Total pages in book: 148
Estimated words: 139178 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 696(@200wpm)___ 557(@250wpm)___ 464(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 139178 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 696(@200wpm)___ 557(@250wpm)___ 464(@300wpm)
“One forgets how children are,” she’d said. “I recall a great friend of mine being astonished when her grandchild decided quite firmly that she was to be Fifi.” Laughter. “Less of a Fifi I have never known—and how she’d glare if anyone but her granddaughter said it to her.”
Elena and Raphael had stayed in a nearby city for a couple of days, in case their son got homesick, but Nix was in heaven in his grandmother’s city, where he was both spoiled and petted—and treated as just another child. Cherished, but allowed to run wild with the pet pups of its residents, to have sleepovers with his friends in tents erected by various indulgent adults, and to play battle with the same friends—all safely inside Amanat’s protective dome.
Once in a while, warriors vetted directly by Caliane would even take them out to fly alongside the horses. All had been with Caliane for the long term, but she’d made sure to get Raphael and Elena’s approval on the flights nonetheless.
Tigress had, of course, gone with him to Amanat.
Their astonishing, wonderful Bengal was gone. He’d left them two years earlier during a visit to the Refuge, saying his goodbyes before he walked out into the mountains with Naasir by his side.
“He wants to spend the time to come in the snowy wilderness where he was born,” the chimera had explained to a sobbing Phoenix, his hand tender as he stroked back Nix’s hair. “I will watch over him the whole way, make sure he makes it safely to his favorite sunning spot.”
“Promise?” Nix had demanded through his tears as he knelt to put his arms around a purring Bengal.
“I promise—as I promise to visit with him so long as he’ll have me.” Naasir’s voice had gentled even further. “He says he has had the most wonderful life with you, full of adventure and play. Now he’s old and he needs to rest.”
“W-will he be lonely?”
“No.” A smile from Naasir. “His clan is waiting for him.”
Nix had hugged his pet for a long time, his tears sinking into Bengal’s plush fur, before he’d raised his head and stroked Bengal one last time. “Love you, Ben.” A trembling statement, his lower lip quivering. “I’ll fly to visit you when I’m big.”
Bengal had nuzzled his hand, before turning and beginning to pad slowly away with Naasir, his daughter on his other side. Elena, Nix, and Raphael had followed them all the way to the edge of the Refuge.
Father and daughter had rubbed cheeks at that point, then Bengal had turned to say one last thing to Nix in their secret language that had made Elena and Raphael’s crying boy laugh…after which, Bengal had bounded away, Naasir by his side.
Elena had felt the not-housecat’s tiredness, the age of his bones over the past weeks as he slept in her lap, and had known he’d put on the show of agility for Nixie, so that his young friend wouldn’t worry about him.
Elena’s own tears had fallen hard and fast.
Nix still talked about Ben having fun in the mountains, and Elena would never disabuse him of that notion. She, too, liked to imagine Bengal in his sun spot on snow-dusted rocks, other plush not-housecats sprawled beside him as they spoke in a language secret and primal.
Having Tigress around helped—she’d always been a more playful personality than her sire, and that playfulness both made Nix laugh and made her quite the favorite in Amanat. She even had her own little cat palace, complete with a velvet sleep cushion and different anklets that the maidens changed out for her at her wish.
Caliane had also welcomed the Legion should Elena and Raphael wish for the warriors from the deep to stay with Phoenix, but they’d decided it was good for Nix to have some distance from their constant presence. The last thing they wanted was for his love for the beings to turn into resentment.
As evidenced by his parents’ calls with Nix over the time he spent in Amanat, he’d loved it.
But he’d also raced into their arms when they returned to pick him up after his two-week-long sojourn. “Mama! Papa!”
It had been a sweet homecoming, his hair tumbled and his fresh clothes already bearing a smear of dirt. Elena’s arms had wanted to hold him tight and never let him go…and that’s why she had to. Because she wouldn’t destroy her son’s bright spark of a spirit by crushing it with her ravaging fear.
So he’d by now stayed with Uncle Blue and Uncle Adi as well as with Lady Sharine and Titus—Shari-grandma and Tito to him. And, of course, he’d been in paroxysms of delight when he spent a week hanging out with Zoe, Izar, and Nasien after Elena and Raphael left the Refuge to attend an event in Zanaya’s territory. He could’ve come with them—but why would he when he could learn all about making swords with Zoe, and how to track snow tigers with Izar and Nasien?