“Glo…” there’s a harmonic ring in myvoice.
I can see her throat gulp. “That’s me,” sheblurts out.
“Your eyes are still beautiful,” Iwhisper.
“So are yours,” she swiftly replies.
We smile at each other.
Cl’auta and Falu sit on the bed and rub mybare legs. It’s their turn to comfort me in this manner. The firsttime we sat like this, Cl’auta had been wounded by a Selell. Thesecond time, Falu had been poisoned by Lario Exgesis. And that’swhen I remember…
“I was bonded to the Selell Exgesis,” I tellFalu.
“I know, we figured it out,” she says.
“We have a lot of work ahead of us Ad’ru,”Cl’auta says. “Are you staying here with us? Are we now sevensisters?” The glint of hope makes her eyes sparkle.
“I have to, I’m in love,” I confess unableto restrain my sheepish grin.
Of course Na’ta sniffs loudly, and thenfollows with a forceful sigh.
“You don’t approve?” My ever-so-seriousCl’auta asks, turning to her.
Na’ta furrows her eyebrows, looking at heras if she didn’t expect such a question. “He’s okay,” she says witha shrug. “He likes to fight, but so do I.”
Cl’auta squints at her, assessing her beforeturning back to face me. “He’s waiting for you,” she says, smiling.“He’s very impatient.”
“That’s because he wants to fuck her intooblivion,” Na’ta mutters under her breath.
This time both Cl’auta and Falu shoot her alook. Then they look at each other. Cl’auta smiles weakly. I’m sureFalu just told her something about Na’ta, as Falu and Na’ta areacquainted but have never been very close.
“We should leave him to you,” Cl’auta sayswith an exaggerated whisper, remaining calm even though I can tellshe has been flustered by Na’ta.
And Na’ta glares at Cl’auta because sherealizes that, unlike herself, Cl’auta was born to lead, and leadshe will.
One by one my sisters file out of the room.Na’ta is the last; but before she goes, she rushes back to me andthrows her arms around me. We squeeze each other tightly.
“We made it out of there,” she whispers inmy ear.
“We did,” I remind her.
“We couldn’t hold them off any longer.”
“I’m so sorry, Na’ta.”
“No, don’t be. We’re safe now. I love youSister.” She kisses my cheek.
“I love you too, Na’ta.” I kiss hers.
She sniffs and wipes the wetness from hercheeks. She was crying. Na’ta has always been Enuian in the waythat she never cries.
As soon as she’s gone, Chex rushes into theroom. Na’ta was right. Without saying a word, he ceremoniouslyunwraps the clothes from my body, and commences to - as she said -fuck me into oblivion.
THE END
