Chapter Eleven: The Case of the Unidentified Beastman
Dginnie Inlost had developed a theory.
It was a good theory.
It was a thoroughly researched theory, supported by observation, cross-referenced with three zoology textbooks, and reinforced by a series of increasingly desperate internet searches.
Unfortunately, it was wrong.
She sat cross-legged on her bed, her electronic learning device balanced on her knees, and reviewed her notes.
Subject: Kael Veyr.
Observed characteristics:
- Tall.
- Muscular.
- Fluffy ears.
- Very fluffy tail.
- Carnivorous teeth.
- Excellent hearing.
- Excellent sense of smell.
- Unreasonably good at carrying heavy objects.
- Unreasonably good at making Dginnie feel safe.
- Unreasonably good at distracting Dginnie from her studies.
She paused.
The last two characteristics were not particularly helpful for zoological identification.
She deleted them.
Then, after a moment's consideration, she restored them.
They might be relevant.
She had narrowed the possibilities to six major beast clans and eleven minor branches.
The wolf clans were the obvious suspects, but Kael's ears were too rounded, and his tail was much too thick. Several feline clans possessed similar characteristics, but his teeth and facial structure did not match the illustrations.
There were mountain predators.
There were forest predators.
There were several species of large omnivores that had evolved into remarkably human-looking beastmen.
There was even a clan whose members resembled enormous, fluffy mustelids.
Dginnie had stared at those pictures for a long time.
Then she had closed the page.
She refused to believe that the man who could lift a transport engine by himself was secretly a giant ferret.
Although, in retrospect, it would explain quite a lot.
She opened the academy's zoological database again.
Search: large carnivorous beastman, long fluffy tail, rounded ears, high physical strength.
The results appeared.
She scrolled.
Stopped.
Scrolled back.
There was a picture of a large white animal with dark markings, rounded ears, enormous paws, and a tail so thick that it looked like a portable blanket.
Dginnie leaned towards the screen.
"Well, that's adorable."
She read the description.
Snow leopard.
Her eyebrows rose.
She examined the picture more carefully.
Then she looked at the door to the common room.
Then back at the picture.
"No," she whispered.
She enlarged the image.
The animal's face was broad and rounded. Its fur was dense. Its tail was almost as long as its body, and its paws were enormous.
Dginnie looked at the image for another moment.
Then she opened a new search.
Snow leopard beastman human form.
A collection of photographs appeared.
Some showed beastmen with pale hair, rounded ears, and long tails. Others showed individuals with darker hair and more pronounced feline features.
One image showed a particularly large man with broad shoulders and a long, spotted tail.
Dginnie stared at it.
Then she looked at her door again.
"No."
She enlarged the image.
"Absolutely not."
She compared the ears.
She compared the tail.
She compared the jawline.
Her stomach performed an uncomfortable little flip.
There were similarities.
Quite a lot of similarities.
But she could not be certain.
And she was not going to ask Kael directly.
That would be too easy.
Besides, he had specifically encouraged her to investigate.
He had told her to take a guess.
He had laughed when she suggested a carnivorous rabbit.
He had even offered hints.
My clan is known for its strength, territorial instincts, and excellent resource management.
That last part had been suspiciously vague.
It could describe half the beastmen in the academy.
Dginnie narrowed her eyes.
"All right, Kael Veyr. You want a mystery? I'll give you a mystery."
She opened her notebook.
Objective: Identify Kael's beast species.
Method: Research, observation, interrogation of third parties, and systematic elimination of possibilities.
Estimated completion: Seven days.
She considered the estimate.
Then she changed it to fourteen.
Kael was a formidable opponent.
She had learned that much.
-----
Her investigation began at breakfast.
Kael was sitting at the kitchen counter, reading a report on his device. His tail lay curled around the legs of his chair, and his ears moved occasionally as he listened to the morning news.
Dginnie took the seat opposite him.
"Good morning."
"Good morning."
"Sleep well?"
"Very well."
"Dream about anything interesting?"
He looked up.
"Why?"
"No reason."
His eyes narrowed slightly.
Dginnie smiled sweetly.
"Just making conversation."
"Of course."
She poured herself a drink.
"Did you know that snow leopards have exceptionally long tails?"
Kael's ears twitched.
"Do they?"
"Yes. Their tails help them maintain balance in difficult terrain."
"Fascinating."
"They also use them for warmth."
"Very practical."
"Some of them even wrap their tails around themselves when sleeping."
Kael took a sip of his drink.
Dginnie watched him over the rim of her cup.
He looked perfectly composed.
Too composed.
She changed tactics.
"Do you like snow?"
"Sometimes."
"Mountains?"
"Occasionally."
"Cold weather?"
"When appropriate."
She stared at him.
He stared back.
"You're being deliberately unhelpful."
"I have no idea what you mean."
"You're a terrible interview subject."
"Perhaps you should improve your interviewing technique."
Dginnie pointed her spoon at him.
"That sounded suspiciously like a challenge."
"Did it?"
"Yes."
"Then I look forward to seeing your results."
He returned to his report.
His tail moved lazily behind him.
Dginnie stared at it.
He did not look up.
But one ear tilted towards her.
She was certain of it.
The man was enjoying himself.
He was absolutely enjoying himself.
-----
Over the following week, Dginnie discovered that Kael had a remarkable talent for providing information without actually answering questions.
She learned that his clan lived in mountainous regions.
She learned that they were exceptionally good climbers.
She learned that they possessed excellent night vision and could tolerate extreme cold.
She learned that they were territorial, fiercely protective of their families, and known for maintaining long-term pair bonds.
She also learned that they were apparently very particular about who was permitted to touch their tails.
That last discovery came from a senior student in her zoology class.
Dginnie had been studying a diagram of feline anatomy when she casually asked about tail sensitivity.
The student looked at her.
Then he looked at the diagram.
Then he looked back at her.
"Why are you asking?"
"Academic curiosity."
"You're lying."
"I'm an accounting student. We prefer the term withholding relevant information."
He laughed.
Then he leaned closer.
"Is this about someone?"
Dginnie maintained a perfectly neutral expression.
"No."
"Someone with a fluffy tail?"
She nearly dropped her device.
The student grinned.
"Thought so."
Dginnie closed the diagram.
"Can you answer my question or not?"
"Certainly. Among several feline clans, the tail is a sensitive area. Touching it can be an intimate gesture, particularly when the person touching it has been given permission."
Dginnie nodded slowly.
"And if someone allows another person to touch their tail?"
"It depends on the circumstances. But it generally indicates trust. Sometimes romantic interest."
"Sometimes?"
"Sometimes."
"Does it necessarily mean they want to become mates?"
"No. Not necessarily."
Dginnie exhaled.
Excellent.
That was important.
She could continue enjoying Kael's tail without accidentally signing a marriage contract with her fingertips.
Probably.
The student studied her.
"You're not thinking of touching someone's tail without understanding what it means, are you?"
Dginnie looked offended.
"Of course not."
He glanced at her hand.
Then at her face.
Then back at her hand.
She tucked it under the table.
"Thank you for your assistance."
She left before he could ask any more questions.
Unfortunately, her investigation had produced another problem.
Kael's tail was no longer merely fluffy.
It was culturally significant fluff.
Which meant she needed to be more careful.
She would have to ask him about his boundaries.
She would have to understand what he was comfortable with.
She would have to make sure that she did not accidentally give him the wrong impression.
Dginnie wrote all of this in her notebook.
Then she added a final line.
Find out whether the tail is as soft as it looks when he is in full beast form.
She stared at the sentence.
Then she crossed it out.
Then she wrote it again.
Some questions were too important to abandon.
----------------------------------------------
Chapter Twelve: The First Real Argument
Dginnie did not intend to offend Kael.
That was what made the entire incident so unfortunate.
It happened on a Thursday evening, after a long day of lectures and a particularly unpleasant meeting with the scholarship administration office.
She had been told, once again, that her full scholarship was conditional upon establishing a matebond within the first academic year.
She had asked whether alternative arrangements were available.
The answer had been that she could apply for financial assistance, but that the academy could not guarantee approval.
She had asked whether she could continue her studies through employment.
The answer had been that she could, in theory, but her course load made it impractical.
She had asked whether she could appeal the policy.
The answer had been that she could, but the process would take several months.
By the time she returned to the suite, she was tired, frustrated, and thoroughly sick of being told that her future depended on finding a man.
Kael was in the common room.
He looked up as she entered.
"Bad day?"
Dginnie dropped her bag onto the sofa.
"Terrible day."
He set aside his device.
"Come here."
She went to him without thinking.
He opened an arm, and she settled beside him, leaning against his shoulder.
It had become a habit.
When she was upset, Kael listened.
When she was overwhelmed, he helped her sort through the problem.
When she needed reassurance, he offered it without making her feel foolish.
She had begun relying on him so naturally that she had not noticed how much she had come to depend on his presence.
He stroked her hair once.
"What happened?"
She told him.
She complained about the administration.
She complained about the scholarship requirements.
She complained about the compatibility sessions, the contracts, the prospective mates, and the fact that she seemed to be the only person in the entire academy who thought her degree should not come with a romantic deadline.
Kael listened.
He did not interrupt.
Occasionally, he asked a question.
Sometimes, he offered a suggestion.
Mostly, he simply let her talk.
By the time she finished, she felt considerably better.
"Thank you," she said.
He gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze.
"Anytime."
She glanced at his tail.
It was curled beside them on the sofa.
Without thinking, she reached out and stroked it.
Kael went still for a moment.
Then he relaxed.
Dginnie continued talking, her fingers moving idly through the fur.
She was explaining a particularly absurd clause in the scholarship contract when she remembered something.
"Oh, by the way, I found out that touching someone's tail can be a pretty intimate gesture in some clans."
Kael's ears tilted towards her.
"Did you?"
"Yes. Apparently, it can indicate trust or romantic interest."
"Apparently."
She smiled.
"Good thing we cleared that up, isn't it? Imagine if every time I wanted to pet your tail, you thought I was proposing marriage."
Kael's expression changed.
It was a small change.
His mouth did not move.
His eyes did not narrow.
But his ears slowly lowered, and his tail stopped moving beneath her hand.
Dginnie did not notice.
She was too busy congratulating herself on having solved a potential cultural misunderstanding.
"I mean, it's just a tail, isn't it? A very nice tail, obviously, but still. I shouldn't have to worry about every little thing I do being interpreted as a mating proposal."
Silence.
Dginnie finally looked at him.
Kael had moved away from her.
Not far.
Just enough that her hand was no longer resting on his tail.
His expression was calm.
Too calm.
"You're right," he said.
She blinked.
"I am?"
"It's just a tail."
Something in his voice made her uncomfortable.
"Kael?"
He stood.
"I have some work to finish."
He picked up his device and walked towards his bedroom.
Dginnie stared after him.
She had the sudden, unpleasant feeling that she had stepped on something important without realising it.
"Kael?"
He paused at the doorway.
"Yes?"
"Did I say something wrong?"
For a moment, he did not answer.
Then he said, "No. You made your position clear."
He entered his room.
The door closed quietly behind him.
Dginnie sat on the sofa.
She stared at the empty space beside her.
Then she looked at her hand.
Then at the tail-shaped depression in the cushions.
Her stomach sank.
"Oh, no."
-----
The next morning, Kael was polite.
That was the problem.
He was always polite.
But normally, he was also warm.
He greeted her when she entered the kitchen. He asked whether she had slept well. He reminded her that her first lecture had been moved to a different building.
He even prepared an extra portion of breakfast because he knew she would be rushing.
But he did not sit beside her.
He did not tease her.
He did not offer his tail.
And when she reached towards him out of habit, he moved just far enough away that she could not touch him.
Dginnie froze.
He did not look at her.
"Sorry," she said.
"It's fine."
It was not fine.
She knew it was not fine.
She had lived long enough to recognise the difference between someone who was genuinely unbothered and someone who had decided that explaining their hurt was no longer worth the effort.
She set down her spoon.
"Kael, can we talk?"
"I'm busy this morning."
"Oh."
"I'll be back this evening."
He left.
Dginnie stared at the door.
Then she slowly covered her face.
She had done it.
She had somehow managed to upset the one person in the academy who had consistently treated her with kindness.
And she did not even understand exactly how.
She spent her morning lectures distracted.
She spent her afternoon researching feline cultural customs.
By evening, she had identified the problem.
For Kael's clan, tail contact was not merely a pleasant sensation.
It was a private form of trust.
Permission to touch the tail was an invitation into a personal space that most people did not enter casually. Allowing someone to handle it freely, especially during moments of vulnerability, could communicate affection and acceptance.
Kael had let her touch his tail because he liked her.
He had let her play with it because he trusted her.
He had let her curl up against him because he wanted her to feel safe.
And she had treated that trust as a meaningless quirk of biology.
She had not merely misunderstood him.
She had dismissed something important to him because it seemed unimportant to her.
Dginnie sat on her bed, staring at the information on her screen.
"I am an idiot," she whispered.
Then she thought about it.
"No. That's unfair."
She sighed.
"I'm an idiot who needs to apologise."
That was better.
More precise.
More actionable.
She could work with that.
-----
Her first attempt at reconciliation was food.
She knew Kael liked meat.
She also knew he was particular about how it was prepared.
She spent an hour studying local recipes, then another hour learning how to use the cooking unit.
The result was edible.
Technically.
She placed the dish on the kitchen counter with a note.
I'm sorry. I made this for you.
When Kael returned, he looked at the food.
Then he looked at her.
"What's this?"
"An apology."
He examined the dish.
"Did you cook it?"
"Yes."
"Yourself?"
"With the assistance of a machine."
His mouth twitched.
Dginnie brightened.
Then he said, "Thank you. But you didn't need to do this."
He took a portion.
He ate it.
He thanked her.
And then he went to his room.
Dginnie stared after him.
The food had not worked.
She tried again the next day.
She bought him a small gift.
He thanked her and placed it carefully on his desk.
He did not become warmer.
She offered to help him with his work.
He told her that he could manage.
She asked whether he wanted to study together.
He said he had already made other arrangements.
Each response was perfectly reasonable.
Each response made her feel worse.
By the end of the week, Dginnie was thoroughly miserable.
She had not realised how much she relied on Kael's company until he stopped offering it.
The suite was quieter.
Meals were less enjoyable.
She no longer had someone to complain to when her lectures became absurd.
She no longer had someone who could make her laugh when she was frustrated.
She no longer had the reassuring presence of a large, warm beastman who seemed to consider her problems worth taking seriously.
She had friends.
She had classmates.
She had advisers.
But Kael had become something different.
He had become home.
And she had hurt him.
-------------------------------------------
Chapter Thirteen: The Art of Making Amends
Dginnie decided that she needed expert advice.
Unfortunately, the first expert she consulted was her zoology lecturer.
The lecturer listened to her explanation, then looked at her for a long moment.
"Miss Inlost, may I ask a personal question?"
"Please."
"Are you romantically interested in your roommate?"
Dginnie nearly choked on her drink.
"What? No. I mean, I don't know. That's not the point."
The lecturer raised an eyebrow.
"Of course."
"The point is that I offended him."
"Yes."
"And I want to make it right."
"Then you should apologise sincerely and give him the opportunity to decide whether he is ready to forgive you."
"I have apologised."
"Have you explained that you understand why he was hurt?"
Dginnie hesitated.
"No."
"Have you asked what he needs from you?"
"No."
"Have you given him space without attempting to purchase his forgiveness through food, gifts, or excessive acts of service?"
Dginnie stared.
The lecturer smiled.
"That last question was rhetorical."
Dginnie lowered her head.
"I see."
"Miss Inlost, you cannot make someone forgive you on your schedule. You can only demonstrate that you understand the harm you caused and that you are willing to respect their boundaries in the future."
Dginnie thought about that.
It made sense.
Annoyingly, it made perfect sense.
She had been so anxious to repair the relationship that she had turned her apology into another project.
Identify the problem.
Implement a solution.
Measure the result.
Repeat until successful.
But Kael was not an accounting discrepancy.
He was a person.
And he had every right to be hurt.
Dginnie thanked the lecturer and went home.
Kael was in the common room, reading.
She stopped in the doorway.
"Can we talk?"
He looked up.
For a moment, she thought he might refuse.
Then he set aside his device.
"All right."
She sat opposite him.
Her hands were cold.
She had prepared an apology in her head, but now that she was sitting in front of him, the words seemed inadequate.
Still, she tried.
"I'm sorry for what I said about your tail."
Kael said nothing.
"I treated something important to you as though it was trivial. I assumed that because I didn't understand the meaning, it didn't have to matter. That wasn't fair."
She swallowed.
"You trusted me enough to let me touch you, and I made a joke that suggested I didn't value that trust. I can understand why that hurt."
Kael looked at her for a long moment.
Dginnie forced herself not to look away.
"I'm not asking you to forgive me immediately. I just wanted you to know that I understand what I did wrong. I'll respect your boundaries from now on, even when I don't understand them. And if you don't want me touching your tail anymore, I'll accept that."
Silence.
Then Kael exhaled.
"Dginnie."
"Yes?"
"Come here."
She blinked.
"What?"
He held out his arms.
"Come here."
She got up so quickly that she nearly tripped over her own feet.
Kael caught her before she could fall.
Then he pulled her into a hug.
Dginnie made a startled sound.
He wrapped both arms around her, held her close, and rested his chin briefly against the top of her head.
For a few seconds, she simply stood there.
Then she hugged him back.
Very tightly.
"I'm sorry," she whispered again.
"I know."
"I really am."
"I know."
"I didn't mean to hurt you."
He rubbed her back.
"I know that, too."
She drew back enough to look at him.
"Then why were you so angry?"
Kael's expression softened, but there was still seriousness in his eyes.
"Because you mattered to me."
Dginnie went still.
He continued.
"I wasn't letting you touch my tail because I thought it was meaningless. I was letting you touch it because I trusted you. Because I liked having you close. Because I wanted you to feel comfortable with me."
Her cheeks warmed.
Kael looked away briefly.
"And then you told me it meant nothing. That I shouldn't take it seriously. You made it sound as though I was foolish for valuing something that you didn't understand."
Dginnie lowered her eyes.
"I see."
"I know you didn't intend to hurt me. But it did hurt."
She nodded.
"I'm sorry."
He squeezed her gently.
"I forgive you."
Dginnie let out a breath she had not realised she was holding.
Then she did something extremely unwise.
She hugged him again.
And because Kael was large, warm, and very good at hugging, she found herself reluctant to let go.
He seemed to have the same problem.
His arms tightened around her.
His tail moved around them.
Dginnie felt a soft, fluffy weight settle against her back.
She looked down.
Then she looked up at him.
"Kael?"
"Hm?"
"Your tail."
"I know."
"You're wrapping it around me."
"Yes."
"Is that all right?"
He looked at her.
"Is it all right with you?"
Dginnie considered the question.
Then she smiled.
"Yes."
His expression softened.
And just like that, something between them eased.
Not completely.
Not all at once.
But enough that Dginnie could breathe again.
Then Kael suddenly shifted his weight, caught her around the waist, and pulled her onto the sofa.
She squeaked.
He laughed.
"Kael!"
"You've been trying to bribe me with food for a week. I think you owe me a proper apology."
"I just gave you one!"
"That was the verbal portion."
"What does that mean?"
"It means you're going to have to endure a hug."
He pulled her into another embrace.
Then he gently tipped her sideways into the cushions.
Dginnie burst out laughing.
"You're impossible!"
"So I've been told."
His tail curled around her legs.
She tried to wriggle free.
It was like attempting to escape a very affectionate blanket.
"Kael!"
"Yes?"
"Your tail is cheating!"
"My tail is perfectly innocent."
"It has imprisoned me!"
"It has offered you a comfortable place to sit."
"This is not a chair!"
He grinned.
"Would you like me to let you go?"
Dginnie considered the question.
Then she settled more comfortably against him.
"Not yet."
Kael's expression changed.
His teasing smile softened into something warmer.
He wrapped his arms around her again.
For a while, they simply sat together.
Dginnie rested against his chest, listening to his steady breathing.
She had missed this.
She had missed him.
The realisation was uncomfortable, but she could no longer pretend otherwise.
She had been taking his kindness for granted.
He had been offering her support without demanding anything in return, and she had come to rely on it so naturally that she had forgotten he might need support, too.
She lifted her head.
"Kael?"
"Yes?"
"I think I've been taking too much from you."
His brow furrowed.
"What do you mean?"
"You help me with everything. My studies, my problems, my terrible understanding of beastman customs. You listen to me complain. You make sure I eat. You help me when I'm stressed."
"That's what senior students are for."
Dginnie stared at him.
"Senior students are not supposed to function as unpaid emotional support services."
He laughed.
"Perhaps not."
"I'm serious."
"So am I. You were new to the academy. You needed help. I had the ability to help you. Why wouldn't I?"
"Because you have your own life."
"And?"
"And I should be helping you, too."
Kael considered that.
Then he smiled.
"You do help me."
"How?"
"You make the suite less boring."
Dginnie gave him a flat look.
"That is a terrible answer."
"You also remind me to eat when I'm working too much."
"I do?"
"You put food in front of me and glare until I eat it."
"That's because you forget!"
"Exactly."
She opened her mouth.
Closed it.
Then narrowed her eyes.
"You're making fun of me."
"A little."
She tried to look offended.
Unfortunately, she was sitting in his lap, wrapped in his tail, and feeling so comfortable that she could barely remember what she had intended to be offended about.
She looked down at the tail.
Then back at him.
"I would like to propose an arrangement."
Kael's ears perked up.
"An arrangement?"
"Yes. You may hug me whenever you need one, provided you ask first. And I would like to continue petting your tail whenever we're both comfortable with it."
His expression became very still.
Dginnie smiled.
"Purely for mutual stress relief, of course."
Kael's tail gave a sudden, enthusiastic sweep around them.
"Agreed."
She blinked.
"Really?"
"Absolutely."
He sounded so pleased that she began to suspect she had accidentally negotiated a much better deal for him than she had intended.
Then he added, "And you may stroke my ears, too, if you're willing."
Dginnie stared at him.
His ears were very fluffy.
She had wondered about them.
Several times.
She had wondered whether they were soft, whether they twitched when he was embarrassed, and whether they were as sensitive as his tail.
She had not asked because she had been trying to behave herself.
Now he was offering.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes."
"Because I don't want to misunderstand what it means."
Kael's smile softened.
"You can touch them because I want you to. You don't have to make it mean anything more than that."
Dginnie looked at him for a long moment.
Then she reached up and gently stroked one ear.
Kael closed his eyes.
His tail curled more snugly around her.
Dginnie smiled.
"You're very soft."
"Thank you."
"That wasn't a compliment."
"I'll treasure it anyway."
She laughed.
And for the first time in a week, everything felt right again.
-----------------------------------
Chapter Fourteen: The Witness
The door opened without warning.
"Kael, I need your help with the logistics—"
A young beastman strode into the suite.
He had dark hair, a pair of short horns, and the expression of someone who had never encountered a problem he could not solve by talking loudly at it.
He stopped.
He stared.
Dginnie stared back.
Kael opened one eye.
The newcomer looked at Dginnie sitting in Kael's lap.
He looked at Kael's arms around her.
He looked at the enormous tail wrapped around her waist and legs.
Then he looked at Kael's ears, which were currently being gently stroked by Dginnie.
His mouth fell open.
For several seconds, nobody moved.
Then he whispered, "You did it."
Kael closed his eye again.
"Go away, Riven."
"You did it!"
"Riven."
"You finally found someone!"
Dginnie felt her face begin to burn.
"Excuse me, I think there's been a misunderstanding—"
Riven ignored her completely.
He was staring at Kael with the delighted expression of a man who had just witnessed a rare astronomical event.
"Do you know how long I've been waiting for this?"
Kael sighed.
"Unfortunately."
"You've rejected everyone for years!"
"Riven."
"You wouldn't even let that mountain clan girl touch your tail!"
Dginnie stopped moving.
Kael opened both eyes.
Riven stopped talking.
A terrible silence descended.
Dginnie slowly turned towards Kael.
Then towards Riven.
Then back to Kael.
"Oh."
Kael's expression became resigned.
"Dginnie—"
"Years?"
Riven looked as though he wanted to disappear.
Kael closed his eyes.
"Riven, leave."
"Right. Yes. Absolutely."
Riven began backing towards the door.
Then he paused.
His expression brightened again.
"Congratulations!"
"Riven!"
"I'm going!"
He bolted through the door.
His voice echoed down the corridor.
"I KNEW YOU'D FIND SOMEONE EVENTUALLY!"
The door slid shut.
Silence returned.
Dginnie stared at Kael.
Kael stared at the ceiling.
Then Dginnie tried to get off his lap.
She discovered that she could not.
His tail had tightened around her.
"Kael."
"Hm?"
"Your tail is trapping me."
"Is it?"
"Yes."
"How unfortunate."
She looked at him.
He looked back at her.
Then his tail moved.
A great, glorious mound of fur rose around her shoulders.
Dginnie made a startled noise as the fluffy mass enveloped her.
Within seconds, she was buried under what felt like an entire winter wardrobe.
She could barely see.
She could barely move.
She could, however, appreciate the extraordinary softness of the fur.
It was magnificent.
It was warm.
It was so comfortable that she briefly forgot she was supposed to be escaping.
She wriggled.
The tail shifted.
She wriggled again.
The tail settled more comfortably around her.
Dginnie stopped.
She considered the situation.
Then she sighed.
"Well, this is hardly the worst place I've been trapped."
Kael laughed.
The sound rumbled through his chest.
She felt it through the tail.
"You're enjoying this," she accused.
"Immensely."
"I thought we were supposed to be respecting boundaries."
"We are. You're free to leave whenever you like."
"Your tail says otherwise."
"My tail has poor judgement."
Dginnie snorted.
She was still laughing when Kael finally loosened his tail enough for her to sit up.
Her hair was a mess.
Her cheeks were red.
And she was fairly certain that she now had fur on her uniform.
She looked at Kael.
"Your friend is going to tell everyone."
"Almost certainly."
"Everyone."
"Probably."
Dginnie covered her face.
"I am never going to survive this academy."
Kael gently pulled her hands away.
"You'll survive."
"How do you know?"
"Because you're stubborn."
She looked at him.
He smiled.
"And because I'll help you."
Dginnie felt something warm bloom in her chest.
She looked away before he could see it.
Unfortunately, he noticed anyway.
His expression softened.
"Dginnie?"
"Yes?"
"Can I kiss you?"
Everything stopped.
The room seemed to go very quiet.
Dginnie stared at him.
She had been sitting in his lap.
She had been stroking his ears.
His tail had wrapped around her like a blanket.
His friend had walked in and mistaken them for a couple.
And now Kael was asking whether he could kiss her.
She had somehow managed to wander into a situation that would have been unbelievable in her previous life.
She thought about the question.
She thought about Kael.
She thought about her scholarship, her future, her fear of making the wrong decision, and the fact that she still did not know what species he was.
Then she took a breath.
"Not yet."
Kael's expression did not change.
"All right."
"I mean, maybe in the future. When I've sorted myself out."
"All right."
"And when I know what kind of beast you are."
He blinked.
Then he laughed.
Dginnie pointed at him.
"Don't laugh! This is important!"
"It is."
"I need to know whether I'm compatible with your species."
"Fair enough."
"And whether I'm comfortable with the idea of becoming mates."
"Of course."
"And whether I actually like you romantically or whether I'm just emotionally attached to you because you've been helping me."
Kael went quiet.
Then he nodded.
"That's a good question."
Dginnie looked at him.
"You don't mind?"
"No."
"You're not disappointed?"
"Of course I'm disappointed."
She blinked.
He smiled faintly.
"But I would rather have you tell me the truth than agree to something you're not ready for."
Dginnie stared at him.
Then, very quietly, she said, "Thank you."
He squeezed her hand.
"You're welcome."
She looked down at their joined hands.
Then she looked at his tail.
It had curled around her again.
She smiled despite herself.
"Can I stay here for another minute?"
Kael's ears perked up.
"Of course."
Dginnie settled against him.
For one minute, she told herself.
Just one minute.
She was fairly certain it became twenty.
------------------------------------------
Chapter Fifteen: The Man with Six Arms
The compatibility sessions became increasingly complicated.
Dginnie had learned that the academy's matching system was not a simple dating service.
It was a carefully regulated social institution, designed to bring together compatible beastmen, encourage stable relationships, and provide potential partners with enough information to make informed decisions.
In theory, it was an excellent system.
In practice, it was a little like being invited to a business conference where every attendee wanted to invest in her future, provided she agreed to marry them first.
Adviser Merrow continued to oversee her sessions.
She was patient, professional, and surprisingly sympathetic to Dginnie's predicament.
She also had a very efficient way of dealing with people who ignored the rules.
The first such person was a senior researcher who attempted to include a clause in his sponsorship contract giving him the right to determine Dginnie's reproductive schedule.
Dginnie read the clause.
Then she read it again.
Then she placed the document on the table.
"Can you explain this section?"
The researcher smiled.
"It's a standard provision."
"It says that I must obtain your approval before accepting employment or travelling outside the capital."
"That is intended to protect the stability of the relationship."
"It also says that you may suspend my funding if I fail to comply."
"Naturally."
Dginnie looked at him.
"Then I must decline."
His smile disappeared.
"You're rejecting an excellent offer over a minor administrative clause?"
"I'm rejecting an offer that gives you control over my life."
"It's a normal arrangement in my clan."
"Then I hope you find someone who wants it."
She stood.
The researcher looked offended.
Adviser Merrow intervened before he could respond.
"Mr. Serevin, your proposed terms exceed the permitted scope of a sponsorship agreement. We will need to review your eligibility for future sessions."
The researcher left in a huff.
Dginnie sat down again.
Adviser Merrow gave her a reassuring smile.
"Well handled."
"Thank you."
"You should never sign a contract you don't understand or cannot accept."
"I've learned that lesson rather thoroughly."
The adviser smiled.
Then she brought up the next profile.
"Your next appointment is with Professor Halven. He specialises in economic forecasting and interspecies resource distribution."
Dginnie brightened.
"Really?"
"Yes. He's also known for being rather direct."
"I can handle direct."
She could not.
Professor Halven turned out to be a handsome, silver-haired beastman with elegant horns and a manner so polished that Dginnie initially mistook him for a diplomat.
He was intelligent, articulate, and genuinely interested in her academic goals.
He asked about her research interests.
He listened to her answers.
He offered to introduce her to several researchers working on financial modelling.
He even suggested that she might be suited to a future position in economic policy.
Dginnie liked him.
She liked him very much.
Not romantically, necessarily.
But she admired him.
He was the sort of person she could imagine learning from for years.
At the end of the session, he said, "I would be pleased to meet you again."
Dginnie smiled.
"So would I."
And she meant it.
She did not realise that, under the academy's regulations, repeated meetings without rejection could qualify participants for more advanced compatibility sessions.
She discovered this the following week.
Adviser Merrow sat across from her, reviewing her profile.
"You've had several successful introductory sessions."
"Yes."
"You've also established friendly relations with a number of participants."
"I have."
"Then you're eligible for the next stage of the programme."
Dginnie looked up.
"What next stage?"
"Advanced compatibility sessions."
Her stomach sank.
"What do those involve?"
"Depending on the individuals involved, they may include supervised physical contact, such as holding hands, hugging, and other forms of affectionate contact. Kissing may be included if both participants explicitly consent."
Dginnie stared.
"You're joking."
"I'm afraid not."
"But I haven't accepted any of them as a mate."
"You don't have to. The purpose of the sessions is to help you assess physical compatibility as well as intellectual and emotional compatibility."
Dginnie slowly lowered her device.
"Adviser Merrow."
"Yes?"
"I have a question."
"Certainly."
"How did I get here?"
The adviser looked at her.
Then she smiled sympathetically.
"By being friendly, Miss Inlost."
Dginnie covered her face.
She was beginning to suspect that friendliness was a dangerous activity.
------
The six-armed man was the most persistent of her prospective matches.
His name was Orvek.
He was a senior student in advanced engineering, and he had six arms, a broad chest, and a cheerful expression that never seemed to fade.
He was also very difficult to discourage.
Dginnie had rejected his romantic proposal twice.
He had accepted the rejection politely.
Then he had returned to the next compatibility session with a bouquet of flowers.
She had thanked him and reminded him that she was not interested in a romantic relationship.
He had apologised.
Then he had brought her a box of chocolates.
She had thanked him and reminded him that she was not interested in a romantic relationship.
He had apologised again.
Then he had offered to help her with her coursework.
She had accepted the help.
They had become friends.
This, unfortunately, seemed to have convinced him that he was making progress.
He began attending every compatibility session she participated in.
He brought flowers.
He brought food.
He brought little gadgets he had designed himself.
He even constructed a small hovering device that could carry her books between classes.
Dginnie thought it was ingenious.
She also thought he needed to understand the difference between friendship and courtship.
"I appreciate everything you've done," she told him one afternoon. "But I need you to understand that I'm not interested in becoming your mate."
Orvek's smile faltered.
"Not even if we continue getting to know each other?"
"We can be friends. But I don't want you to treat friendship as a step towards something I've already declined."
He was quiet for a moment.
Then he nodded.
"All right."
Dginnie relaxed.
"Thank you."
He smiled again.
"Would you like me to build you a better book carrier?"
She stared at him.
Then she laughed.
"You're impossible."
"That's what my friends say."
Unfortunately, not everyone found Orvek's persistence as amusing as Dginnie did.
Several of the other men pursuing her had begun to regard him as competition.
One attempted to sabotage the hovering book carrier.
Another spread rumours that Orvek was using his engineering position to gain unfair access to Dginnie.
A third tried to convince her that Orvek's six arms made him biologically unsuitable as a partner for a human.
Dginnie rejected the third man immediately.
Not because of his opinion about Orvek.
Because he had spent twenty minutes explaining why Dginnie should choose him instead.
She was beginning to discover that some people regarded compatibility sessions as a competitive sport.
And they were very poor sports.
---------------------------------------
Chapter Sixteen: The Professor and the Snow Leopard
Professor Halven was different.
He was intelligent, patient, and genuinely interested in Dginnie's opinions.
He never tried to manipulate her.
He never concealed important contract terms.
He never touched her without permission.
He did, however, want to become her mate.
Very much.
Dginnie knew this because he had told her directly.
"I admire you," he said during their third meeting. "You're intelligent, determined, and unusually principled. I think we could build a good life together."
Dginnie felt her cheeks warm.
"Thank you."
"I'm not asking you to decide today. But I would like the opportunity to pursue you seriously."
She considered him.
He was an excellent candidate.
He had a stable career, a good reputation, and a temperament she admired.
He was kind without being indulgent.
He was confident without being arrogant.
He respected her intelligence.
And he was very, very handsome.
There was only one problem.
His species frightened her.
Professor Halven belonged to a powerful draconic clan.
Not the enormous, fire-breathing monsters of her childhood fantasies, but a beastman lineage whose members could transform into large, heavily scaled creatures with powerful wings, formidable jaws, and enough strength to crush a transport vehicle.
They were intelligent.
They were respected.
They were also, according to the zoological database, exceptionally protective of their mates.
Dginnie had seen the pictures.
She had watched the educational videos.
She had read the articles.
And she had concluded that, while Professor Halven was an excellent man, she was not entirely certain she could cope with his full beast form.
She could barely cope with Kael's tail.
What was she supposed to do with wings?
Professor Halven seemed puzzled by her hesitation.
"Is there something about my proposal that concerns you?"
Dginnie hesitated.
Then she decided to be honest.
"I'm not sure whether I'm comfortable with your species."
His expression changed.
"Because I'm a dragon?"
"Because you're a very large dragon."
He stared at her.
Then he laughed.
Dginnie felt her cheeks burn.
"I'm serious!"
"I know."
"I respect you. I admire you. I think you're an excellent person. But I'm frightened of your beast form, and I don't know whether I could become comfortable with it."
Professor Halven considered this.
"Have you seen a dragon's full beast form in person?"
"No."
"Then perhaps you should reserve judgement until you have."
Dginnie frowned.
"That sounds suspiciously like a sales pitch."
He smiled.
"Perhaps it is."
She laughed despite herself.
He was so reasonable.
So patient.
So completely different from the people who treated her hesitation as an obstacle to be overcome.
She liked him.
She really did.
And that made the decision harder.
-----
That evening, Dginnie returned to the suite and found Kael sitting on the sofa.
He looked exhausted.
His shoulders were tense, his ears were lowered, and his tail was curled tightly around his legs.
She paused in the doorway.
"Bad day?"
He looked up.
"Long day."
She set down her bag.
"Do you want to talk about it?"
He considered the question.
Then he held out his arms.
"Not yet. I want a hug first."
Dginnie smiled.
"Of course."
She went to him.
He drew her into his lap and wrapped his arms around her.
His tail curled around them both.
Dginnie settled against his chest.
It was comfortable.
Far too comfortable.
She had begun to recognise the feeling.
The way her shoulders relaxed when he held her.
The way the noise in her head quietened.
The way she no longer felt the need to prove that she could manage everything alone.
She stroked his tail.
Kael exhaled slowly.
"Better?"
"Much."
She smiled.
"Good."
They sat together for a while.
Eventually, Kael began telling her about his day.
A logistics project had gone wrong.
A supplier had failed to deliver several critical components.
A senior manager had blamed Kael's team for a problem that had originated elsewhere.
Kael had spent hours resolving the issue.
Dginnie listened.
She asked questions.
She offered suggestions.
She told him that the manager sounded like an idiot.
Kael laughed.
"He is an idiot."
"Then I stand by my assessment."
He smiled.
His tail moved slowly around her.
When he finished, he looked at her.
"Your turn."
Dginnie sighed.
"Professor Halven."
Kael's tail stopped.
"Ah."
She blinked.
"How do you know?"
"Because you have the expression of someone who has encountered a complicated financial decision and is considering whether to classify it as an emotional liability."
Dginnie stared at him.
Then she laughed.
"That's horribly accurate."
"I try."
She told him about the advanced compatibility sessions.
She told him about Professor Halven's proposal.
She told him that she admired the professor, respected him, and thought he would make an excellent partner.
Then she admitted that she was frightened of his species.
Kael listened without interrupting.
When she finished, he was quiet for a moment.
Then he said, "Do you want to become his mate?"
Dginnie hesitated.
"I don't know."
"Do you want to kiss him?"
"I don't know."
"Do you want to touch his beast form?"
She stared at him.
"No."
Kael nodded.
"Then you have some things to think about."
She sighed.
"That's not very helpful."
"It wasn't meant to be."
She looked up at him.
He smiled faintly.
"I would like to chase away every male who looks at you as though you're a prize to be won."
Dginnie went still.
Kael's expression remained calm, but his tail had curled more tightly around her.
"I don't like the way some of them behave towards you. I don't like the contracts they offer. And I certainly don't like the idea of someone pressuring you into a relationship because they think you'll eventually give in."
He paused.
"But I can't make your decisions for you."
Dginnie looked at him.
"I know."
"If you want Professor Halven, I'll respect that. If you want someone else, I'll respect that, too."
She swallowed.
"And if I don't want anyone?"
"Then you don't want anyone."
"But my scholarship—"
"We'll deal with the scholarship."
She stared at him.
He gently stroked her hair.
"You don't have to solve your entire future tonight, Dginnie."
She lowered her head against his chest.
"I wish I could."
"I know."
"I wish someone would just tell me what to do."
"I could."
She looked up sharply.
Kael smiled.
"But I suspect you'd argue with me."
Dginnie considered this.
Then she snorted.
"You're probably right."
He laughed.
She settled against him again.
His tail curled around her legs.
For a long time, neither of them spoke.
Then Kael said quietly, "If you can't find anyone else you want, I'll be here."
Dginnie stopped breathing.
He continued, his voice gentle.
"I'm not asking you to choose me because you're frightened or because you need my help. I want you to choose me because you want me."
He looked down at her.
"And if that never happens, I'll still want you to have a good life."
Dginnie felt something tighten in her chest.
It was not fear.
Not exactly.
It was the uncomfortable realisation that someone had offered her something she had not known how badly she needed.
Patience.
Freedom.
The knowledge that she could say no without losing his kindness.
She looked at him.
Then, very quietly, she said, "You're making this difficult."
Kael smiled.
"I know."
She rested her head against his chest.
His tail was warm around her.
She stroked it gently.
And somewhere in the back of her mind, a question began to take shape.
Do I like Kael?
Not because he was helpful.
Not because he was handsome.
Not because he had a very fluffy tail.
But because he was Kael.
Because she wanted to tell him about her day.
Because she wanted to hear about his.
Because when something wonderful happened, he was one of the first people she wanted to tell.
Because when something terrible happened, he was the person she wanted beside her.
Because she trusted him.
Because she missed him when he was gone.
Dginnie closed her eyes.
This was going to be a problem.
A very serious problem.
And she still had no idea what species he was.
-----------------------------
Chapter Seventeen: The Practicalities of Mating
Dginnie discovered the next stage of the academy's reproductive curriculum by accident.
She was having lunch with several classmates who had already established matebonds.
They were discussing their schedules, their coursework, and the difficulties of coordinating study time with family responsibilities.
One student complained that her mate had insisted on rearranging their entire apartment after they registered their bond.
Another said her partner had become so protective that he now accompanied her to every medical appointment.
A third was enthusiastically discussing the academy's family support programme.
Dginnie listened with growing curiosity.
Eventually, she asked, "Can I ask you something?"
The students turned towards her.
"Of course."
"What happens after you decide to become mates?"
They exchanged glances.
Then one of them smiled.
"You haven't been through the initial mating session yet?"
Dginnie froze.
"The what?"
"The supervised first-time mating session."
Her spoon stopped halfway to her mouth.
She lowered it very carefully.
"I'm sorry. The what?"
The students stared at her.
Then one of them burst out laughing.
"You really don't know?"
Dginnie felt her face growing hot.
"No!"
Another student leaned forward.
"It's part of the academy's reproductive health programme. Once you've registered a matebond, you're scheduled for an initial practical session."
Dginnie stared.
"What sort of practical session?"
The student looked confused.
"An initial mating session."
Dginnie closed her eyes.
She had hoped that repeating the phrase would somehow make it less alarming.
It did not.
The student continued.
"It's supervised by medical staff. They explain the relevant biological differences between the species involved, discuss safety precautions, and make sure both partners understand what to expect."
Dginnie slowly opened her eyes.
"You're telling me the academy teaches people how to have sex?"
"Yes."
"With instructors?"
"Not exactly instructors. Medical attendants."
Dginnie covered her face.
"Oh, no."
The students looked at her with genuine concern.
"Why are you embarrassed?"
"Because I'm discussing this over lunch!"
They laughed.
One of them patted her shoulder.
"Don't worry. Everyone is nervous the first time."
"Everyone?"
"Of course. That's why the programme exists."
Another student nodded enthusiastically.
"They make sure both partners understand how to communicate, how to recognise distress, and how to avoid injury. Some species have very different physical requirements. It's much safer to learn from professionals than to guess."
Dginnie lowered her hands slightly.
"That part makes sense."
"Exactly."
"And what happens if someone loses control?"
The students exchanged another glance.
"The medical team intervenes. They have sedatives available for emergencies, and the facilities are designed to keep everyone safe."
Dginnie stared.
"Sedatives?"
"Only if necessary."
"And if two partners become physically locked together?"
"That can happen with some species. The attendants provide hydration, nutritional support, and medical monitoring until the biological process is complete."
Dginnie stared at them.
Then she looked at her lunch.
Then back at them.
"I think I've lost my appetite."
They laughed again.
One of the students leaned closer.
"Honestly, it's reassuring. The first time can be frightening, especially if you're from different species. Knowing that someone is there to help makes it much easier."
Dginnie could not argue with that.
It was sensible.
It was responsible.
It was medically sound.
It was also the most embarrassing thing she had ever heard.
Similar and yet not quite the same as when she had once accidentally sent a message complaining about her boss to her boss.
Her classmates were not finished.
One of them looked at her thoughtfully.
"Actually, you should probably register your matebond soon."
Dginnie choked on her drink.
"Why?"
The student stared at her.
Then she pointed at Dginnie's sleeve.
Dginnie looked down.
There was a faint mark on the fabric.
A scent mark.
Kael's scent.
She had become so accustomed to it that she barely noticed it anymore.
His scent was warm, clean, and faintly woody, with a cool mineral note that reminded her of mountain air.
It clung to her clothes whenever they spent time together.
It was especially noticeable when his tail wrapped around her.
Dginnie had assumed that it was simply a consequence of sharing a living space.
Apparently, it was considerably more significant than that.
Her classmate smiled.
"You're practically covered in his scent."
Dginnie went very still.
"Whose scent?"
The students stared at her.
Then one of them said, very carefully, "Kael's."
Dginnie looked at her sleeve.
Then at the students.
Then back at her sleeve.
"No."
"Yes."
"No."
"Yes."
She covered her face.
"Oh, no."
Her classmates exchanged delighted glances.
One of them leaned forward.
"Wait. You mean you haven't accepted him yet?"
Dginnie made a small, despairing sound.
"Please don't ask me questions."
"But you've let him mark you!"
"I haven't let him do anything!"
The students looked at one another.
Then one of them said, "Dginnie, if you're wearing his scent this consistently, people are going to assume you've accepted his courtship."
Dginnie stared at her.
"But I haven't!"
"Then you should probably talk to him."
She lowered her head onto the table.
"I am going to move to another planet."
One of the students patted her shoulder.
"You'll have to update your compatibility registration first."
Dginnie groaned.
The students laughed.
And somewhere in the back of her mind, a dreadful suspicion began to form.
She had been treating Kael's affection as something uncomplicated.
She had accepted his hugs.
She had let him wrap his tail around her.
She had stroked his ears.
She had allowed his scent to cling to her clothes.
She had done all these things because she liked them.
Because she trusted him.
Because she felt safe.
She had not realised that, in his culture, those gestures might carry a meaning she had never intended to communicate.
And now she had to face the possibility that she had been giving Kael hope without understanding what she was offering.
Dginnie closed her eyes.
She had a very bad feeling about this.