Page 14 of Taken to Lemora
Merquin is the only mated clan chief and she wears her white horns with pride, even if they are dulled with age at this point. She and her Xiveri found one another rotations ago, before it had ever occurred to me to run a clan. I hadn’t wanted to, then. I hadn’t wanted a mate either, or white horns, or the responsibility that is said to come with it.
But something happened in that room with the Egama — and I don’t mean that sniveling Igmora’s perfectly designed altercation that was all but guaranteed to end in a fight. I mean, something happened in me and I just…snapped.
The Egama stepped into the room and made his challenge to me and I didn’t care about that. The Egama stepped into the room and made his threat toherand I cared…I cared alot.More than all the Walrey honey in the Walrey’s central hive, I cared about that threat and when the Egama came towards me, two things became absolutely clear.
I would never let him hurt her.
I would never let anything hurt her.
And also, as an aside, my horns ohring hurt.
Merquin may no longer be the only mated clan chief now…
As if I said something out loud, her stare widens and flicks up to my horns. “Don’t look there, female!” I shout at her. I reach up to grab my horns and block them from her view only to realize that I’m already holding them. “Pagh!”
I don’t know what to do. Should I get up and go to the void room and hide there for the rest of the trip back to Lemora? Nob, then I won’t be able to see her and I can’t stand that. Should I…get closer to her? I inhale deeply, panicked and exhilarated at the thought. Oh nob, nob nob nob…beneath my trousers, my typically silent cock begins to chirp.
I jump to my feet but just when I’m about to stomp angrily to the void room, I’m arrested by the sound of her voice. “Essmira.”
I blink down at her, lost. So utterly lost I can’t breathe. “WHAT!” I gasp.
She flinches from the volume of my voice and I take a half step back and then another half step when Bebette growls up at me, “Calm down, Raingar.”
HOW CAN I CALM DOWN? HER VOICE SOUNDS LIKE WALREY HONEY AND IT’S NOT POSSIBLE FOR IT TO SOUND LIKE THAT!
Something flashes behind her gaze. The same thing that flashed instances before she grabbed that stupid sculpture and lobbed it at my head. I flinch, looking around as if expecting an assault. Finding nothing she could use to throw at me, I’m left with no other option but to look back into her eyes.But that’s too hard. She’s too stunning. We’re all just rock creatures. Nothing on Lemora has and ever will look like that.
I stare at her hands as Bebette finishes wrapping them, instead and bark, “What?”
Some of the fire in her voice dims. She clears it. “Apologies. I did not mean to speak…out of turn.”
I growl, hating this voice. Hating it alot. It’s the same voice she used on Igmora and Tyto — on me — all but that one time when she pushed me and hit me in the head. Does she view me as a master, just as dreadful as her previous two? Or is she…upset that she didn’t escape? My jaw works and rage builds in my chest. I’m not used to it and it overtakes me quickly.
I glance over my shoulder at Merquin for help. She’s frowning at me. Very subtly, she shakes her head. I wish I knew what it meant, because the motion feels significant, but Idon’tknow, so I ignore her entirely and round on the female. “What did you say?”
The fire flashes. She closes her hands into fists on top of her knees, which she keeps clutched quite close to her chest. “Essmira!” Her voice is a shout that makes Bebette flinch back. She’s smiling as she plops onto her rear.
“Essmira, nice to meet you. I’m Bebette.” She touches the center of Essmira’s forehead with two fingers.
Essmira blinks quickly before her gaze swivels from me to Bebette. I don’t like that, but I like the smile that tilts the wobbly corners of her mouth up. Oh nob, maybe I don’t. Because my cock. My ohring cock! Need blasts through me and it’s a crippling, beautiful thing. I massage one hand across my bare chest and when her gaze drops to my fingers I stop breathing.
Essmira lifts her hand and touches the center of Bebette’s forehead with two fingers. “Thank you, Bebette. It was kind of you to fix my hands. I hope there might be some way I can repay you — repay all of you — for the kindness you’ve shown me. I still don’t…understand…what happened. I know you all said that…”
She swallows when her voice gets stuck, like emotion is lodged there and it hurts her. It brings me pain. My hand on my chest stops rubbing and starts clenching, like I might dig through the skin, tear out my upper heart and hand it over to her. Will that help?
“Apologies.” Her eyes flutter. She must be exhausted. Is she tired? Does she want to sleep? Is she… “I don’t mean to put pressure on any of you. Please, don’t think that I am…”
Movement behind me pulls her attention up and over my shoulder. Merquin is suddenly there, pushing me out of the way. She waves away Bebette and drops down to one knee in front of my female. Merquin is a good, strong female but in this moment I tense, prepared to intervene if she…if she what? I’m not sure. But I hold my breath, anyway.
“Hello, Essmira,” Merquin says, voice kinder than it’s ever been when she’s spoken to me. She greets Essmira by touching her forehead. Essmira does the same and it seems to ease her. Not by much, but enough for her to stop shaking so violently.“My name is Merquin.”
“Hello, Merquin. It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m sorry if I’m asking too much. I promise that I am deeply grateful for everything you all have done for me so far. I…” Oh nob. Nob nob nob nob. NOB! She sniffles. Just once, but it’s enough to ruin me. Merquin, say something! Stop this! But she doesn’t. She just nods along and allows Essmira to continue.
“I promise that I will work very hard and perform whatever tasks that are required of me. I only ask that, if there is occasion for you to sell me, that it not be to an Oosa or an Egama or an Oroshi.” Her voice cracks again and she sniffles three times consecutively and then…nob! A tear falls from each of her eyes, tearing pathways over her brown cheeks.
I drop dead. I black out. My horns…the pain that’s hurting them cuts through the rest of me. I reach out and grab something only to feel Tana on my right arm, supporting my right side. I need to go to her…to touch Essmira…only she can take this pain away…but when I move forward, Tana yanks me back. I try again, but her grip on my arm is fierce.
“Nob,” she hisses under her breath. “This isn’t about you.” I shake my head, rage and confusion and a deep, deep sadness making me feel unsure. I’m flayed.
