There’s a history there, but one he doesn’t seem to want to get into, she realized, letting it go.
“That’s wild. A human woman with an alien man.”
“Technically, you are the aliens here, but the point is taken. In any case, they were the first to visit our village. Later they were joined by another pair, even more unlikely.”
“How so? Another general?”
“Hardly. Something far more unusual. A Dohrag commander, and a half-breed at that.”
“What’s a Dohrag?”
“You do not want to find out firsthand. They are a rather brutal race that sends only males out into space. The fact that they do not Infala bond, along with the lack of females on their deployments has led to a very bad reputation, and deservedly so.”
Maria didn’t need to have what that meant spelled out for her. The writing was on the wall, and in all-caps at that. If she ever met a Dohrag, she’d run.
“I’m confused about one thing.”
“Just one?”
She smacked his arm. “Shut up. I’m serious. If these Dohrags are such bad guys, why would a human woman choose to be with him?”
“We all asked the very same question when they first came to us. But incredible as it was to discover, Commander Valin, the half-breed, and Shalia, the human, somehow became blood bonded, and in so doing their Infalas connected. It was something we didn’t think was even possible. The elders were ready to kill him, in fact. But he did the unthinkable. He chose Shalia over his own kind, and he swore an oath to protect her to the death.”
“Which they pretty much never do, right?”
“Precisely. But Valin has shown us that even the most unlikely are capable of change. Of becomingmore.”
“Speaking of more. I only saw Ziana, but you say you know these other humans. Do you think that means there are more of us out there?”
“Highly likely. The Raxxian ship dropped quite a large number of segments across the continent. We have ears open for any word of more humans, but so far it has been a bust.”
“Until now you mean.”
“Yes, until now. They will all be quite happy to meet you.”
“Is that where we’re going? Your village?”
“For now, yes. We will assess the situation as we move, but that is the plan.”
Maria liked the sound of that. She’d have to find a way to help Ziana, but maybe her new friends would have some ideas.
They sat quietly a while, eating side-by-side as the sun finally dipped completely below the horizon, submerging the world in a soothing darkness. But there were billions of starslighting the sky, so even though it was dark, it was not complete blackness.
“Fuck!” Maria blurted as she shifted position, tumbling to her side as her leg cramped up violently.
Zepharos was on her in an instant, his strong hands firmly grasping her lower leg and foot, pulling it straight with one hand as the other squeezed her spasming muscle.
“Stop it! That hurts!”
He paid her no heed, continuing doing exactly as he’d been. “I’m sorry, and I know it hurts, but the muscle needs to be stretched, or it will only cramp up worse. It is painful, believe me, I know. But it is also far better than the alternative. Now breathe through the pain as best you can. It should release any time now.”
“It’s not releasing! It’s trying to rip itself off the bone!”
“It’s okay, I’ve got you. You’ll be okay,” he soothed.
Incredibly enough, just as Maria was about to tell him his idea of okay was bullshit, the pain abruptly ceased, her twitching leg ceasing its tremors, at least for the moment. And now that she wasn’t instinctively reacting to pain, she realized that he’d been right.
“I’m sorry I yelled at you.”
