House of Leights (Secret Keepers #3)(53)

16





By the time Chase was satisfied I had healed enough to leave, my ankle and shoulder felt a thousand times better. I had no idea what this legreto here was made of, but it was a hell of a lot better than the water we had on Earth.

“Where do you live?” I asked as he helped me to my feet. My foot felt slightly stiff inside my shoe, but otherwise I was fine to walk.

“We build homes inside the trunks of a special type of Galinta. They allow us to share their space, forming round rooms to keep us warm and dry. Most of my people live in their own communities. There are hundreds spread out across Leights.”

“And you…?” I asked.

“The overlord families are nomadic. We travel and live with each of the communities, immersing ourselves in their world to hear of their lives and grievances. This is the best way to ensure we help all of our people.”

Unlike most kings and queens back home, who sat in their castles and waited for the peasants to come to them…

“You’re an only child, too?”

“Yes. Because Daelighters are so long-lived, our women are only fertile once or twice in an entire year. My parents have not been able to have any more children since me. My mother has mentioned more than once that she wishes the gods would bless her with another.”

That was interesting. I definitely didn’t take after their women, I had normal cycles. Something we would eventually have to discuss, because I was way too young, and not even remotely equipped to raise children. But I apparently had a long time to get around to that. I was going to enjoy being bonded first.

Chase called for a path back to the main platform. We waited as the trees moved themselves. We were just about to move through when a rustling of branches to our left had another path opening.

Chase paused, then let my hand go to maneuver himself in front of me. I was just starting to worry that we were about to be attacked when a man and woman stepped out of the pathway.

As soon as he saw them, Chase relaxed, and so did I.

“Chase, we have no news about your intended one,” the woman said, hurrying forward, her voice low, smooth, and almost musical in nature. “We checked with the elders and the network…”

She trailed off when she saw me.

Chase carefully moved me to his side. “Mother, I’d like you to meet Maya. My bonded mate.”

Mother. Oh man, I was so not ready – or dressed – to meet a queen. Nervously, I tried to smooth my hair back, all the while staring at the stunning woman before me. She reminded me of an African Queen, regal, dark skin, high cheekbones, and the same light green eyes as Chase. She had her long bronze-colored hair in braids, almost to her ankles, beads threaded through them that clinked together as she moved.

She was about a foot taller than me, with the lithe body of someone strong and flexible. On Earth I’d have guessed Pilates, but here it was no doubt all the running through the trees. She wore tight-fitting clothing, but they looked very simple and natural, not fancy like a queen, though she did have jewels woven into the crown of her head. I didn’t recognize the gems, but they were in a range of colors similar to aquamarines, rubies, sapphires, and diamonds all blended together.

She took a step closer to me and I wondered if I was supposed to bow. I really should have asked Chase about royal protocol here.

“Maya,” she trilled, and then she smiled. “It’s an honor to meet you.”

She didn’t touch me, and I dropped my head in an awkward bow, returning her smile. “The honor is all mine.”

Her smile was huge, and she was just breathtakingly beautiful. She turned to Chase. “You said bonded mate?”

He nodded, one arm still around me while the other lifted his own shirt to show her the mark. She let out a trill of delight, clapping her hands together. “Chila, get over here. You need to see this.”

Chase’s father, who had been standing a little back waiting his turn, strode forward. Chase might have had his mother’s eyes, but in all other ways, he was just like his father. The same shorn hair, the same masculine planes across his face, and broad shoulders. The fact that the overlord majors did not look much older than us was a little disconcerting, but they carried themselves with wisdom that belied their youthful looks.

He was wearing just a pair of pants, fitted to his very muscled body – something I was trying hard not to notice, because it felt really weird to look at your father-in-law figure like that. He also held a long staff with a jewel on top; the base looked like it was made from the Galinta trees.

With his free hand, he reached out and clasped Chase’s briefly. “I’m so pleased to hear of your bonding,” he said, looking between me and his son. “Jasmin and I will organize a proper bonding ceremony as soon as we deal with Laous. Our people need to meet Maya.”

Nerves rocked me and I tried to school my expression, even though the thought of standing in front of all House of Leights’ people was enough to have me searching for the nearest bathroom. When I was nervous, I usually had to pee twenty times in about five minutes.

Chase cleared his throat, and from my angle it looked like he was sending warning glares at his parents. “Maya is very new to this world,” he told them. “We should give her some time to adjust to our ways. There is no need to rush anything.” He paused, his eyes searching out mine. The air practically shimmered between us, my stomach swirling. “The Galinta could not have chosen better for me,” he said.