He dips his chin. “This is what angers you? That I appointed myself as your guard?”
“No, Cathal. What anger me is—is…” I side-eye the steam rising from the golden tub. It must engulf my lids, because they burn.
“Is what, Daya?”
“Is you hide true reason why you stay!”
“How exactly was I supposed to tell you when Priya refuses that we speak about your past?”
“Mypast?”
He cants his head. “Daya, what reason do you think I have for staying in Shabbe?”
“Your mate.”
His neck snaps straight. “I don’t have a mate. Not anymore.”
This time, I’m the one who frowns. “Fallon say Crows mate forever.”
“That’s usually the case…yes.”
“But you and Meriam not mate anymore?”
His head rears back. “Meriam?”
“I hear Taytah say child is mate.”
“Oh, Daya.” His lids slip shut.
“What,oh, Daya?” Did I misunderstand something? Is he trying to fool me again?
He lowers his face, burying his lips and nose into my hair as though his head were too heavy for his shoulders and he has to rest it on mine.
I don’t push him away. Merely repeat, “What,oh, Daya?”
“Meriam was never my mate, Príona.”
“But Taytah say?—”
“Her daughter was.”
I roll my head, dislodging his in order to look at him. “Meriam have daughter?”
His wary eyes open and lock on mine. “Yes.”
“Where?” I swallow, my throat as parched as the Amkhuti. “Where is daughter?”
“Dead. Meriam slayed her.”
I blink hard. “That why prison?”
“No. She did other bad things.”
“She kill mate, Cathal. What worse?”
He tips me the saddest, most forlorn smile.
“I sorry I shout.”
