Ripples In Time (Maji 2)

“I don’t think like that anymore.” I raised my eyes back to my brother’s. “Your female showed me how wrong my mindset was. Human females are as precious as Maji females, and I know that now. I’m trying … I’m trying to make amends for what I did, brother. I know you hate me, but I swear to Thanas that I am trying.”

“I know this,” Kol stated gruffly. “Nova reminds me daily how involved you are with the humans. You’re meeting my conditions, and it pleases me greatly, but you are still not allowed near my female.”

His growl made me look back down at the floor.

It killed me to yield to a male who was younger than me, one I knew I could best in a fair fight, but I had to in this situation. I did not want to fight with Kol. I needed to repair my bond with him. I had held him as a tiny bundle in my arms, and I was once his mentor. I taught him how to fight and how to hunt as a young male and how to pilot a craft when he reached malehood. I had to make things right with him again.

I had to.

“I know,” I answered. “I’ll not wish to be in your mate’s presence until you have forgiven me no matter how many decades it may take. I swear on my honour.”

Seconds ticked by in silence.

“She misses you greatly.” Kol sighed. “I hear it every evening how sad she is because she cannot ‘hang out’ with you, or whichever human phrase she uses. You spent a tiny amount of time with her ... what took place between you both that she has placed herself as your champion? She will not share it with me because she said it was private between her and her brother-in-mate.”

His words surprised me.

“On the craft, we had a bonding moment. She wanted to know why I was so scared of your mating to her so ... so I told her about my Kovu.”

Kol watched me, not interrupting.

“I wanted her to understand that because she was human, I was certain she would die and leave you to suffer a mate loss. I was blind to Surkah’s findings about how our essence acts the same to human females as it does our own. She is the most powerful healer to ever grace the Maji, and I still did not believe her word. I couldn’t accept that Nova could survive and live beside you as easily as one of our females. She’s little and fragile.”

I rubbed a hand over my face.

“Losing Kovu broke something inside me that I did not want you to experience. I knew you were mated when I convinced her to leave you. I knew the bond was already in place, but I made myself believe it wasn’t a real bond because Nova was human and not Maji. Then I found out you were fated mates. As soon as Nova mentioned the glow in your eyes when you look at her, I changed course from Terra back to Ealra. By that time, Nova had forgiven me and told me she loved me because I was her brother now. She wept for me and hugged me. I know what I did was wrong. I will forever be sorry to you and to her.”

Kol jerked his head in a nod. “Thank you for telling me.”

“Of course, I did not think Nova would keep it from you.”

“She said she gave you her word, and she refused to break it, even for her mate.”

I did recall Nova telling me she would never reveal that I cried to anyone, not even Kol, and it looked like she had kept her word, which endeared me to her even more. She truly was a special female.

“She is very protective of you, which makes my keeping her away from you difficult. I have just gotten her back a few terms, and she sometimes denies me sex and kisses when discussions about you turn into arguments ... I hate you on those nights.”

I coughed into my fist to keep from chuckling.

“About the human woman who puzzles you.” Kol leaned against the panel of his doorway, his gold bracelets clinking together as he folded his arms across his bare chest. “I’m not going to give you any advice because I did many things wrong with my Nova. I do not want to ruin your chance at forming a bond with—”

“I’m not interested in her as a mate.” I cut my brother off, feeling surprisingly embarrassed. “I’m just ... you said I had to learn about humans to relate to them, so I picked her to be my focus.”

Kol raised a brow. “I see.”

“It’s got nothing to do with sexual interest. I have no sexual interest in strange females. Or any females.”