Tabby made a disgusted noise in the back of her throat. “You’re kidding, right? He was doing the irritating overprotective male act all over the place. It was disgusting.” Tabby stuck her tongue out playfully in a pained grimace, making Beni laugh.
“You’re awful!”
“It’s true though,” Tabby said with a teasing smile. She shook her head in amusement and let a groan fly free. “I can’t believe I’m going to say this, but… you should go for it. I’ve never seen you lack confidence and mope after a guy. You’re usually the one to dump them. The fact that you actually want all this craziness—I guess in a way it’s almost fitting. You’d better let me see what you have so far in this booklet you’ve been talking about.”
Beni grinned. “It’s done, actually. I wasn’t sure it would be possible, but the Mintar clan acquired everything I needed, and I’ve been poring over it for days. I’ve marked a few edits, but it is otherwise complete. Let’s eat. I will call Faltz, and we can all enjoy a meal together while you look it over.”
Tabby raised an eyebrow. “Sounds like a rather promising start.”
Chapter 23
Faltz had been relieved when Beni called him in for the morning meal. He had stepped away far enough so that he would not intrude upon their privacy, but remained near enough to watch over his dome and make sure no one approached.
Not that he would admit it, but he was scared that Tabby might attempt to convince Beni to leave the safety of the clan. Although Beni had better sense than most, he was not certain if she would cave to pressure from her friend, who appeared to be overwhelmingly hostile. Over the annums, he had seen many stupid escape attempts by females who were afterward escorted to the village.
Despite competition among the males for females, a female who absolutely insisted on leaving and refused all courting attempts was always released, which made such risky attempts completely needless and reckless. No matter how much he had come to hate the idea of being separated from Beni, he would deliver her to her people to be certain of her safety. He would not let the angry human talk Beni into endangering herself. His suspicious nature burned and seethed as he waited. It was for that reason that he was pleased when the sight of Beni stepping outside was not a glimpse of her fleeing, but because she ventured out in search of him.
Upon entering his home, Faltz had assumed that he would be escorting the stranger to Bakin, where he would work out what to do with her during courting captivity while he returned to enjoying his private time with Beni. Instead, he found himself settled on the thick rug beside the low table while Beni and her friend sat side by side on piles of pillows, a small stack of paper in front of them. Tabby ate sporadically as she read through the pages, pausing occasionally only to fire a question at Beni.
It did not appear that she would be leaving anytime soon.
In truth, he resented Tabby’s presence. Her arrival had complicated matters, and not only because Beni would feel an urgency to return her friend to safety and bring their time together to a hasty end. There was also the small problem that Beni would insist that her friend be released, whereas the clan demanded a couple moon cycles for males to attempt to court a female before releasing her back to her people. They would not like anyone interfering with their clan laws. Faltz would have to seek out an exception from the queen herself to even have a hope of removing her from clan territory. She was now his problem instead of Bakin’s responsibility as head of the guard.
Tabby frowned and pushed her strange eye frames back up the bridge of her nose as she read over the page in front of her. “Wait, your species has a hypnotic voice? When I fell asleep when I was captured, it was because of that?”
Her question was directed at him with clear disapproval.
He snorted. He did not know why she glared at him so; he was not the one who used voice on her, much less touched her. He was not inclined to respond at all. He did not answer to her.
“It’s a part of who they are, Tabby,” Beni said, shooting him a confused glance. “Faltz didn’t hurt me when he used it, and I doubt the males who brought you here hurt you while you were unconscious.”
“You don’t know that!” Tabby replied angrily. “Anything could have been done to us and could still be done without us aware of it. Beni, I was on board with this—but I cannot support or sanction anything between our species when they have such a weapon.”
Faltz let out an impatient growl, making the irritating female jump. Beni rolled her eyes at him and nudged him beneath the table in a silent warning to behave. He swallowed back the sharp retort on the tip of his tongue and sought patience as he chose his words.
“It is not a weapon. Males use voice to soothe our mates when they are afraid or panicking, and our calves when they separated from their dams for the first time to be educated. We have strict laws and harsh penalties against inappropriate use of voice.”
Tabby gave him a dubious look. After a time—inordinately long in his opinion—she sighed and handed the single piece of parchment to Beni.
“You mention the hypnotic voice as part of your species’ description, which is easy to bypass in a casual reading. I do think that you need a full description of what it does and the information that he has provided. I still do not like it, but I think that such knowledge should be fully presented so that women can decide with all the facts at their disposal. Some will not be inclined to trust anyone with such abilities, regardless of the laws. Laws can be ignored,” she added.
Beni nodded and made a few notes at the side of the page, but Faltz felt his dislike for the human increase. She was questioning the honor of his species? He sincerely hoped that the females who would read the booklet would not judge them over something that they would never use to harm any of them. His tail flicked against his flank, the spines near the end raised just enough that he could feel them slide against his scales. He had only hoped that after morning meal concluded he could drop her off with Bakin. No doubt the male was already arranging her shelter.
His teeth ground together as the female huffed and muttered to herself that the challenges were barbaric. He was half-tempted to escort her to Bakin himself. The male could not arrive soon enough.
As it happened, Tabby remained in their abode until nearly midday meal. The females chatted, discussing the booklet mainly, but often veering into other conversations in a confusing manner—often at the instigation of his mate. Although he was glad to see Beni so happy, Faltz was relieved when Bakin arrived at their door to retrieve their guest. With a sweep of his arm, he stepped back and invited his friend in.
Bakin inclined his head to Beni, but stiffened when he faced Tabby. His nod was sharper and more abbreviated, no doubt recalling that the female had struck him only that morning. “Female…” he began.
“Tabby,” she corrected with an annoyed twist of her lips.
If possible, his face tightened further. Faltz did not envy the male his duty to see to her comfort. To his credit, Bakin didn’t otherwise react, nor did he concede to utter her name. Instead, he continued speaking as if she’d never interrupted, his words direct and to the point, so unlike the usual charming way he had with females around the clan.
“I have come to escort to where you will be staying,” he bit out.
Tabby stiffened at his tone and directed a questioning look at Beni. It was only when Beni gave her an encouraging smile that she turned to face Bakin with a tight smirk. He replied in kind, and Faltz choked back a frustrated groan. The tension was palpable between them, neither appearing to be thrilled to be in each other’s presence. At this rate, he was never going to get the female out of his dome and enjoy a private moment with Beni. He imagined being forced to find bedding to create another sleeping area for the female within his dwelling, and his patience snapped. Drawing up beside the pair, Faltz crossed his arms over his chest.
“Since everything has been arranged, get out, both of you,” he snapped. “You can find another place to size each other up and share wha
t will undoubtedly be numerous verbal barbs. But it won’t be here.”
Tabby gaped in surprise at him, and even Bakin shot him a startled look. He did not care if they liked it or not. He did not wish to be in the midst of their drama. Besides, he had better ways of spending his time. He glared at Bakin, and the male slipped into an easy, understanding smile.
“Of course, you are right,” Bakin said. “I am sure that you need some time to think on important matters.” Faltz refrained from rolling his eyes at the obvious hint. He wanted nothing more than to keep her, but he could not force her to remain when she made it clear that her intention was to leave. She had many things she wanted to accomplish. His heart sank, and sourness filled his stomach. He frowned and shook his head in warning at his friend, who responded with a snort of disbelief.
“Wait! Maybe I don’t want to go anywhere alone with this brute,” Tabby objected. “Who knows what he might do to me?”
“Trust me, I have no inclination to do anything to or with you,” the male in question muttered.
Her pale face flushed a brilliant shade of red as her lips tightened.
“There’s no reason to worry, Tabby,” Beni added. “No one among the Mintars will force you to do anything. Remember—they are matriarchal. Although the males can be a bit brutish toward each other at times, they won’t hurt women.” When Tabby still looked uncertain, Beni said, “Besides, it will give me a chance to work on my little project.”
Any glimmer of hope Faltz had that maybe Beni would want to stay with him died with those words. She was not even interested in spending time with him. She just cared about her booklet and preparing for her return to the Citadel. Swallowing back his disappointment, he gave her an approving look.
It seemed to work, because Tabby let out a beleaguered sigh, but smiled at her friend as she nodded and ducked out of the dome. Bakin gave him a long, meaningful look before following the female out. Faltz watched them leave before turning to face Beni.
She gave him a little smile. “Faltz, with everything that’s now happening, I think we need to talk—”
“No, it is not necessary,” he interrupted. He did not want to hear the words from her. His heart was heavy enough. “I will make sure that we depart on time. I will request an emergency session with the queen so that I can return both you and Tabby home without delay.”
He was not sure if he imagined it or not, but her smile appeared to drop before coming back, a bit more forced, but brighter. “Oh, of course… That’s… great. Thank you, Faltz.”
He nodded and backed away. “We need more water. I will return shortly. I am sure that you have work you are looking forward to returning to.”
She bit her lip and nodded. “Yes, you are right.”
The rest of their day passed with a strained silence between them, and when night finally came, Faltz hadn’t sought his bed until after Beni was settled. His heart ached as he silently eased his bulk onto the bed beside her. He was aware of her turning to look at him in the dark, but he shifted so that he was turned away from her.
He felt her warmth and heard the rustle of clothing as she scooted nearer.
“Faltz…?”
“Sleep,” he grumbled.
His heart lurched as he closed his eyes against her. Time ticked by, and her breathing evened out before sleep finally claimed him.
Chapter 24
“This is pretty!” Tabby exclaimed, holding a beautiful woven shawl for Beni to inspect.
The blue scarf boasted brilliant flowers in hues of red and purple to offset it amid lush greenery. It was brighter than anything worn in the Citadel due to Ragoru paranoia—something that both Tabby and Beni shared a private grievance about. It was ridiculous to what levels people kept watch on what their neighbors wore.
Beni managed a smile and nodded, happy to see her friend enthusiastic about something from Mintar society. She was grateful that Miram had thought to collect them to enjoy the bi-monthly market. It was a distraction that they both needed.
“It’s lovely. I do wish that you could wear it. It would really bring out your eyes, I think. Not that everyone wouldn’t absolutely have a fit if they caught you wearing it,” Beni observed as she admired it. “Hypocrites too, considering how the upper echelon gets up during their parties and balls. Do you recall that hat I had? It was a special import from the north and had a marvelous bright orange feather. It was torn right off!” Beni mourned.
She had really liked that hat.
Tabby snorted as she traded a copper hair comb that the Mintar female had been admiring. Without its weight, her curls tumbled around her shoulders in a wild mass. The sunlight picked up the dull reds in her brown hair, bringing them to life. “You and that hat. It was three years ago!”
“It was traumatizing to have a stranger rip it right off my head,” Beni said. “Is it so bad that I don’t want my best friend to go through the same tragedy?”
Said friend arched an eyebrow and shook her head. “I believe you are intentionally abusing the meaning of the word “tragedy,” Beni.”
Beni grinned. “A mere exaggeration, perhaps. Tiny at best,” she said, as she demonstrated with her fingers parted barely an inch, having the desired effect of making Tabby snicker in amusement. She wrapped her arms around her and give her a tight hug.
“Very tiny,” Tabby agreed. “Anyway, I don’t mind them. They are just a bunch of overreacting, nosy people with too much time on their hands. Screaming about Ragorus at that. Really, now.” Tabby pinched her lips thoughtfully. “No one has even seen a Ragoru anywhere near the Citadel for generations. I suspect they’re either extinct or dying off, at least in this part of the world. In any case, it is something of a moot point. It’s not like I ever leave home much, anyway. No one will even know that I have it.”
Tabby draped the shawl around her shoulders and beamed as the material, meant to accommodate larger Mintar females to cover the length of their medial torsos, fell to her knees. It looked fetching on her friend, despite her ominous feelings that the colorful garment might cause her some trouble in the future.
Miram smiled over at them from where she stood looking over some beautiful jewelry made by a clan near the western hills. Setting down a necklace she had been looking at, she joined them.
“That looks beautiful on you! I do believe you’ve caught the eye of more than one admiring male who could see to it that you enjoy such luxuries. Wouldn’t you reconsider staying?” Miram wheedled.
They both saw through the ploy and—to Beni’s relief—Tabby giggled.
“As lovely as it is, I am quite confident when I say ‘not for a hundred exquisite shawls.”
“Of course not, dear,” Miram said. “But like so many things in life, it doesn’t take a hundred to do the job of one really good, special one.”
Tabby laughed again at the rejoinder, but Beni’s heart sank. She felt like she had missed her chance to get her “one good one” and couldn’t understand how it had happened.
Although Faltz had left earlier in the morning to confer with the clan queen, the bi-monthly market was a good excuse to get out and find a distraction from the tension that had settled between them. For the first time since they arrived among the clan, Faltz had not touched her that night, lying at her side instead. And it bothered her.
Tabby glanced over at her, lips pressed together as she narrowed her eyes shrewdly. “You seem a bit gloomy. Did things not go so well with sourpuss?”
Beni flinched and gave her friend a forced smile. “Gloomy? What reason would I have to be in a gloom? Everything is going exactly how it should.” She swallowed her misery and attempted to widen her smile. The strain of the smile just made her feel more like crying.
Miram snorted indelicately. “You two obviously are just right for each other—even in hard-headedness.”
Tabby grimaced. “She has a point. Beni, you know I love you—and I can’t believe I am going to say this—but don’t you think you are giving up a little easily? If
you really think you and Faltz should be together, shouldn’t you be applying that never say die attitude to hunting him down into submission?”
“Oh, I do like how you think,” Miram chuckled. She adjusted her basket in her arms and gave Beni a pointed look. “Faltz is too noble. He will cut off his right paw for someone he cares about if he thinks that doing so will be what’s good for them. But I suppose whatever happens, it will work out for the best. It’s not like we don’t occasionally have women come through here. Someone is bound to want a strong, protective male such as him.”
Beni gaped at the older woman. Did she really insinuate that she was replaceable? Faltz wouldn’t forget about her and take another mate that soon… Would he? Just the idea of another woman beside him in their bed, touching him, wrapping her legs around him as he drove her into pleasure… No! Beni snapped her mouth shut, blood boiling with fury.
Tabby cast her a sidelong glance. “You may find better prospects elsewhere. I mean, one of the things I admire the most about you is how determined you are when it comes to something that you feel is right. If this isn’t worth fighting for, maybe it’s best to walk away and let things lie as they fall.”
Turning to face her friend, Beni bristled. Traitor! Tabby stared right back at her, eyebrows raised in challenge, and a slow sigh slipped out of Beni as her anger fizzled away.
Tabby was right. Beni hated that, but it was a difficult fact to escape. She never shied away from doing what needed to be done before. And she wanted to be with Faltz. If she wanted that, then she needed to get up off her backside and go for it like she did everything else.
Beni nodded to herself. That settled it. She needed to speak to him as soon as she could. If he was going to go all noble and not tell her how he felt, then she would have to be the one to take the risk. What was the worst that could happen?
Librarian and the Beast: A Mintar Romance Page 15