"It's an Earth term for Healer," she told him.
"I see." As he continued to watch her, she raised a questioning eyebrow. "You never left the side of the other males once the educator was on."
"No."
"Is there something about this Craig that I should know about?"
"No. It's fine, Luol. Honestly." At his confused look, she corrected. "My vow."
"You need to let Nikhil know if Craig gives you problems, Mackenzie. It is his duty and honor to protect you."
"Honor?"
"Of course. To have a True Mate is the greatest honor the Goddess can give a male. It shows she finds him worthy."
"Shouldn't that be my choice? If I find Nikhil worthy I don't care what anyone else thinks, not even a Goddess." She saw she had shocked Luol. "Humans don't have True Mate beads that we can rely on, Luol. It would be nice if we did." She lifted Nikhil's bead to look at it. "It would make it so much easier, but then again maybe not."
"What do you mean?" Luol frowned at her.
"I mean, and please don't take offense at this, but you say Maysa is your True Mate, even though she doesn't wear your True Mate bead."
"She is," Luol told her angrily.
"But do others believe that?" she questioned. "That she is your True Mate? That she would never remove your Ashe bead?"
Luol opened his mouth then snapped it shut because he knew some males had tried to lure his Maysa away when he was gone. "Are you saying this doesn't happen on your Earth?"
"Oh it does, but we don't have this 'sign from the Goddess' that we've met our Soul Mate. Our True Mate. We have to take it on faith and trust and believe. If I wasn't wearing this," she jiggled the bead she was still holding at him, "would any of you honestly believe I was Nikhil's True Mate? Would Nikhil? He might have offered me his Ashe bead, but what if his True Mate bead suddenly ended up on someone else... What would he do? What would you do?"
Luol gave her a lost look.
"Exactly. You rely on this when maybe you should just trust and rely on what you feel instead."
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
Luol sat in his office later that night, after Nikhil had come to collect Mackenzie, and let himself truly think about what she had said. Their society revolved around their beads. Their past, present, and future were displayed there for all to see, including their worth and value to society. He'd never questioned it before, but now he did. All because of one small human female. If his True Mate bead ever transferred to another, he knew his heart would shatter, knew his Maysa's would shatter too. Would he stay with his Ashe and the life they had created together or would he abandon her for another?
Without a thought, he reached out and entered the code that would connect him to his Maysa.
"Yes?" a soft voice answered.
Her beautiful face, that had creases on one cheek from where she'd been sleeping appeared on his screen and Luol suddenly realized just how late it was on Crurn.
"Luol? Is that you?" Eyes that a moment ago had been blurry with sleep sharpened and filled with fear. "Luol! What's wrong? Are you hurt?"
"No! No, Maysa. I'm sorry I called so late. I didn't realize what time it was there."
"That doesn't matter. What is wrong, my love? You are well?"
"I am fine. I just missed seeing your beautiful face." His words had the fear fading from her eyes. Fear she rarely revealed to him.
"We just spoke yesterday," she told him settling deeper into their bed.
"Yesterday was a lifetime ago," he murmured.
Maysa stilled. "There is something wrong. Tell me."
"Not wrong, I just find myself questioning things I never have before."
"What kind of things?" she asked.
"Our beads," he finally admitted.
"Our beads?" She sat straight up in bed. "Why would you question our beads? They are a gift from the Goddess."
"Are they?" he asked.
"Luol, what's brought this on?"
"I've been treating a human female."
"The one Nikhil's True Mate bead transferred to?" she asked. "The one I sent coverings for?"
"Yes. They do not have Suja beads in their world."
"They don't? Then how do they know who is who in their society? Who their True Mate is?"
"Mackenzie says they have to take it on faith and trust, that there is no outward sign."
"Mackenzie..."
"She has requested that I not use the title," he told his Ashe.
"What? Why would she do that?"
"She had requested it before she had used the educator. I do not know if she understands the significance for us and I have not informed her differently. Nikhil will do that when he finally offers her his Ashe bead."