Giselle just huffed as she walked beside him.
They entered the manor and Rahela greeted Kagan exuberantly taking his arm and leading him to the dining room. Giselle fell back.
"Oh, is that your pet? How cute." Rahela said.
Kagan glanced at Giselle behind him and caught a mixed expression on her face. He thought she was angry but there was something else. Before he could identify the look Giselle schooled her features and stared straight ahead.
"Her name is Giselle." Kagan replied and tried to pull away from Rahela but she held him tight.
"She may eat with the Toufik." Rahela pointed towards the Toufik wing of the manor as they entered the dining hall.
Kagan had to take a moment to not reply angrily. Rahela was only responding to Giselle the way so many Cadi did.
"Come little one. There is room beside me." Ismat, the monk, said as he patted the table.
Giselle walked around the table and sat opposite of Kagan as Rehela positioned herself at his side. This wasn't the seating arrangement he planned but they would have to manage.
"Well this is most unusual but if you don't object Kagan." Rahela smiled.
Kagan didn't really like how Rahela used his name instead of title as if they were lovers or old friends. She acted as if they were mated already.
"So Daimio." The monk spoke and Kagan turned his full attention to the male ignoring Rahela. "It would seem that you have more on your plate than impending war."
Kagan didn't know what to say. He didn't want to misspeak and possibly ruin any chance for when he petitioned the monk to mate Giselle. Already he wasn't quite sure how the servant of Kali viewed her. Giselle was clearly upset for a reason. It was enough to tie him in knots.
"Ismat that is truer than you know." Kagan replied cautiously.
"Kali works in mysterious ways." Ismat continued. "The path she sets out is not an easy one, but it appears she has blessed you with a mate."
Rahela wrapped her arms around Kagan and leaned into him. Kagan tried to pull away, but she clung to him like glue. He wanted to climb under the table as everyone looked from him to Rahela.
Apparently it was common knowledge that he was Rahela's Second. Ismat and the others must have automatically assumed Kagan would bond with Rahela.
Kagan cast a pleading look to Dagaa. The male was no help though unlike earlier he at least looked sympathetic to Kagan's plight.
Giselle looked from Kagan to Rahela. The look of hurt he saw in her eyes leveled him. Giselle quickly lowered her eyes to her plate tugging her cloak tighter around her. She suddenly looked smaller and more fragile.
Dinner finished in relative silence. Dagaa and Bram discussed a few things with Grainne about rebuilding the city. The army would sleep in the abandoned homes rather than their tents for the night. There was more than enough food there that would soon go bad if his men didn't make use of it.
No one discussed the looming army. Kagan was unwilling to discuss strategy for the impending battle till he had a chance talk to Giselle. Dagaa had also agreed her perspective would be invaluable. However given how things were looking it would be morning before they could approach the subject.
When they finally got up from the table. Rahela led him to her and Pirus' former room while Giselle lagged behind. She was really starting to worry him.
"I thought your pet would be sleeping in the Toufik wing." Rahela said as she opened the bedroom door and bid Kagan to follow her in.
From the corner of Kagan's eye he watched Giselle quickly turn around and start heading back down the hall. Kagan was ready for this day to be done and to find out what all had happened to hurt his little pet.
"Rahela if I am to take this room then I think it best if you go sleep in your daughter's room." Kagan told her.
"But I was hoping we might get to know each other better." Rahela said as she reached for his chest.
Kagan stopped her hand with his. The woman's touch made his skin crawl. Maybe it was because of the conjugo mark he shared with Giselle. Or maybe it was Rahela's personality, or just the fact she wasn't the one he desired. Kagan gave Rahela a stern look. She gasped then fled down the hall. Kagan would've laughed at how easily frightened Rahela was compared to his brave pet, but he needed to find Giselle.
Kagan quickly went down the hall the direction Giselle had gone, but as he rounded the corner she was nowhere to be found. Kagan caught her scent, but it was different, a hint of something acrid that gripped his chest and tore at his heart. His little Giselle was in pain.
Kagan rushed into the main hall, but Giselle wasn't there. He headed into the Toufik wing of the manor but none of them had seen her. He went back out to the main hall where he'd scented her the strongest but it had faded. Kagan walked past the front door leading to the street and caught a whiff of her. She had left! He threw open the door and headed into the night.