Trusted Bond

I will have you sequestered in
    another part of the estate.‖
    What the hell was he was talking about? Contain myself how? Not
    feel? Not think? I wasn‘t doing anything different from what I normally
    did, but apparently what was going on inside of me was affecting others.
    But I couldn‘t stop that, change that. There were times when I was with
    Crane when he said that he could feel when I was happy. Other people
    seemed to be able to sense it too. But only ever a small group, one, two,
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    Mary Calmes

    even three at most, but never an entire room and never to a point where
    they were overwhelmed. I didn‘t have that kind of power. I was just a
    panther. I was a reah, yes, but not something magical with supernatural
    gifts. It was ridiculous, and having him blame me was crazy.
    My eyes flicked to his.
    He swallowed hard. ―I feel every emotion you have, but I am strong
    and able to withstand the onslaught. Others‖—he gestured at the table full
    of panting, whimpering yareahs—―are not as strong. Either control
    yourself or I will do it for you.‖
    I loved how I was never Jin, only ―reah.‖ I knew exactly what I was
    to him. I was a freak-show curiosity and nothing more.
    ―Reah!‖
    ―I beg forgiveness,‖ I said icily, my eyes locked on his.
    The muscles in his jaw clenched. ―I would like nothing more than to
    tame this stubborn streak of yours, but this is not my place.‖
    It was only Logan‘s place.
    After several heartbeats of strained, tense silence, he looked away.
    ―Come, everyone, finish your meal.‖
    I wolfed down the rest of my food, speaking to no one, but I noticed
    when I looked up that every eye looked away. Clearly they were
    frightened of me.
    When the meal was concluded and the servants were removing the
    dishes, I saw Roshan Tabir and two other men I had never seen before
    crossing into the hall from the opposite side of the room from where I had
    entered. They had come from outside and brought the scent of the
    outdoors with them. For whatever reason, my sense of smell was

heightened, and I noted the aromas of sweat and leather and amber oil.
    Roshan turned after saying something to Ammon, but before he
    could start for me, cross the room to my side, his semel called him back.
    ―I will have Sabrey accompany us to the museum. Roshan, you may
    take your leave, as I know you have much to do with securing all the
    matches for both the trials of Thoth for the Shu and the honor challenges
    between tribes and within houses.‖
    His eyes flicked to me, but he only nodded to his semel before he
    left. No matter how badly he might have wanted to talk to me or check on
    me, he was not about to defy his semel to do it.
    Trusted Bond

    133

    I should have cared that he left—he was, after all, the man I had
    called, the only sheseru there—but I didn‘t feel like he was mine, not part
    of my tribe, so watching him leave was fine. Minutes later, a woman
    walked into the room with a child attached to each hand. She was elegant
    and tall, not beautiful but striking nonetheless with her dark hair, bronze
    complexion, and almond-shaped brown eyes.
    ―Everyone, come meet my yareah, Ebere El Masry, mistress of
    Sobek.‖
    All the yareahs rose at once and flocked to her; I rose after a moment
    but froze as a little girl barred my path, peering up at me, studying my
    face.
    ―Yes?‖ I asked, since I didn‘t do that well with kids. I had a hard
    time remembering being one, and as a rule I bored them or made them cry.
    ―You‘re a boy.‖
    I squinted down at the dark cherub. ―Yeah… and?‖
    She shrugged. ―I dunno, you don‘t hafta be such a grouch.‖
    I knelt down so that we were eye to eye. ―I‘m Jin.‖
    ―Jim?‖
    I sounded it out for her. ―Jh-in.‖
    ―Jin,‖ she repeated, smiling. ―I‘m Femi.‖
    ―I like your name.‖
    Her smile got huge, all toothy. ―How come you hafta wear a keffiyeh
    if you‘re a boy?‖
    ―I don‘t know,‖ I sighed, because I didn‘t want to get into it. ―Are
    you going to the museum too?‖
    She made a noise like she was dying. ―Yes, my mother says I hafta
    go again. I hate the museum so much. I could watch movies or ride Pitch
    or play with Brownie.‖
    ―Pitch is a horse?‖
    ―Yeah.‖
    ―And Brownie is a dog or a cat?‖
    She giggled. ―Brownie‘s my ferret.‖
    ―I wouldn‘t have guessed ferret.‖
    ―He‘s cute, you wanna see?‖
    ―Maybe after the museum.‖
    ―Okay.‖ Her face fell as she slipped her