Total pages in book: 79
Estimated words: 71832 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 359(@200wpm)___ 287(@250wpm)___ 239(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71832 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 359(@200wpm)___ 287(@250wpm)___ 239(@300wpm)
I’m not sure how that’s going to work, considering that I already feel like I’m only half of who I’m supposed to be. I’ve lost my memories of Earth. I can only recall fragments of a rich cultural heritage that I want back more than I want to resonate.
Unfortunately, that doesn’t seem to be in the cards.
Instead of returning my memories, fate has decided that I should resonate to cat-like Valmir, the most unlikable gladiator stranded on this planet alongside the human clones. He thinks I should take him to my furs, but I think I’d rather fling myself into the ocean. To stall the inevitable, I make a honey-do list for Valmir. If he completes a task for me, I’ll let him win a bit of my attention. A flirty touch here, a quick caress there. It’ll buy me time to figure out who I really am.
And in the meantime, it’s rather fun to make Valmir squirm
*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************
CHAPTER 1
APRIL
When Liz first pulls me aside to have a talk, I play it cool. I keep my smile bright and my eyes wide and open, like I'm the most innocent angel who ever fell to Earth. You don't want to get on Liz's bad side. I beam at everyone as if nothing is wrong as she pulls me away from the group by the fire. The urge to extend my thumb and pinky and shake them comes over me, but I stop myself, because I'm not sure why I want to do that.
I keep smiling instead. Nothing to see here! Just two chicks having a chat before lunch.
The looks of wild interest on the others' faces as we leave tell me they're not buying it. The tribe loves a good bit of gossip. And as Liz tugs me behind a hut and faces me, the scowl she wears tells me she's not buying my innocent act, either. She crosses her arms over her chest and gives me a focused look. "So. What's this I hear about a list?"
It's hard not to be intimidated by Liz. Not because of her size — she's shorter than me and I'm more strongly built. It's the bravado inside her that's terrifying. If she were an animal, she'd be a pua'a — the wild island pig is fierce, fearless, and ready to tear you apart at the first sign of weakness. She's the boss you don't want to answer to...and while there are no bosses here on this hellishly cold planet we've been abandoned on, Liz more or less runs the show at the encampment.
You don't want to be on her radar.
Which is why I keep smiling, putting the slightest puzzled expression on my face. "I don't know what you're talking about." Gesturing behind me, I continue. "It's my turn to cook lunch—"
"Bzzt. Wrong answer." She eyes me with a sharp, menacing stare, and I change her internal animal from a pua'a to an owl. No, that doesn't sound scary enough. Something watchful and vicious? A velociraptor, I decide. She's definitely a velociraptor. Liz points a finger in my face. "We both know exactly what I mean."
"I really don't," I protest with a light chuckle I hope she's buying.
Her khui-blue eyes glow with leader-like malevolence, offset by her permanently pink nose. "Come off it, April. I know something is up. It's a small tribe."
"You were just saying yesterday that the tribe was enormous—"
"Bzzt! Wrong answer again!" She snaps her hand at me as if I'm an insect she's snatching from midair. "I know something is up. Everyone does. You made Valmir go off on some wild goose chase and now he's in there with the healer, getting his ankle re-broken so it can heal properly."
I do my best not to wince at that, because I do feel bad. Really bad.
And responsible.
It was my idea, all right. I was the one who sent him out there to go and find me a plant that grows up high in the mountains. He was supposed to bring it back to me, roots and all, so I could plant it for myself. Didn't happen. Valmir fell into a pit trap, got taken by metlaks and their leader Corvak, and ended up captive for several days. Thanks to the super-healing of the khui, Valmir's ankle mended far too fast and now the healer, Veronica, must set it again.
It is my fault. I mean, it's also Corvak's fault for digging a pit trap, but I was the one who sent Valmir out there.
"So tell me why Valmir was days away from camp and in the mountains?" Liz demands.
"Hunting?" I reply innocently.
"We both know it wasn't hunting," she continues. "So 'fess up."
I'm determined to ride this conversation into the ground, like so many of my choices. "Liz, gosh, I really don't know what you mean—"
The smaller woman (with velociraptor energy) puts her hand in the air again, stopping me. "I knew you were going to cockblock me in this conversation, so I went to him. Valmir isn't saying what happened, either. Isn't that interesting?"
I keep my face blank and bright-eyed.
"So you know what I did?" Liz continues. "I went to Skarr."
"Fuck," I say aloud, unable to help myself.
"Exactly." Her expression turns smug. "Everyone's favorite braggart spilled the beans on what his buddy has been up to, and he spilled weeks ago. I've been waiting for you to 'fess up on your own, but since that doesn't seem to be happening, I thought we should talk. I know about the list. You're making Valmir do stupid tasks so he can win stupid prizes. Namely, your pussy."
I wince. When she boils it down like that, it does sound rather terrible. Her rendition is so far off from the reality that I feel the need to explain myself. "That's not it at all. Skarr doesn't know what he's talking about, and Valmir asked me for a list."