by Ruby Dixon
It also makes me grumpy that Taushen abandoned us the moment we set off. As soon as he heard Brooke bailed out, he shut down and took off on his own. Now I’m stuck with Tall, Blue and Silent in a cave that feels like a sauna, full of fruit that I’m picking instead of eating.
This must be what hell is like.
“What do you suppose this tastes like?” I blurt out as I pull another one of the mango-things off the vine. “Tomato? Apple? Pear? I guess you won’t know those because those are Earth fruits, but they’re kind of sweet and tasty. Well, not the tomato. I guess tomatoes are technically fruit, but they’re more acidic and tart and not eaten like fruit. We tend to slice them up and put them in sandwiches and make sauces out of them, which I suppose is kind of like fruit, too. If you think about it, tomato sauce is just like fruit jelly, but on pasta.” Oh god, what the fuck am I even saying?
Shut up, shut up, shut up, Summer!
Warrek just makes a grunt to indicate he’s heard me but doesn’t contribute to my inane conversation. Why would he? I sound like an idiot to my own ears. I’m just so tired of the silence, though. There’s nothing but the drip of condensation falling from the leaves in here, the artificial lights flickering overhead. It’s pretty and covered in vines and reminds me of a bird sanctuary from a zoo back at home…minus the birds. I’d welcome birds, because then at least there’d be noise.
“How many more baskets do we need?” I pause in my plucking and turn around to face my silent companion. “Are we bringing less in since Taushen left? Or do we need to make up his slack and pick some extra? If we do, how are we going to carry it back? I mean, we could always jig a sled of some kind, but I thought this was going to be a quick excursion. I mean, not that quick since we stayed overnight and all, but you get the drift.”
Warrek looks up from his careful packing of the fruit and blinks at me with those bright blue glowing eyes. He’s unfathomable.
Annnnd he’s still silent. God.
“You know what? I’ll just go back to picking,” I tell him, mentally shooting darts at both his head and mine. Him for being mute, and me for babbling to fill the silence.
But he cocks his head, animal-like, and gets to his feet, a frown of concern on his face.
“Uh oh, what’s going on?” I ask, moving to his side. The fruit cave has a lot of narrow ledges that mean walking close together or worse, rubbing up against each other. I’m a small woman, but Warrek’s definitely not on the petite side. He’s all muscle, like all of these hulking aliens. “Is it Taushen? What do you hear?”
He puts a finger to his lips, indicating silence, and then heads out to the entrance.
I set down my basket and follow behind him, frustrated and curious all at once. We step out onto the hidden ledge, tucked into the cliff, and immediately, arctic-feeling air blasts my face, making my damp hair ice up and my body shiver. I hug my arms to my chest and gawk at the sky, unable to believe what I’m seeing.
It’s a spaceship.
Not just any spaceship—I’m pretty sure it’s the one that brought us and dropped us here. The sleek length of it is the same, as is the black metal and the elegant wings. I watch as it glides down through the valley and then settles down off into the distance—near where the Elders’ Cave is parked, if I don’t miss my guess. We can see a long way off from here, and while a lot of ice and mountains look the same, I suspect that’s the ship’s destination.
“It’s The Tranquil Lady,” I breathe, now that I know the name. Mardok told me. Holy cow. This is unexpected. “What is it doing here? I thought they weren’t coming back? Ever?” I glance up at Warrek. “Do you know anything about this?”
He stares at the ship, then shakes his head.
“Are they bringing more slaves?” I press.
Slowly, he shakes his head again. “I…do not think they should be here.”
Great. The only words he’s said in two days are scary ones.
Author’s Note
Hello again!
Thank you, thank you, thank you SO much for continuing to read this series. I adore writing it and I hope you’re still enjoying following along! This book’s a little lighter than the last one, and I like to vary it up. I think a series of unrelentingly sad/broken characters would probably be hard for me to write, so we occasionally have some funny ones in there…like Harrec and Kate. Neither one is dark and serious, and I love how their story turned out. Sometimes you just need someone who pushes your buttons and makes you laugh.
The next book in the series will be Summer’s, as you can tell by the epilogue. Hers should be exciting. And just like some books are lighter than others, some are also more intense than others. Guess which one hers will be! *rubs hands gleefully*
Before we get to Summer’s story, though, we might take a side trek. Remember Chloe? The girl that Kate was imprisoned with on the slave ship? She’s got a story to her, and while she won’t make it to Not-Hoth, she’s got an interesting adventure (and a big, blue-skinned hunk) all her own. So look for more information about that, as well. <3
Also coming up - MORE DRAGONS. By the time this book comes out, I’ll be hard at work on FIRE IN HIS KISS, book two of Fireblood Dragons. Basically what I’m saying is that I’m going to keep you in books until my hands fall off. I hope you’re good with that!
Much love,
Ruby <3
PS - A special shout-out to my editor, Aquila Editing, who is fantastic and catches so many things. She makes me look good, y’all. And another shout-out to Kati Wilde, who does all my covers and manages to make each one look better than the last. I’m always so thrilled. :)
Ice Planet Barbarians - The Tribe
As of the end of Barbarian’s Lady (8 years post-human arrival)
Mated Couples and their kits
________
Vektal (Vehk-tall) – The chief of the sa-khui. Mated to Georgie.
Georgie – Human woman (and unofficial leader of the human females). Has taken on a dual-leadership role with her mate.
Talie (Tah-lee) – Their first daughter.
Vekka (Veh-kah) – Their second daughter.
_______
Maylak (May-lack) – Tribe healer. Mated to Kashrem.
Kashrem (Cash-rehm) - Her mate, also a leather-worker.
Esha (Esh-uh) – Their teenage daughter.
Makash (Muh-cash) — Their younger son.
_______
Sevvah (Sev-uh) – Tribe elder, mother to Aehako, Rokan, and Sessah
Oshen (Aw-shen) – Tribe elder, her mate
Sessah (Ses-uh) - Their youngest son
_______
Ereven (Air-uh-ven) Hunter, mated to Claire
Claire – Mated to Ereven
Erevair (Air-uh-vair) - Their first child, a son
Relvi (Rell-vee) – Their second child, a daughter
_______
Liz – Raahosh’s mate and huntress.
Raahosh (Rah-hosh) – Her mate. A hunter and brother to Rukh.
Raashel (Rah-shel) – Their daughter.
Aayla (Ay-lah) – Their second daughter
_______
Stacy – Mated to Pashov. Unofficial tribe cook.
Pashov (Pah-showv) – son of Kemli and Borran, brother to Farli, Zennek, and Salukh. Mate of Stacy.
Pacy (Pay-see) – Their first son.
Tash (Tash) – Their second son.
_______
Nora – Mate to Dagesh. Currently pregnant after a second resonance.
Dagesh (Dah-zhesh) (the g sound is swallowed) – Her mate. A hunter.
Anna & Elsa – Their twin daughters.
_______
Harlow – Mate to Rukh. Once ‘mechanic’ to the Elders’ Cave. Currently pregnant after a second resonance.
Rukh (Rookh) – Former exile and loner. Original name Maarukh. (Mah-rookh). Brother to Raahosh. Mate to Harlow.Father to Rukhar.
Rukhar (Roo-car) – Their son.
_______
Megan – Mate to Cashol. Mother to Ho
lvek.
Cashol (Cash-awl) – Mate to Megan. Hunter. Father to newborn Holvek.
Holvek (Haul-vehk) – their son.
_______
Marlene (Mar-lenn) – Human mate to Zennek. French.
Zennek (Zehn-eck) – Mate to Marlene. Father to Zalene. Brother to Pashov, Salukh, and Farli.
Zalene (Zah-lenn) – daughter to Marlene and Zennek.
_______
Ariana – Human female. Mate to Zolaya. Currently pregnant. Basic school ‘teacher’ to tribal kits.
Zolaya (Zoh-lay-uh) – Hunter and mate to Ariana. Father to Analay.
Analay (Ah-nuh-lay) – Their son.
_______
Tiffany – Human female. Mated to Salukh. Tribal botanist.
Salukh (Sah-luke) – Hunter. Son of Kemli and Borran, brother to Farli, Zennek, and Pashov.
Lukti (Lookh-tee) – Their son.
_______
Aehako (Eye-ha-koh) –Mate to Kira, father to Kae. Son of Sevvah and Oshen, brother to Rokan and Sessah.
Kira – Human woman, mate to Aehako, mother of Kae. Was the first to be abducted by aliens and wore an ear-translator for a long time.
Kae (Ki –rhymes with ‘fly’) – Their daughter.
_______
Kemli (Kemm-lee) – Female elder, mother to Salukh, Pashov, Zennek, and Farli. Tribe herbalist.
Borran (Bore-awn) – Her mate, elder. Tribe brewer.
_______
Josie – Human woman. Mated to Haeden. Currently pregnant for a third time.
Haeden (Hi-den) – Hunter. Previously resonated to Zalah, but she died (along with his khui) in the khui-sickness before resonance could be completed. Now mated to Josie.
Joden (Joe-den) – Their first child, a son.
Joha (Joe-hah) – Their second child, a daughter.
_______
Rokan (Row-can) – Oldest son to Sevvah and Oshen. Brother to Aehako and Sessah. Adult male hunter. Now mated to Lila. Has ‘sixth’ sense.
Lila – Maddie’s sister. Once hearing impaired, recently reacquired on The Tranquil Lady via med bay. Resonated to Rokan. Currently pregnant for a second time.
Rollan (Row-lun) – Their first child, a son.
_______
Hassen (Hass-en) – Hunter. Previously exiled. Mated to Maddie.
Maddie – Lila’s sister. Found in second crash. Mated to Hassen.
Masan (Mah-senn) – Their son.
_______
Asha (Ah-shuh) – Mate to Hemalo. Mother to Hashala (deceased) and Shema.
Hemalo (Hee-muh-low) – Mate to Asha. Father to Hashala (deceased) and Shema.
Shema (Shee-muh) – Their daughter.
_______
Farli – (Far-lee) Adult daughter to Kemli and Borran. Her brothers are Salukh, Zennek, and Pashov. She has a pet dvisti named Chompy (Chahm-pee). Mated to Mardok.
Mardok (Marr-dock) – Bron Mardok Vendasi, from the planet Ubeduc VII. Arrived on The Tranquil Lady. Mechanic and ex-soldier. Resonated to Farli and elected to stay behind with the tribe.
_______
Bek – (Behk) – Hunter. Brother to Maylak. Mated to Elly.
Elly – Former human slave. Kidnapped at a very young age and has spent much of life in a cage or enslaved. First to resonate amongst the former slaves brought to Not-Hoth. Mated to Bek.
_______
Harrec (Hair-ek) – Hunter. Squeamish. Also a tease. Recently resonated to Kate.
Kate – Human female. Extremely tall & strong, with white-blonde curly hair. Recently resonated to Harrec.
Unmated Elders
_______
Drayan (Dry-ann) – Elder.
Drenol (Dree-nowl) – Elder.
Vadren (Vaw-dren) – Elder.
Vaza (Vaw-zhuh) – Widower and elder. Loves to creep on the ladies. Currently flirting with Gail.
Unmated Hunters
_______
Taushen (Tow – rhymes with cow – shen) – Hunter.
Warrek (War-ehk) – Tribal hunter and teacher. Son to Eklan (now deceased).
Former Human Slaves
_______
Gail – Divorced older human woman. Had a son back on Earth (deceased). Approx fiftyish in age. Allows Vaza to creep on her (she likes the attention).
Brooke – Pink-haired human female. Former hairdresser.
Summer – Human female. Tends to ramble in speech when nervous.
IPB Reading List
Are you all caught up on Ice Planet Barbarians? Need a refresher? Click through to borrow or buy!
Ice Planet Barbarians – Georgie’s Story
Barbarian Alien – Liz’s Story
Barbarian Lover – Kira’s Story
Barbarian Mine – Harlow’s Story
Ice Planet Holiday – Claire’s Story (novella)
Barbarian’s Prize – Tiffany’s Story
Barbarian’s Mate – Josie’s Story
Having the Barbarian’s Baby – Megan’s Story (short story)
Ice Ice Babies – Nora’s Story (short story)
Barbarian’s Touch – Lila’s Story
Calm - Maylak’s Story
Barbarian’s Taming – Maddie’s Story
Aftershocks (short story)
Barbarian’s Heart – Stacy’s Story
Barbarian’s Hope – Asha’s Story
Barbarian’s Choice – Farli’s Story
Barbarian’s Redemption – Elly’s Story
Barbarian’s Lady - This book!
Next up…
Summer’s book (title TBA)
FIRE IN HIS BLOOD
Ruby does dragons! Have you tried it yet? Click on the cover to borrow!
Years ago, the skies ripped open and the world was destroyed in fire and ash. Dragons - once creatures of legend - are the enemy. Vicious and unpredictable, they rule the skies of the ruined cities, forcing humanity to huddle behind barricades for safety.
Claudia's a survivor. She scrapes by as best as she can in a hard, dangerous world. When she runs afoul of the law, she's left as bait in dragon territory. She only has one chance to survive - to somehow 'tame' a dragon and get it to obey her.
Except the dragon that finds her is as wild and brutal as any other...and he's not interested in obeying.
What he is interested in is a mate.
WANT MORE?
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As always - thanks for reading!
<3 Ruby