“Naturally. As I said-blood bonds-and there is no surer way to follow them. In any case, it is the mother who makes the home.”

    Sybil and Holly both glanced at Kushbu and Powell with amusement to see how they’d taken that news. Both men looked disbelieving, irritated, and uncomfortable. Sybil could see they were regretting the decision to stay. She discovered, however, that she felt a good deal better about her own decision, not nearly as intimidated by the fact that the males in the room outnumbered the females by about six or seven to one.

    There were a surprising number of women for all that considering that it was a military gathering. She wouldn’t have thought, given what he’d said about their society, that women would be inclined to want to join the military. It sounded as if, on their world, they held a great deal of power.

    Maybe that in itself explained it, though? With power came responsibility. Or maybe it was just customary in their society for all young people, male and female, to serve?

    That didn’t seem to fit, however, not when the men outnumbered the women-unless there was simply an imbalance of the ratio of men to women on their world? She might have speculated on it longer except that the first strains of music began to play and the soldiers began to form into groups.

    The music was lively and so was the dance. It reminded her strongly of old fashioned country dances she’d seen in old vids, although, not surprisingly, neither the steps or the movements were like anything she’d seen. By the time it ended, the dancers were breathless and relaxed enough to smile and talk with one another animatedly.

    “Would you care to try it?” Anka asked politely when the next song began and the dancers began to form up once more.

    Sybil grimaced. “I don’t think I could. I don’t know how to dance like that.”

    “No one expects you to know it.”

    Sybil chewed her lip, wavering, but it did look like fun. “Promise not to laugh?”

    He grinned at her. “I give you my word.”

    She glanced uncertainly at Powell. He flicked a look at Anka and shrugged. Taking that as permission to participate, Sybil allowed Anka to lead her out to join the closest group. She discovered it was a lot more invigorating than she’d expected, but she was pleased that she managed to follow the steps fairly well. Breathless by the time the song ended, she was more than happy to find a chair and collapse. Anka followed her but disappeared as soon as she sat down. He returned with a glass of water while she was searching the sea of dancers for the rest of her crew who’d disappeared.

    She took the glass gratefully. “I’m not nearly as fit as I thought I was,” she murmured ruefully.

    “I instructed them to turn up the cooling. It’s cool enough ordinarily, but we rarely engage in anything quite this vigorous.”

    For some reason the comment instantly connected in Sybil’s mind with vigorous sex. She wasn’t certain why unless it was his conversation of before. Ignoring the blush that gave away her thoughts, she smiled at the humor in his voice. “You don’t have to stay with me. I’ll be happy to sit here and catch my breath.”

    “I’ll be happy to sit with you and catch my breath. I’m not as young as I once was.”

    Sybil sent him a searching look, surprised to realize it hadn’t even occurred to her to wonder what his age might be. He looked young, but how did they look when they were older? She supposed, after a little thought, that he couldn’t be very young or he wouldn’t have attained the rank he held.

    He grimaced at the speculation in her eyes. “As it happens, I’m in my prime. That was meant to be humorous.”

    Sybil chuckled. “And wasted on a human. A feril would’ve known immediately that you were joking.”

    Something gleamed in his eyes. “Perhaps-maybe not. Maybe I look very youthful for my age?”

    “And maybe you look older than you actually are?” she suggested, smiling.

    He studied her face. “Maybe.”

    “How old do you think I am?”

    His gaze flickered over her face. “Oh, that’s completely immaterial to me as long as you’re breedable,” he said lightly.

    Sybil gaped at him, feeling her face redden.

    He chuckled. “I am fascinated by the way your face changes colors whenever you’re disconcerted. You do realize that?”

    “You mean you weren’t serious?” she asked doubtfully.

    “I didn’t say that,” he responded, his lips curling in a smile.

    “So… you were serious?”

    “I usually am.”

    Disconcerted, still uncertain of whether he was joking or not, Sybil studied his face. “You are, aren’t you?” she said finally.

    It was his turn to look disconcerted. He recovered quickly. “So I’m told. Are you ready to dance again?”

    Sybil did a mental inventory and decided she might be able to handle one more dance without passing out… if she rested a little longer. “The next one.”

    Nodding, he settled back to watch the dancers.

    “Exactly how is it that this works?” Sybil asked after a moment.

    He looked a question, but she didn’t believe for a moment that he didn’t know what she was asking. “The courting you told us about?” she prompted.

    “You haven’t noticed?” he countered.

    She shook her head.

    He leaned closer. “Do you see the young man facing Dr. Rains?”

    Sybil searched the dancers until she spotted Holly. “Not really. He has his back to us.”

    “Wait for the turn of the dance.”

    She studied them, watching the man he’d pointed out intently. Finally the steps carried the group into a half turn where she could see both Holly and the man opposite her in profile. She frowned. “I still don’t see…”

    “But his attention is entirely on her. He waits until she finally notices his prowess in the dance steps and then he searches for a smile of encouragement.”

    Holly finally looked up, did a double take when she discovered the man in front of her was staring at her pointedly, turned first white as a sheet and then as red as fire. Sybil clapped a hand to her mouth to stifle a snort of laughter. “Poor man! He’s been slighted.”

    Anka chuckled. “Ah… if he were human, perhaps. We ferils are made of sterner stuff. He’ll try again.”

    Sybil looked at him, smiling faintly. “That’s all the encouragement you need? A smile?” she asked teasingly.

    His eyes darkened. “It’s a certain smile we look for, a look in the eyes. When a woman looks at a man a certain way it’s an invitation.”

    Sybil felt her face heating up again. She looked away, realizing abruptly what he was saying. Her heart began to thump like a trip-hammer.

    “Yes or no, nodia?” he asked in a husky whisper.

    Sybil swallowed convulsively, trying to decide whether she was more excited or more terrified. As confused as she was, however, the thought of refusing him was almost scarier, not because she was afraid of him, but because she feared she would always regret it.

    It still took a tremendous effort to look at him. “Yes,” she said a little hoarsely.

Chapter Six

    Sybil wasn’t certain if it was her that was shaking or Anka or both of them, but she felt so weak and trembling when she settled her hand in his that she felt downright faint. Almost like a sleepwalker, she rose when he stood and urged her to her feet, following him as he led her from the room.

    He paused outside and turned to her, studying her face intently. “You’re afraid?” he asked harshly.

    “Terrified,” Sybil responded before she thought better of it.

    Something flickered in his eyes. “It isn’t supposed to be that way, nodia. Come, I will take you back to your quarters.”