Out of the Ashes (Maji 1)

“What is wrong?” he asked, panicked.

He seemed to forget Envi was in the room as he focused solely on me.

“Nothing,” I replied, wiping my face clear of tears. “We just had a really personal talk and had a cry. It’s a normal thing for women to do, Kol. At least my father said it was.”

He looked like he didn’t believe but didn’t want to voice his doubt.

“We’re fine,” I assured him. “Truly.”

He nodded slowly, watching me carefully as if I would burst back into tears at any given moment.

“Do we have to stay at the feast much longer?” I asked Kol. “I’m so tired.”

He scratched his neck. “The feast ended moments ago, but my father wants all his family to gather in his main living area in the palace so we can formally welcome you to our family.”

Shit.

“Does that take very long?” I questioned, hoping I didn’t sound like a brat.

Kol shook his head. “Not long. They will understand you need plenty of rest. You did just travel through space to get here.”

“Okay then,” I said, relieved. “Let’s get to that.”

I turned to Envi. “Do you think you and Echo would want to come to the palace tomorrow, or do you guys want to rest?”

She gnawed on her lower lip. “I’m going to guess we’ll be resting; I’m exhausted from the journey here. The next day we’ll come by for sure, though.”

Kol hooked an arm around my waist. “I will arrange it.”

He looked over his shoulder, whistled, and a second later, a muscular, tall, bald male with white scars all over his green face entered the cleansing room. The male didn’t make a sound, and I was certain he didn’t so much as blink.

“This is Evra,” Kol said, his voice firm. “He will escort you back to your sister, Envi, and then guide you both back to your homestead.”

Envi’s face was red as she bid me and Kol farewell before leaving the cleansing room with the silent, but watchful, Evra. Kol wasted no time in guiding me out of the cleansing room then out of the Sorting Centre. Like the journey to get to the feast, Kol talked me into getting back into the death vehicle with the promise that Nero was not going to be driving. I didn’t sit in one of the grabby seats; I remained on Kol’s lap. While my stomach still got queasy, the journey to and from the feast was a breeze compared to travelling with Nero at the wheel.

When we exited the vehicle, night-time had fallen, and for the first time in my entire life when I looked up at the sky, I could see stars. I sucked in a deep breath, gripped Kol’s arm tightly, and simply stared up at the wonder of space. Kol looked from me to the sky and then back at me. I thought I caught him smiling out of the corner of my eye, but I wasn’t sure.

“You’re beautiful,” he murmured to me.

“What’s beautiful,” I began, “is this spectacular view. I have never seen anything like this.”

“Nova.” Kol chortled. “You just had to look up on Earth for the same view … with one less moon, of course.”

“No,” I said with a shake of my head. “Air pollution is so bad on Earth that a permanent smog exists in the sky that only that rays of the sun can break through. It has been like that for as long as I can remember.”

There was a pregnant pause.

“You’ve never seen stars before now?” he asked, shocked.

“I saw some through the viewing pane on the Ebony but not a backdrop like this,” I replied, staring up into the unknown. “I want to stare at it always.”

“When you’re fully rested in a few days,” Kol spoke softly, his thumb strumming my forearm. “I’m going to take you stargazing … just the two of us.”

That sounded like absolute heaven.

I looked at him, and I hated that I felt hurt when I found that his eyes were glowing.

“Shiva,” he murmured, brushing strands of loose hair from my face, “what saddens you so?”

That you didn’t come to love me on your own.

“It’s nothing,” I said, brushing it off with a dismissive wave. “I’m just tired. After I get some rest, I will be okay.”

“Come,” he beckoned, moving towards the palace entrance. “The welcoming gathering will not take long; everyone is waiting for our arrival.”

I followed Kol, and I noticed male after male guard as we passed by. There were so many of them, but I guess I shouldn’t have been so surprised. There were a lot of royals to protect, not to mention the ridiculously large palace that needed constant guarding. Guarding against who, I wasn’t sure. All the Maji were obedient and followed orders without hesitation… but Mikoh did mention, back on the Ebony, that disloyal Maji were amongst the people.

Maybe that was who they were protecting the royal family and their residence from.

I wanted to ask Kol if that was the case, but I was simply too tired to hold a steady conversation with him. I felt exhausted, even more so now that I had a tummy full of delicious food. If Kol allowed me to do so, I would have curled up like a kit on the floor and slept the night away.

“Ah,” Kol murmured. “Here we are.”

I knew we were still on the first floor of the palace, but I just wasn’t sure exactly which part of the building we were in. I wasn’t paying attention. I simply allowed Kol to lead me and followed him without question. I didn’t have a chance to prepare myself for a gathering of Kol’s whole family because my impatient mate pushed open the door to the Revered Father’s living area and tugged me into the room after him.

“Kol,” Surkah chirped when she noticed us enter. “Nova, welcome.”

I gripped Kol’s left arm with both of mine when the gravity of the people’s presence I was in dawned on me. The Revered Father and Hailed Mother stood, along with Kol’s nine brothers, sister, cousin Nero, and male and female whom I had yet to glimpse before that very moment. After some thought, I figured them to be Nero’s parents, Kol’s uncle and aunt-in-mate, and after Kol introduced everyone to me, it confirmed who they were.

“I am delighted to meet you all, and those of you who I have already met, I am glad to see you again.” I smiled. “Forgive me if I seem out of sorts, I’m afraid the weight of the journey from Earth to Ealra has suddenly registered with my body and pushed me towards exhaustion.”

“Kol.” The Hailed Mother frowned. “Bring your female to your wing and allow her rest. This gathering need not continue any longer. She has met our family and will have plenty of time to get to know us all.”

The Hailed Mother was awesome.

“If I may, brother,” Ezah’s deep voice suddenly spoke. “I wish to e

scort your female back to your wing of the palace. I regret my behaviour and hurtful words towards her. I seek your permission to make amends with her as soon as possible.”

Kol was silent for a long moment, and just when I thought he was about to deny Ezah’s request, he said, “Granted.”

I wanted to thump Kol for not consulting me before he answered.

“Son,” the Revered Father then spoke to Kol. “Come and give me your statement of the day Surkah was discovered aboard the Ebony before I decide her punishment.”

I had to be escorted by Ezah alone? Fuck!

Kol kissed my temple. “I will join you very soon.”

I could only nod as he crossed the room to his father. I tried to catch Surkah’s attention, but she was stood next to her father, her gaze down as he spoke to Kol and Mikoh. I swallowed when Ezah approached me and offered me his arm. I took it with a forced smile, bid everyone a good night, and left the living area with my brother-in-mate. For a whole minute, we walked in silence as we climbed up stairs to the second floor.

I had a really bad feeling, so I had to address it.

“You didn’t offer to escort me so you could apologise,” I said, warily. “Did you?”

“You’re more attentive than I gave you credit for, human.”

I came to an abrupt stop and dropped my hand from his arm.

“If you do anything to me, I’ll call for Kol through our mental link, and he will hurt you. You know he will.”

Ezah chuckled, gruffly. “You need not fear me, Nova, or call for my brother. I just want to talk to you.”

I looked up at him. “About what?”

“Kol, of course.”

I nervously wrung my hands together. “What about him?”

“You have dishonoured a prince of the people by agreeing to be his mate.”