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Lar’a snorted. “And people think you’re scary.” She looked at Astrid. “Mal’ik pulled Ethan and his dad out of a burning building back during the occupation. I guess little Ethan developed some hero worship.”
“He’s not little anymore,” Mal’ik pointed out. Ethan was well and truly an adult now, and Mal’ik had a feeling he wasn’t staying as far from trouble as he should. Then again, Mal’ik hadn’t been to Southern Tava in years, but when he was there, it was impossible to get too far from trouble.
“Are they human?” Astrid asked, frowning up at him.
Mal’ik frowned back. “Yes. You sound surprised.”
Astrid blushed a little but pushed on. “I didn’t know any klah’eel helped any humans back then.”
Lar’a scoffed. “Our job was to protect the people. Most of those people were humans. But so were the attackers.”
“After the invasion was over, the violence came from the Resistance,” Mal’ik explained. He didn’t go into details about how much violence or of what sort. The girl may be going to join the Gat’Raph, but she didn’t need those images yet.
Astrid didn’t look entirely convinced, but she shrugged and went back to her stretching. Before Mal’ik and Lar’a could continue their discussion, the screen on the wall beeped.
Mal’ik hadn’t realized how much strain had dropped off his shoulders from the pleasant company and soothing workout routine until he read the message that the meeting was over and Mal’ik was needed back in the entrance hall to escort Oliver out.
“Come for drinks tonight?” Lar’a asked as he stood.
“I’m on close protection duty.”
“Yes, but you’re off in the evening, aren’t you?” Lar’a asked. “We’ll be leaving as soon as this is resolved, and I don’t know when we’ll be coming back to Tava. Serihk will want to see you.”
“And you should meet my dad. I think you’ll like him,” Astrid piped up.
Mal’ik had a feeling he would like her dad. He was already warming up to her.
“They don’t have to be alcoholic drinks,” Lar’a added.
Mal’ik sighed and shook his head. “Maybe. It was good to see you, Lar’a. And to meet you, Astrid.”
“Bye!” Astrid called as he left, and he smiled to himself as he walked down the hall. It had been a long time since he’d interacted with anyone not yet into adulthood. He’d forgotten how much hope and optimism they carried around without realizing it. He hadn’t interacted with anyone of the optimistic sort in years either.
Until Oliver.
Prissy and astringent as he was, Oliver was the most aggressively optimistic person Mal’ik had ever met. He insisted on better, thoroughly believed better was possible, and implicitly believed in his own ability to attain it. It was oddly inspiring.
But Oliver didn’t look optimistic when Mal’ik found him in the entry hall. He was frowning hard and standing ramrod straight. When he caught sight of Mal’ik, he turned on his heel.
“Finally. Let’s go.”
Mal’ik caught up to him before he could storm down the gangway without protection, and they hurried through the hangar and back into the hallways of the estate. Mal’ik glanced down at Oliver as they walked. The human hadn’t been in a good mood before the meeting, and Mal’ik didn’t need to smell him to know the mood was worse now.
About halfway back to their rooms, Oliver opened his mouth and turned to Mal’ik. But then he closed it and looked away.
After a few more moments, Mal’ik found himself opening his own mouth. “What happened in the meeting?”
He didn’t have the right to ask the question. It wasn’t his business. But he did anyway.
Oliver’s lips twisted as he shook his head. “Nothing.”
Mal’ik took the lie in silence even though it stung like his prosthetic interfacing with his nerves every morning. Painful, but necessary. It was good that Oliver would put distance between them, seeing as Mal’ik seemed incapable of it.
But then Oliver sighed, and his shoulders slumped. “Nothing important,” he amended.
They arrived at Oliver’s rooms, and Oliver turned to face him. But he kept his hazel eyes on some point over Mal’ik’s shoulder instead of meeting his gaze. Again he opened his mouth only to close it, and Mal’ik was left to break the silence.
“Can I do anything…” Mal’ik hesitated, unsure whether to use Oliver’s given name or his family name.
