Page 88 of I Married Kayog
“Are you involved in your father’s company?” I asked, wanting to confirm my suspicions.
She nodded. “I am in fact part of the science and research team and lead the environmental task force. We have significantly reduced the toxic waste produced by our operations, and we continue towards making even more improvements.”
“You seem quite young to be in such a role,” Taylor interjected in a slightly patronizing tone that made me want to smack him.
“I guess some of us are prodigies,” she retorted with a hint of sarcasm that had her father clearly wanting to facepalm while I itched to applaud.
I loved nothing more than seeing an obnoxious prick get put back in his place. Her poor father continued to hope that he could somehow pull off an arranged marriage between these two to help save his business. But even without my empathic abilities, I could see that these two would never be a match. She had a spine, he wanted a doormat.
Anyway, she belonged to another.
“Some people most certainly are,” I said with an approving smile. “But if I may be so bold, may I ask if you are mated? Your species tends to marry fairly young.”
“My daughter is completely unattached!” Kateros exclaimed, sounding almost outraged at the implication that she might not be free. “But she is indeed at the perfect age to find a mate, as per our people’s customs,” he added, glancing back at Taylor.
I felt second-hand embarrassment at the near desperation with which he tried to make the impossible happen.
“I’mveryhappy to hear it!” I said with a slightly excessive enthusiasm that I knew would draw all attention to me.
“Why is that?” Shaya asked, taken aback.
“Because I happen to know your soulmate,” I said smugly.
As one, everyone gaped at me, my beautiful mate included. You’d think a bomb had just gone off in our midst.
“What?!” Shaya asked at last, recovering first.
“I know your soulmate,” I repeated with assurance. “I went to university with him.”
“He’s a Temern?!” she exclaimed.
I shook my head. “No. He’s a Daigan.”
As one, Taylor and Lucas snorted, and they stared at me with a disbelieving look. Their disdain for my profession—which had temporarily faded while discussing with Kateros—came backwith a vengeance. Except, this time, they now believed me to be a charlatan.
That was fine. In a few minutes, they’d be eating their hearts out.
“A Satyr?!” Lucas repeated, flabbergasted.
I gave him an indulgent smile. “Based on human folklore, it would be a fair comparison as they share many similarities with them. His name is Straef Dharam. He’s a fantastic young male. Charismatic, ambitious, innovative, and extremely smart. Straef is also a prodigy. He got his degree three years earlier than the average person in his discipline. He’s also given me a serious lesson in humility by systematically defeating me at Five Kings.”
“I love Five Kings!” Shaya exclaimed, perking up. “No one can beat me at this game.”
I chuckled. “Are you sure? Straef remains undefeated. I believe you may have found your match… in more ways than one.”
“Absolutely not.Hehas found his match. I’ll gladly teach him how it’s done,” she said, lifting her chin with the most adorable air of defiance.
“Assuming you ever meet him,” her father countered in a stern voice before glaring at me. “You shouldn’t put such wild thoughts in her mind. A Daigan and a Stornian together makes absolutely no sense.”
“Actually, it makes all the sense in the world,” I said smugly. “Your species are very much compatible.”
He recoiled and stared at me as if my brain wasn’t functioning properly.
“Whatever would make you think such an insane thing?” he asked, the look in both brothers’ eyes echoing his sentiment.
“You weren’t there when I informed our friends here of the fact that I have a masters in xenobiology. And I assure you that your species are totally compatible. And now, you just made merealize that this pairing is the greatest thing that could happen to you, your business, your people, and Straef.”
“My business?” Kateros echoed, this time, curiosity dampening some of the aggression in his voice. “How would a union with a Daigan benefit my business in any way? As far as I know, their people do not deal in metals and minerals. They mainly trade in wood products, farming, and animal breeding.”
