“You are partially right,” I say slowly, uncertain if Julia even wants to hear more about me and my clan’s history. “I am thinking of his search for his brother. It was notyouhe was after, but him.”
She nods in agreement. “He told me he wasn’t going to hurt me. I don’t know if I believed him though.” She reaches up and touches the scratches on her neck.
Reminded of the damage Sada caused her, I hiss. She might have brushed her hair and straightened her clothing but her face is still pinched with strain and her voice is rough. Every word she speaks makes her wince. Even her breathing makes her flinch.
“I should have killed him,” I growl, regretting my decision on Julia’s behalf.
“Oh stop.” She flaps her hand. “It’s not him who did this to me. I did this all on my own. Except the head bump—” she rubs her brow with her palm “—that was you guys. But it’s not that bad. I’ll get over it soon…”
I reach forward and drift my fingers over the spot she just rubbed, and she peers up at me. Her dark brown eyes take me in, glimmering in the evening light. Her words trail off as I lower my hand to run my fingers down her cheek and along her jaw, eventually dropping them further to her chest. There, I make a fist and draw my hand back within my control.
“Krellix,” she whispers.
“I am glad you are… here.”
She tilts her head and her long hair falls over her shoulder. “Me too,” she says softly, still watching me.
“About your question,” I grunt, massaging the crushing ache in my chest away. “I was also thinking of you.”
“You… were?” She frowns, dropping her eyes briefly to my middle. “What about… exactly?”
“About how badly I do not want to let you go now that I have you all to myself. How, the night before last was… beyond the words I have and I regret ever leaving our spot to continue on. I was thinking about how I almost lost you and how I do not think I can handle that ever happening again, especially since,” I hiss, “I almost never got to tell you this. And, Julia, I am thinkingabout how I am still taking you to the encampment as per my promise, despite everything that I am feeling, and despite the fact that every inch that we get closer makessss me want to steal you away. And worst of all, I am thinking about how I have no place to steal you to!” I snarl and look around wildly, swinging my hand outward.
She grabs my hand and pulls it to her. I stiffen before wrapping my fingers over hers. “First off, thank you for keeping your promise about still taking me to the encampment but, Krellix, you can’t blame yourself for what happened. It’s clear you got Olivia and the others to safety, right? And that’s all that matters. And you wouldn’t steal me away against my will, you’re just feeling stressed. This—” she gestures around us “—has all been stressful. I know you care about me and I… I care deeply about you too…”
“You matter. You matter the most to me and I almost lost you.”
Julia winces and I do not think it is because of her throat this time. But I am still floored. Though I already knew she cares about me in return, to hear her speak it aloud…
Her gaze finds mine and she twines her fingers with my own. “You say you don’t want a bride…”
“—I do not.”
“Butifyou had a nest? Would it be different?”
I hiss and search her eyes, wanting to know her meaning outright.
“Hissing is not an answer. If you had a nest, would it be different? You harp about it enough.”
“Yessss. If I had a nest, and some place safe to bring you home to, like the home Zaku has, I would have claimed you months ago.”
She turns her face away and lets go of my hand, frowning down at the grass. “Yeah… I’m beginning to realize that. Is that why you… why it seemed you were staying… away?”
She noticed? “Yessss. Had I known word had gotten out and more nagas had begun to show up at Zaku’s,” I hiss again, “I would have come back sooner and not have waited to be summoned by his orb.”
“You were summoned? That’s why you were there? Daisy didn’t know… I didn’t know what brought you back.”
I nod. “Zaku sent an orb to one of the places I stake out, an overlook of this forest west of here. I know to keep my eye out for them.”
She lifts her hand and brushes her fingers through the ends of her hair. “Yeah, but why did Zaku summon you? Was it because of Sada?”
Watching her fingers idly move, I shake my head. “No…” Though it became about him. “Another naga that we thought lost, a Cottonmouth, Syasku, had returned with several humans. They were searching for Azsote.”
I tell her everything Zaku shared with me from his chance meeting with Syasku and the humans he accompanied. She seems surprised but not shocked by my recounting of the Cottonmouth’s ordeal on their home ship, especially when it comes to their alpha’s—their ship’s captain’s—response.
When the tale is complete, Julia sighs. “I wish… you had told me this sooner. It explains a lot of what… the others shared. I can’t believe the rebels in the dregs shut down a reactor.” Her voice becomes clearer and less gravelly as she talks. “Damn… That’s ballsy.” She runs her hands over her face. “No wonder the Dreadnaut blew up… Damn.Damn.”
Silent, I wait as she stares off into the growing shadows of evening, deep in contemplation. Her mouth tightens with strain before a wrinkle forms between her eyes and they flick to heruniform jacket. The longer I watch her, the more the pressure in my slit grows, reminding me of my very achy, hard appendage tucked inside. So far it has been manageable but the longer we are alone and her warmth and scent washes over me, the more I want her closer to me in all ways.
