Chapter 455

“Those aren’t good words,” I told Mycah. “We don’t need to use those types of words. Your male breeders will teach you better words. Honorable men speak respectfully to everyone. You and your brothers need to act honorably.”

While we used the pots the boys wanted to know what those words meant. I explained they were ways of saying you didn’t like someone, but they were very impolite. No one would respect you if you spoke to others like that, I tried to tell them. It was a difficult and trying conversation. Certainly not one I wanted to have this time of night.

Now the boys wanted to know why those men didn’t like them.

“They don’t like me,” I told Mycah’s family gently as I straightened the wrap on Niah’s waist. “Men on Pateria used to be taught that humans aren’t valuable. They think I should be a slave. Daddy, Christof, and Damien have talked to you about this. That isn’t how we think.”

In preparation for the boy’s curious nature I took Mycah’s hand as we w