Zariah's words were casual and her tone was still drowsy, but knowing his mate, Askel panicked immediately.
"No... Mhijani, never...I would never..." Askel quickly explained his stance even when he was yet to fully understand what he was being accused of.
Meanwhile, Zariah could not be bothered to fully process what she had just been told, and it was even harder for her to be concerned with it.
There were things Zariah did not need any denial from Askel to know just how unlikely it was... Zariah felt she knew Askel enough to be able to tell that much.
What Zariah found herself most concerned with was the haggard appearance of her mate now that she could see him up close.
His cheeks were sunken and his hair had overgrown it's usual length. His beards were also unkept and the dark circles underneath his eyes were apparent.
