It is magnificent.
Eh-ree-kah stares at the wall of jutting bone and razor-sharp rock currently blocking her sleeping area.
“What the absolute fuck is this?” she whispers.
She presses a delicate hand against her forehead, staring at the structure.
I stand in the shadows, baffled.
Why is she not immediately seeking shelter behind the spikes? Does she not appreciate the structural integrity of the marrow-bone?
“You barricaded her into the wall,” Tharn projects sleepily from across the cavern, having felt mydra-kirspike with frantic confusion. “Is this... romantic?”
“She looks like she is preparing to leak water from her eyes,” Rok projects with a long sigh. “Humans do not like being trapped in small spaces, dra-dam. Jus-teen nearly struck me when I tried to sleep blocking the entrance to our cave. They prefer to have an exit.”
“This is an embarrassment,” Zan’s sharp frequency forcefully interjects from the outer perimeter.
I instantly sever the mindspace, grinding my fangs together in the dark.
Below me, Jacqui and Justine walk up behind Eh-ree-kah. They all stare at the impenetrable fortress of spikes I built for her. Eh-ree-kah is wildly gesturing at the impressive barricade, speaking panicked, rapid human words. She is distinctly distressed. My brilliant, magnificent gift has upset her.
She ignores the small, perfectly round, polished stone sitting on the clean floor exactly three inches away from the terrifying bone spikes.
It fits seamlessly into the palm of a small, delicate human hand. Deeply carved into the center of the dark rock is a single Drakav symbol.
Tor-vakh.
Equal.
I retreat into the deeper darkness of the upper tunnels, mydra-kiraching with absolute failure. I will have to dismantle the barricade before first light.
Chapter 8
IS IT HOT IN THIS DESERT OR IS IT JUST HIM?
ERIKA
Idon’t know what I was expecting from the absolute nightmare that was finding my own sleeping alcove barricaded with bone and sharpened rock last night.
An attack. A warning. A very clear message that I was officially on the menu for the local wildlife.
What I am not expecting, when I finally squeeze out of the narrow gap this morning, is a rock.
I’m standing near the central fire pit, purposely ignoring the fact that my hands are shaking a little, holding a small, perfectly round, smooth black stone up to the flickering orange light.
It fits perfectly into the center of my palm, retaining the ambient warmth of the cave air. Deeply chiseled into the flat center is a single symbol.
“So,” I say, keeping my voice as neutral as I possibly can while I stare at the carving. “It’s a territorial marker.”
Justine stands across from me, her arms crossed over her chest.
“Okaaaaay,” she drags the word out. “Let’s walk through this together. A terrifying alien king builds an impenetrable bone fortress across your bedroom door?—”
“It was a barricade,” I correct her immediately. “It had spikes, Justine. Jagged death-spikes. It took me ten minutes to squeeze out of there this morning without impaling a kidney.”
“A premium, deadly bone fortress,” she amends patiently. “Built directly over the incredibly soft furs he relocated from his own private area just for you.”
“The stone was cold.”
