Crucible of Fate

takes to keep control of people who are spread out, knows how to instill authority, should be sheseru. I implied that this would probably be what you would do.”
    I stared at the two of them.
    Logan squinted at me. “What? Something wrong?”
    “You two are so in sync now that you share a brain?”
    Logan met his mate’s eyes for long, quiet moments before his attention was back on me. “Yeah, something like that.”
    “The djehus still have yet to agree on the dispensation of the catacombs.”
    “What’s to agree on?” Logan remarked as Jin rubbed his chin over his mate’s shoulder, scent-marking him as Yuri had done to me earlier in the day. “The money it would take to mine for gold in the catacombs is, I’m sure, cost prohibitive. And if the djehu gets outside investors, he’d have to prove who own the catacombs first. It’s not going to happen. They need to simply get behind the tribe, and they will if they’re invested.”
    “And if Hanif Tarek doesn’t like who I pick for him?”
    “He’s already shown himself to not be strong, Domin; I don’t think you worry about what he thinks.”
    “You just know what’s best, huh?”
    “Always,” he assured me. “But it’s up to you to sell it.”
    Rahim came to the table and bent to speak to Yuri. “Alana Tarek would like a quick word with you, sekhem.”
    “It’s late. She’s still awake?”
    “Would you be able to sleep?”
    “No,” he answered as he got up, squeezing my shoulder as he left the table.
    “I’ll talk to the djehus in the morning,” I advised Logan. “Or, in a few hours, I guess.”
    After several minutes, Jin got up. “I want to say a word to Alana as well, since she’s awake. She had wanted to talk to me but I didn’t get a chance today, and maybe I can give her some comfort.”
    “I’ll go with you,” Logan said, getting ready to follow.
    “No, stay here,” he soothed his mate. “Yuri’s already there.”
    Logan scowled, ignoring me. “Taj, would you escort Jin?”
    “’Course.” Taj yawned tiredly. “C’mon, reah, let’s go.”
    Jin bent and kissed Logan’s cheek. “You worry too much.”
    “I don’t worry enough, and I need to take you back to your son in one piece. He’s probably wondering where we both are now since he’s never seen Crane before.”
    Jin was startled. “You brought Ilia with you? He’s here?”
    “Of course,” Logan replied. “When I was asking Domin when he was going to leave because I wanted him to see Ilia… did you not hear any of that at all?”
    “I guess not, I–– And you left him alone with Crane?”
    “With my maahen and Domin’s maahes, yes.”
    “Yusuke’s here?”
    “Yes,” he said nonchalantly. “She wanted to see Crane, and Danny’s been inconsolable since Koren left. I really need to put my house in order.”
    So did I, I thought, but said nothing.
    “Logan, we need to get back to our son,” Jin said, sounding flustered suddenly.
    “And we will.” He gentled his mate. “Tomorrow. You’ve been gone a week already.”
    “Thank you for reminding me,” he said curtly. His brows furrowed, and he left quickly so that Taj had to jog to catch up with him.
    “Was that smart?” I asked my friend. “You seem worried, semel.”
    He shook his head. “Tell me about Mikhail’s girl. I’ve never seen him act like that. I didn’t know he actually could look like that.”
    I laughed softly, then recounted everything about Samani and what she wanted and what Mikhail wanted and who I thought was going to end up caving.
    We talked and it was nice, and Kabore had interesting asides to add, and I had Logan riveted when I recounted Jin winning the challenge.
    “Speaking of Jin,” Logan said, catching my gaze, “how long does it take to talk to the yareah?”
    I was ready to pass out myself. “Kabore, would you please go tell them all that we need to get some sleep?”
    “Of course, my lord.” He tipped his head before he got up to fetch our absent mates.
    “It was a good choice to promote Jamal,” Logan remarked. “He’s a very honorable man.”
    “Oh, I agree. I think that….” I turned to look after Kabore.
    “What?”
    “Why didn’t Taj come back?”
    Logan frowned. “Because I ordered him to escort Jin.”
    “Escort him, but not stay. Why would he need to stay if Yuri was there?”
    “Taj wouldn’t leave Jin,” Logan assured me.
    “He would,” I argued, getting up. “Because Yuri was there.”
    “What’re you—”