Taming the Queen of Beasts

<strong>ELRETH</strong>

As soon as they entered the trees, Elreth let her dancing steps take her off the trail and into the shadows when the others weren't watching. Her heart raced with excitement, but also with not a little bit of fear. This had been a massive hurdle, but now it was time for her attention to turn to the next step.

She had to get over to the human world and learn how to close the traverses before it was too late.

After a weak beginning, she'd been impressed with how Rika held herself during the Rite. The female clearly was dealing with some serious fear, but she'd held her ground, adjusted for her audience when they didn't understand her. And she'd stayed true to herself.

Elreth grumbled, wishing she could have just fallen into the bowl dressed and not had to reveal herself. But then she wouldn't have gotten to see Aaryn…

Her stomach trilled. She'd told him she'd meet him at the Weeping Tree after the festivities, but everyone was so excited and mixing so completely, she wondered if they could sneak away, then return later.

So she hid herself in the shadows of some ferns while she waited for the tribes to pass and scanned for Aaryn's face.

But as the crowd petered out and the throng became a trickle, then a line, then only a couple of Anima at a time and he still hadn't appeared, she wondered if she'd missed him passing earlier.

When no one passed her hiding spot for a full minute she was about to shift and run through the forest to check the crowds ahead again when she heard footsteps that were soon followed by the shape of Rika, walking slowly and looking nervously back over her shoulder.

Elreth sighed. What was Gar doing letting a fearful female walk by herself into the night? Males. Sometimes, honestly, she didn't know which heads they were thinking with.

As Rika passed, Elreth stepped out of the shadows to reach for her. "Rika, it's good—"

"HOLY MOTHERFORKER!" Rika shrieked.

Laughter exploded from those ahead of them on the trail, but there was no accompanying footsteps, so Elreth gathered they hadn't decided to come back and see what had happened.

"Sorry," Elreth said as Rika held her chest and panted. "I didn't mean to scare you."

"I… you're okay…" Rika said, but her eyes were so wide, Elreth wondered if she lied.

"Ironically, I wanted to see if you were okay. That was pretty intense."

Rika snorted, then her face kind of crumpled, but she just looked back over her shoulder, then shrugged. "I'm fine."

Elreth looked at her for a long moment, but the woman wasn't going to give an inch. And even though it was frustrated, Elreth knew a kindred spirit when she saw one.

"Look, Rika, I know I was hard on you, okay? I'm sorry. It was necessary. But I know… I'm certain now, not only that you aren't working against us, but that you're the one for my brother. And I wanted… I mean, that's exciting, you know? But it's also… like, he's my brother."

Rika eyed her warily. "What happens between me and Gar is between me and Gar."

"I know, I know. And I'm there too, right? It pissed me off no end when everyone had an opinion about me and Aaryn before I recognized the bond, so I get it. I guess that's what I wanted to tell you: I get it. I've been there. Where you are now. And it's confusing and scary as hell. And I wasn't even dealing with existential crisis when I had to face it, so… I just want to say if you ever want to talk about it with someone who's felt it, I'm here. That's all. I might be super busy, but we'll get there. And other than that… if you hurt Gar I'm going to eat you. Slowly."

Rika blinked. Elreth struggled to keep a straight face, knew Gar would be mightily pissed if he knew Elreth was teasing his mate. But she couldn't quite bring herself to stop. Her brother had taken every opportunity to make her miserable when he could. It was only fair that he got a taste of his own medicine.

"I'm mostly joking," Elreth said after a moment when Rika didn't respond.

"I know. I just didn't think it was funny," Rika said baldly.

Elreth blinked, taken aback—then giggled like a kitten when Rika burst into laughter.

"Sorry, I'm sorry," Rika gasped. "I'm just… I'm kind of on the edge of hysteria right now, so I'm not doing my best work."

Elreth grinned. "It's fine. Look, you guys go enjoy yourselves tonight, and tomorrow. The Protectors will be celebrating, and you should too, if Gar has time. But before I go over I'm hoping we can talk and I can get some directions from you, about where we'd find the people you were associated with? The ones who've sent people through the other traverse?"

"I can give you the addresses and stuff, sure. But you don't want to show up, Elreth. They've got security that will see you coming before you get within miles of their land."

"Why would I need dresses?" Elreth asked, confused.

"What?" Rika started, then her mouth dropped open. "Oh, you meant the addresses?"

"What's an address?"

Rika seemed to be stifling more laughter. "In my world when you want to find someone you get the number and the name of the… road they live on, then you know where to find them."

Elreth nodded, that made more sense. "We know all our trails too, that's wise. If you can give me directions."

"They'll—your friends who live there, they'll have the directions. If I give you the… location, they'll know how to get there if you need to go. But I'm not joking, Elreth. These people… they won't let you close. They know how to see you coming. And if they figure out who and what you are… it'll be over for you."

Elreth sighed, uncertain whether to be frightened or annoyed, but she forced herself to smile. "Well, can we speak tomorrow? Just to go over what you know so I can write it down and take it with me?"

"Of course. No problem. I mean, it's not like I'm busy."

Elreth smiled. "You might find my brother has… plans," she said.

But before Rika could reply, a deep voice whispered, "My plans are none of your business," right in Elreth's ear, so she shot straight up like a cat that had sat on a jabberthorn.

Now she was the one holding her chest and panting. Fucking Gar!

"Well done, El," Gar said, taking Rika's hand and walking on. "Always the picture of Queenly poise."

El growled, but her heart leapt at the warm chuckle that sounded behind her and instead of launching herself after her brother and wrestling him into submission, she turned and waited for her mate to arrive at her side. That was, after all, the whole reason she'd abandoned the tribes and slunk into the forest to begin with.

When Aaryn finally appeared and threw his arm over her shoulder, she could see that he was tense. But his smile was genuine, and he let his hand rest lazily, hanging off her shoulder.

"I love you, El," he said quietly, kissing her hair as they fell into step together on the trail.

"I love you, too," she murmured. "Now… can I interest you in a moonlit walk to the Weeping Tree?"