A slow smile spreads across my lips. “I gutted him. Their skin isn’t scaled like yours.”

A rush of dizziness holds me, the memory of his body on top of mine, the pain of the plas pulse tearing through my hip, his wet blood drenching me as I yanked my knife through his stomach and laughed—laughed—as he died in my arms.

“Good,” Draz tells me, and he dips his chin. A gesture of respect, I realize.

As silly as it is, pride blooms in me.

“Now, let me carry you, stubborn female.”

The pride dies, replaced by annoyance. “I will walk.”

He grunts, clearly annoyed, but doesn’t press the issue.

I don’t have the energy to tell him that I’m afraid if he picks me up, I might lose my mind completely and try to find out what kissing him is like.

OceanofPDF.com

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

OceanofPDF.com

DRAZ

Ni-Kee’s breathing is labored, and yet the female is as hard headed as a troblek, unwilling to allow me to help her. I do not wish to push her away, to lose the trust I see blossoming in her gaze, but it tears at me, the need to care for her, to scoop her up.

I will have to stop for the day sooner than I thought and tend to her wounds.

It is no matter, though. We have the dreza salve and more supplies than we started with, and I will tend to her then.

I squint into the bright sunshine, trying to get a read on the asteroid belt above.

“There are caves not far from here,” I tell her. “We will make camp for the night.”

“How much daylight is left? We can keep pushing.”

“Woman,” I say, frustration finally boiling over. “I just found you. I will not allow you to work yourself into sickness because you are too stubborn to see you need help.”

“I’m not sick!”

“Oh, is that so? Is that why your pretty moonbeam skin is now green? While this is considered normal for my people, I didn’t think yours came in this particular shade.”

She grumbles something under her breath, and I can’t quite make out what it is, but it does not sound complimentary.

“You are a leader, my Ni-Kee, yes?”

Her lovely face creases into a scowl, and I huff a laugh.

“Yes,” she finally says, gripping the crossbow tight in her hand.

“Would you have a member of your team suffer to make a longer trek, or would you stop and render aid, even if it meant delaying your arrival at your destination?”

“I’m not a member of your team,” she says grumpily.

“No, sweet Ni-Kee, you are not. You are my partner, my mate. You are more important to me than anyone on the face of this entire planet.”

Her frown grows even as her eyes soften. “Fine.”

“Now drink this,” I tell her, handing her the flask of clear water the separatists left.

“You’re very bossy right now.”

“I wouldn’t have to be if you took care of yourself.”

Glaring, she unscrews the cap, then tips it back, drinking. She starts to hand it to me.

“Drink the rest,” I order her.

“What about you?” She asks. “Don’t you want some?”

“You need it more than I do.” It’s true, and her color is already improving. “Are you worried for me, sweet mate?” I take a step closer to her.

Ni-Kee’s eyes go wide as she chugs from the flask, avoiding the question. “Here.” She screws the lid back tight, handing me the flask. “It’s empty.”

“Good,” I say, and turn around before she can see my growing grin. She is worried about me, and I keep my exultation silent and internal.

I do not want to irritate her further, after all.

We continue to traipse through the jungle, the heat of the day rising the farther we trudge. Ni-Kee slows behind me. Hunger gnaws at my stomach, and I worry my mate is hungry, too. Berries do not a meal make. We need meat.

“How much further is it?”

“Not far,” I tell her. When I turn back to her, her hand is raised to her forehead, and she surveys the dark, fast-moving clouds overhead.

“Is it going to rain again?”

“It may. Heavy rain is common this time of year.” The sky swirls, clouds moving quickly overhead, barely visible through the thick tree growth. A noise sounds ahead, and my mate crouches instinctively, drawing her newly acquired crossbow with precise, practiced movements.

Pride surges in me.

“This is good,” I tell her quietly. “It might be something we can eat. I will bring it down for us.”

I squint at her. Perhaps it is the clouds and branches obscuring the sun, but her skin has taken on a pallid, grey color.

“Yeah. I think I need food,” she says.

I frown. “Drink more water.” I hand her our last full flask, and she takes it without argument. The zoleh’s asleep on her shoulder, and I remove the packs from my shoulders.

“Sit here and wait for me.”

She does as I ask, sitting down heavily on one of the packs.

“I will bring down the beast, and we will make camp. Rest here.”

“All right,” she says agreeably.

I cock my head, surprised by her sudden mood change. Then the sound of a troblek trumpeting echoes through the trees, not far at all. It’s a big beast, and this morning I passed one up, but if we smoke the meat, preserving it with the spice packs in the separatists packs, we can stretch it out for meals for the rest of our trip. There’s a coil of synthetic rope in the bottom of one bag, and I bring it along.

The idea appeals to me, and I set off on the troblek’s trail, following the sound of it crashing through the bush.

It takes me no time at all to find the great placid beast. Its hide is thick, yes, but the energy blade makes quick work of the docile creature, and I end its life as quickly and mercifully as I can, thanking Sueva herself for it.

Taking it back proves to be a new problem, one I solve by lashing a few branches together with the rope, making a sturdy sled. Slowly, I heave the troblek onto the sled, then tow the whole thing behind me.

This will make quite the meal for my mate. She will accept this new courtship gift, I think, and sleep well with a full belly tonight.

“Ni-Kee,” I call out as I approach where I left her and our packs. “We will feast tonight.”

The zoleh screams at me, scampering up and tugging the loose weave of my pants.

I drop the branches, leaving the troblek where it falls.

Ni-Kee’s curled on her side next to the packs. Her blisters seep blood and pus, and her breathing is shallow.

“No,” I breathe out, horrified. My fragile, stubborn mate. How could she not tell me it was this bad?

I need to get her to shelter, and I need to get her there now.

Overhead, thunder peals, and I groan in frustration and fear as the first fat drops of rain patter across my scales. I rummage through the packs as fast as my shaking hands will let me, until I find another length of rope. Moving as quickly as I can, I throw the packs over my shoulder, then pick my Ni-Kee up, the zoleh screaming at me furiously the whole time.

Ni-Kee doesn’t seem to hear any of it, and her skin is as hot as a Roth’s, burning from the inside.

I lash the sled with the troblek to my waist, adjust the three packs on my shoulder. With Ni-Kee limp in my arms and my heart in my throat, I begin the hike to the lunar caves.

OceanofPDF.com

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

OceanofPDF.com

DRAZ

The rain shows no signs of letting up. I pace the lunar cave, waiting for the troblek broth over the fire to boil.

Being ambushed by the separatists turned out to be the greatest stroke of luck in my life. The packs contain not only the dreza salve, which I’ve applied liberally to Ni-Kee’s ruined skin, but leaf from the yaven plant, which I’m stewing with the troblek.