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CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

Visla

While myself and Mesandreia, along with Huvos and the other two hordesmen tried to make since of the basket of Zedrekian food that was brought to us, a loud horn was blown off in the distance. The blare sounded like a ship’s horn.

Huvos, who was unfazed, handed me a huge chunk of bread and what looked like some kind of exotic fruit.

I took the bread and fruit to appease him and then ran over to peek out of the window. Our temporary camp was located just yards away from a dock and I could look out on the water. Plain as day, I could see a huge space ship floating above the water. The Zedreks were already on the shore as if expecting the arrival.

“Do you think it’s them? The traders they talked about?”

Huvos and Mesandreia joined me at the window. The traders had just begun to get off the ship.

“Wow. My, my those guys are so colorful,” Mesandreia exclaimed with her nose pressed close to the grass.

Huvos tore off a hunk of the bread with his teeth, gobbling it down. “It is them. Zarvixian traders.They are from Zarvis.”

“Zarvis? That is so far away,” I said.

“Weeks away,” Huvos confirmed. “I know you are in a hurry to get to Xtarra for your safety and the safety of your unborn child, but I do wish to warn you that not all traders are good.”

“Has your horde ever had encounters with the Zarvixian?” I asked.

“Yes, lady. The last time we encountered them, they took off with our loot while we were sleeping. Payback for raiding their colony so long ago, probably.”

He huffed off.

I followed him. “Do you think they can help us? They have a ship and we need to go.”

“They will want something in return,” Huvos said.

“Well, don’t we all want something in return?”

“I do not know for certain if they have dealings with our rogue queen,” he countered.

“They do not need to know who I am. Just tell them we were traveling and our shuttle engine failed.”

Huvos sighed and plopped down in a chair. He maliciously attacked the piece of meat like a hungry bear while he weighed my words. It seemed all of the Tirizar took after Khol, their horde king. They didn’t like being told what to do by anyone else. They only listened to one man—Khol.

When he didn’t speak, I continued, “Should we just wait here until the dark season? No amount of meat here can sustain you. Their diet is different. You need the full sun. You heard the Zedreks earlier. Nothing comes here often because no other species can stand the elements. We couldn’t reach Thanu or anyone with their technology because it isn’t compatible with ours. How long do we have to wait until the next ship?”

Huvos grunted and shot up. “Wait here. And stop worrying and eat. There is a baby growing inside of you.” One of the other hordesmen followed behind him and they approached the Zarvixian who were deep in discussion with the Zedreks.

“You are relentless,” Mesandreia said, chuckling softly.

“I realized that it’s the only way to be with the Tirizar men. They’re stubborn. What’s the word in Aurrakian? Latsus.”

“I heard that,” the third warrior chimed in getting up and helping himself to a second round of food.

Mesandreia and I giggled.

Less than thirty minutes later, Huvos brought the Zarvixians into the camp. Funny how nervous I didn’t know I was about the whole situation until they stood just under six feet away from me. Both Zarvixians were tall with muscular builds. Like the Aurrakians, they sported scales resembling dragon-skin. Their eyes were…well…strange. When I glanced up to meet one’s gaze, I felt like he was looking deep down into my soul.

Huvos spoke to the Zarvixians in the Aurrakian tongue which they seemed to understand quite well. Mesandreia, who was just as studious as I was, stood right behind me and took my arm.

“They have fangs,” she whispered in my ear.

The Zarvixian with the silver hair turned his attention to us and grinned, flashing his sharp teeth. He mumbled something in a foreign tongue I didn’t understand. Then he translated it for us in common English. “We are carnivores. Of course, we have fangs.”