Page 78 of Taken to Heimo
“I know.” She winks at me and her teeth flash white in her red face and I look around at the xub’Raku gathered on the right side of the room and I can’t fathom that these are truly the same creatures that convene in such austerity in the war room of Illyria.
The presence of the kit has changedeverything.
Dora’s currently in the arms of Xa’Raku and, even though the ruler of Thrax is known to be Raku’s closest advisor, Raku still hovers over her shoulder, looking absolutely stressed.
“Careful,” he mutters when Xa’Raku holds the kit out towards Islu’Raku, who takes the baby from her and shows her off to Xhen’Raku, who coos and strokes the side of her soft, purple cheek.
“Careful,” he barks again. “You haven’t blunted your claws.”
“I blunted them, Raku,” Xhen’Raku mutters. “Calm down.”
Raku just grunts when Xa’Raku laughs. She sees me then and calls my name. “Svera! We are so pleased you’re here and well. Please come. Sit.”
Sodifferent than the war room.
Eventually all of the xub’Raku take their seats around an enormous, raw wooden table. I sit between Miari and Xhen’Raku who eventually offers the baby to me when she sees me staring. Raku, who is on Xhen’Raku’s other side, looks like he’s going to lose his mind that the baby is being taken further away from him, but when I offer Dora back, Miari grabs both of Raku’s hands, shoves them in his lap and waves Dora away.
“She’s family,” is all Miari says. “Calm down.”
“Your calm will drive me to madness,” Raku growls back, leaning into Miari’s lips when she tilts her face towards his. His shoulders sag as she smiles. She kisses him. He returns it so deeply, I feel a flush rise up inside my stomach and an urge to see Anand. I frown at the thought of him. If he’s been scheduling so many meetings, why isn’t he here now?
“This is only a convening of the xub’Raku,” Kiki says, and I panic for a moment that I asked for him out loud. But no, she’s merely opening this strange, disjointed, utterly human version of a war room meeting.
And then I register her words. “Apologies. Should I wait outside for you to open the meeting to civilians?”
“Nox,” Raku answers, pulling away from his female, even as he crushes her to his side. He leans back against the pillows stacked behind him. They line the room and cover the floor. The pillow beneath me is crushed catacat silk and is a soothing balm against the burned skin on my legs, which feels stretched way too tight.
He takes a breath, then exhales and the room is silent.Ah.Here…this is the war room. I tense, knowing that I’m not in the right place, but I don’t dare disgrace myself by interrupting the Raku when he begins.
The only sounds for the first moment are the subtle rustling of two females called Kuana and Kuaku. Both are warriors-in-training on Nobu, but also act as Kiki’s helpers. It is, in Nobu culture, a highly revered position.
They distribute cups of nightshade tea among the xub’Raku gathered. It’s good and complements the cane-and-root bread, but it doesn’t beat my mother’s. Nothing does.
“The events that have transpired have been told to us by the Krisxox of Voraxia, however, before we begin, I would like to hear a retelling from you, Svera.”
I nod. “Of course.”
I begin with the moment of Dora’s birth and look down at the baby as I speak of her, listening to the way she snores like a tiny old woman. It brings a smile to my face that spreads around the room, even though I can sense that these powerful beings aren’t accustomed to it.
Eventually, I explain what happened to me and to Krisxox, our rescue at the hands of the hybrid, and what I learned from my parents and from Mathilda and Deena directly. There is silence after I speak, broken up only by Dora’s growls, which turn into mewls. I pass her back to Miari whose breasts are already bared. She lifts the baby to one of them, drawing a gasp from Xa’Raku, who flushes with bright, bright embarrassment.
“My respects, Rakukanna. It is merely a magical thing to behold, the feeding. It is not a thing we Voraxian females are biologically built to do.” With tough nipples and flat chests, Voraxians feed their babies mashed food from the first solar. Meanwhile, Dora’s been responding quite well to Miari’s milk.
God is great.
Miari smiles in response and looks down at her kit, suckling softly. “I just wish it weren’t so painful.”
“My parents have balm for that. I’ll fetch some for you after we close our meeting,” I tell her.
“Thank you. That would be such a relief.” She looks like she means it. I can see the tired pouches beneath her eyes and the slightly frazzled way she watches me. She is sleepy, like all new mothers are. Her status changes nothing.
“You are a warrior,” Kiki says from across the circle.
Miari makes a face at that — a tight-lipped smile and a lowering of the lashes. “Thanks, Ki…Va’Rakukanna.”
Kiki tips her head forward. It’s what she whispered to Miari all throughout the birth. Sheisa warrior. And I’m so proud of her.
Raku clears his throat, his arm tightening around his mate and kit. “For what you have done for my Rakukanna and what you have done for your people, I thank you, Svera.
