Page 31 of Dark Destiny: A New Thread in the Tapestry

Khiann's eyes stayed on her, and his hand did not move at all, which she was learning to read as its own answer.

Perhaps his reluctance to see Kian had nothing to do with fear of him.

What if he resented her for having children with humans?

She had told him about it while he slept, and she doubted he had heard any of it, let alone internalized it.

"If this is about my children, you have already met one of them since waking up. Alena, the beautiful blond woman who keeps me company, is my firstborn daughter. You know who I am talking about, right?"

There was one squeeze.

"She is lovely, is she not?"

Another squeeze.

"And she has nothing but good intentions toward you. Do you believe that?"

There was no squeeze, which meant he was not sure.

As the door behind her opened and the scent of Alena's perfume intensified, Annani turned and motioned for her daughter to come closer.

"What is it?" Alena crossed the room and stopped beside Annani's chair.

"Khiann is afraid of Kian visiting. I wanted to remind him that he has been seeing my child since he opened his eyes, and no harm has come to him from you."

Khiann looked at Alena.

Then he looked at their two hands, then back at Alena's face. His eyes widened a second time, and this time Annani understood.

He had not known Alena was her daughter.

"He did not know who you were because you have always addressed me as Mother in English," Annani said.

"You are right," Alena said quietly. "Now he looks at me with fear in his eyes. Why?"

"I wish I knew." Annani lifted her face to her daughter. "Perhaps you should move out of his line of sight. His heart is racing."

Alena glanced at the heart monitor and winced. "Yeah. We don't want him to have a cardiac arrest." She stepped a few feet away.

That was Alena's attempt at humor, but right now Annani did not appreciate it.

She leaned over the bed and rested her hand on Khiann's chest, over his racing heart. "I know you are overwhelmed, and I understand that you do not want to meet the rest of the family yet. Nobody is going to come into this room unless you want them here. Not my children or anyone else you disapprove of. You have only to tell me, and I shall keep them out. I will not be angry with you. Do you understand me?"

One squeeze.

"Are you still accepting Esag, or should I cancel his visit?"

Two squeezes.

She had asked him two questions at once and left him no way to answer either.

"So there are no misunderstandings. You want Esag to come later today?"

One weak squeeze.

Khiann's eyelids started drooping, and he dragged them back up.

"Do not fight this, my love. Rest so you have the energy to welcome your friend."