Total pages in book: 74
Estimated words: 68478 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 342(@200wpm)___ 274(@250wpm)___ 228(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 68478 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 342(@200wpm)___ 274(@250wpm)___ 228(@300wpm)
“Well, she’s not lying to you. You have sex with that woman and you’re going to get her pregnant. Didn’t think you wanted to be a dad.”
I didn’t think I did, either. But there’s something so wholesome and happy about Farli that…I don’t hate the idea of making a family with her. I don’t love it, yet, but I also don’t hate it. Which seems even crazier to me, so I wave it off. “I’ve known her for a day. It’s nothing.”
“That so? Because she didn’t ovulate around Trakan.”
A hot surge of jealousy rips through me. “You keep him away from her.” I don’t like the thought of him hovering around her, needling her, or worse, trying to seduce her. She’s far too trusting for the likes of him.
Niri shoots me a knowing look. “It’s nothing, huh?”
I clench my jaw and glare at Niri. “Nothing happened between us, and that’s all I will say.” I push away from her and head back toward med bay.
“Just let me know where to send the wedding invite,” she calls back mockingly.
FARLI
“You want to visit my village?” I look at the faces of Mardok’s friends in surprise. I thought they did not like me.
Cap-tan nods. “It is our duty.”
Oh. Well, I do not know what he means by that. “I think my chief would like to meet,” I say, a little guarded. “Though I cannot speak for him.” I glance over at my new mate, but his expression is impossible to read. “If I start running now, I can make it there in a few days and will be back in a hand or so with an answer.”
“Run?” Cap-tan blinks at me. “Oh no, my dear, we will take you.”
It is on the tip of my tongue to ask how, and then I feel foolish. They live in a flying cave. Of course they can fly to my people. I look at Mardok uncertainly, and he gives me a small nod. “How long does it take? To fly?” I also worry if it will hurt when we land, but I feel foolish asking such a thing.
“But a few moments,” Cap-tan says, and smiles at me.
I do not entirely trust that smile. But Mardok is here, and I trust him. “All right. How do we go?”
“We need you to show us the way.” Cap-tan gestures behind him. “Join us on the bridge and we can begin. Your pet can stay in med bay for now.”
Niri makes a strange noise.
“Farli can sit with me,” the other male—the mocking one—says, and winks at me.
Mardok growls low in his throat and steps forward, putting himself between me and the other male. “She sits with me.”
“Trakan is the navigator—” Cap-tan begins.
“She sits with me,” Mardok repeats. I beam happily up at him, because he’s being possessive over me, just like a good mate should be. I like it. I hold on to his arm, pleased.
Cap-tan stares at Mardok for a long moment. “See that she does not get in the way.”
“She won’t.”
They talk around me as if I am not here, which is baffling, but then Mardok puts a hand on the small of my back and I feel all warm and giddy, and I forget to be irritated. How can I be, when he is around? Everyone heads down a passage that leads into a large chamber full of lights and colors. This is the room I sat in before, to teach Mardok my language. Things flash on the walls, and it reminds me of the Elders’ Cave. The others file in, moving past me, and sit on strange-looking stools with backs. Mardok touches my arm and gestures at an empty stool in the rear. I follow him, and he taps a few clicky things on the slab of shiny stone in front of him. Something rises from the floor and it looks like a stool. He indicates I should sit and moves to sit down in his own chair.
Oh, I would rather sit in his lap. I ignore the stool and move toward him, sitting on his thigh and putting my arms around his neck. “I like this much better.”
He stiffens, and I hear the one called Trakan give a muffled laugh, but no one says anything. I look over at Trakan curiously, and then lean in to whisper to Mardok. “Why does he laugh? Do mated people act differently where you come from?”
Mardok just shakes his head. “Ignore him. He’s an ass.” His hand goes possessively to the small of my back, and I wiggle a little, because just that small touch is making my khui sing. My tail finds his and tries to wrap around it, but he flicks me away. Aww, he’s shy. That’s…sweet. I smile at my mate, admiring the lines of his face.