I watched as Surkah picked up the black sparkled body jewellery and held still as she adjusted it over my neck and around my waist and hips. When she was done, she moved behind me and got to work on my hair. She liked the colour of my hair and wanted to leave most of it down, so she braided the top section of my hair back and used a small black device that automatically tangled itself around my hair when placed on my head.
“What the fuck is that on my head?” I asked in a panic.
Surkah blinked. “There is no direct translation, but it is a small device that wraps around your hair, gets hot, and then, after few seconds, it untangles, and your hair falls in nice big waves. The longer you leave it on, the curlier your hair gets.”
“What in Almighty’s name can do such a thing?”
Surkah was amused. “You didn’t have devices on Earth for your hair?”
“None that I could afford.”
Surkah reached for the device and lifted it from my head. I waited for pain, but none came.
“It didn’t hurt,” I said, surprised.
“Of course, it doesn’t hurt. Why would we use something that would hurt?”
I shrugged. Surkah snickered.
“Sera says your Earthly haircare products are not as advanced as ours are.”
I scratched my neck. “I can’t say if she is right or not. I’ve never had anything put on my hair other than cheap scissors to control the length. I lived on poverty on a war-ridden world, remember?”
Surkah frowned. “I didn’t forget. I just can’t imagine how awful things were for you.”
I didn’t mean for the happy atmosphere to turn sour, so I gestured to my body with a smile.
“Am I ready?”
Surkah instantly perked up. “Yes, and you’re even more beautiful.”
Before I could reply, she called for Nero, who entered the room with his hands clamped firmly over his eyes not a second later. “My princess,” he began. “Kol will cut my eyes from my head if I see his mate naked.”
I smiled. Surkah giggled.
“All is well, Nero,” she assured him. “Not need to hide.”
He didn’t move a muscle. “Is this a test, my princess? I am not very good with tests.”
At that, I laughed. “I’m fully clothed, Nero. I promise.”
He slowly lowered his hands and opened one eye to a slit. When he saw I was clothed, he lowered his hands fully and opened his eyes fully. Then he surprised me by placing his fist over his chest and bowing.
“You’re a sight to behold, Princess Nova.”
When he straight up and smiled at me, I couldn’t help but blush.
“That is very sweet of you, Nero. Thank you.”
He nodded once. “Are you both ready to be escorted from the Ebony? The humans have nearly fully disembarked, and festivities are already underway.”
“Festivities?” I questioned. “What kind of festivities?”
“A grand welcoming feast followed by song and dance, of course,” Surkah answered me. “Tables will line the streets with mountains of food for Maji and our new citizens. The people are very excited about our new additions. The feast will not be until dusk, but the people are all very excited.”
That seemed a little too much too soon to me, but I didn’t want to sound ungrateful. Instead, I smiled and brought the attention back to my outfit.
“Do you think Kol will like the clothing?”
Nero snorted. “You could be covered in tree leaves, and he would still find you the most attractive being in the cosmos. You’re his mate, so he will only every see beauty in you, my princess.”
I placed my hand on my chest. “Nero, that’s so lovely of you to say.”
He shrugged, but his cheeks flushed slightly.
“Nero’s future mate will be lucky to have a male who has such a way with words,” Surkah commented. “Do you agree, Nova?”
“I agree.” I nodded. “You’re quite the catch, Nero.”
He scuffed his boot against the floor. “My princesses, I have no interest in a mate. My duty is to the Guard.”
Surkah rolled her eyes. “You can be mated and still have a duty to the Guard.”
Nero scowled at her, and it made her laugh. I watched the exchange with interest.
“You’re the only male, besides Mikoh and Kol, who backtalks Surkah.”
Nero smiled wide. “I am her kin, so I can get away with annoying her.”
I looked at Surkah. “He is your what?”
She was silent for a moment as she thought then she said, “It literally means ‘blood of my relative’. You said the word in your language is cuz-inn, I think. We use the term ‘kin’ when addressing each other often.”
Oh, she meant ‘cousin’. Nero was her, and Kol’s, cousin.
I nodded in understanding. “Whose son is he?”
“My uncle’s and aunt-in-mate’s,” she answered. “Nero is a very special member of our family. He is the only son born to my uncle and aunt-in-mate.”
I blinked. “The only one? But I thought a female’s uva—”
“My aunt-in-mate became very sick not long after she birthed Nero.” Surkah cut me off. “It is a miracle she did not die; Papa says. Thanks to our healers, and the grace of Thanas, she recovered but the mysterious sickness affected her body… her reproductive system, to be exact. Her uva never contracted after the sickness; she never bore another young one. Nero is greatly spoiled because of this. His mother and father love him very much.”
“By love me very much, she means they suffocate me with emotion and question me at every turn to see when I will take a mate and make them a zaza and oba,” Nero said with a teasing roll of his eyes.
I raised a brow. “What kind of son are you to keep them waiting?”
“Ha!” Surkah giggled and clapped her hands together. “Nova agrees with the family. You should take a mate and produce little ones!”
Nero groaned. “You females always stick together.”
I simpered and bumped my fist with Surkah, but she looked down at her hand then to mine with furrowed brows. “Why did you hit me?” she asked, baffled.
I paused. “I didn’t hit you; I bumped you.”
She stared at me blankly, and so did Nero. I smiled.
“I can’t believe I’m going to have to explain what a fist bump is.” I shook my head. “It’s kind of like a high five.”
I was met with more blank stares.
“Oh, my Almighty.” I giggled.
Surkah looked at Nero. “She is amused at us not knowing what she is talking about, kin.”
Nero’s lips twitched. “I can tell.”
“A fist bump like what I just did to you, Surkah,” I said, regaining her attention, “is just a gesture of greeting or affirmation.”
Surkah nodded slowly. “And the highest of fives that you mentioned?”
I cackled. “Just ‘high five’ not highest of fives.”
“Okay,” Surkah said, amused. “What is a high five?”
I lifted my hand in the air with my palm facing Surkah.
“Mirror my action,” I asked. “Then clap your hand against mine.”