All of my concentrated effort goes into doing what she asks, but god, it’s so hard. It hurts. I open my mouth to tell her so, but nothing more than a croak spills out.
“It’s okay if you can’t. Don’t try to talk though,” she says. “See if you can drink more water. I know it tastes terrible, but it will help with the pain.”
Something touches my lips so I part them. Once more, bitter liquid coats my tongue. I swallow as much as I’m able. There’s a frantic need to know what’s wrong with me, but a heaviness weighs my entire body down. I can feel myself drifting. I attempt to fight its pull, but it’s no use. It’s too strong and a wave of darkness drags me under.
Warm light spreads across my face. A shadow crosses it. I struggle to open my eyes, but finally I’m able to after several lengthy blinks. A hard surface beneath me is only softened by a thin layer of…something. Overhead is an arched roof made of a type of animal hide.
Carefully, I turn my head. On the other side of the large space is a redheaded woman standing at a waist high table. She appears to be organizing items. As though sensing my stare, she lifts her head and turns my way. Her lips curve upward until her teeth appear. She rushes over.
“I’m glad to see you awake. Do you need some water?”
My tongue stutters forward, skidding across dryness. I try to say please, but it only comes out on a rough croak. She snatches a cup from nearby and, with a hand behind my head, lifts it and places the vessel against my lips.
“Nice and easy,” she coaxes.
I take several long pulls of water until I turn to indicate I’m done. She lays me back.
“Do you remember where you are or what happened?”
I lick my lips again and pray I can answer her this time. “No.”
“Ortak and Gannen were out checking their traps and found you had fallen into one. They were able to get you out and bring you here to the Tavikhi village. I’m Sage, one of the healers. Ortak tells me your name is Elodie?”
“Yes.”
“I assume you’re from the human settlement?”
An image of a gated homestead filled with tents comes to mind. Alice. Gary. Bruce. Adam. Various other faces. That’s right, we’re on the planet Tavikh. “Yes.”
With that comes other images. Two males—one young, the other older. Pain like nothing I’ve ever felt before. Soothing words in a harsh voice. Soft, gentle touches to my face. I blink and the woman—Sage—comes back into focus.
“There were two aliens.”
She nods. “Ortak and his son Gannen. They are members of the Krijese tribe who live up in the hills.”
I glance around as if they’re here.
“Ortak is with our shefir and Gannen is with the other children, if that’s who you’re looking for.”
My gaze returns to Sage. “How long have I been here?”
“You’ve been in and out most of the day. You were pretty banged up when they brought you here. An ugly head wound that needed some stitches and a broken leg,” she explains. “I set it and you’ve got a make-shift cast to keep it in place until the Bohnari send one of their ships with a healing pod. They’ve got their engineers building a solar- and battery-powered one for us in case of emergencies, but it’s still a work in progress.”
I’m sure what Sage is saying should probably make sense, but my brain just can’t piece together exactly what it is she’s talking about. A rustling sound from nearby draws my attention. I turn my head that direction just as the door flap swings open, and a broad-shouldered lavender alien with long, flowing golden hair steps through. Directly on his heels is an even broader alien. An almost familiar one with greenish-black skin and long, rope-like hair pulled back off his face and tied in a thick tail. His piercing black eyes bore into mine and my stomach swoops and flips at the intensity of his stare.
He draws closer and closer still. The lavender alien is talking, but his words are like background noise. All I can focus on is the the alien who has stopped several feet behind him.
“Elodie.”
My name is said so sharply, I flinch and whatever hold this male has on me is splintered. I swivel toward whoever spoke to me. The golden-haired male and Sage observe me.
“Sorry.”
“I am Zander, Shefir of the Tavikhi.” He inclines his head. While I’ve never met him personally, his name is familiar to me. “I know you may be in pain, but are you able to tell us what you were doing so far away from the human settlement and how you stumbled into that trap?”
My mouth opens, but nothing comes out. I snap it shut, because no answers come to me. Everything inside my brain is fuzzy. Staticky. I know who I am and that I left Earth to settle on this planet. I’ve been here through two cold as fuck winters. Why can’t I remember why I wasn’t in my claustrophobic tent in the middle of the settlement?
Chapter 3
