Trusted Bond

saw the muscles working in his clenched jaw
    and his furrowed brows, like he was working hard to remain in control. Of
    what, I had no idea.
    We sat like that for several minutes before his eyes opened and I was
    swallowed in spring green. ―What do you do, reah? Why try and soften
    my command when you know it is law?‖
    ―I‘m a reah; if Laurent Bruyere‘s sheseru had ever been anywhere
    near me, he would have tried to help. Maybe some of the members in his
    tribe would have helped me too. You can‘t know what is in their hearts;
    neither can the priest, so he shouldn‘t pass judgment on them, and you
    shouldn‘t ask him to. Laurent will get what he deserves from Logan, and
    so will his brother and his sylvan. But no one else should be held
    responsible.‖
    ―Your mate will not be the one punishing them, reah. The priest will
    have the Shu deliver his judgment.‖
    I shook my head. ―That‘s not his right.‖
    He growled and released my hand, getting up and stalking halfway
    around the pool. I watched him as I continued to eat. I felt like a stray dog
    wolfing down food in case I didn‘t get another meal.
    ―Reah, the priest of Chae Rophon may—‖
    ―Logan Church is my mate. He‘s the only one who defends me and
    punishes in my name.‖
    ―My sheseru—‖
    ―I have my own sheseru.‖
    ―Roshan told me that you called him, so now he is your sheseru.‖
    126

    Mary Calmes

    ―No.‖ I shook my head. ―In times of distress, another sheseru may be
    called or asked to champion a reah, but the right returns to the sheseru of
    the reah‘s mate as soon as the danger is past or when the reah is reunited
    with their sheseru.‖
    There was a sharp exhalation of breath from him. ―You quoted that
    almost exactly.‖
    It was what I was hoping for. ―My father is a sylvan; I was going to
    take his place until I didn‘t. I would hope his lessons stuck.‖
    ―That was the plan for your life?‖
    ―Yes, it was.‖ I sighed deeply, watching as he walked back to the
    table. ―Please, when can I see my mate?‖
    ―Soon.‖
    ―When?‖
    ―I want you well and rested before you appear before anyone.‖
    ―My mate is not just anyone. I belong to him.‖
    ―You belong to whom the priest says you belong, and at this
    moment, he calls you my guest and nothing more.‖
    I squinted at him.
    ―Reah—‖
    ―I will heal that much faster if you let me see my mate,‖ I pleaded,
    feeling the need well up in me, nearly drowning me. How could I explain
    to him so that he understood? How did I make an emotion clear? That for
    me to be me, I had to have Logan‘s hands on my skin. If my mate saw me,
    I would know I was really alive. Everything would be real. I felt strange,
    detached, like I was living in a dream, almost outside of my body. Logan
    grounded me like Crane used to. Like Crane always had.
    ―Oh shit,‖ I nearly gasped, realizing that just as Logan had wanted,
    he had replaced my best friend. Logan was my touchstone, he was it. My
    need to see him was nearly unbearable, whereas it had always before been
    Crane.
    ―What‘s wrong?‖Ammon asked as he was suddenly at my side.
    He didn‘t need to hear about my epiphany. ―I really need my mate.‖
    ―There are other concerns first.‖
    Which made no sense and didn‘t sound good at all.
    ―I want to see Logan. I—‖
    Trusted Bond

    127

    ―Reah,‖ he said sharply, ―you will see your mate when I allow it, not
    before. Should you continue with your incessant badgering, I will relegate
    you to my home in Edfu until you have learned patience and humility.‖
    A wave of cold hatred washed over me, and any warm feelings I had
    for the man evaporated. ―As you say.‖ I carefully formed the words, all
    my attention returning to my plate. I concentrated only on eating and
    drinking, but I was aware of him watching me intently.
    ―Tomorrow, if you feel up to it, we will accompany the new yareahs
    to the museum here in Sobek and have lunch, and then after, perhaps we
    will all stroll the marketplace.‖
    Like I was some newly mated blushing bride of a semel that had no
    prior contact with werepanther heritage or lore, he thought to include me
    in history tours and planned outings. I didn‘t answer him.
    ―Your civility will bring you that much closer to your mate.‖
    There was no way for me to refuse. Anything that got me the
    promise of seeing my mate, I would do. As it was, instead of being
    allowed to return to Logan, I got to lie in bed,