10 Chapter 10

Surrufus stirred in the centaur’s arms and began to cry. Em instinctively took the infant from Rixa and opened her cloak to let the child suckle. She lay down against the centaur’s flanks, resting her head against the centaur’s waist as the child’s wobbling hooves danced on her bare thighs. Rixa reached down, absently stroking Em’s hair comfortingly.

Tuxtax watched in awe. “How?”

“Elfshot,” she reminded him. “I’ve been a wet nurse off and on for the past couple of decades. I always wanted to have a child of my own, and it helped fill the need.”

“You are so kind,” Rixa boasted, tears in his eyes.

“Just like my sister Eleuthereia,” Tuxtax added.

Em laughed. “Tell me about this mysterious soulmate of mine that doesn’t exist.”

“She took care of me when we were orphaned,” Tuxtax began.

Em smiled. “Aww. You and Alec are both orphaned.”

“She raised him. She put him in my care when he was older, so I could be his friend and mentor,” Rixa added.