Page 15 of On a Barbarian World

No. No, no, no. She’d seen her mother forced to follow the orders of others—her boss, the landlord, the thugs on their street who demanded “security” payments. Aurina hadn’t forged a life for herself just to land in the lap of a chest-beating barbarian. She drew in a deep breath, then opened her mouth to educate him.

There was a rap at the door.

“Enter,” Kavon called out.

Aurina watched two young women enter, followed by the oldest woman she’d ever seen before. The younger two were tall and lean, with dark hair and the same metallic sheen to their skin. They wore leather, corset-style tops with flowing skirts that fell to mid-calf. Apart from some openly curious looks at Aurina, the women didn’t speak, just set plates of food on low tables near the bed, and then backed away.

The old woman had white hair that flowed past her shoulders, and wore a robe-like dress. She stopped by the bed.

“I see you’re up and about.” The woman smiled, teeth flashing in the dark wrinkles of her face.

“She still has pain, Chaldora,” Kavon said. “Ease it.”

The woman made a rude noise. “I delivered you from your mother’s womb, boy, so I’m not bound to obey you.”

Aurina watched resignation flash on Kavon’s face, before he hid it behind a hard look. “No one appears to be listening to me this morning,” he said sourly.

The old woman’s lips lifted. “A woman who doesn’t bow and scrape and beg to be in your bed? Say it isn’t so.” Chaldora waved to the bed. “Please sit, young lady.”

Aurina waited a beat, then sat. “Finally, someone with manners who doesn’t toss orders around.”

The woman laughed. “If you are expecting polite requests from this one—” she jerked a thumb at Kavon “—you will be waiting an eternity. He is a battle-hardened warrior and warlord to boot. He only knows orders.”

Kavon made a harrumphing sound and crossed his massive arms over his chest.

The healer sat beside her. “You have an injury on your side. I tended it last night…may I check it?”

Aurina touched under the sheet, and felt the bandage adhered to her skin. With a nod, she nudged the sheet aside.

The woman set a battered leather satchel on the bed, opened it, and rummaged around inside.

Aurina shot a quick glance at Kavon, and saw him staring at the skin she’d bared. She decided to ignore him. Or try to. The man was so big and imposing, his life force just seemed to pulse through the room.

The healer leaned over, her warm, dry hand gently pulling Aurina’s bandage away. “They call me Chaldora.”

“Hi. I’m Aurina.”

Chaldora studied her wound and made a clucking noise. “My healers didn’t use enough salve. They are too used to letting the nanami do most of the work.” She pulled a jar from her bag and started to spread the paste over Aurina’s cut.

“Nanami?” Aurina was pleased to see that despite the unappealing smell of the salve, the pain eased instantly.

“Nanami are organisms that live in the bodies of all Markarians. They heal us, give us increased strength, speed, and senses. They help us survive.”

Cool. “You live in symbiosis with these organisms.”

Chaldora smiled. “Exactly.”

“What do they look like? Are you born with them? Can you control⁠—?”

Nearby, Kavon started pacing. “You have many questions, skyflyer. Nanami are too small to see.”

“You’re a skyflyer,” Chaldora said.

“I am.”

“Not a good one.”

A laugh broke out of Aurina. “I’m a really good one. I just ran into some…problems. Including the meteors currently bombarding your planet.”