Heirot

Tenara’s eyes widened at the sound of his voice. She had been racking her brain in what to do when she saw him again and had yet to come up with a successful plan that did not make her look like a basket case or a heartbroken, lovesick girl.

Never.

He never wanted to bond with her.

He didn’t want her.

The crushing pressure in her chest edged a notch higher as she climbed out of bed. The sheets smoked where her hand touched and set flame. “Shit, shit, shit.” She batted the flame out. “I’m feeling a little off. The fruit. I just needed to rest but I’ll be down…” Then, she noticed her nightgown was starting to combust.

She yelped and pulled it off, rushing toward the bathroom and turning the shower on cold. She stepped inside and steam filled the air where water pelted her skin.

Calm. Calm. Calm.

It was a testament to what little practice she’d managed to have since meeting Havitharon that stormy night that she hadn’t burned the house down by now, but it didn’t stop her from being woefully disappointed in herself. She stood beneath the water, closed her eyes, and counted.

She needed to get outside, to let it out, somehow, or this was just going to get worst.

Havi took a careful step back from her doorway. He could smell smoke, and he'd heard her cursing and rushing to the bath. Steam billowed into the bedroom from the open doorway. It reminded him of how they'd found Artisuren that first day in Laurius's hotel room.

Bond-broken.

His words the night before came back to him. You cannot make me slap you, because I am not in rut, and you have not yet bonded me. And you never will.

She'd tested him like a beast at auction. Tried to use his devotion against him, to subvert his will on purpose. Why? Why had she done that? She was supposed to be different.

He thinks you're a slave. Laurius's words were like tar, leaving dark, claggy stains on the future he'd pictured with her. How could she? How could she?

She was suffering a few feet away, and he had the devastating sense that if he approached her, she would burn the house down, and herself with it. He looked back at Merry staring expectantly from down the hall. "Merry's going to come in and talk with you. Is that okay?" he called carefully through the door.

Tenara clenched her teeth. She didn’t want anyone here. If she lost herself… But if she didn’t agree, he might come in, and then she’d probably definitely lose it.

She should apologize. She should do so many things but the look he'd given her said he wouldn't believe her or that he wouldn't care. Could he flip a switch so swiftly?

“Alright,” she called. She could get it together. She had to.

Merry did not look pleased about being offered up in Havi's place. She gave him a warning look as she walked past him and into the room. "Sweetheart," she said gently, sitting on the bench opposite the shower. She didn't seem especially afraid of Tenara's steam-generating fever. After living with them on the island for weeks, she'd grown almost used to them all having strange abilities.

"I'm just going to sit here with you. You don't have to talk, if you don't want to."

Tenara curled her arms over herself, letting the icey water cool her skin. Staring at Merry was sobering. The woman had a pleasant disposition, and she was always comforting and motherly. She didn't know what to say to her, though. "I can fix it," she finally said, as if the woman would know what she was referring to. She repeated that in her head, like how she had been counting earlier, until she believed it. She could fix it. After a few more minutes of standing in the water, the steam lessened and a chill seeped in. She shut the water off, shivering now. From one extreme to the other. She reached a hand up, pointing to one of the folded towels.

"Did he seem upset?" she asked, her voice low in case he was still standing outside the door.

Merry brought her the towel and wrapped it snugly around her shoulders, rubbing heat into her arms like she'd just found her in a snowdrift. "He seemed worried and tired. I'm sorry, sweetheart. Love is never easy," she soothed. "Come and get bundled up, I'll see to your hair."

Tenara fumbled at her words. Love is never easy. She almost thought she would need to hop back into the shower, but she surprisingly managed to keep a hold over herself. She moved into her bedroom, sitting on the vanity stool with the fluffy towel curled around her shoulders. She watched the woman gather the brush and run it through her stringy, wet hair. "I think I did something I can't take back," she said, uncertain why she said it at all. She stared at her reflection, feeling the brush comb the strands straight again.

---

Laurius and Ren were finishing their lunch—it seemed neither one of them had much of an appetite—when a letter arrived for him. He took it and hesitated at the wax seal. A frown creased his face as he picked up his knife and sliced the paper open, unfolding it. He read quietly, then tossed the paper onto the table. "Well, it seems we'll have a visitor soon. Not exactly ideal timing..."

Merry smiled softly at her. "I can't say I know a thing about what happened between you two, but that boy did not have the look of someone looking for reasons to stay angry."

______

Artisuren tilted his head, wondering what kind of people Laurius get as visitors. "One of your clients?"

Behind him, the door opened, and an enervated Havitharon trudged in.

Artisuren turned and glowered at him. Havi look confused by this, but not particularly concerned, which just pissed Ren off more.

Tenara's eyes brightened a little at her faith in that assertion. Merry was right. The Havi she had come to know after becoming his Yurivis was kind. He would understand, if she explained. She just had to explain. "I'll talk to him..."

-----

Laurius was about to answer Ren when Havitharon entered the room. His lips clamped shut and he reached out for the letter, folding it up and tucking it into his pocket. "Afternoon, Havitharon," he said, his voice airy. He rubbed his neck a little, as if to draw attention to the bruising there. "You look awful."

Merry gave her shoulders another pat. "That's a good girl. Heavens, the window's wide open. You're going to catch your death, and after surviving being marooned for weeks!" She went to close the shutters, then tsked at the mess on the floor. "Now, what can I get you from the kitchen? Some tea to put the color back in those cheeks?"

__________

Havi met Laurius's gaze with spiritless eyes. He felt indebted to Artisuren for the night before, which was the only reason he stayed his tongue. "Yeah...You too," he acknowledged. He looked over the food laid out for their lunch and had a wild temptation to make up a plate to lay outside Tenara's door, as he'd done each morning when it rained on the island. He didn't know how to feel about the urge, but any appetite he had before had vanished. "Merry is with Tenara. I'll be in your library."

Tenara gave Merry a half-smile. "Scones?" she asked, tugging the towel around her shoulders. "Though, I should probably stop hiding. Especially now that I'm not... on fire."

Though, the risk was still high that she would find herself smoldering before the day was over. She felt her mind wanting to wander down dangerous roads, like whether or not Havi would understand. When was his next rut? Would he want her to help him? Would he suffer because of it? Tenara took a deep breath, exhaling a puff of hot air into a warming room. "Maybe the tea first," she finally said.

----

Laurius nodded, appraising him as he headed for the door. He seemed genuinely upset. It was unlike him to want to offer comfort to someone else, someone that he felt indifferent towards. But, he supposed, he didn't feel exactly indifferent toward Havitharon. The man was useful, and Tenara cared for him, and he needed both of them to come together in order to learn more about the blades and their magic.

Only, now, he had a deadline.

"She loves you," he said. "She didn't want to ask that question of you. I did. We're learning, Havitharon. That's what you came here for."

Merry smiled at her. "That's the spirit. I'll be back with your tea."

Havi paused in the doorway and weighed the man's words. A moment later, he turned back to face Laurius. "I need a tutor," he said. "Are you acquainted with one?"

Laurius arched a brow. “I am, though I suppose it depends on what you want to learn. I’ll send for her. If she doesn’t meet your requirements we can find another.”

Havi's expression twitched slightly at the mention of the gender, but he mostly just looked tired. "I need help reading."

The door clicked, and he looked up to see Merry entering the room. His gaze must have contained his questions, because she curtsied to them and said, "Princess Tenara is much improved. I'm just fetching her tea."

Laurius was not surprised that Havitharon couldn’t read, but he was surprised to find the man wanted to learn, and at an odd time like this.

As Merry entered to make a small tray for Tenara, he said, “I’ll send for her today. If her schedule is clear, she could be here as early as tomorrow. We’ll split our days, half of them can be dedicated to understanding the weapons and the other half can be put towards your private studies.”