

“Thanks,” she said as she scooted her delicious curvy rump to the edge of the channel containing the flowing water. She then pointedly stared at him, her eyes widening.

“Now you simply make water or whatever. It will be washed away. I assure you it doesn’t mix with our drinking or bathing water,” he encouraged her.

“I got the idea, thank you. Um, could you maybe wait outside, please?” Her cheeks reddened slightly as she made the request.

Ah, my queen requires privacy.

“Of course, my queen. Call to me if you need assistance.” Artifex strode out of the cascade room. There was no door so he leaned against the arched entrance to wait and keep anyone else from disturbing their queen’s private time.

Phara, the consort betas, and Bellator were still in the queen’s chamber. However, the hallway was filling with consort gammas, deltas, and omegas who’d exited their chambers to catch a glimpse of their queen.

If she feels embarrassed by handling her necessities, she probably wouldn’t appreciate an audience waiting outside.Artifex smirked as he waved them back into their chambers.

“Talking telepathically is going to take time to get used to,” Isa said, pulling his attention away from the disappointed consorts retreating into their quarters. “Do you have private thoughts at all?”

“We do. I’m just more experienced at shielding them,” he replied in amusement. “We also have a vocal language, but it’s very simple. We make the vibrato when we’re happy or attempting to console someone. We may snarl like the fauna if angered or yip in excitement. It’s more common among hatchlings until their cognitive functions mature,” he tried to explain.

“Vibrato, that’s the purring vibrating hum, right?”

“Yes,” he confirmed.

“Wow. I have so much to learn.” She sounded daunted.

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