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“I will look for your arrival,” she said, leaving the weaving room and turning down a corridor.

Terri watched the female leave and sighed as she stood and began to pick up the bits of material scattered on the floor where they were working. Glancing over at Malraha from the corner of her eye, she watched as the guard stooped and picked up Harahna.

Outside of the first time, she never touched the baby if she could avoid it. Terri never took it personally since Navesha seemed disinclined to hold Harahna as well, her entire body freezing up with terror whenever asked. Malraha just had no interest at all outside of guarding them. To see her now pick her daughter up was curious. Harahna’s faced pinched immediately, her eyes narrowing with extreme displeasure. It was only a matter of time before all hell broke loose.

“Thank you,” Terri mumbled as she quickly took the materials to the storage area.

Malraha grunted and handed the baby over to her as she rejoined her.

“I sense your disapproval over my behavior,” the female observed. “Speaking with me is unnecessary. It will not revise my opinion. These people, this place is not worthy of the Ahanvala. We belong at the compound surrounded by the strength of our line. Not here in squalor.”

Terri blinked up in surprise at the snarl.

“I personally like it here,” she said slowly as she fitted Harahna into her sling.

Something flickered over the female’s face that might have been disdain or arrogance… Terri wasn’t sure what since it happened so fast and then was gone.

“I see that,” the female replied before gesturing to the corridor. “Come. I will take you to the lower pool now.”

Following Malraha through the dim corridors, Terri enjoyed the various decor. A few alcoves peeked out every now and again that hosted carvings of what appeared to be ancestors or heroes, and at other times a deity or spirits with clearly supernatural characteristics added to their features. Malraha’s dorashnal trotted close to the female’s side, its scaled hide shuddering every now and then with unusual anxiety but never breaking from her place at the Argurma’s side.

Terri frowned as the walls became rougher, tapestries and all signs of habitation disappearing. She knew that they had lower levels of storage and natural caverns below that kept the household cool, but she had no idea where they were.

“Malraha, are you sure this the right way? I don’t recall the corridors going to the lower pools looking like this.”

The guard shot her an unreadable glance and snorted.

“I am the one with the layout. I know the way. I may be potentially soulless according to these people, but I can store data reliably, which is beyond your capabilities… or theirs,” she added darkly.

“Okay,” Terri drawled, lapsing into silence.

She didn’t know what had gotten into the female. If she was having a bad day, then Terri was just going to keep her mouth shut and hope whatever snit was happening got worked out.

They walked in silence long enough that she was startled with Malraha began to speak.

“There was a time not too long ago when a mating between an Ahanvala and someone of such inferior status as the people of the Galithilan would never have happened. Harahna, Veral’s mother, in fact was promised to a male of the northern boundary. Did you know that?”

“Ah, no,” Terri admitted, her steps slowing a little as an inexplicable unease wafted through her.

Malraha nodded her head, her vibrissae snaking around her, rattling with agitation despite her cool expression. At her side, her dorashnal whined and glanced up at her, but she kept speaking as she turned down another corridor.

From that direction, Terri could feel a cool breeze hinting at water nearby. She relaxed. This must be another route. It was creepy, but if Malraha thought it would get them there faster, she wouldn’t argue.

“No. You would not. No one would speak of the mating agreement Harahna had before she met her mate. They idealize her story. The way she delayed taking the hormone and because of that found her true mate.”

“It does sound romantic,” Terri replied hesitantly.

The female snorted.

“It is not romantic. She had an agreement with that male. They agreed that their alliance would strengthen our territory. She dishonored and shamed him in front of his entire household. She was vile to do that!”

“But the bond just happens that way,” Terri objected despite her better sense screaming at her in warning that there was something wrong with her guard.

Malraha’s vibrissae flared angrily, her head whipping around.

“Wrong! There is no excuse. And because of her mating, I am here in this horrible place. I do not belong here any more than I belonged at the northern border. All of this is her fault.”

A calm fell over the Argurma, and Terri watched her, uncertain of when the female’s temper would flare to life once more. Their programming against emotions seemed to feed her anger once finally released, and Terri was afraid of getting in front of it, even with the protection of her symbiont.


Tags: S.J. Sanders Argurma Salvager Science Fiction