“I do not want anyone being nice to my mate. She can take care of herself.” He scowls at the backs of the people ahead of us. “Did he notice your injury?”

“No.”

He lets out a sigh of relief. “Good.”

I give him a puzzled look. “It’s just a finger. I’m sure it’s not a big deal.”

But Skarr shakes his head. “In my experience, a wounded gladiator is a liability. You never let anyone know you are hurting because you can be gotten rid of in an instant.”

It’s appalling to think about, that he would conflate an injury with death. But then I think about what O’jek said about “taking care of” the snow-cat and I realize I don’t know enough about these people and our situation. I’m thinking like a human back on Earth, just like Skarr is thinking like a gladiator, and trying to keep me safe. “I hope you’re wrong.”

He flashes a smile at me. “I hope I am, too.”

Chapter Sixteen

SKARR

The beach village is full of many nosy people, just as I remember it from my brief excursion with I’rec from the other day. They are all prepared for newcomers, with a large fire blazing in the midst of the village and a feast being prepared. I am on alert, watching over my mate carefully until I see that one male limps amongst them with a false limb. He has four arms and looks strong, but if they did not get rid of him when he lost his leg, then it is safe for Vivi. I point him out to her and she nods.

But then there are people everywhere, and we are being greeted by all kinds. I lose track of Vivi as strangers greet me, and amongst them are two a’ani who claim to be gladiators as well. There is a splice here, too, though he avoids conversing with the rest of us, and the gladiators all cluster together and discuss battles. Ashtar, the big drakoni, joins in.

“I promise, there are no gladiator battles here, no contests of strength,” he says, amused at our insistence. “Sometimes we have games on the beach to celebrate, but they are silly games like catching the most fish, and everyone participates.”

“Then what is the point?” Chalath asks, clearly perturbed. “If we do not fight to show our glory, what is the point of having gladiators here?”

“You’re not supposed to be here,” Vordis points out. “You were abandoned. No one cares if you are a gladiator or not. Now all you can do is survive and help the tribe. Trust me, there is life outside of the arena.”

Valmir says nothing, but his narrowed eyes say he does not quite believe this. I do not know if I believe this, either.

“And this one already resonated,” Ashtar says, grabbing me by the back of my neck and pulling me into a headlock.

I twist, trying to break out of his grasp, and slap my tail against the back of his knee. He releases me with a laugh, and I immediately shove him. And laugh, because he is grinning like the sparring pleases him. “Just because there is no arena does not mean we are helpless,” I point out. “We can remain ready for battle.”

“Oh, there are plenty of things to keep you occupied here,” Vordis agrees, arms folded as he eyes us. “You will have your hands full hunting and fishing and doing your share, trust me. There is always more that needs to be done.”

“Like finding another khui for Kyth,” Valmir says, voice sly as he looks over at the big moden splice.

Kyth just rubs his chest, grimacing.

“Not again?” I ask.

Kyth shrugs. “Sabrina says it is fading again. I will worry about it when it happens. Today is for meeting the village.”

“And impressing the females,” Chalath adds. He eyes the group by the fire, where the women are talking excitedly with the other humans and ignoring the rest of us. “Perhaps we should have more battles tomorrow to try and force resonance like you did, Skarr.”

“Force…resonance?” Thrand—the other a’ani—asks, and then snorts with amusement, elbowing the big splice named Gren. “As my mate would say, yeah right.”

“It happened,” I tell him, standing taller with pride. “I sparred with another and won, and my mate’s khui was so impressed that it immediately resonated to me.”

“Which one is your mate?” Ashtar asks.

I turn and eye the circle of women near the fire, laughing and talking and crying. Then, because I know Vivi, I keep looking. I swing my gaze beyond the fire and find her sitting on a rock at the edges of the group, alone. She has her knees hugged to her chest and her eyes are big as she listens to everyone and watches. More observing, I realize, and my chest swells with pride. She will be full of their secrets. I point at her. “My mate is the beauty right there.”

“She looks like she wants to hide,” Thrand comments.

I scowl at him and then glance at Vivi again. She does seem rather miserable, upon second glance. I remember what she said, about not knowing who she is. About her worries. It hurts me to see her like this, doubting herself and her ferocity. She is by far the most beautiful of females, tall and strong and clever. If only she realized this. I eye the males that live here on the beach. Thrand and Vordis are arguing with Chalath and Valmir about adding an arena to the village, while Kyth and Gren listen in.

Ashtar is looking at my female, though, and I nudge him out of irritation. “Quit staring at her. She is mine.”

“She reminds me of my shy flame and when I first resonated to her,” Ashtar says with a grin. “My Veronica was very meek and mild. It was adorable to see.”

Meek? Mild? My fierce warrior Vivi? Bah. He is clearly wrong. But his mate has accepted him, and mine has not. I consider this and gesture to Ashtar that I would like to speak to him in private. He nods and we walk away from the group, moving towards the roiling, unpleasant-looking mass of water that must be an ocean. I have never seen one before, and I will probably be more interested in it later, but right now my thoughts are of Vivi and resonance.

I rub my thrumming chest. When Ashtar and I are away from the others, I stop and glance back at my mate. “I am troubled and look for advice.”

“Go on.” The drakoni crosses his arms over his chest, his stance easy.

“My mate is strong-willed,” I say. “Even though her khui has decided I am the best one for her, she is not yet decided. I am trying to court her because resonance is not enough to drive her into my arms. She will not yet let me suck upon her ass and it is a very fine ass.” I eye him. “So I look to you for advice. You said your mate was like mine?”

The look he gives me is knowing. “So it was with my Veronica, yes. Resonance flustered her. It was very charming.”

“And she did not fall into your arms right away?”

He purses his lips, considering. “Well, no, she did. But she likes to pretend that she waited to fall in love with me.” His gaze moves over to the fire, to someone standing there, but I cannot tell who. All the human females—with the exception of Vivi—look the same to me. “Veronica was shy at first, but I am quite lovable and so it did not take long.”

I grunt. “My female is a warrior in spirit, even if she looks shy. She pushes me away. I do not know how to impress her if there are no gladiator battles.”

“Try wooing her,” Ashtar says. “Win her favor by showing her you care. Give her something. What do you think she wants?”

Looking over at Vivi, her shoulders are hunched. Someone is talking near her, but she looks uncomfortable and miserable. I remember all the times she clung to the back of the group, wanting no attention. “I think she would like a place to hide, if I am being honest.”

“Aha,” Ashtar says, snapping his fingers. “You could build her a home. Many of the males here built huts for their females. Humans like to have a dwelling to call their own, to have a private place where no one will bother them.”