I rolled my eyes at how stupid he sounded. If this was what females had to put up with from him, then it was no wonder he had yet to find a mate.
“I appreciate the offer, my prince.” Kah bowed her head. “But no, thank you.”
I looked at Komi, who was staring down at Kah without blinking. He was in disbelief of what he was hearing. This had to have been the hundredth time Kah had rejected him. I glanced around the hallway, glad to see no one was around to witness my brother’s embarrassment.
“Why?”
“I do not understand, my prince.”
“Why?” Komi repeated. “Why won’t you come to my furs? I have asked you many times.”
“I don’t have a reason, my prince. I just do not want to share sex with you.”
I stared at the ceiling, willing myself to disappear because I was growing embarrassed on Komi’s behalf at this very blunt rejection. If this were to happen to me before I had mated, I wouldn’t have cared, but witnessing it happening to another male was horrible … but I could not make myself walk away. I wanted to see what unfolded from this odd situation.
“Do you mean to tell me, servant, that you have an interest in Ezah but not in me?”
I glanced at my brother to see if he was teasing, but he genuinely appeared to be angry that Kah preferred me over him. At that moment, I realised my brother had an interest in Kah. One that went further than simply taking her to his furs. Maybe he didn’t even realise it, but he was giving strong signs he wanted to put a claim on her.
“That is exactly what I am telling you, my prince. I wanted Ezah when he was a single male, not you. I still do not want you.”
Thanas above. Kah was a tiny female. I wasn’t even sure if she could physically defend herself in a brawl with another female, but she sure knew how to stick an invisible blade into a male’s chest and twist it with her words.
“You’re jesting, aren’t you?” Komi grinned at her. “Ezah put you up to this.”
I shook my head when my brother looked at me, and his grin fell.
“You really”—he looked back at Kah—“don’t want me?”
“No, my prince.”
“Change your mind,” he demanded. “Now.”
Kah actually rolled her duo-coloured eyes. My brother growled, and I laughed.
“My servant,” Komi hissed. “Ezah relieved you of your duty as his wing’s head servant recently, and I am enlisting you into my care. You’ll be my wing’s personal servant.”
Kah looked as if Kuat himself sprung up from the floor.
“You cannot do that, my prince!”
“I am a prince of the people,” Komi raised an eyebrow. “I have the same authority as Ezah when he first placed you as his servant.”
Kah’s eyes darted to mine for help. I shrugged.
“He speaks the truth, female.”
“But … But … I don’t want to be your servant, Prince Komi.” She stomped her foot on the ground as if years of frustration came pouring right out of her. “You’re the worst of all the princes. Always asking for kisses and looking at me with your … with your wandering eyes.”
I looked at Komi. You have wandering eyes, baja?
Shut up, Ezah!
I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from laughing.
“I command your silence, servant,” Komi growled. “Your neck will know my bite otherwise.”
Kah gasped. “You wouldn’t dare, my prince.”
My brother stepped into her space. “Challenge me and find out.”
A part of me wanted Kah to stand up to my brother, but I knew she wouldn’t because he was a male and a prince. Kah had a fighting spirit, which I was happy to see, but she was still female, and she had instincts to submit to a strong male, which was what she did when she lowered her gaze to the floor.
“May I leave to go and assist the princesses, Prince Ezah?”
“Yes,” I answered. At the same time, Komi said, “No.”
Kah looked up and hissed at him. My jaw dropped. I couldn’t believe her audacity, and neither could my brother because he was stunned into silence. Kah placed her fist over her chest and bowed her head, and in the blink of an eye, she was gone, leaving only her fruity scent lingering in the air.
“A female servant hissed at you, and you stared at her in response. She has rejected your many advances, she prefers me over you, she said she does not want to share sex with you. Oh, and she doesn’t want your kisses or your wandering eyes on her.” I looked at my older brother. “I’m telling everyone.”
My laughter was knocked out of me the second Komi’s fist rammed into my stomach. His growl and mine mixed, but nothing could silence my joyous laughter. Not even the sting of the imauni’s bite that soon followed.