Page 14 of Resisting the Alien Rider

It was looking more and more likely that wrestling him was exactly what I’d have to do. He still hadn’t taken the boots, and I had no real punishments at my disposal that might actually make a difference to him. Nor did I have anything to offer as a reward, because the Empire knew I was not above bribing this child. But I had nothing that he’d want. There was some satisfaction to be found in this world, in this life, but there weren’t many nice things, and Killian no doubt knew that.

Nice things…

My mind went to Magnolia, with her large dark-and-bright eyes and skin that looked so soft I found myself almost afraid of ever touching it.

And suddenly, I had my strategy.

“When I’m not in camp, who do you think will look after Magnolia?”

Killian, whose tail had been lashing madly behind him in the dust, froze.

“I’m going to the creek,” I reiterated, “and while I’m gone, she’ll be relying on you. So will the animals. You think she can take care of a herd of bracku on her own if something happens to me? Or even feed herself if the supplies run out?”

I did not think Magnolia entirely incompetent. She may not have been able to ride a shuldu or get out of her saddle, but I was sure that she would be smart enough to survive in her old world.

But she was in our world now. And she did not know its dangers like we did.

Killian’s eyes became very large, his expression sober.

It was working. Thank the blazes.

I set my mouth sternly and delivered the final blow.

“How are you going to take care of the animals and make sure Magnolia’s safe if you die from an ardu bite because you were too stubborn to put your boots on?”

We stood in silence for a moment, regarding each other. The boots dangled from my claws in the air between us.

Killian took them.

I expelled a rough exhale, not realizing until that moment that I’d been holding my breath.

“I’ll be back,” I said, grabbing the now near-empty bracku trough. By the time I’d picked it up, from thecorner of my eye I saw Killian scrambling to shove his boots on.

At the creek, I stripped swiftly, stepping out of my boots and clothes and into the water. I washed quickly, thinking of the small disc – now half-disc – of soap Magnolia had made and given to me. It was in my vest pocket, back with my things.

I wasn’t sure I ever wanted to use it. It smelled like she did. I’d already mistakenly eaten half of it thinking it was food and I found myself unwilling to waste more of it in the water now.

I wanted to save it. For what, I was not sure.

I dunked my head, scrubbing my scalp vigorously before rising and striding, dripping, from the water. I took some time to beat the dust out of my trousers, holding them up with my hands and snapping my tail against them like a paddle. I also spent more time than was my custom combing my soaked hair with my claws. When I realized what I was doing – trying to make myself look more presentable because Magnolia would be awake to see me soon – I huffed a sigh and purposely mussed my hair a little in defiance before tying it back.

After that, I dressed, filled the trough, and headed back for camp.

When I returned, it appeared that Magnolia had not yet emerged. Killian had stationed himself at the entrance to her tent. His white eyes swept back and forth, and his spine was as straight as a soldier of the Imperial Justice Committee of Zabria. Put a uniform on him and he’d be the perfect miniature of any well-regarded Zabrian guard. For a disorienting moment, I was thrown back more than twenty cycles in time, reminded of when there was once a guard outside my door, when I’d slept inside a cell.

“She’s not up?” I asked, setting down the trough and grabbing my vest from where I’d lain it down on top of my pack.

“Not yet.”

I frowned, setting my hat atop my head and squinting at the sky, noting the position of the sun. Magnolia hadn’t slept in nearly this late yesterday morning. She’d been awake and ready at dawn at Fallon’s ranch.

A prickly sort of panic worked its way quietly up my spine. Panic that something wasn’t right.

“We should get the shuldu saddled and ready,” I told Killian. “When the bracku are done with the water, I want to be ready to leave.”

Luckily, working with the animals was one of the few things Killian enjoyed enough to actually do without any biting on his part or cajoling on mine. With a glance back at Magnolia’s tent – Empire, I was already thinking of it as hers, not one full day after lending it to her – he got to work.

And I just stood there, thumbs hooked into my belt, waiting.

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