n

n

nELIA

nBreakfast the next morning was a lonely affair, up on the podium without Reth. Candace was kind enough to sit next to her, but she had her sister with her and the two cackled and chirped their way through the meal. Elia didn't feel right interrupting.

nWhen she was done eating she got up and realized she had nowhere to go except back to the Cave. She sighed. Maybe she should just walk around and see things?

nWhen she turned to see if there was a discreet way to get off the stage and onto the streets without walking past the whole kingdom down at the tables, she noticed Candace's sister's nostrils flare. Then she turned and looked at Elia with a strange expression.

nDo I smell? Elia wondered. She'd been careful to wash herself down in the bathing room off the bedroom each morning. But it wasn't like taking a shower—or a bath, she supposed. She needed to find out where the anima bathed. How they bathed.

nShe turned towards the stairs down to the eating area, but Candace caught her arm, a strange look on her face.

"Good morning, Elia,

" she said quietly.

"Eventful night?

"

nElia blinked.

"Uh, yes. Oh **, did they tell people?

" she hissed.

nCandace shook her head.

"I don't know what you're talking about. I can just smell… it's odd. It's as if Reth's scent follows you. They aren't twisted together as mates usually are. But… he's on you, somehow. I've never smelled that before.

" She leaned in and took a deep breath near Elia's hair.

nElia tried not to pull away. This sniffing thing was definitely odd. But she saw Anima doing it to each other all the time. She had to remember, it was normal for them. When Candace pulled back, she was shaking her head.

"Very curious,

" she said.

"What must have happened? It's as if the mating bond began to take, but then… didn't?

"

nElia blushed and looked around. There were too many people nearby, people with very sharp ears.

"Is there somewhere we can go for a walk where we wont' be overheard?

" she said to Candace.

nThe woman shrugged.

"Sure. I'll show you the bathing hole if you like?

"

n

"Perfect! Kill two birds with one stone.

"

nCandace pulled her head away.

"What was that?

"

nElia clapped her hand over her mouth.

"I'm so sorry. It's just… it's a saying. It just means, getting two things done through only one action—I promise. It's not… it's not about killing anything.

"

nCandace frowned.

"And you humans say we're brutal,

" she muttered, then shook herself as if to shake off the thought.

"Come, I'll show you. And you can tell me your story on the way.

"

nElia sighed and followed.

n*****

nTwenty minutes later, Elia was blushing to her roots, and Candace walked alongside her cackling with laughter.

"Creator's Light, I wish I'd been there to see his face!

" she tittered.

"King Blue-balls!

"

n

"Sssshhhh!

" Elia hushed her, looking around.

"He was really… aggravated.

"

n

"I'm sure he was!

"

n

"I'm serious, Candace, something happened. For a minute it was like he wasn't there. Behryn said something to him about coming back, and when he turned to look at me, his eyes… his eyes were different.

"

nCandace stopped laughing immediately.

"Different how?

"

n

"They were gold. All gold. Like, there was no whites to them. And the pupils were really small. What was that? I didn't have a chance to ask him before he left.

" Elia swallowed and made herself speak the words she was embarrassed to even have thought.

"Are you people… magic?

" she said in a hushed whisper.

nBut Candace just laughed again.

"Oh, dear, no. That was just the beast within making an appearance. Probably because of the shock, and with the mating, the men get so possessive—especially the Alphas. I'm surprised he didn't tear Behryn's throat out, to be honest. Behryn's dominant in his clan… it must have been a close call.

"

n

"Is that why they all knelt?

" Elia asked.

"They all went down on one knee and wouldn't look him in the eye, held up their hands like they were surrendering.

"

nCandace went very quiet and nodded.

"Yes, that's exactly why. Oh dear. It must have been quite serious. Reth doesn't usually require that of the other males.

"

n

"I don't think he even thought about it—they just did it when he whipped around. He was making this noise… it was kind of creepy. But they all just dropped, and Behryn talked him down.

"

n

"What did you do?

"

nElia shrugged.

"I touched his back and asked him if he was okay—that's when I saw his eyes. But he just… came back then. He was fine.

"

nCandace looked at her like she wasn't certain Elia was right, but she shrugged too.

"Well, it sounds like they handled it well. Poor Reth.

"

n

"Poor me!

" Elia grumbled.

"I was about to find out what all the fuss was about.

"

nCandace's laugh startled a flock of sparrows out of a nearby tree.

"Oh, Elia, you are a hoot,

" she said a minute later, wiping tears of laughter from her cheeks.

"You won't be missing out for long, I'm sure. That poor man will probably slit the Silent One's throat rather than just scare him off, so he can get back sooner.

" Then she was off in cawing laughter again.

nElia snorted, but then she went thoughtful.

"Why do you call them Silent Ones. Reth said it was a lion?

"

nCandace had to take a couple deep breaths to stop laughing, but she managed.

"Yes, the animals—our ancestors, at least we think—they are… dumb. They can't speak. They don't reason. They have the instincts we inherited, but nothing more. It's sad to us. We'd like to understand them better. But they can't seem to cross the barrier. We understand their bodies and follow many of their customs. But in the end, they're just… animals. Silent Ones. We respect them, but we don't allow them to dominate. They scent their own kinds on us and it can cause problems. That's what Reth's trying to fix. A few years ago a lone male like that made it all the way to the city. We lost two equine children and a wise-woman before the Pride brought it down. We've had trackers patrolling WildWood ever since.

"

n

"It's so sad that they have to kill them,

" Elia said.

nCandace shook her head.

"No, that's why they patrol. They're trying to send them away before they have to be killed for the safety of the Anima. They called Reth for this one because it must be very strong. It will take our strongest male to lay claim to the females and scare him away.

"

nElia couldn't help a flush of pride, and Candace didn't miss it. She smiled and nodded.

"Yes, Elia, you caught a good one. One of the best. Appreciate him. He is… very desirable. To the predators,

" she said hastily.

nElia laughed. But it was a comment she continued to think about for days.

n