“You scared her.” Kaspian took the kitten from me. He was smarter than me and pulled a blanket over his lap before setting her on it.
Happy once more, the kitten kneaded the blanket and purred.
“Hey now, I thought she wasmypresent!” I pulled a bit of blanket over my chest and laid down. “Give her back.”
Grinning, Kas set the kitten on my chest.
We stared at each other. She blinked slowly. I stroked her head. Cautiously, she kneaded the blanket.
“It's okay now. Just don't do that to bare skin.” I stroked her more.
The kitten purred, her eyes closing.
Kaspian eased in close on his side, propped on an elbow, and stared down at us. “We won't count the last one since it wasn't a real animal. This is your first pet.”
“Are you sureshe'sa real animal?”
“Oh, yes. I saw her with her mother.”
“You took a baby from its mother?”
“She was weened. It's how it's done, Met. Children eventually leave their parents.”
“Poor girl.” I drew the kitten closer to my face. “You got taken from your family. I can be your family now if you want.”
“Again, animals don't—”
The kitten mewed and nuzzled my face.
I lifted a brow at Kas. “You were saying?”
“Maybe we'd better double-check that she's just a cat.” He reached for her.
“Leave Rena be!”
“Rena?”
“It's a little tribute to the Goddess.”
He rolled his eyes. “At least you didn't use her full name. That might have been blasphemy.”
“What?” I scrunched my face at him.
“Naming a cat after a goddess.”
“It's to honor her, not insult her.”
“Yes, well, a shortened version is more of an appropriate tribute I think.”
“Whatever.” I grimaced, and then I grinned at Rena. “Welcome to the Aravult Dread, Duchess Rena.”
“Duchess?!”
I narrowed my stare at Kas.
“As you wish, Mate.”
“She's family, after all.”
