Alarielle hurried to get dressed, slipping into her black tunic, leather pants, and combat boots before rushing into the bathing chamber to freshen up. Once she was ready, she emerged to find Malrek sitting on the sofa with a somber expression, his usual energy replaced with an unusual quietness.
“Mal? Are you okay?” Alarielle asked, sitting down next to him.
The little boy looked up at her, his eyes filled with a mixture of uncertainty and curiosity. “Do you think you and Zār are mates?” he asked.
The question caught her off guard, and her cheeks flamed. “I… I don’t know,” she stammered, fidgeting with the hem of her tunic. “How would I even know if we are mates? This is all very new to me.”
“I’m not sure,” Malrek replied thoughtfully, “but Grandpa Mavrick always said that you’d feel
