by Hope Hart
“That’s not a good idea,” Zoey says.
“Leave my father for me to handle, little healer.”
She shakes her head. “I don’t think you understand, Tagiz. I’m done with this.”
She gently passes the baby back to Nevada and walks away, taking my heart with her.
Zoey
I spend the next day in the healers’ kradi, where I see a few patients under Moni’s watchful eye. Two warriors are injured after skirmishes at the border of Rakiz’s territory. A small group of Dokhalls attacked with no warning. Fortunately, their light-sticks weren’t working, and they obviously underestimated how well trained Rakiz’s warriors are. They won’t be attacking any more Braxians.
My heart hurts for Hewex’s friends who are currently being buried. Rakiz’s face was hard when he stalked into the healers’ kradi earlier, talking briefly with Hewex. The warrior gained consciousness long enough to murmur briefly to the tribe king, and then Moni shooed Rakiz away, ordering Hewex to drink more of her tonic.
I examine one of the warrior’s shoulders before cleaning and then covering the wound with the antiseptic paste Moni prefers.
“Does that feel better?”
He nods. “Thank you.”
It felt good to tell Nevada and Rakiz about the poison I’ve created. I no longer feel like a victim. I’m fighting back, and I’m doing it in my own way.
I’ll never be on the front lines of a battle, and I don’t want to be. I’m content saving lives in the healers’ kradi. But after what the Dokhalls have done to us, I need to play a part in their downfall.
Rakiz has agreed to give me my own kradi where I can mix my poisons. He said he’ll have a guard stationed nearby to make sure no one gets too curious. And Moni has said she will use her own knowledge to help me tweak what I’ve already created. She didn’t seem surprised when I told her what I was working on. She simply told me once again that some of the deadliest plants grow in the Seinex Forest.
The afternoon passes quickly, and I focus on mixing up new tonics and salves, checking on Hewex, and keeping myself busy.
Yes, I’m burying myself in work. And yes, part of the reason I’m doing that is because I’m worried if I don’t, I’ll end up finding Tagiz, falling to my knees, and begging him to choose me.
Life is no longer in color. It’s now black and white and gray and sad. And I don’t know what to do about it.
I’m so deep in thought it’s not until Ivy and Charlie are standing right in front of me that I realize they’ve been trying to get my attention.
“Sorry.” I blush. “I’m walking around like I’m sleepwalking.”
“It’s okay,” Ivy murmurs. “You want to talk about it?”
“Maybe later. What are you guys up to?”
“We’ve been hanging with Makayla and Clara. You know, they’re pretty damn excited about your poison. That’s badass, Zoey.” Ivy glances around the healers’ kradi curiously, and I smile.
“We have to see if it’ll work before we get too excited.”
Charlie nudges me with her elbow. “If it doesn’t, you’ll find something else. But poison is a good way to go. The Dokhalls are armed with those stupid stick things. And even if they don’t work all the time, they work just enough of the time to give them a huge advantage.”
I nod, my mind going to Hewex. He’s doing better today, but it’ll likely be a while before he can be on his feet. “You’re right. I just…I really want to make sure we can get everyone who wants to leave on that ship, you know?”
Charlie tilts her head. “Yeah, I get it. I want that too. But I also know sometimes you think the grass is greener somewhere else. And then you realize it’s not grass at all. It’s that fake shit they roll out to hide the dry dirt underneath.”
I grin at that. “You have a point. I like the grass here just fine. But the other women haven’t been here anywhere near as long as we have. Remember when we first landed? All we wanted was to get home.”
Ivy nods. “Not only that, but it sounds like they had it worse on the spaceship too. Apparently one of the women was killed. I don’t blame them for wanting revenge. I just wonder how likely it is they’ll be able to get it.”
I wash my hands and hang up my apron, waving goodbye to Moni, who is examining Hewex on the other side of the kradi.
The sun is high in the sky as I make my way to the training arena with Charlie and Ivy gossiping the whole time.
Ivy lets out a wolf whistle as we approach the arena, and I can’t help but laugh. Vrex is currently fighting Terex. Both of them have their shirts off, swinging their swords. Vrex says something to make Terex laugh, and Ivy sighs, her eyes softening as she gazes at Vrex. “That man. This morning he brought me breakfast in bed. He feels guilty that we’re not hanging out at our hut in the woods.”
The sun disappears, and we all look up. “Dragix is coming in hot,” Ivy murmurs.
“Is that Tagiz on his back?” Charlie asks.
The dragon roars, and I slam my hands over my ears. “What the hell?”
He lands no further than ten feet from us, with a thump that shakes the ground as he roars again.
I meet Tagiz’s eyes, and he leaps from Dragix’s back, rolling clear of the obviously furious dragon.
“Who pissed in his Cheerios?” Ivy snaps.
Dragix moves, and Ivy and I jump back as he reaches out one foot and pulls Charlie close to him. Her eyes widen in surprise, and he drops his head to her stomach. We’re all silent as he inhales through his nose.
Rakiz approaches, and Dragix angles his head, blowing out a stream of fire in warning. Rakiz scowls at him, freezing in place, his hand on his sword.
“Dragix,” Charlie murmurs. Then she raises her eyebrows. “You can seriously smell that?” The dragon keeps his eyes on her stomach, and I get it.
“Oooh.” I grin.
Charlie glances at us, her cheeks heating. “Yes. Someone just discovered he’s going to be a daddy.”
Ivy’s mouth drops open as she glances at me. Charlie begins talking to Dragix softly, urging him to shift. Another growl sounds, and I almost throw up my hands at the drama of it all.
But that last growl didn’t come from Dragix.
My furry little beast has jumped in front of me, and he’s currently baring his teeth at Dragix as if daring the dragon to attack.
“I thought we agreed you’d stay in the kradi.” I sigh. Ivy tilts her head at me like she can’t believe what she’s hearing, and on the other side of the training arena, Tagiz steps up next to Rakiz, both their gazes narrowed on my karja.
Uh-oh.
Dragix’s head swivels around Charlie’s back, and one gold eye stares at the karja.
The fur ball stares back, teeth still bared as a low growl sounds from its throat.
“I bet it’s a male,” Ivy murmurs. “Just wait. One of them is about to piss in a circle and mark its territory.”
I shrug. “It is a male. His name is Harry.”
She gives me a look that suggests I might be completely insane.
“Right. Because what wild animal on an alien planet wouldn’t be called Harry?”
“I always wanted a dog,” I say defensively. “And I wanted to name him Harry. Besides, he likes his name. Don’t you, darling?”
Harry swings his head, giving me a growl that sounds a lot like affirmation in my head.
“Who are you, and what have you done with Zoey?”
I shrug. “Come on, Harry. You’re a big, bad, brave boy, but even you are no match for a dragon.”
The karja ignores me, still focused on Dragix. Dragix shifts into a man, and it drives the karja wild. He loses his mind, growling at the dragon as if challenging him to a fight.
Dragix stares at Harry for a few seconds, and the karja loses whatever dominance contest he thought he could win. Just like that, he drops to his belly, angling his head submissively.
Dragix turns his attention back to Charlie. On the other side of the training arena, Ra
kiz is ordering his men away from the dragon.
Dragix stares intently at Charlie, and I can tell they’re having one of their spooky silent conversations. She frowns at him, and he nods, his hand stroking over her flat belly.
He turns to Rakiz. “I apologize. The scent of our babe slammed into me, and all I could see was that Charlie was surrounded by warriors.”
Rakiz nods. “I understand,” he says. “This is a…difficult time for males.”
My mouth drops open. Ivy snorts, and Charlie angles her head. “I’m sorry,” she says sweetly. “I must have misheard you. Did you just say this is a difficult time for males?”
I grin. Charlie has a temper. A temper Dragix loves, if the look on his face is any indication.
“You are more vulnerable when you are carrying a child,” he says carefully. “It is…instinct to protect you.”
“Uh-huh. I can no longer smell meat cooking without wanting to puke. But please, tell me more about how difficult it is for you.”
Dragix grins at her, then swings her up into his arms. He’s obviously delighted at the news, and after hearing about his history with the Braxians, I can understand why he lost his mind for a brief moment.
Thankfully, he seems to have regained control because he carries Charlie toward the kradis, his naked butt flexing with each step.
“Wow,” Ivy says as we watch him leave.
I sigh. “I know, right?”
“Ivy,” a low voice rumbles, and we both jump as Vrex appears. He looks unimpressed with Ivy’s admiration of Dragix’s toned ass, and she squeals as he throws her over his shoulder before also marching toward his own kradi as she howls with laughter.
“Zoey.” I jump again as Tagiz appears out of nowhere.
“Jeez, give a girl some warning,” I mutter, still staring after Charlie and Ivy, jealousy twisting its claws into my heart.
“That could be us,” he says, following my gaze.
I open my mouth, unsure what, exactly, I’ll say, and Tagiz buries his hand in my hair.
His kiss is possessive. It’s a claiming, and he’s clearly marking his territory for all to see. I frown, about to give him a piece of my mind, but his lips gentle, caressing mine, and I soften against him.
He pulls away. “I am giving you space, little healer. But soon, I will grow tired of allowing you to run from me. Soon, I will make you listen to what I have to say.”
I narrow my eyes at him, still wanting to know how he snuck away from camp without me noticing and where the hell he went with Dragix.
But he turns and stalks away.
Chapter Seventeen
Tagiz
It’s early in the morning, the sun barely risen in the sky. The breeze is cool, the sun is warm, and my blood is hot.
Zoey is training with Kroniz. I don’t know how this happened, but I suspect Hewex is responsible. I have heard her begging him to teach her to fight, and my hands fist at the fact she never asked me.
Why would she ask me? She believes I thought her weak. I did think her weaker than a Braxian female, but over the past days, Zoey has shown me the error of those thoughts.
Kroniz says something to make her laugh as he hands her one of the practice swords.
She throws her head back, revealing the smooth pale skin at her throat, and my eye twitches.
He grins at her, and my teeth grind together.
He gestures for her to move closer to him, and my hand reaches for my sword.
My hand tightens around the hilt of that sword as Kroniz steps even closer to Zoey, showing her how to dodge away as he swings his own practice sword. It should be me teaching her to defend herself. Me standing between her and anyone who would think to hurt her for the rest of our lives.
I want to roar with fury as I watch them finish their training. Hewex owes me an explanation for this.
He knows how I feel about the little healer.
I have to leave before I do something I regret, and I storm toward the healers’ kradi, infuriated.
Hewex is awake, although his eyes are glassy.
“You put Kroniz in charge of Zoey’s combat training,” I growl.
He shrugs, wincing with the movement, and the sight of his pain takes the edge off my fury. Barely.
“He owed me a favor.”
I bare my teeth at him, and he gives me a mild look in return.
“You will soon be a mated male, from what I hear,” he says. “Zoey has been training with Kroniz for many mornings. You have simply been unaware.”
“We’re almost brothers. And you betray me like this?”
He rolls his eyes—something I’ve never seen him do before—and it’s clear he’s been spending time with Zoey. The thought makes my hands shake.
“You should get used to the thought of her with others. Although, you’re unlikely to have to see it.”
I don’t bother correcting Hewex. I haven’t yet told him I have made it clear to my father I won’t be mating with Malis.
“What do you mean?”
He frowns up at the ceiling of the kradi. “I overheard Moni talking to one of the other healers. Zoey is training one of the younger females to take her place here.” He gestures around him at the healers’ kradi. “She has decided when the ship is fixed, she will be leaving Agron.”
My heart pounds in my chest, and my fists clench, my hands empty when they should be filled with my little healer.
“What are you talking about?”
Moni approaches, a cup in her hand. “Enough,” she murmurs. “Hewex must rest if he is to heal.”
His eyes are already sliding closed, and I barely tamp down the urge to shake him, to demand he tell me more.
I feel as if I’m floating above my body as I stumble out of the healers’ kradi.
And almost walk into my mother.
My mouth drops open as I reach out a hand to steady her. She blinks up at me.
“I thought you might be here,” she murmurs. “I’ve been looking for you.”
“Are you here to formally disown me?” My voice is gruff, and I wish I could take back the words as she flinches.
“I-I can see why you might think that, Tagiz. But no. I would like to talk to you.”
Part of me wants to refuse her. “Did Father send you to convince me to change my mind about mating with Malis?”
“No. He doesn’t know I’m here.”
I frown at that, and she gives me a tiny, hopeful smile. “Please, Tagiz.”
I glance around, noting the curious eyes on us. I don’t want to take her back to my kradi, as it’s too close to my parents’ kradi. Besides, it’s full of memories of Zoey. The kind of memories I have no desire to share with my mother.
If I can even call her my mother anymore.
Her hands are shaking, and I sigh. “I know a quiet place.”
I take her to the stream, my favorite spot, where I stood with Zoey. It feels like years have passed since that day, and I frown at the water before gesturing for my mother to sit down on a large, flat rock.
Her eyes turn dreamy as she stares into the water, and for a moment, the only sounds come from the wind whistling through the trees and the water bubbling over smooth stones.
“What is it you want, Mother?”
She turns her head, and I tense as her eyes gleam with tears.
“I should have been a better mother to you,” she murmurs.
I frown. “What do you mean?”
“I have failed as a mother. It was my job to protect you, to make you feel safe. Instead, I made you feel as if you had to earn our love.”
“Father made it clear what my tasks would be when he said he would take me as his own.”
She shakes her head, and a tear rolls down her cheek. “Your father never told you the truth. It was I who saw you that day. I peeked into the kradi where he had put you, and I saw you sitting there, so lonely. You were too small, too thin, yet your shoulders were back, your head was raised. I knew then you would be a fierce warri
or. But more importantly, I knew you were mine.”
“You—”
She nods. “By then, your father was close to giving up on having a child. He was furious with me.”
I grind my teeth at that, thinking of Zoey’s words. “It may have been his body that did not allow you to have a child,” I say, and her mouth falls open.
“How—never mind.”
I sigh. “So why did he offer me the deal?”
She turns her head, brushing another tear off her face as she stares into the water as if it holds all the answers of the universe.
“I was best friends with the tribe queen,” she murmurs. “Even then, forced matings were not allowed. My parents called our mating an ‘arrangement,’ but it was made clear your father and I would obey or we would be branded as dishonorable.”
I grind my teeth. “And the tribe king knew?”
“No. But his mate did. When I told her I was unhappy in my mating and why, she was furious.” She smiles. “She told me if I wanted to leave, if I wanted to move to another tribe, I would have her full support.”
My mouth drops open at that. The idea is unthinkable. Father would have been a laughingstock.
“What does this have to do with me?”
“When I saw you, I didn’t see a warrior. I didn’t see a way to be close to the tribe king or queen. I saw my son. I saw the boy I would raise as my own. And I told your father. I told him you were our son, and if he didn’t take you as ours, I would accept the tribe queen’s offer.”
Warmth begins to unfurl in my chest. “He must have been livid.”
She nods. “He was. But he had also seen how you fought. He admired your bravery and skill with a sword, even then. He told me we would take you in, and you would be raised as our son under certain conditions.”
“I would train until I was in Rakiz’s inner circle and mate with the female he chose.”
“Yes.”
I scowl, turning away, but my mother’s hand on my arm stills my movement.
I frown down at her. “Why are you telling me this?”