“Only if he agrees.” Eleri stifled another laugh. K’kaen was enough of an annoying hover to play the part of her brother if nothing else. She never expected to find a new family here to replace the one she had left behind. The interface on her wrist buzzed with the shift of the hour. Eleri checked the time and then pursed her lips.
“I need to get back to work.”
“I’ll accompany you.” He placed a hand on her shoulder as they exited the holocom booth into the dusty alleyway behind Pyo’s office.
“So, if you adopt family members, is S’kasia your biological sister?” She wasn’t sure if it was a rude question, but she felt compelled to ask.
“Yes, she is my clutch sister. We have the same dam.” People were watching them as they strolled together through the town center. Eleri’s face was still sticky with the residue of tears, but she knew they were really watching the possessive press of S’samph’s hand on her shoulder. If there had been any question about his intentions toward her before,there certainly wasn’t now. No one seemed surprised, but she noticed Myla leaning in the doorway of the general store, speaking to Iulia with a dark expression on her face. Eleri glanced away, trying to focus on her conversation with S’samph. Things had never truly resolved after the confrontation at Myla and Pyo’s home, the day she announced she was leaving to focus on her work in the clinic.
As they approached the clinic, S’samph slowed his stride. “Eleri do you feel safe to stay here alone tonight?”
“Of course,” she tried to respond with emphasis, but her voice was tight. “My brother is galaxies away from here.” Eleri started to enter the clinic, but S’samph didn’t remove his hold on her shoulder.
“I asked if you feel safe, not if you are safe,” S’samph said. “It is important to me that you feel safe. I know that ravik cannot reach you physically.”
“I’ll be okay,” she said. “Rhys has done much worse.”
“Let me stay here tonight.”
“Here? There’s nowhere to sleep other than one of the patient cots.” Technically her bed also existed, but she wasn’t ready to offer that particular option.
“I’ve slept on worse,” he responded, echoing her words back in a way she was sure was intentional. “Tonight, you should have company.”
“Thank you,” her voice broke over the words. S’samph placed a hand on her face.
“You don’t need to thank me. I’m your mate. It’s my responsibility to make sure you are well.”
“I appreciate it all the same.” Eleri wiped an errant tear from the corner of her eyes as she ushered him inside. He had called her his mate before, but this time the word left a fizzy feeling in the pit of her stomach. Mate. She was wanted. Someone had finally chosen her.
CHAPTER 20
S’samph
The next morning, S'samph found K'kaen on his plot crouched in the soil whacking at a section of weeds with serious concentration. K’kaen, unlike S’samph, had actually taken to farming with surprising skill, and with the rainy season approaching, his prized sawa flowers would need extra diligence before getting shipped to the IA for processing and medical distribution. Even though he didn’t look up, K’kaen’s tail twitched at S'samph's approach, acknowledging his presence without breaking concentration from the task at hand.
"I want to speak to you,” S’samph said.
"Are we not speaking already?" K'kaen's tail twitched with humor despite his grumbling. He continued pulling weeds. "It is unusual for you to crawl out of your nest to seek me out, so it must be important."
S'samph’s frill lifted with annoyance while K'kaen continued working as if his request wasn't worth a pause. "Eleri requires a new clutch brother."
“This is the important thing you needed to share?” K’kaen tossed a clump of weeds into a pile. S’samph had never understood his friend’s patience for such things, but that was probably why he could only ever coax those accursed vela beans to grow on his plot of land.
“You will become her new clutch brother,” S’samph responded.
"I will?" K’kaen asked, dusting soil from his hands as his tail curled in confusion. "Do humans even have clutch brothers?"
"Not in the way of our people. But the one she has is a miserable pile off’fret. He’s due for replacement."
"It seems like you aren’t really giving me the option." K'kaen's frill rippled against his neck in what S'samph recognized as amused exasperation. "You’re lucky I like your little human."
“She needs protection beyond what I can provide for her alone. You’re an honorable male, and I can think of no better clutch brother for my mate."
“Oh really? I thought you considered me an insufferable ravik.” K’kaen’s frill smoothed along his spine. “She must really be a good female to cause you to become so sentimental.”
S’samph’s tail swished in annoyance. “Eleri deserves more than I can ever hope to offer her. Will you do it or not?”
"Of course I will. Someone needs to keep an eye on her with a mate like you kicking around. But I am gratified to see that you’ve finally come to your senses about her.”
