Keeper of the Heart

Chapter 43

Shanelle was pleased that Falon had given in to allow her parents to stay for a few days, which was all her father had agreed to, since he was expecting his own parents’ return to Sha-Ka-Ra within the week. Even Tedra didn’t complain about that, for she loved his parents, especially his mother, whom she had taken to like the mother she herself had never had. If Tedra had any complaint, it was that Chadar and Haleste Ly-San-Ter never stayed for long in Sha-Ka-Ra. But Chadar was a Guardian of the Years, which meant he had to do a lot of traveling around the country each year to search out important events for recording, and Haleste naturally went with him.

Shanelle wondered if Falon would permit her to go home, at least for a few hours, to visit with her grandparents while they were in Sha-Ka-Ra. If she was going to ask, today was the day to do it. After she’d got permission for Drevan to start using the teaching console, permission to begin Drevan’s sword practice, and permission to have her fembair Transferred to Falon’s house, she had concluded that there wasn’t much she wouldn’t get if she asked for it today. Her lifemate was definitely suffering pangs of distress for what he’d done. Not guilt, for he felt justified, but definite regret, with the accompanying need to make amends.

Shanelle was all for that, especially since as the day wore on, she was forced to admit-at least to herself-that her punishment hadn’t been that bad. There was no more than a tightness across her bottom now, and a slight discomfort when she sat down. In fact, it had almost been worth it just to find out that punishment at the hands of her warrior wasn’t the absolute horror she’d thought it would be. Almost. At any rate, she now knew she could live with it as long as she deserved it. But if the day ever came when she felt she didn’t deserve it, well, she’d just have to find out how good she was at Kystrani downing.

There was another moment that day when she experienced a different form of discomfort. Her father drew her aside before he left with Falon to view Ka’al. He looked so serious, and she couldn’t help but remember that when she had left Sha-Ka’an, it was her father she had disobeyed. She hoped that wasn’t what he had on his mind, but her luck hadn’t improved that much.

Yet she thought she had a reprieve when he told her, “I was certain I had chosen the right lifemate for you, the one who could protect you as well as make you happy. Was I wrong?”

“No,” she was quick to assure him. “You chose well, father.”

“Yet were you not there for me to give you into his care.”

She hung her head. “I know, and I’m sorry about that. I just had too many fears, and no courage to face them.”

“Have your fears been seen to?”

“Yes.” All but one, but she didn’t want to tell her father that.

“This I am well pleased to hear. Was your disobedience also seen to?”

It was on the tip of Shanelle’s tongue to say, Yes, of course it was. Falon wouldn’t neglect something like that. Instead she heard herself admitting, “No. He meant to. He even started to. But he couldn’t do it. He didn’t want our life together to begin with such unpleasantness.”

“A wise man.”

Shanelle looked up in surprise. “You mean that?”

“Indeed. And since I know that he will correct you when it is necessary, I need not worry that you have this man so besotted he cannot see to you properly.”

She blushed at the reference to that morning’s punishment. “No, that’s one worry you won’t have,” she grouched, making him chuckle and hug her.

“Do not begrudge your lifemate his duty. Better if you ensure that it is a duty he need not be burdened with very often.”

Excellent advice she intended taking to heart.

Her mother had some advice of her own to impart later that day. “Now that you’ve grown up, Shani, try keeping a lid on your newfound courage. A lack of fear comes in handy on occasion, but it can also get you into the damnedest predicaments.”

Shanelle just stared at her. “What courage?”

“The courage that stands up to your lifemate, quite frequently, I hear. The courage that socked that Sunderian witch on her ass-”

“Did Brock tell you about that?”

“No, Martha did. She was quite proud of you, actually.”

“Martha did,” Shanelle repeated with a frown. “You mean Martha was there! She could have- Martha!” Shanelle exploded. “You misbegotten metal-!”

“Take it easy, baby. You were found, remember. There wasn’t anything else Martha could do at that point except let matters take their natural course. I understand you weren’t complaining about it on the way home.”

“That’s beside the point.”

“No, that’s exactly the point. Martha usually knows what’s best for you, whether you think so at the time. I’ve learned that firsthand over the years, to my own exasperation. She allowed your father to claim me when she could have prevented it, because she knew he was what I was missing in my life. Well, she allowed Falon to find you because she knew your fears had to be faced before you believed they could be faced.”

“And was I right or was I right?” Martha purred from Tedra’s waist.

“Oh, shut up.”

And then Shanelle’s fembair wandered into the hall that evening and had warriors leaping to their feet and drawing swords. Shanelle had to quickly assure everyone that he was a pet and not to be confused with wild fembairi. Drevan was fascinated and, with a child’s lack of caution, was the first to approach the animal to pet him. The boy didn’t know it, but he gained the respect of quite a few warriors by doing so.

Shanelle joined them to say, “He likes to be scratched behind the ears.”

Drevan looked at her, then quickly away. “I-I thought you would not speak to me again.”

“Why on Sha-Ka’an would you think that?” Shanelle asked in surprise.

Drevan looked positively miserable. “I sent for your lifemate when you went to fight my mother. I have seen her fight. I had not seen you fight. I feared she would do you serious harm.”

“It’s all right, Drevan, I understand.”

“It is not all right. Everyone could hear your screams after.”

Shanelle’s face burst into heat. “Well, I’m not surprised,” she tried to joke. “You should have heard it from my vantage point. I’m not sure, but I think I broke my ears.” He gave her a stricken look. She sighed. “Really, Drevan, it’s okay. I shouldn’t have let your mother goad me into losing my temper, and Falon was just making sure I’d think twice about it the next time. I might not have appreciated it at the time, but I knew it was only done for my own good. And I’m not mad at him any longer, so why should I be mad at you?”

“Truly?”

“Absolutely.” She grinned.

He smiled back at her before he said, “Then I would tell you, my mother, she has been looking at me very strangely since the fight, as if she does not know me.”

“She doesn’t know you, Drevan, but maybe something I said to her actually sunk in.” And then she asked carefully, “Would you like her to get to know you? She owes me a challenge loss, and I’ve got nothing better to do with it.”

He shook his head. “I would not force an interest on her that is not there.”

“Could be it’s there now. But you’re right. Forcing the matter wouldn’t count for much.” She grimaced, adding, “Of course, that puts me back, to wondering what I can demand of her for her loss. Knowing me, I’ll probably just settle for an apology and leave it go at that.”

“You are much more merciful than I would have been,” Aurelet said behind them.

Shanelle turned with a raised brow. “Oh, I don’t know. Some people find apologies almost impossible to get out.”

“That is true, yet have I come to say I am sorry. Your mother has assured me that you could have done me serious damage with or without a sword. She also said she would ‘wipe the floor’ with me if I ever ‘bad-mouthed’ either of you again. I was not sure what that meant, yet was it unnecessary. I am able to learn from my mistakes.”

“Are you?”

Aurelet was staring at Drevan when she replied.

“Yes. I would like a word with my son, if you do not mind.”

“Sure.”

As Shanelle walked away, she noted Drevan’s surprise at hearing himself called “son” by that woman. She couldn’t begin to guess what might come of Aurelet’s newfound awareness of Drevan as an individual, rather than as an extension of the man who had long ago hurt her. Nothing, probably, but you just never knew. Children were much more forgiving than adults.