Chapter 6

Khiara's fist slams onto the table making the bottle and glasses jump even as I do too. My chair screeches as it slides back and on instinct I raise my arms protectively over my face. The meep sound that comes out of my throat is embarrassing, but his sudden outburst is not only surprising, it's terrifying.

"Don't even say it," Khiara yells, standing up so fast that his chair falls over with a clatter.

One glance at Dilacs is all I need to see his rage. His lips curl back to reveal his canines, his tusks glisten, and his heavy eyes narrow even further. He clenches his hands into fists and grits his teeth, not rising to meet his brothers challenge. Khiara glares, heavily huffing, willing his brother to defy him.

"Maybe—" I start, trying to say something to defuse the situation but Dilacs cuts me off with a single glance.

Despite everything when he locks his beautiful, heavy eyes onto me a shiver runs right into my core. His eyes lashes are so long and thick that I'm jealous. It's not fair for a guy to have such fantastic lashes.

"Khiara," Dilacs says. "You are right to be worried?—"

"Don't be a fool!" Khiara yells. "No. This is not a debate. We will not engage in rumors and innuendo. You know?—"

"You're wrong, brother, and you know it," Dilacs interrupts.

Khiara's eyes all but bulge out of his head. His face turns a weird shade and his lips tremble with what I assume is barely contained rage. He pulls one arm back, cocking his fist and it's clear he is about to throw it. Dilacs doesn't move, watching and waiting. Khiara raises his arm, fist shaking, then he growls and drops the cocked fist to his side.

"Gada," he curses, one of the few Urr'ki words I understand which roughly means shit.

He spins around, picks his chair up and slams it onto its feet. Then he goes to the cabinets and gets a towel which he uses to wipe up the spilled drinks from the table. Dilacs and I watch in silence as he cleans then puts the towel away. He takes his seat and still no one has spoken. Khiara refills the drinks and we each pick ours up.

I'm following suit because I don't know what else to say or do. This is different than anything I've known with these boys. I've seen them fight, come to blows, be happy and making fun of each other, and everything in between. This, though, it feels different.

Khiara holds his glass out to the middle of the table. It hangs there waiting. I dart my eyes from him to Dilacs and back unsure what is happening or what I am supposed to do at this point. Dilacs moves his arm languidly, as if there isn't really a care in the world for him, taking up his glass and raises it to his brothers. They don't clink and drink like I've seen them do before. Khiara seems to be staring at the glass but Dilacs's eyes move to me. I bite my lip, pick up my glass and mimic what I see them doing.

Khiara inhales deeply then he hums. It's a low, thrumming melody. He begins then Dilacs adds his voice to it. Panic rises. I don't know what they are doing or what part I am supposed to play. The brothers close their eyes as they hum. It's a pretty tune, though I've never heard it before in my life.

"Until the mountain calls us home," Khiara says, at last.

He pushes his glass forward, clinking it against Dilacs's and mine. They both toss their drinks back and I brace myself then do the same. The burn is explosive and momentarily blinding. I gasp as my eyes water and my mouth corkscrews. The dark liquid sears my gullet and I'm pretty sure I just lost most of the tastebuds on my tongue. The burn hits bottom, raging like an inferno, then my stomach churns and it becomes a pleasing warmth that spreads out to my limbs.

When the burn eases enough for me to open my eyes the brothers are both staring at their empty glasses. The air is heavy with unspoken words and thoughts. I quietly set my glass down on the table, trying to not wince when it sounds too loud.

"All options," Dilacs says.

Did I miss something? I watch Dilacs and then look at Khiara but no I don't think I did. This is the way they are. A lot of times they don't need whole thoughts spoken to understand one another.

"Yes," Khiara agrees nodding then he looks up and his eyes lock on to mine.

My heart swells and there is an ache in my chest. I like him. I care for him. A lot. A tiny, propitiative part of me wishes I felt the same way for him that he clearly does for me, but I don't.

I'm sorry, Khiara. Truly, I am. You are a kind, sweet, loving man. You will make some girl very, very happy, but the heart wants what the heart wants.

Which I know will hurt him. Hurt him bad and I don't want to do that. Not in the slightest.

"So we talk to them?" Dilacs asks.

"Uh," I say, forcing myself to break eye contact with Khiara's soulful eyes. "What are we talking about?"

"There is a resistance," Dilacs says.

"No," Khiara interrupts. "There are rumors of a resistance to the Shaman."

Dilacs shrugs and nods towards his brother indicating his agreement with the correction.

"You think they were the ones who attempted to kill him?" I ask.

The brothers look at each other and Dilacs shakes his head negative.

"We don't think so," Dilacs says.

"I hope not," Khiara says.

"You do?" I ask.

"Yes," he grumps. "If that was them then they will be next to useless."

Dilacs laughs a sharp, barking sound. Okay, his laugh is less than great. But it doesn't outweigh all the things I find attractive about him.

"True," Dilacs says, reaching for the bottle.

"Do one of you know how to find out more?" I ask.

"We will," Khiara says. "I have some ideas where to start."

I chew on my lip debating if I should say what's on my mind. It's a dangerous thought. As well as I feel I've come to know these two this is a line I've never dared cross. Even when they've stood up to the Maulavi to keep them from inflicting pain or violence, that's different than this.

Fuck it. What's the worst that can happen?

"Are we… are you saying…" I'm so nervous my mouth is too dry to form words. My stomach churns and dances and my skin is itching. "The Shaman, are you, uhm, withdrawing?—"

"Support?" Dilacs asks softly.

"Uh, yeah, support. Yeah."

He looks over to his brother, allowing him to take the lead.

"That is a good way to put it," Khiara says. He leans forward so that he's half over the table and the way he does it or the air about him pulls me and Dilacs in too. "Withdrawing of support. Yes. That is it exactly isn't it."

"I agree," Dilacs says.

I smile, glad that I have contributed something.

"But what now? The riot, the Maulavi, all of it," I ask.

"One of the other humans stays with Bhoja," Dilacs says. "I know him. We worked together at a saravam when I was young."

"Good," Khiara nods. "City guard, right?"

"Yeah," Dilacs agrees.

"I've done patrols with Mazabuta," Khiara says. "I will try to feel him out."

"And I will stay home, like a good woman, and clean the house."

I say it as a joke but both of them look at me with faces I can only define as horrified.

"No!" Khiara says.

"Gwen—"

"Guys, it was a joke," I say, shaking my head.

"Oh," Khiara says, leaning back in his chair.

"I thought you were serious," Dilacs says.

"I would never relegate you to being a cleaner," Khiara says. "You are much mo?—"

He cuts his own words off, turning his head away from us. He raises on hand to the side of his face and drops it away then clears his throat.

"My brother simply means he does not consider you as nothing more than a slave. Neither of us do."

"I know, thank you," I say. "I meant it as a joke. This… all of this… it's just so serious. I mean, I know it is, but… still. I thought a joke might ease the tension. Sorry it was misunderstood."

"It is fine," Khiara says, coughing and rising to his feet. "It is late. Dilacs you should stay here rather than risk the streets tonight. Tomorrow I'll also need to see about getting a mason in to repair that."

He points at the crack in the ceiling which I'd all but forgotten about.

"Yes," Dilacs says. "On both counts."

I take the hint and get up too. They gave me the bed the day I was put into his house and I've tried arguing it over and over but long ago gave up on winning that fight. So I go up the stairs with heavy thoughts and steps.

As I lay in bed I hear them talking. They're speaking softly, but their rich deep voices carry anyway.

"If we get caught—" Khiara says.

"We must not," Dilacs answers.

"It is not only our own lives," Khiara says. "Hers is on the line as well."

"I know," Dilacs says. "But that is the situation whether we act or not."

"True," Khiara answers. "That does not mean I have to like it."

"The mountain does not care for like or dislike. It simply is."

"Don't quote philosophers to me. I am the older one, that is my duty," Khiara says sharply.

"Then step up, old brother," Dilacs says. "For tomorrow we take destiny in our own hands."

Khiara barks, a sharp harsh sound that I know is his laugh. Much like his brothers, not his most attractive feature.

I roll over and try to go to sleep while my mind races around just how incredibly screwed I and all of us really are.