Vektal rushes forward, crossing the short distance between us. He grabs my arm and drags me back toward the hunters. “Farli, what is going on?”
“It is fine, truly—”
“Hey!” snarls Mardok from behind me. “Don’t you keffing touch her!”
Oh no. Two of my tribesmates advance, spears at the ready. “No, wait. It is all right!”
“Move back, Farli,” my chief says. “Go stand behind the hunters. We will protect you.”
“Protect me?” Has everyone gone mad? “He is my mate!”
That stops everyone in their tracks. Everyone except Mardok, that is. He rushes to my side and pulls me away from the others, tucking me behind him as if to protect me from my tribe.
The others stare. Aehako starts to grin, and Pashov smirks. Bek just rolls his eyes.
“Resonance, eh?” Vektal says, looking between me and Mardok. “I am sure there is a good story behind this. Didhe travel here to resonate with you? Or is he stranded like Georgie and her people?”
“Hehas a name,” Mardok says in a cold voice. “And he can understand everything you’re saying.”
“He and his people are like us,” I tell Vektal, moving out from behind my mate and approaching. “They did not plan to be here, and when I saw the ship land, I approached it.”
Vektal’s eyes narrow at me. “Why would you do such a thing? You know that the other caves that landed here—”
“I know,” I say quickly, putting my hands up. I can feel Mardok growing tense behind me, and I need to calm everyone down. “I stayed a safe distance away until I saw one of them come out. Then, when I saw they were sa-khui like us, I approached.” I clasp my hands and place them over my heart. “And I resonated to Mardok.”
My brother Pashov claps a hand over his brow and shakes his head. Someone else snorts with laughter.
“Just because they look like us does not mean they are not the enemy,” Vektal tells me, a stern note in his voice. He leans forward on his spear, still displeased with me. “What would you have done if they decided they would grab you and take you away?”
I laugh, because the idea is silly. “He is not stealing me. And besides, I have a khui. I cannot leave this place. A khui cannot be removed.”
7
MARDOK
Ikeep my features carefully neutral, though inside I am struggling.
I could take Farli away from here. I could tell the others it is for her own good and she deserves a shot at civilization no matter what she thinks. Better yet, I do not tell the others until we are far away from Kopan VI and then they won’t have a choice about turning around. I could take her with me and seduce her with kisses and caresses until she never wants to come back here. Until she’d rather spend her time in my bed than anywhere else.
The thought fills me with intense hunger. I’ve never wanted anything as badly as I want Farli. And even though it’s wrong to think about it, I don’t care. I’m not a nice guy. Never have been, never will be. And the thought of keeping Farli—whether or not she wants to be kept—is a tempting one.
I keep that to myself, though. She thinks sheis safe here. That she cannot possibly leave this planet because of her symbiont, but I know that our med bay technology can remove it as easily as it can stitch a wound shut.
Plenty of time to convince her to go with me still.
The more I think about it, the more I like the idea. Traveling wouldn’t be so lonely if I had someone like Farli with me. Someone to make me smile, to share my thoughts with, to watch light up in wonder at the sight of a ringed planet or passing by an asteroid belt that glitters with distant sunlight. I could get a freighter of my own, maybe, and she could help me crew it. Most of all, it’d be someone at my side.
Someone who also mouth-kisses like a vid actress and snuggles up against me as if I’m the thing she’s wanted most in this world.
She is talking happily to her chief, and I assess the men standing before me. To a one, they look fierce and untamed. Scary keffers, that’s for sure. They are dressed in loincloths, and a few wear vests strapped with knives of varying sizes. No one has capped horns, and a few of them are scarred up. To a one, they are bulky with muscle and look as if they could tear the much leaner (but taller) Trakan to bits without a second thought. I’m glad I’ve kept in shape since leaving the military, because I could stand toe to toe with these beasts if I had to. But it’s a little intimidating to see how fierce they are.
Farli turns back to me as the others put their weapons away or relax. “Bring your people. We will have a celebration and you can meet everyone.” Her smile is brilliant.
I nod. “I’ll let the captain know. He should meet the chief, offer his greetings.”
The intimidating one that has to be the chief nods, crossing his arms over his nearly bare chest. His eyes don’t seem to have the same glowing warmth that Farli’s do. Instead, they carry a warning. He might be welcoming us, but he is stilluncertain of whether or not we can be trusted. I don’t blame him.
I turn and head back to where Trakan, Niri and Chatav are waiting. They look cautious, but Chatav steps forward to meet me.
