Nu-reeh’s wings spread and she took off, bounding straight up. I watched in amazement as she soared


    through the skylight above. For being asrge as she was, the woman was unnervingly fast.


    The curses were in my head. Most were about Nu-reeh, some were directed at me. The men wondered


    what possessed me to speak to Nu-reeh.


    “Yes, Mistress,” Kein said harshly, “is all you need to say to her.”


    ‘Not even that,” Evan argued, “watch her and do what she wants. You are not to converse with her.”


    I was an idiot and Lucky to be alive. No one talked to Nu-reeh. It was unheard of to have a


    conversation Like I had been having with therge woman.


    Christof shushed his Brothers’ conversation and looked into my eyes.


    “Some women,” he said gently, “you can have a conversation with, just not Nu-reeh. With her it is better


    to just answer simply. She can be very intolerant. Tosu maye and speak to you. She will easily talk


    to you and enjoys those interactions. Nu-reeh is not like that.”


    I nodded and Looked at him mutely. Nu-reeh had scared the hell out of me and I was still recovering.


    Ang’s Library


    Damien stalked over and grabbed the pad from the table before thrusting it at me. “Find the List,” he


    ordered.


    My fingers trembled as I drew the symbol on the pad. An enormous List appeared before me. The pad


    instructed me it would teach me each subject until it was done.


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    The first topic to pop us was a mountain range.


    After a kiss from each man they Left me to go back to the sorting room. Kein had settled me at a


    kneeling chair and instructed me to learn well.


    Rose came out of her apartment and so did Fuji once everyone was gone. They’d seen the interaction


    with Nu-reeh and it had scared them both.


    “She is anxious,” Rose diagnosed correctly sitting beside me. “Her temper is short. You must do as she


    asks, although I fear even that will not save you from punishment.”


    I agreed with Rose and tried to read quickly. My friend sat beside me knitting a nket. Fuji wandered


    back into her suites to continue cleaning.


    Fuji had said her men had made a mess of the bedroom the night prior. She had fought them Like they


    Liked and they’d torn the room apart. Rose and I bothughed at how much Stayne and his Brothers


    liked Fuji’s fake resistance.


    Damien and his Brothers were loud in my head. Once they had time to process what Nu-reeh had said


    they understood better. The men that the bandits took belonged to Nu-reeh. Their disappearance upset


    her greatly. That may exin why she was treating us so oddly.


    Evan talked casually to the men in the sorting room. He wandered family to family gathering


    information. They told him that Nu-reeh had been getting a shorter and shorter temper over the Last


    several moons. The loss of the families under her care had angered her greatly. She was tasked with


    protecting men, their loss hurt the whole.


    Breeding was difficult and women did not conceive easily. The women were desperate to conserve the


    poption that was Left. Losing men was inexcusable.


    “Ciara,” Rose called in quiet, sing song voice, “you do not appear to be concentrating,” she


    commented.


    I had not been. The conversation with the men was in my head and distracting me. It was very difficult


    to be in several different ces at once. Looking at her I smiled and resolved to pay attention to what I


    was doing.


    “Read to me,” she offered shyly, “I will help you focus.” I did as Rose asked and she was urate.


    While I was busy reading and speaking, I was less distracted by Damien and his Brothers.