Honored Vow

was
    gorgeous.
    “Semel-netjer, will you and your reah grant us the honor of watching
    you and your—”
    “I request permission to take our leave, Your Grace,” he said as he
    rose. “I will see you all in the morning when the semel-aten chooses his
    household, but for now… I need my reah.”
    “But we would be honored to have you claim your mate here.”
    The priest wanted to watch; he was curious, and it was very human,
    but also, in this instance, something that was not in his power to demand.
    Not with a semel and his true-mate.
    There were laws that could be changed and others that were finite,
    like the one that protected Logan and me, always, from prying eyes.
    “It would do my reah no honor, nor me.” He bowed, and I did as
    well. “So we will take our leave and bid you good night, Your Grace.”
    And no one said another word as we left.
    Back at our quarters, Logan started stripping out of his clothes.
    “What are you doing?” I asked, as Yusuke was trying not to look,
    Crane was chuckling, and Mikhail was confused.
    “I’m going to go for a run with my mate.”
    I was stunned. “But, Logan,” I said, starting to take off my parka,
    which I had put on just to get from the mouth of the cave to the ger maybe
    a hundred yards beyond. It was so damn cold. “You were in your panther
    form for so long? I didn’t think you’d want to—”
    “I’m not afraid of being a panther, Jin, and running with you is one
    of the great joys of my life. I know who I am.”
    I caught my breath.
    “And I know what’s mine.”
    I nodded because I couldn’t speak.
    “Hurry up.” He smiled at me before he shifted.
    Crane was laughing as I tore off my clothes.

    Honored Vow

    269

    Chapter Nineteen

    WE ALL stood near the entrance of the cave late in the morning, having
    convened after breakfast. There were Jeeps outside to take us to the airport
    and a helicopter that would take the new semel-aten and his chosen
    household, along with the priest and the Shu warriors, to a secluded
    airfield where a private jet stood fueled and ready to make the long trip
    first to Beijing and then on to Cairo. We would be making a similar trip,
    except that we would fly first back to Beijing and then on to Los Angeles.
    Logan had been on the phone that morning booking Yusuke’s flight back,
    even though he had no idea yet if everyone who had come with me would
    be flying home with him.
    Whatever happened, he was prepared. I was not.
    It had taken hours for everyone to say their goodbyes to the priest.
    He and Logan had met at dawn, as it was the priest’s favorite meeting
    time, and they had spoken at length. I had not been included, which was
    fine with me. I had become, to the priest, a worrisome creature to be
    feared. That was unfortunate, but I hardly cared. I was happy that Jamal
    had sought me out and that the two of us had talked, and though he still
    seemed wary of me, he was no longer openly resentful of my power.
    When I had dragged him through his shift, he had been at first surprised,
    then furious, and finally ashamed. He was supposed to be stronger,
    certainly stronger than my sheseru or my sylvan or my beset. That Yuri
    and Mikhail and Crane had been able to keep from turning into panthers
    was hard for him to accept. The others—Logan, Domin—they were
    semels, so it made sense. But not him. It was good that we had talked and
    would be parting ways on good terms.

    270

    Mary Calmes

    As I stood beside Logan, silently waiting along with everyone else,
    including the semel of Khertet and his household, I watched Domin and
    held my breath. He looked good this morning, shaved, hair still pulled
    back in a queue, every bit the new leader of the werepanther world. When
    he turned, giving Logan the playboy smile, my heart stopped.
    “Anyone, semel-netjer?”
    “Anyone,” Logan said, nodding. “I want the semel-aten to be safe.”
    Domin nodded, smiling bigger, and looked over all of us, all of
    Logan’s household.
    “And you don’t have to choose from those here,” he told him. “If
    you want Ivan or—”
    “No,” he called over to Logan. “I would never ask Ivan or Markel
    again. They both have their lives there with you, especially Markel.”
    “Yes,” Logan agreed, smiling back at him. “It’s amazing how many
    good things came out of something that was hard for all of us.”
    Domin nodded, and I saw his jaw clench with emotion before his
    eyes found what he wanted.
    I caught my