Twenty-Six
Leda
A dark shadow appeared over my blanket. Shading my eyes with a hand, I looked up to find an unfamiliar male daemon looming over me.
I dropped the book, rolled over, and bounded to my feet, putting as much distance between us as possible.
“What the hell?!” I exclaimed.
The male daemon bowed his head to me. “Pardon my intrusion, human female. I am Dryden. I am with the magistrate’s office.”
He didn’t come any closer and hadn’t pulled the sword I saw peeking over his shoulder.
“It’s rude to sneak up on people where I’m from,” I said, my hand still hovering over the hilt of my dagger.
“My apologies. I forgot human senses are not as keen as daemons. I will be sure to announce myself next time.”
Next time?
“Why are you here?” I asked.
Before he could answer, a huge, snarling daemon came around the corner at a dead run. When he saw Dryden, his expression morphed from terrifying to just angry. He didn’t stopmoving, though. He planted his body between us, his tail lashing wildly even though his body was still.
“Why did you approach my female alone?” Bokkan asked him, the question laced with a growl.
“Your second-in-command told me to come this way. I did not expect to find your female alone.”
“Why are you here?”
I leaned to one side so I could see the other daemon since Bokkan’s massive form blocked him completely. His tail wrapped around my waist, keeping me from moving further.
“The magistrate sent me to follow up on your mating claim.” A small smile played on his lips. “Seeing how you responded to her distress, I am not sure we need to continue the interview.”
I frowned. “Interview?”
“We have to verify that the two of you are testing compatibility,” Dryden answered. “If we find that you are, the charges levied against Bokkan will be dropped as his attack on Karaj will be justified.”
I just shook my head. While I was grateful that there was a loophole, I was completely confused about the legal system in Penumbra.
“Shall we go inside?” Dryen asked. “I will examine your living and sleeping space and ask you both a few questions. Then, I will be on my way.”
“Examine our living and sleeping space?” My voice was so high it nearly cracked.
Dryden nodded. “Yes.”
When he didn’t elaborate further, I looked up at Bokkan. His jaw was tight, but that was the only outward sign he was upset. Obviously, I couldn’t ask him anything because Dryden would overhear.
“Please, follow me,” Bokkan finally offered.
He placed a hand on my back, just below my shoulder blades, and kept his tail around my waist as we walked around the house, the other daemon following behind us. I wondered why Bokkan wasn’t taking Dryden through the kitchen, but I kept my mouth shut. There had to be a reason for that.
When we went inside, he didn’t pause. We moved right up the stairs and down the hall. Once we were in the room, Bokkan guided me to the side and let Dryden enter. I had no idea what to expect, but it wasn’t for the other male daemon to walk into the bathing room for a few moments and come back out. Then he walked over to the foot of the bed and inhaled deeply.
He didn’t say anything, just walked to the door and back out into the hallway. I glanced up at Bokkan, but he shook his head and guided me back into the hall.
We walked into other rooms that we spent time in, like Bokkan’s office and the kitchen. Bokkan even led the daemon to the sanctum, but Dryden shook his head when Bokkan offered to let him enter.
“That is unnecessary. I can scent that you spent time in there together recently.”
