Now that he was immortal, it was possible. The last barrier between them had been removed. Except it hadn't been, because Tula had chosen Esag for reasons that had nothing to do with his immortality and everything to do with who he was.
Not that Tony understood what she saw in the carver. He was a simple, uneducated male who hadn't bothered to acquire knowledge, even though he had had thousands of years to do it. Instead, he had chosen to work with his hands and produce worthless figurines that weren't even that good.
Yeah, well, he had to admit that they were pretty good, but still worthless.
Why was he so obsessed with Tula?
When they had been together, it hadn't been an all-consuming love that he'd felt for her. In fact, he'd often been scared of her, or rather her moods. She hadn't been easy to get along with.
Tony remembered how terrified he'd been when he first suspected she was pregnant. So much so that he'd pretended not to notice, had deliberately avoided the subject, and had acted like everything was normal when it clearly wasn’t. That hadn't been how a man madly in love should have acted. That was the behavior of a man who was scared and confused.
Maybe it wasn't Tula herself he was mourning, but the idea of her. The potential they'd represented. The family that would never be.
"Definitely need psychological help," he said to his reflection.
Tony plastered a wide grin on his face, ‘fake it till you make it,’ as his grandmother used to say, and opened the bathroom door.
Shira was waiting for him in the room, looking lovely in a green blouse that brought out the color of her eyes. Her red hair had been tamed into artful curls, and she was wearing just enough makeup to accentuate her features without overwhelming them.
"You look beautiful," he said.
She smiled, but there was something anxious in her expression. "Thank you. Now get in bed."
"Excuse me?"
"The ceremony. You're supposed to be in bed for it."
"Right." Tony made his way across the room, still a little unsteady on his feet. He had to brace his hand against the wall, then against the chair, then against the bed. His muscles felt weak and unreliable, like they'd forgotten how to work properly during his three days of convalescence.
He slipped under the covers and pulled the blanket up to his chin, then looked at Shira. "Is that okay?"
"Very authentic. But pull your hands out from under the blanket. Julian needs access to your palm."
Tony complied, resting his hands on top of the blanket. The door to the waiting room was closed, but he could hear the murmur of voices on the other side.
"Who's out there?" he asked.
"It's a surprise." Shira smiled. "Now stay put. I'll let them in."
She crossed to the door and opened it, and Tony's jaw dropped.
The waiting room was packed. Not just a few well-wishers, but a crowd, crammed into the small space like sardines in a tin.He saw Tula first, standing with Esag near the door. The harem ladies were there too, all of them except for Areana, and they were looking happy and excited.
Yamanu and his mate were there as well, with Yamanu holding his phone up and gesturing that he was in charge of recording the ceremony. Kaia stood next to William and gave him a little wave and a smile that made him feel like everything was going to be okay.
He spotted Roni and several faces from the tech lab. They'd all come to celebrate his transition.
"We're just waiting for Kian to start," Shira said as she returned to his bedside and took his hand.
Tony didn't know what to say. What had he done to deserve the honor of having Kian present at what was essentially a performative ceremony—a ritual that didn't really prove anything they didn't already know. His transition was a given. His immortality was a biological fact. The healing test was just a formality, a tradition, a way to mark the occasion and welcome a new member into the community.
But Kian had taken time out of his undoubtedly busy schedule to welcome Tony personally.
"I'm touched," he managed. "I didn't expect such a turnout."
The murmur of voices fell silent when Kian arrived.
"Sorry I'm late," the big boss said as he moved to stand at the foot of Tony's bed. "I see we have a full house."
