Falling in Love with the King of Beasts

GUESS WHAT? This book will be COMPLETING in early December! *Flails* I can't believe it's finally happening. I'm already grieving losing my time with Reth. But, I'm also SO excited to share the whole picture with you! Keep an eye on my announcements over the next week or two because I'm planning a BIG giveaway and Christmas event for early/mid December for all of us to celebrate and say goodbye to Reth & Elia together! Gaaaaaaahhhhh!

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GAHRYE

He was creeping out of the Cave bedroom when he heard Reth's heavy footsteps echoing through the cave. He hurried forward to intercept the King, to let him know that Elia was asleep. Silently, he thanked the Creator that Reth hadn't arrived twenty minutes earlier when he and Elia had been discussing the disformed and the prophecy.

He rounded the corner into the dining room area to find Reth striding through, a young female at his right.

Reth's eyes sparked when he saw Gahrye, but he stifled the Alpha instinct to dominate and his face got serious. "Is she okay?"

"She's fine, she's just tired. She fell asleep a few minutes ago. I was just going to go get Aymora to watch her. I need to… figure out a house."

Reth's eyes widened. "You're still not in your home?"

The female to his right looked back and forth between them, but kept her chin down. Her scent was odd in a familiar way. She was disformed. He recognized her, though she'd never spent time with the Outsiders. What was she doing with Reth?

Then he remembered the King had asked him a question and he startled, his eyes still dragging away from Suhle. "I, uh, there was a family in my former tree and they had young. I didn't think it was important. I wasn't attached to it. Brant said I could have another. I just haven't gotten over there to talk to him yet."

"Wait until after dinner," Reth said. "He's been at a council meeting and I think he's going to take his own nap now. I'm sorry, Gahrye. I know I owe you so much and I've just been—"

"It's fine," he said flapping a hand to brush it off. "I've been busy too."

Reth's brows pinched at that, but Gahrye turned towards the female. "I'm Gahrye, the Queen's Cohort," he said, surprised by how easily it rolled off of his tongue now. "I don't mean to be rude, but you're disformed, as I am. I have many friends… you are welcome to come with me to meet them if you wish?"

"Thank you," she said quickly, bobbing her head. "But I am very busy with my duties. I do not wish to… I am fine. But I thank you for thinking of me," she said softly.

She had the white hood of a servant hanging from her shoulders. That was likely why he hadn't seen her around. If she was devoted, she'd kept to her masters homes, most likely. He wanted to press—if she was at Reth's side, she was likely of good character.

"Suhle has been training with Behryn and I since she was young," Reth said, tipping his head towards her. "She's been very busy helping me keep an eye on the wolves. But… Suhle, I think it would be good for you to make connections with the other disformed. Don't you?"'

She looked up at him, clearly confused and uncertain how to contradict him without being rude. She glanced at Gahrye and licked her lips. "But… you know… my duties keep me very busy—"

"That trip we discussed," Reth said pointedly, "It might be a service to some of the others… they may wish to take it with you?"

She frowned, then her mouth dropped open and she blinked, licking her lips quickly as if she'd been surprised. But before Gahrye could try to reassure both of them that the disformed often went camping or on other trips together—mainly to get out from under disapproving parents, or difficult Tribal tensions—her eyes widened and she turned back to Gahrye.

"I would… I think I would like to speak with you or your friends further. Maybe," she said, uncertainly. "Perhaps we have more in common than I thought?" Then she looked at Reth and the hint of a smile flashed across her pretty face.

Gahrye was confused. Something unspoken was definitely passing between these two. But he was smart enough to understand that if they wanted him to know, they would have spoken in front of him.

"That's good," he said carefully, wondering why Reth suddenly looked pleased with himself. "Are you busy now, or—"

"I was going to introduce her to Elia," Reth said quietly. "Suhle is a trusted friend. But if Elia's resting, I'm sorry, Suhle, but we'll need to do this another time."

Suhle nodded and looked a little relieved, which made Gahrye grin. He remembered that feeling. When Reth told you he was doing something with you, you didn't really get a chance to say no. And Suhle didn't strike him as someone who would push for her own agenda.

The two farewelled each other affectionately and Gahrye's interest was peaked. If this was a disformed that Reth trusted, had known for so long… why hadn't they crossed paths before?

But then as Gahrye was about to go, beckoning Suhle to come with him, Reth caught her arm.

"I will look into the issue with the guards," he said quietly. "I will not allow the wolves—any tribe or group—to act in rebellion, no matter their motives," he added. "Don't worry. I will make sure it doesn't happen again."

She nodded, then he let her go and she followed after Gahrye.

"Take care of her, Gahrye," Reth called after him. "She's one of the good ones."

Gahrye waved to him and started for the door, his mind ticking over. When they got out of the cave and into the meadow, he turned to look down at Suhle, who was keeping her head low, though she didn't seem unconfident. Only… wishing not to be noticed.

He certainly understood that.

As they walked, Gahrye's mind began to bring together all the details around this female, and his conversation with Elia.

As long as he remained in Anima his first purpose had to be looking for disformed whose character and conduct made them candidates as Protectors.

If this female had been struggling, training with Reth and Behryn, and was now looking for an escape… perhaps he had something else to offer her.

But first he had to see if she was the right kind of Anima. And she was disformed, so… she was one of them anyway.

"So, tell me a little bit about yourself, Suhle." he asked carefully. "The King obviously thinks highly of you."

"As the Queen thinks highly of you," she said quietly.

They looked at each other then, and Gahrye inhaled her scent to test her for guile.. But instead, his entire being lit up.