Harwal, book 3

Chapter 19

Grandma spent the whole dinner time berating me on my food making skills, complaining how I haven't learned anything from her. I find it quite amusing for a while, considering it's the leftovers she made yesterday, but as she keeps on going, it gets on my nerves.

I have a small fight with her, and she keeps on going about how rude and ungrateful I am until evening. As she finally goes to sleep around half nine, peace falls on us yet again.

I've been waiting for her to scatter, and now I'm only waiting for Harwal to disappear for just a moment. I've been fidgety, shifting my position on the sofa for a long time. Then Harwal finally goes to use the bathroom.

I lean into Dante, sitting next to me on the sofa. "Do I smell different?" I whisper.

He looks at me with an odd expression and sniffs. "No?" He sniffs again and shakes his head. "Did you buy something new that I should smell?"

I continue leaning on his side and wrap my arm around him. "Try again." This is a good way to check without asking Harwal if he marked me.

To say I've been awkward with him is an understatement. I managed at first, but the more I met eyes with him, the more uncomfortable I got. I can't help but think about the sex. My aching body isn't helping the case. I've been trying to hide every wince and grunt, but it seems like every time I do it, Harwal is watching.

Dante hugs my neck and pulls me closer to sniff gain. I wait, my heart hammering wildly, waiting for the doomed words to come out, but he shakes his head.

I narrow my eyes at him and sniff my arm. "Are you sure?" I keep my voice hushed.

Dante smiles and presses his nose on my head with a big whiff. "Are you supposed to? You smell like ash, soap, and you."

"What about here?" I arch my neck and point at it, but at that moment, Harwal comes out of the bathroom and sees Dante sniffing at my neck.

He huffs loudly, and his eyes sparkle with amusement, I think. Fuck my life.

"Other than that, I only smell food," Dante says and perks up as Harwal sits across the coffee table on the floor. "I wanted to ask something from you, Harwal."

Harwal keeps his gaze on me for a while longer, as if to laugh at me, and then turns to Dante. "What is it?"

Well, that was embarrassing. I sink my head down and curse his timing.

"You mentioned the maturing ceremony," Dante starts, and I start listening intently. "Do I have to have one as well?"

I straighten and stare at Harwal with Dante. That's something I didn't even think about. What happens when Dante is of age?

Harwal sighs, and my heart drops. "Unfortunately, you now have my blood, so you have to go through it. Your Zohra blood was weak before, so it was unlikely you would go mad."

Dante's smile doesn't drop at his word. Rather, he smiles wider. "I don't think it's unfortunate. I could be dead if not for you."

I bite my lip and almost burst into tears at his words. God, why does a child so young even think about dying?

Harwal meets my gaze and tilts his head. "It doesn't hurt."

I wave my hand on my face to try and dry up the tears that bubble up. Dante turns to me with a frown. "What's wrong?"

I smack Dante's arm and shake my head. "Don't talk about dying."

"I'm fine, mom," he says and wraps his arm around my shoulders. "Don't worry."

I thread my hand around his neck and pull him to my chest. I pat his head and kiss the top of it. "You're my sweet little baby, of course I worry. Don't say such things anymore."