The Lost Tribe: Maliha the Wanderer (Book 1)

Draganir

"Who are you to Enzo?" Maliha wasted no time in questioning the woman.

She knew that this wasn't Enzo's mother as both Ujarak and Enzo had made it clear that his mother had died two years ago. The circumstances surrounding her death had never been explained to Maliha but at the time she hadn't been concerned so much about how she had been more focused on how Enzo felt and how he had coped. She regretted not getting the information from Ujarak back then.

"I am his aunt," Jiya replied, her voice was husky as if she had been smoking natural herbs through the wooden pipe.

"By his mother or-"

"Mother," she hastily interjected.

"And what are your intentions with Enzo? Before you answer, I will let you know that he is my son and you will not be taking him from me."

Enzo's shoulders relaxed beneath Maliha's fingers, but she didn't smile at the response, Maliha kept her eyes on Jiya and waited for the woman to respond. Jiya's exotic eyes shifted, glazing over like that of a snake as her tongue peeked out and she licked her top lip. Her slanted eyes stared over both Enzo and Maliha before she climbed from her seat. The tension in the room thickened at her hasty movement. The nervousness was palpable, rolling off of Filsan and Kaori in waves.

Maliha tucked Enzo behind her as she straightened her back in preparation for a potential fight. A smile tilted at Jiya's lips at Maliha's overprotective behaviour. She was acting in all of the ways of a mother which was all the confirmation Jiya needed to know that her nephew was in good hands. Her sister would approve.

"My intentions are to get to know him and you whilst we stay here. There is no guarantee that any of us will stay here permanently and I would like to know him and maybe tell him some more about my sister."

Maliha tilted her head in consideration. She didn't want to deprive Enzo of familial bonds, especially not when Maliha had spent so much time seeking her own family and answers about her heritage, however something about Jiya was not sitting right with Maliha.

"Why don't you want him? Make no mistake, I am never going to let him go even if you did want him, but I find it odd that you do not want to raise what I assuming is one of your last blood relatives."

"There is a lot about me - about my life that would make raising him unsafe," Jiya replied cryptically. When she spoke this time Maliha noted that her tongue wasn't quite normal, it appeared to be forked as if she were a snake. Maliha's eyes widened as she took in all the small clues of who Jiya was. Jiya had a smoke thickened voice, ethereal and serpentine eyes and now a forked tongue. The disbelief was profuse but Maliha could not deny what sat before her face.

"You are a Draganir."

Jiya grimaced in annoyance but she didn't deny Maliha's words. "What gave it away? Was it the tongue or the eyes?"

"The eyes were quite noticeable, but it was definitely your tongue. Is it always like that?"

"No," Jiya replied stoically. "Only when I am being challenged. I'm from a royal bloodline and we don't take too well to challenges. Especially territorial claims. The Draganir views this as home and Enzo as ours, you are an imposter who is challenging us. It never usually ends well for most."

"Is that a threat?" Maliha spat, her hackles rising at Jiya's bold words.

"No, a forewarning in case I do anything stupid. My Draganir is an unruly creature especially as I have been away from home for so long."

Maliha eyed her quizzically, rocking back and forth on her feet as she contemplated her next moves. Jiya's unnerving eyes seemed to flicker in between hues yet she slowly made her way into a less hostile position.