It’s a good group heading to the South Cave, despite Asha’s annoying presence. We hug all around – even though we’re only a few hours walk – and then set out. Claire’s happy as could be, now that she knows Bek is also heading to the South Cave, and Tiffany’s eager to learn more crafts from the elders. Josie’s chattering happily to Kemli and Farli, even though neither can understand her. Haeden’s coming to the new cave as well, and he looks rather irritated at Josie’s talking. Part of me thinks that Josie’s blabbering is good for Haeden, who’s entirely too self-contained and lost in his own thoughts most of the time.
When we make it to the South Caves, people exclaim with happiness and for the next few hours, there’s a lot of eager running around and exploring, checking out each other’s caves, and setting up. A large fire is built in the central area, for lighting as well as to give the area a homey effect. It’s nice and toasty warm for us humans, though I do notice that several of the hunters strip down due to the heat.
“Can’t say that’s a terrible side effect of things,” Tiffany murmurs at me as I gawk at Aehako’s brawny, sweaty chest as he sweeps a branch over the floor, ridding it of debris.
“No,” I say, distracted as another near-naked hunter strolls past. “I can’t say it is.”
At that moment, Asha stomps forward and puts her hand on my mate. “I want to talk to you, Aehako. I don’t like my new cave! It’s too small.”
Tiffany rolls her eyes. “Here we go. Princess is going to lobby for your cave, just you watch.” She saunters away. And she’s probably not wrong. It’s clear that a long, long time as one of the few single women in the sa-khui tribe has made Asha rather spoiled and demanding. Of course, she’s mated now.
Of course, I am, too. And she’s touching my mate’s arm and pretending to cry, and the sight of it irritates me. I watch as Aehako reaches out and pats her shoulder, trying to comfort her. “Your cave is one of the nicest. I promise.”
“It’s small,” Asha pouts.
Oh, for Pete’s sake. She doesn’t have to share with anyone except her mate, which makes it twice the size it would have been if she’d had another mated couple squeezed on top of her. I sigh with irritation as she takes Aehako’s hand and tries to pull him toward her new cave, as if to give him a personal tour.
Enough of that.
I step forward, approaching Aehako’s back. As I do, I notice his expression changes to one of horror as he stares down at Asha. Worried, I quicken my steps—
And hear the unthinkable.
Aehako’s resonating and Asha’s got her hand in his.
Shoe? Dropped.
PART SIX
KIRA
I can’t breathe. My heart’s pounding in my chest so hard that my blood is thumping in my ears.
Aehako just resonated for another woman. I’ve lost him.
The shock and grief is overwhelming. I stare at their joined hands, and look at my mate. He puts a hand on his chest, and I can hear it thrumming from over here.
He’s resonating – his khui is reacting to the presence of his perfect mate.
And I’m not it. Asha is.
“I don’t understand,” I say. I can barely hear my own voice over the roar of blood in my ears. “Asha has a mate. You can’t resonate to her.”
You’re mine, not hers.
It’s too unfair. Aehako is the best thing that has ever happened to me and I’m going to lose him so quickly? A sob chokes my throat. My heart thumps a wild beat.
My handsome mate stares down at his chest, and then releases Asha’s hand. “I’m not resonating for her.” He turns to me, and his eyes seem unnaturally blue and bright.
The heartbeat in my ears pounds louder, faster. It keeps speeding up—
And then I realize what it is.
And I collapse with joy.
A moment later, Aehako’s big arms go around me and he cradles me to his chest. “Kira,” he murmurs, and holds my head tucked under his chin. “My Kira.”
My own chest reverberates and thrums with resonance. That pounding that I was hearing? It wasn’t my pulse. It was my khui, responding to his.
How is this possible?
Even as I wonder, my body changes. Intense feeling and need sweeps over me, like a full-body flush. A sexual flush. I feel my thighs press together, and the ache to be filled settles deep inside me. My nipples feel oversensitive, and my skin aches even as my khui sings a humming beat along with Aehako’s.
I cling to him, torn between hope and despair. “I…don’t understand.”