Page 12 of Bred By Fafnir

Foot coverings?

“You mean shoes?”

He grunts.

My mind flips to the odd-looking pair he’d left for me in the bathroom. They looked like work boots but were made from thick reinforced hide. “Uh, some maybe, but I don’t.”

“If I step on your foot Lenora, I will break it. TheshoesI provided should offer an adequate barrier. The design is rated well for humans who wish to protect their feet while on work visas.”

Oh, seems to be my favorite word tonight because that’s all I can mutter as I watch him clean the mess on the cooktop.

“You don’t cook often, I’m guessing.”

“No, everyone shares meals at the Halthara.”

“HAL-thar-ah.” I repeat, trying and failing to growl and roll the R’s like he does.

His lips quirk into something that looks suspiciously like a smile. I hide my own, not wanting him to know I saw.

“What is that?”

“Where our village gathers, the center of our community.”

“But you missed tonight…”

I leave the rest unsaid, my heart pounding as the silence stretches between us. Wishing like hell he’d fill it. So much time passes that I nearly give up reaching for my cooling pizza when he finally does. “I thought you’d like some more time to adjust.”

I can’t hide the next smile as I bring the pizza to my mouth, taking an unladylike bite. He forwent supper with his friends, his family, for me. Got boots so he wouldn’t hurt my feet. Brought me clothes and a towel for the shower when he realized I had none. He apologized…

“Thank you, Fafnir.”

He grunts, and despite myself, I’m still smiling.

eight

Fafnir

Lenora fell asleep by the fire shortly after she finished her food. I had intended to leave her there but thought better of it. With the way she squirmed, she’d roll right in. Lifting her slight frame into my arms, the oddest throbbing bloomed in my chest. It ached so badly I wanted to knead the space like you would an overexerted muscle after years of disuse.

Her sweet floral smell reminds me of the Snorrakh fruit. One of the few that can survive the deep and long winters here, only found in the forests where the herds of Thraxis bunker down, the large glacial beasts with blue tinged fur will crack their nearly impenetrable shells with their jaws. They’re amongst our biggest threat here but typically keep to their forests, knowing we nor the Sihlih are worth the troubleof trying to eat. In my youth, I’d thought to capture and tame one once.

That’d been a spectacular failure. The capturing was fine, easy enough. It was the taming that had been something else entirely. The dammed thing had nearly rendered the hide from my flesh, and I’d trekked home in twenty lengths of snow to lick my wounds and brood in private.

I’m stalling.

Bhaurnul warriors do not stall so they can hold delicate females in their arms. Warriors of Valhyr do not linger in warm bedrooms because they find themselves loathing to leave. My people don’t…couple,not until they're older. Elders and past their breeding prime, and even then, it is a rare thing. My tail thrashes behind me as I lower her, that deep simmering rage bubbling in my gut. If I had a mirror, my eyes would be red, I have no doubt. The shame of it has me tossing the warm furs over her and backing away.

We are a communal people.

We share.

Everything.

We do not feel things like I do now.

Like I want to keep her in these furs spread and filled.

Like I never want to let her see the light of day again.

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