Dragan had taken a really serious hit, the Grimalkins had placed him under their care, and he was well taken care of, on the other hand, I had woken up only a couple of hours after my body slumped to the floor.
Dragan's transformation into a Dragonkin was still visible on his skin, Neso had informed me that he wouldn't be transforming back into a human anytime soon.
I was taken aback, this was Dragan secret all along, why hadn't he told me the whole truth?
Was he worried I wouldn't share my mana with him?
If that's the case he was deeply mistaken.
I didn't know what to do.
At least Neso was there to comfort me.
Zomearon had explained everything so well, I doubt there still was any missunderstandings. Yet I didn't want it to be true. I needed to sort this out with Dragan as soon as possible. But he was currently on bed rest.
The Grimalkin who were treating him said he could be out cold for a couple of days. I felt like crying, but at the same time, I was confused.
Neso offered me some hospitality and said I could stay at his place.
Neso's house was comfy if anything, it was small, but every single square inch of the space was well-used. He had a lot of books, Like a lot a lot. His whole house was covered in them. I sat in the middle of the room as Neso poured over some tea.
"You must be shaken," he started. "I'll pour you some calming tea, it'll help you relax,"
I was not about to say no to his hospitality.
"I hope I'm not bothering you," I said, crossing my legs on the sitting pad.
"Not at all!" he said. "Grimalkin's take great pride in how we treat our guests, but we don't just invite anyone to our homes," he said looking back at me with a wry smile on his face.
Finally, he came over with a teacup and a boiling pot of water. He served the tea in front of my eyes, adding a pinch of sugar and milk to mine. He passed me a cup I put it to my lips,
it was hot but not enough to burn me. It was sweet, and he was right, it was starting to calm me down. I took another couple of sips while glancing at him. Neso never let his eyes off me.
"Seems like it's working," he finally said. Neso had this tone to his voice, a deep treble that made me find comfort in it. Yet there was this sweetness to it. I couldn't explain it. Maybe it was all in my head. I couldn't know. But I went with it.
Neso was shirtless this whole time, he had taken off the armor on his left shoulder and placed it on a hanging in the entrance. Most of the other Grimalkin's were short in stature.
But Neso was tall, taller than Dragan I would say.
He rested his head on his paw and placed his shoulder on the table. Now that I notice, this table was fancy, made of soft marble with gold in-lining through it.
"So, I bet you're curious," he finally started.
"Curious about what?" I asked nonchalantly. Following his calm and cool demeanor. He didn't exactly show being nervous around me, so I quieted my anxiety and mirroring what Neso did. I couldn't exactly show that I was nervous, more and more I was beginning to feel comfortable around him. If you exclude the fact he has massive fangs for teeth, a soft husk for a mouth, whiskers on his face, and giant gleaming blue eyes with a pupil that cut through them. Neso looked more or less like a normal human. He stood on two legs, but his body was covered in fur.
He had paws for hands but was able to grab things just fine. He was different from the human I was used to, but other than that, he was human too. Except for the fur, I couldn't help but wonder if I could bury my face in it.
My furry instincts were telling me it would be soft and cuddly. Similar to a cat back home.
But Neso was like a full-size body pillow. I would be the little spoon.
Why am I even thinking about those things? Neso is a warrior, even though he acted so submissive towards Zomearon. There has to be something there. But I was guessing it was none of my business. Even though Zomearon plenty approved that he was poly in all the sense of the word.
"You and Dragan…" he stated. "I'm wondering how you'll relationship be affected, will you see him any different?" he asked, his smile said he had something in mind. But the sword at his hip meant he was being cautious. Neso was getting comfy with me pretty quickly.
"I wouldn't know," I said. Neso looked at me with a perplexed look.
"You mean you don't hate him?" Neso asked.
"Why would I? Dragan said he had secrets from the start of our meeting, I accepted them, and now here we are, secrets exposed and all,"
"He's unworthy of your trust," Neso said with little to no disregard for my feelings. This got me riled up.
"Excuse me?!" I said. "Who are you to decide that?"
"Neso The Mighty Warrior of the Grimalkin Aphelion Equester," he said his full name title, and all.
"Oh - So just because you're in cahoots with Zomearon I'm supposed to take your word for it?" I was getting deponent. But so was he.
"Zomearon saved our people," said Neso. "You wouldn't understand, we owe a great debt to him,"
"That's why you purred like a little kitty cat when he touched you. Oh, great warrior Neso!?" he scoffed and pulled back, clearly hammered by my comments.
"I only purr for Zomearon and no one else!" he shouted, had I hit the nail on the head?
"Oh yeah?" I asked even more disputant than before. "I'll make you purr in five minutes top,
I'm currently stuck in this form, so you'd have no choice," Neso looked at me with bewildered eyes.
"I thought we were fighting…" said Neso, not comforting each other.
"We were," I said taking a sip from my tea, it was getting cold. Neso just chuckled, scoffing at me, with a half smile on his face.
"Dragan wouldn't mind?" he asked.
"Dragan isn't conscious right now, and I have no idea if he'll wake up, Dragan wouldn't know, and I certainly ain't telling him, we could chuck it all up to my madness and all,"
"Be my partner tonight," suddenly started Neso.
"Partner, for what?"
"To the Grimalkin Knox Gala,"
"Is that tonight?"
"No- in a couple of days! Grimalkin from all over will be attending,"
"And is it okay that I attend?"
"You're our guests, we've already taken care of your significant other, if you come by my arm, it'll show a sign of good faith," he said extending his hand.
"So will you come?" I couldn't say no, it's not like I couldn't say no, he was already extending his paw to me.
I took his hand in mine. His paws were extremely well-kept. There was not a single spec of dust to the naked eye. His digital pads were soft and squishy,"
"I'll need something formal to wear," accepting that this was now my fate.