He smiled, and the unnerving thing was that it looked genuine.
"Annani." His voice was warm, which was always the most dangerous sign. A cold Navuh was predictable. A warm Navuh was performing. "You honor me with another visit. How gracious of you."
"You look like you are glad to see me," she said, settling into the careful verbal dance that their visits had become.
"I am." He spread his hands, gesturing openness that would have been more convincing from someone who hadn't spent millennia trying to kill her and her clan and striving to conquer the world. "I missed you. You cannot imagine how incredibly boring it is to be confined to this room day after day with only one person to talk to. Areana is my beloved mate, but we have exhausted all possible topics of conversation."
"I am sure that is not the case. Areana has been cut off from the world for five thousand years. That is a lot of catching up to do. You could talk for weeks and not exhaust every topic."
"Oh, well." He shrugged. "I don't want to bring up global affairs and politics. Those topics upset her." His gaze moved past Annani and Kian, past the immovable brothers on either wall, and landed on Mia.
She was partially hidden behind Bridget, doing an excellent job of making herself seem smaller than she already was. Her shoulders were drawn in, her chin was ducked, and she was peering around Bridget with an expression of wide-eyed apprehension that was either a masterful performance or genuine terror.
Knowing what she knew of Mia's plan to play into Navuh's intimidation, Annani suspected it was a bit of both.
"And who is the little bird?" Navuh asked, tilting his head with the predatory curiosity of a cat that had spotted movement in the grass.
"This is Azul," Bridget said, stepping slightly to the side so that Mia was visible but still partially shielded. "She's a physical rehabilitation specialist. Once you're cleared to begin therapy, she'll be working with you on regaining mobility and strength."
"A rehabilitation specialist." Navuh's gaze stayed on Mia. "I would expect someone taller and more muscled for such a role. If I fall, can you catch me?"
"Of course I can." Mia's voice came out as barely more than a whisper. "I'm an immortal. I work at a human hospital during the day, so I have to pretend that I'm weak, but I'm not."
"Azul is very good at what she does," Bridget said with professional authority. "I wanted you two to meet so you can get comfortable with each other before the therapy begins. The rehabilitation process works best when the patient and therapist like and trust each other."
"Like and trust," Navuh repeated the words as if tasting them. "An interesting concept in this setting."
"It can be done if there is goodwill," Bridget said. "Azul will also likely be assisting with Khiann's rehabilitation once he's recovered from stasis, and that should tell you all you need to know about how much we value her ability." She turned to Annani. "The Clan Mother wants the best possible care for her mate."
The mention of Khiann's name had been deliberate, meant to guide Navuh's thoughts toward him so Annani could pluck them more easily from his mind because they would be right there at the surface.
"Come," Annani said to Mia, extending her hand. "He is not going to harm you. He needs your help, and he is smart enough to know that frightening his therapist is counterproductive."
Mia hesitated for exactly the right amount of time, just enough to seem to be considering, and then stepped forward and took Annani's hand.
The effect was immediate, even though Annani was not supposed to feel any difference. Perhaps it was just in her imagination, but she felt warmth flood through her arm and into her chest, not physical heat but something deeper, an amplification, a brightening, as if someone had turned up the power on a dimming lamp.
"Hello," Mia whispered to Navuh, managing to make the single word sound like an apology for existing.
Navuh studied her with an assessing gaze. "Why are you so frightened of me? What did they tell you about me?"
"Not much," Mia admitted. "But enough for me to know that you are not a good male."
"And yet you propose to be my therapist. Why?"
She shrugged. "It's my job. When the Clan Mother asks me to do something, I do it. I will give you the same level of care I will give Khiann."
Annani was proud of her. She was reinforcing Bridget's mental direction.
"Good." Navuh smiled, and it was the smile of a wolf that had decided to play with its food. "You have guts despite your mousy appearance." He tilted his head. "Tell me, little Azul. What will this rehabilitation involve?"
Mia launched into a halting but credible description of rehabilitation protocols, a range of motion exercises, progressive resistance training, and neuromuscular re-education, and Navuh listened with interest.
After spending years in rehabilitation herself, she knew the process from the patient's side with an intimacy that no amount of medical training could replicate.
While Navuh's attention was focused on Mia, Annani tightened her grip on the young woman's hand and turned her own attention inward.
The power was there, bright and strong. She gathered that power, shaped it, and directed it toward Navuh, reaching into his mind.
