Page 43 of Tamhas

Stubborn fool. It was a lucky thing my dragon was sated and resting after the night we’d spent with Keira, or I might have been more inclined to start a fight with him over it.

“It will work,” I assured him.

“I don’t see how it would be possible,” he argued.

“It’s possible,” Klaus spoke up from the corner of the room. “Look at the Appalachian clan. All six of them have found their mates and live with them, all of them together under the mountain. From what I recall from my conversations with Mike and Gentry, everything seems to work well.”

“I heard from Martina earlier today, and she confirms this,” Mary smiled. “It’s remarkable, really. They’re like a family. One of the girls even brought her little nephew, and he’s thriving with so many aunts and uncles to take care of him.”

“While this all sounds lovely,” Alan grumbled, “let us not lose sight of reality. This isn’t a fairy tale. Just because it worked there, for them, doesn’t mean it will work here.”

“It doesn’t mean it won’t, either.” Keira’s voice.

I didn’t realize she had been standing in the doorway. None of us had, judging from the looks of surprise on the faces of everyone around me. “I’m not sure what I have to do to get you to trust me, but I’ll do it. Whatever it is.”

I might have been imagining things, but it looked like Alan was blushing. In all the time I’d known him, I’d never seen him blush or even appear slightly flustered.

“You’ll have to forgive me,” he murmured. “I’ve not been leader for very long, you see, and it was under regrettable circumstances that I stepped into this role. I’m uncertain. This is all very new to me. We’ve never lived with outsiders, and I’m not as of yet accustomed to being in control of such crucial matters.”

If it bothered her to be referred to as an outsider, she didn’t show it. Her eyes were as flinty as ever. While this didn’t bode well for arguments between us in the future, I couldn’t do anything but admire her.

“So long as it’s nothing personal,” she replied.

“It’s not, I can assure you. I have a habit of assuming the worst, but once a person proves me wrong, I’m always the first to admit it.”

“That’s true,” I agreed. It wasn’t easy to hide my smile, but I managed it.

A woman had brought Alan to the point where he felt the need to apologize. It was nearly newsworthy.

“About time you stepped in,” he growled in my general direction.

“You can handle yourself, and she was certainly doing well on her own.” I stood at her side.

“Fine, then,” he sighed in exasperation, throwing his hands into the air. “But I do want to know everything there is to know about the Blood Moon Priestesses.”

“I should have information for you soon,” Mary promised. “I cannot guarantee that I’ll find them in a timely fashion, but I’ll have my team research where the known members of the coven spread out to.”

Alan nodded. “And when she provides this information, it might be a wise idea to form a team. I want to know where the Priestesses are—especially if any of them are still working together.”

I looked at Keira, wondering how she felt about this. The Priestesses would be her kin, no matter how distant the relation. She didn’t say a word, and her expression gave nothing away.

What was she thinking?

I had only to wait until we returned to my room—our room—before I found out.

She let out a long breath, sitting on the edge of the bed and looking up at me.

“Well?”

“Well, what?” she asked.

“Well, what do you think? I know you must have an opinion of what Alan wishes to do.”

“I have an opinion, but what does it matter?” she shrugged.

“What does it matter?” I went to her, sitting beside her with a hand on her knee. “It matters to me. Very much. It will always matter to me, how you feel about things, what you think about them. I love you. Yours will always be the most important opinion. The most important feelings.”

“Thank you for that.” She wound her arms around mine, leaning her head against my shoulder. That felt right. Very right. As though I’d only been waiting for the weight of her head all along.

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