The Lost Tribe: Maliha the Wanderer (Book 1)

Chimes of Change

"I hope he is okay." Xiuri muttered under her breath but it was loud enough for Maliha to hear.

"You miss him."

"Yes, but I should just get used to this now."

Xiuri's glazed eyes stared over the lake as she chewed on her lower lip in thought. A stray tear glided down her cheek. Xiuri wiped at it but the torrents that flowed from her ducts were too much to stop. Xiuri buried her face in her palms as her shoulders began to shake.

Maliha's body was moving before she could even process what was happening. Her arms wrapped around Xiuri's shoulder as she smoothed her frizzy hair away.

"Xiuri?"

"It was too soon." Xiuri sobbed, her words muffled by her tears and her hands.

"Now he is gone."

At first, Maliha was confused. She couldn't comprehend what Xiuri was saying, her words were ineligible against Maliha's skin, but when realisation dawned on Maliha, she felt a heavy ball of dread gathering in her throat.

"You told Kamir?" Maliha croaked, her eyes pricking with tears.

Xiuri's head bobbed up and down.

Her friend's response sent Maliha's blood boiling.

"That piece of Rak'haan Kaku." Maliha growled, her fist clenching with her desire to strangle the man.

"It's not his fault." Snivelled Xiuri, "It's a lot for anyone to accept."

"You say 'accept' as if you did something wrong! All you needed was his understanding and support and instead this is what you get?" Maliha growled, her hands waving at her friend's tear stricken face.

"Why are all the men in this tribe so dense?"

Maliha knew Kamir was not an evil man, but the way he had dismissed Xiuri after finding out her past, left a bitter taste in Maliha's mouth and she did not like it. She wanted to kill him but then she remembered the longing looks he had been sending Xiuri's way. There was clearly something she was missing and she had the intention to get to the bottom of it before she throttled the warrior to death.

"Not all of them. Ray'et is not so dense."

Xiuri was right. Ray'et was not so dense but Ujarak definitely was.

Maliha gritted her teeth at the thoughts of Ujarak that kept bombarding her throughout her day. Guilt itched at her skin at the acknowledgement that she was still thinking of Ujarak instead of Ray'et. Ray'et was an amazing man, he got along with everyone and had even decided to visit Darsan often while she recovered from herself imposed isolation.

Ray'et was amazing, he was attractive, strong and loyal but still the thought of Ujarak remained a plague to her mind and she hated it.

"Maybe he needs time. My past is a lot for anyone to just, take In." Whispered Xiuri, staring down at her basket of clothes like a lost child.

Maliha huffed. "Maybe he does."

A deep sigh rattled Maliha's chest. Her eyes rolling heavenward because even though Xiuri believed her words had been for Kamir, Maliha had really been thinking about Ujarak.

Maliha had no intention of giving Kamir anymore time. First, she would speak to Ray'et and gage his opinions and then she would go straight to the source. Kamir would realise the error of his ways even if Maliha had to beat it into him. She wasn't a violent woman but seeing Xiuri's downtrodden expression was enough to send even the holiest person into a fitful rage.