“Your Ni-Kee is fierce and beautiful,” the first Suevan responds finally, longing clear in his face. “As are you. She does not glow, however. She disarmed several of our men. And the Roth.”

“That’s right, she is clever and a master strategist. She single-handedly brought him down.”

“We helped.”

They both nod, and I stare at them with wide eyes. I’m so fucking relieved to hear Niki made it out unscathed, it takes me a moment to register the other bomb they’ve dropped.

“A Roth?” I finally manage.

“What do you mean, a Roth?” Kanuz growls at the same time.

The dinosaur nudges my forehead again, and I resume scratching it, only slightly terrified of what happens when I stop.

“Is he alive?” I ask. “Or did Niki kill him?”

The dinosaur makes a soft roaring sound, and I try not to jump.

“It knows you’re upset,” the Suevan says, scowling at me like it was my choice to take his dinosaur from him. “And no, she did not kill him, though she did maim him. It was a stunning sight to see. However, in her brilliance, she decided it best to leave him alive for questioning.”

“I will rip his spine out and gift it to you, my flower,” Kanuz tells me.

My lips twist to the side. “Ah, that won’t be necessary. But thanks. That’s really thoughtful of you.”

“Say the word, and—” He closes his fist and makes a yanking motion. “No more Roth.”

“Uh, if Niki thought he had information we needed, then I think we should save the spine-ripping for later, don’t you?”

“Later,” he agrees. The dino whuffs again, sending more slobber down my leaf. “Why are the Roth here?” Kanuz asks.

“The same reason the females are here for us. The virus hit their people, too. They seek a cure. Or they did. Now? They seek human females.”

My jaw drops open.

I turn to Kanuz. “When will the tech shipment get to Earth?”

“It is already on its way, my flower,” he says gently, but I know him well enough now to tell he’s troubled, too. That he’s thinking what I’m thinking.

If Roth wants human females to procreate with, Earth is in big trouble.

“We need to get back to my crew.”

“Take us to Edrobaz,” Kanuz says at the same time.

“I hope the newest shipment of human females has many just like you and Ni-Kee,” one of the southern Suevans sighs.

A wet, rasping tongue licks across my ear, and I shove the dinosaur’s head away in disgust. “Stop it, Steve.”

“Steeeve?” one of the aliens repeats. “What a strange, foreign name.”

“Very formidable,” the other adds. “Wise choice, Princess.”

Steve lowers his head again, butting my chest so hard I nearly fall on my ass. “We don’t have time to lose, my dudes. Let’s go.”

It’s not a great princess impression. I don’t have the same panache as Kanuz does, but the other Suevans stare at me, something like awe on their faces.

“She called us her dudes,” one whispers.

“Is this a high rank amongst your people?”

I glance sidelong at Kanuz, trying to figure out how I should play it.

This is just too fucking weird. I nod my head, pursing my lips. “Absolutely. From now on, you’re my dudes.”

They both drop to one knee, fists held up.

Right.

What problems could possibly come from this?

Kanuz grins at me, that too-hot-for-his-own-good smirk back in place.

“To Edrobaz!” I yell, losing my head completely.

They don’t cheer or repeat me though, unfortunately for my delusions of grandeur. They just get up, nod at me, and set off through the jungle.

“Did that play out like you wanted it to?” Kanuz asks, sly amusement in his voice.

“Not exactly, but it sure as shit could have gone worse.”

All in all, I’m not mad about it. My limbs are intact. I have a dinosaur friend I’ve dubbed Steve, and I’ve added two former separatists to my troupe of dudes, which now totals… two.

I don’t know what having them as my dudes means yet, but I’ll figure it out. Probably.

OceanofPDF.com

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

OceanofPDF.com

KANUZ

The separatists did not need me to unite them. They did not even need the symbol of the goddess’ blessing that Gen wears on her skin, the one we risked life and limb to get, to see reason.

All they needed was to have hope for their future.

As we all do.

I mull it over as Edrobaz nears in the distance. The atmospheric bubble shimmers slightly in the mountain air, crisp and clean, but too cold for my Gen, who shivers constantly. We made it here much faster than I would have imagined. The temple courtyard tunnel dumped us further north in the jungle than I’d realized.

“I am grateful you found us,” I tell the southern Suevans.

“We are glad to have had the opportunity to come to know you better.”

“Especially since we are now the princess’ dudes.”

Gen shoots me a nervous look, and I bite back a laugh at the consternated expression on her face. She was so eager to include these two and make them feel welcome, that she did not quite think through the ramifications of giving them the title of dude.

I hate to think what they will do when they find out she says it to everyone.

Gen’s already won them over, though. How could she not? She’s funny and brave, and has not complained once, despite her teeth clattering together.

The zitsu leaf is an ill-choice for clothing, and the southerners gave her a blanket from their packs, but it’s still not enough for her fragile human skin.

Gen’s eyes go wide as she takes in the city sprawled before us. Early evening mist clings to the primeval trees bursting from the mountaintop city, the myza that the dwellers here make their homes in. A wall surrounds the city proper, and as we approach, the dirt trail gives way to polished stone.

“This is really… I’ve never seen trees that big before.”

“I think you will like my city, too.”

“The southern cities are likewise beautiful, Princess,” a Southerner butts in, gazing at Gen with blatant adoration that sets my teeth on edge. “You should visit them soon. I know the few of our people that remain there would like to see you for themselves. To see what it is we’re fighting for.”

Gen’s throat bobs, and then she inclines her head nobly. “That sounds like a great idea.”

The southerners beam.

Behind us, the Crigomar let up a resounding roar, angry at the barrier that keeps them away from the city proper.

“Knock it off, Steve!” Gen bellows, so loud that the southerners wince. The roaring dies, replaced by a plaintive whine.

“I never thought I’d be telling a dinosaur to shut up.”

The great gate of Edrobaz begins to grind open, and we all swing our attention to it.

“Oh my god!” a female voice shrieks. “Gen is alive! And she’s radioactive!” A dark-haired curvaceous beauty bounces out of the gate, sprinting for where I hold Gen in my arms, after her poor feet couldn’t handle the rough terrain any longer.

“Radioactive? Officer Durand, have you been handling unsanctioned materials?” This voice is strong and laced with humor, and another human woman saunters from the doorway, draped in traditional Suevan fabric. The woman’s face contorts as she takes Gen in, and then she, too, is running towards us. I clutch her tighter to my chest, feeling possessive and violent.

“Ni-Kee!” one of the southerners says, his delight in seeing the human evident.

“Gen, what the fuck?” the brunette says. “Are you okay? Why do you look like Tinkerbell on an acid trip?”

“Hey, Bex.” Gen’s voice is faint, and her body tenses. She inhales deeply, and I know she’s trying to contain her soft heart, trying to stay strong as she always does. “It’s damn good to see you.”

“Likewise.” Bex glances up at me, her lips pursing. “I guess you know by now the dude who’s carrying you is your husband, yeah?”