The front door opened and a reddish-orange Talin walked in, small cages stacked high in his arms. A wave of hot, humid air followed him along with the sounds of the jungle. All of it stopped when the door slid shut.
This had to be Sandar’s husband, Rensom.
“Sandar, our traps finally caught one of the timale lizards!” he said walking across the domicile. “It’s surprisingly docile, but I still think I should do the assessment. We can’t risk—”
He was almost to them when he looked around the stacked cages and stopped short. He sounded a startled rattle. “In the name of the ancestors, what’s going on here?”
Zephrum
It was late by the time they finished explaining everything to a very startled and confused Rensom. Tumoro was quick to suggest he fix everyone some food.
“We don’t have much,” Sandar warned him. She looked at Zeph. “That’s why I asked you to send the supplies.”
“They’re coming,” he said, feeling defensive. “A leaper will be dropping them off tomorrow.”
“I never doubted you’d send them, I just didn’t think you’d travel with them,” Sandar said. “Especially after I got the report about what you did a few rotations ago.”
It was hard, but Zeph maintained eye contact with his sister. It helped to have Han in his arms. “I acted as I saw fit. It might’ve been against orders, but it wasn’t against my conscience."
“I understand,” Sandar said. “I could read the subtext to the list of crimes. That’s why I didn’t recognize you at first. We don’t see what we don’t expect to see.”
Zeph forced a rumble of amusement out of his chest. “Are you sure it’s not because I dyed my plates?”
“I barely looked at you after I saw the human,” Sandar said. “Otherwise I would’ve recognized you sooner. You’re forever my little Zephrum.”
Memories of their time together at the cresh swamped Zeph, making it hard to speak. Tumoro and Han filled the silence for him.
“I’ll make something great from what you have,” Tumoro said, jumping up from the chair he’d switched to so Rensom could sit next to his wife.
“I’ll help,” Han said, shifting in his lap. Reluctantly, he let her go. The two of them chatted cheerfully as they went through the food packs they’d brought with them.
Sandar leaned forward in her seat and spoke in a low tone. “You’ve scent-bonded with the human.”
It wasn’t a question, but Zeph sounded a rumble of agreement anyway.
Sandar wasn’t done. “Does she know?”
Guilt and fear swept through Zeph. “No.”
“Oh, Zephrum, how could you? You’ve trapped that human without consent.”
“I’m willing to die if she wants to leave me,” he growled, hating the way Sandar was making him feel. “I’d never make her stay with me.”
“Her sense of obligation would trap her, not your strength,” Sandar argued. “I’ve only known her a few marks, and I’m very aware of her strong sense of duty. If she were Talin, she’d make her family and clan proud.”
“And I’m nothing but a treasonous, worthless, coward,” Zeph mumbled. Maybe he should take his own life before he burdened Han with what he’d done.
“No, Zephrum,” Sandar said, reaching out to touch his knee. “You’re a good male. I’m proud to call you my brother. Any female should be proud to call you a mate and be ecstatic at the idea of a marriage contract with you. But she needs to know.”
Despite Sandar’s kind words, he’d never felt so despondent. “I’ll tell her tonight,” he whispered.
Chapter 12
Han
By the time dinner was over, Sandar was clearly exhausted. Rensom was quick to organize the sleeping arrangements so Sandar would feel comfortable enough to rest herself.
It was obvious Rensom was an attentive partner for Zeph’s sister.
