Page 21 of Rule

She made a strangled sound of fear whenBran’s hand dropped onto her wrist. “Do not touch her.”

“Bran,” I said warningly as Evelyn staredat him in stark terror. When Bran released her arm, she folded her arms overher torso protectively and leaned back in her chair. She was visiblytrembling, and I scowled at Bran.

He didn’t notice. He was giving the humana steely-eyed glare, and she licked her lips anxiously as he pulled Bella’schair closer to him. “We will allow you to stay in our home, human, but thereare rules you must follow.”

“A-all right.”

“You are not to touch Bella.” Bran studiedhis daughter before turning back to the human. “Ever. Do you understand me?”

She nodded, and my tail flicked rapidlywhen Bran said, “I mean it. You are not to go near Bella at all. If I see youtouch her, your punishment will be severe.”

“For Krono’s sake,” I said, “she is not -”

“You are free to move around our home, butdo not go into my room, Bella’s room, or Court’s room,” Bran continued as if Ihadn’t spoken. “Do not go outside. You will get lost in the storm and freezeto death, and I am not losing my head just because the king’s future queen wasnot smart enough to stay inside during a storm.”

The human flushed and stared at the tableas I set the bowl of faven in front of her. “Eat, human.”

She picked up the spoon and stirred at thefaven as I grabbed the other bowls and set one in front of Bran before loweringmyself into the chair next to the human. Bella had finally started to eat onher own, although she was still staring at the human, and Bran began to eat.

“Eat,” I said again.

The human tasted the faven a bit tentativelybefore smiling at me. “It’s good. It tastes almost like oatmeal.”

“What is oatmeal?” I asked. I had takenhuman studies in school just like every other Draax, but I didn’t remembermuch.

“It’s a grain that we grow on Earth. Youcan bake it in things like cookies or cook it in water and eat it forbreakfast. You can add milk and fruit, if you like it sweeter.”

“We do not have milk here,” I said. I knewmy face had a look of disgust on it. “Draax do not drink the bodily fluids of animals.”

“I don’t need milk,” she said immediately.“I’m not picky and will eat whatever you want me to eat. I won’t be anytrouble, I promise.”

I frowned a little. The human’s behaviourwas bizarre. Dana had been very vocal about her dislikes when it came to, well…anything. Her refusal to do anything she didn’t want to do, was an annoyancethat I’d found hard to ignore. It was my assumption that all human femaleswere the same.

This human was practically cowering in thechair and it made me feel weirdly guilty. I looked over at Bran. He was steadfastlyignoring the human, staring into his bowl of faven and occasionally glancing atBella as she ate.

When I turned my gaze back to the human,she was staring at her bowl of faven as well. Her hand was pressed against herside, her formerly pink lips were now the same pale white as her skin, and Icould see the sheen of sweat on her forehead.

“Human, are you sick?”

She shook her head. “No, of course not. I’mfine.”

“You are not eating,” I said. “You need toeat. If you are sick, then you must tell us, so -”

“I’m not sick.” She scooped up a big spoonfulof the faven and shoved it into her mouth. She swallowed and then took a sipof water. “I just wasn’t hungry last night. I’m perfectly healthy.”

She was lying. Anger burned in the pit ofmy stomach. The human may not be vocal in her dislikes, but she lied just likeDana lied. My unsettling concern for the human disappeared in an instant.What did I care if she was sick? She wasn’t even our nanny and, in a moon orso, we’d be rid of her. Draax did not get human diseases so there was no fearshe would make Bella sick. If the human wanted to suffer, so be it. It wasn’tmy problem.

“Uda?” Bella’s voice made me turn towardher.

“What is it, meena?”

“Girl?” She cocked her head in a questioningway and pointed at the human.

“Yes, she is a girl,” I said.

“Girl?” Bella said to Bran. It was clearshe didn’t believe me.

“Yes,” Bran said. “Drink your juice,Bella.”

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