The LEVELER King ✔

BOOK 3: CHAPTER 12

Indel watched as Nala crossed the room, agitated. The root of Nala's upset was easy enough to guess: Indel's stage had come without warning. Their time together had been tepid at best; Nala going off into the woods at night and returning.

Each time she'd gone Idsel had watched the door. He knew he could have gone, too, but hadn't for months. Now he was Indel and Nala refused to acknowledge him.

When Nala passed by, Indel caught her by the arm and pulled her to sit beside him.

Outside the boys set about their mischief.

It was rare that they were ever alone inside the barn.

Instead of Nala pulling away—as Indel feared—the Summoner slipped her hand into Indel's grip.

It was as Indel suspected; Nala favored this form above all others. The way her body warmed, the way Nala's breathing shortened, even the way her body darkened.

Indel rubbed his main finger along Nala's hand to find it slick; Nala was secreting.

"Are you no longer cross with me?" Nala asked.

Shaking his head, Indel kept his eyes on the shine forming as he spread the oil of Nala's skin.

"I was never cross. You gave me a strange look, and you know how impatient and irritable I am in this stage." When he pressed their cheeks together, Nala's body dripped from the secretions. This was the most oil to come after all these seasons.

"Mana," Nala gasped. "Not here."

Unlike Nala, Indel was still in full control of his body. "I know. I can wait until the night. But I wish to partake of you long. Far longer than we've had." Cheeks still touching, he whispered. "Long and deep."

A shriek from the ino erupted through the stillness, rousing them to take notice.

Indel stood, his hearts pumping out of rhythm. "What now?"

It was a warning cry and it only intensified.

He considered it luck and misfortune that he was in this stage. He could reach the first easier in the face of true danger, but it would take a great deal of fear to overcome his hunger for mating instead.

He held Nala back as the Summoner stood with the intention of intervening.

"You are unfamiliar with this stage," Nala said, stepping past him. "I will protect you."

Indel watched her go. When he remembered himself, he hurried to overtake Nala and swung open the door.

Boon, his body littered with far less armor than his brother, sat atop Crane's belly, striking him again and again in the face.

Each strike made the scales on Crane grow.

Eventually, Crane shoved him off and reversed their positioning, allowing him to strike Boon in the chest and throat with all his might.

"It's mine! It's mine! You cannot have it! It's mine!" Crane hit him again and again.

Taking a stone shovel from the side of the barn, Indel moved swiftly toward them. He struck without hesitation, catching Crane in the shoulder.

The boys finally separated, Indel growled between them, letting off a shriek.

Upon hearing his words in the old language, Crane obeyed, kneeling with his head hung.

Boon took a running start as he rammed his shoulder into his brothers back. Indel watched them, confused by Boon's actions. He gave the same command again. Only Crane held true, not moving a muscle even with the strikes.