Page 35 of Across the Stars (Cosmic Threads of Fate #1)

“He believes she is an omen, warning us that our clan must prepare for a major change in the future. He doesn’t understand how an outsider can appear from within a great Kutsiu, knowing nothing about our land, nor how she could be fully matured without a threadmount.

Everything about her is unusual, and Oekan would prefer to eliminate the threat before it eliminates us. ”

Watai felt as if he’d fallen off Iskzo and into the icy depths of the Great Lake in the Frozen End. He’d known the poor excuse of a male was obsessed with Mae, but he couldn’t believe Oekan had entertained plans to kill her.

“She’s mine!” Watai growled, stepping around his mother to face his sister, ears pinned back and hands drawn in rage. “I don’t care if you’re the next Z’Aymo; I’ll end your threadmate before he lays a talon on her. Do you understand me?”

“I’m not going to stop you,” Darha muttered, unable to meet his gaze. “I keep asking Z’myu why she tied Oekan and me together, and all I get is silence as an answer. I’ve tolerated the male all this time, but I abhor what he’s become...”

She frowned at their father. “And I despise how he’s whispered into your ear, turning you blindly against your own son’s threadmate. I am your daughter, but he’s not your son—Watai is. You’d rather hurt him with your paranoia than embrace someone who has been judged innocent in all of this.”

“No one is killing anyone. Do you hear me?” the clan’s Z’Aymo seethed, her lips pulled back, revealing her fangs.

The gold speckles in her eyes burned as bright as the cooking fires at night.

“I refuse to let fear of the unknown destroy this family or this clan. Z’myu protects us, and she would never have accepted Mae if she thought she was dangerous.

“If anyone decides to interpret their own doubt and fear as Z’myu’s word—if anyone should even speak about attacking Mae—I will banish them to the Sacred Heart of the Z’myu to live amongst the other lost souls until Z’myu tells me they’ve been cleansed of their hatred. Do you understand?”

“Fully, Z’Aymo,” Watai said softly, taking a few steps back and shaking his hands as he tried to relax his body. “I will only raise my ring blade in defense of my threadmate, but know that if I do, anyone who threatens my Mae will not be allowed to live another cycle.”

“Hopefully, it will never come to that.” His mother pinched her lips and turned her gaze to his sister, the clan’s future leader.

“It is your responsibility to keep your threadmate in line and bring him back to Z’myu.

I refuse to step down as leader as long as your cosmic thread is unstable and Oekan is corrupted.

If that means waiting until either of you has younglings of your own, so be it.

I will not allow our clan to be tainted by the very blood that gave it life. ”

“Yes, Mother.” Darha bowed her head, her ears tilted in shame, making Watai regret taking out his rage on her when it was her threadmate he was upset with. “I’ll speak with Oekan and make sure he stays on track.”

She raised her gaze to Watai, her eyes now dimmed. “I’ll make sure Mae is safe. You both deserve to explore your connection without interference from my threadmate, and without having to worry about him being…overly cautious.”

“And I’ll talk to your father more privately,” his mother growled, her gaze fixed on her threadmate.

He bowed his head in surrender. She outranked him, and her words were final.

“No one will attempt to disrupt Watai and Mae’s delicate cosmic thread.

Not when they are already having difficulties, as Mae is not from one of the six clans. ”

“ Uwa’xolu nyi’xyayn, ” Watai’s father said softly, his voice gentle and solemn. He removed his headdress and held it between his hearts, his gaze fixed on the ground. His tail was wrapped around his body, and his ears were tilted back in shame. “Please forgive me for what I’ve done.”

“You can both go. I’d like to speak with Watai alone, without either of you interfering.”

“But—”

“Now!” his mother hissed, glaring at her threadmate.

Watai took a step to the side as he watched his father put his headdress back on and exit the hut. The familiar sounds of wings flapping echoed within the walls, signaling his father’s departure on his Z’myuzo.

Darha picked up her basket containing her new healing balm wraps and quickly bowed to both of them before hurrying downstairs.

His mother sighed as the sounds of her footsteps exiting the bottom floor reached his ears, all of her might leaving her body as she sat down beside her Kylu’Aymo ingredients and tools.

“I wouldn’t hold it against you if you ended up challenging your sister.

” She picked up her bowl and tossed a few leaves into a bowl, her gaze drawn to him.

“Your sister, despite her prowess at hearing Z’myu’s call, has lost her way since meeting Oekan.

Instead of allowing his jealousy toward you to fester, she should’ve gotten him the help he needed so he could focus his energy elsewhere. ”

“I wasn’t lying when I said that I am not afraid to defend what’s mine,” Watai warned, needing to get the truth off his chest. “I will kill him if he dares to go after Mae. She may be weaker than us, but I will defend her and cut him down with my ring blade in front of the whole clan if that’s what it takes.

“His grudge is with me, not her, and he better think twice before turning his wrath on my threadmate. I promise Z’myu won’t recognize him once I’m done with him.”

“I believe you.” As she prepared a paste, she sighed and relaxed even more on the ground.

“Which is why I won’t stop you if it comes to a fight.

You have a strong head on your shoulders, and you are both cunning and fair.

I’d rather have you lead the clan alongside your sister than watch Oekan become the next Z’Awnu. ”

“I’d rather not depose my sister from her well-earned position, but I refuse to follow a leader who is blinded by envy and pettiness.” Watai scoffed, unable to believe the male would dare to endanger Mae’s life.

He knelt beside his mother and took one of the bowls, adding the first ingredients to the basic healing balm she had taught him as a child, and began to crush them together to make a fine powder.

They worked in silence beside each other, making healing balms and supplies for the long growing season, which would bring injuries from all the work required to grow enough food to feed everyone.

“How is Mae adjusting to our way of life?”

“She’s picking everything up quickly,” Watai sighed, hearing her unspoken words.

“I appreciate your concern for both her and our cosmic thread, but I believe we’ll be fine.

She needs more time to learn our language, so I recruited two instructors to train her while I work.

I’m going to work on getting her ready for the trials after our daily evening meals. ”

“What is her preferred weapon?” As she ground a concoction in her bowl, his mother raised an eyebrow at him. “Will she be able to swim all the way to Protector’s Peak?”

“I haven’t gotten around to testing her yet.” He put down his tool and looked down at the pale blue paste, recalling his time with her at the lake. “She has no swimming stamina and wouldn’t make it halfway to the Z’myuzo nests.”

“How certain are you that she has a Z’myuzo as her mount? What if she has a Z’myuze? Or perhaps a Z’myuw? She will have to travel to the other tribes to gain access to their nests.”

“Iskzo and I felt a pull toward Protector’s Peak,” Watai explained, placing a fist between his hearts on his chest. “I believe it wasn’t Mae we felt at first, but her cosmic threadmount being awoken by her proximity.

If I’m wrong, I’m willing to take her to every tribe until she discovers whom she belongs to. ”

“You need to make sure she’s ready for each tribe’s trial,” his mother pointed out. “But until then, she has a lot to do, including learning our language and strengthening your bond.”

Watai agreed, feeling responsible for Mae’s well-being. He knew she had a lot to learn, but he also knew she was capable. He made a mental note to work with her more on the language and to ensure she felt comfortable and safe.

He needed to talk to Xarntu and Yawix about keeping an eye on Mae more closely, especially when they were alone. He didn’t want her to come across Oekan while he was away, knowing the male would most likely harass her.

“I understand that she started basket weaving and other crafts,” she said, her voice kind. “We can teach her the fundamentals of hunting and survival so she can learn about our culture and language while also gaining a valuable skill.”

They continued to discuss the best ways to help Mae adapt to their way of life. Watai knew it wouldn’t be easy, but he was determined to do everything in his power to make sure she succeeded.

He paused his grinding and looked at his mother, who was already staring at him, their gazes locked.

“What if she fails our tribe’s trials?” Watai inquired, dreading having to doubt both his mother’s vision and Mae’s abilities, but he needed to know for certain. “What am I supposed to do, then?”

“Z’myu smiles down on her,” she wistfully replied, as the gold speckles in her eyes began to glow. “She will face difficulties, but she will not fail. Her inner strength burns too bright to allow it.”

“But I know Z’myu can change her mind as well,” he countered.

“And sometimes she doesn’t show you the whole picture, only a glimpse of what’s to come.

Tell me if I should be concerned, not only as my tribe’s Z’Aymo, but also as my mother.

I beg you to tell me if I need to prepare for anything other than the challenges I’m already facing due to our differences. ”

“You have nothing to worry about as long as you protect her and prepare her for what is to come.” She leaned in closer, cupping his cheek as she had done when he was a child.

“Have faith in Mae, my child. Z’myu, as I previously stated, showed me her passing.

She has divine plans for your cosmic thread. ”