“Damned Healers did some calction. They determined inactivity would damage the humans. This is


    to be their exercise every day,” he finished gripping Rose.


    Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    I knew Rose and I knew she feared water when Basin was not around. Frankly I wasn’t sure she even


    knew how to swim. Poor girl was being tortured sinceing here with every fear she’d ever had.


    “Can your girl swim?” Damien asked gently.


    Basin was silent for a moment before he admitted Rose could not. They had tried to teach her, but she


    couldn’t move in the water like they did. The men feared the women woulde and punish Rose for


    her inability.


    Damien did not understand human psyche, but he understood that Rose felt safe with Basin. Perhaps


    she could Learn from another human with her owners present.


    “Ciara will teach her,” Damien offered, “while you are here.”


    Basin agreed and moved closer to us. He did make a point to remind Damien ves are not women.


    Rose was not a ‘her’ or a ‘girl’. She was an it.


    “Don’t be foolish and believe everything you have been told, cousins,” Damien Laughed.


    “There is much to learn if you are open to it.”


    That first night with Rose, I just taught her to float. She was so panicked that she could barely


    aplish that. Eventually, I realized if Basin kept a hand on her she calmed down. By the end of our


    evening she could float without any support.


    “That is not swimming,“ Kein informed me several times.


    “If she bes fearful in the water, Master Kein,” I finally exined, “she can float on the surface until


    she calms. It is an important first step.”


    “Don’t call me Master,” was the terse reply.


    “You are not my ve. You are family.”


    I looked up at him stunned. Kein looked impassive, but I felt a tiny bit frantic. His friends did not look at


    the world Like he did. They would hurt me if they thought I was an unowned ve.


    Ang’s Library


    “They won’t harm you,” Damien answered my unspoken plea while watching Basin’s family over my


    shoulder.


    “They know what we would do if they wronged our family.”


    The Large room seemed to freeze in time for a moment. Basin broke the silence as he lifted Rose out


    of the water and then leapt out himself.


    “You have some strange ideas,” he said calmly, “but we have no wish to challenge you. If you say the


    human is under your family protection, we believe you.”


    Stayne’s family had watched the encounter with amusement and followed Basin out.


    “I wouldn’t advertise such strangeness to the other men, though,” Stayne added thoughtfully.


    “They probably would not respect your wishes.”