Page 57 of Resisting the Alien Rider

“Of course I did,” he said. He lowered his knife, but only a little. “Did you forget the name of your own cousin? And keep your voice down. I think she’s still sleeping in her tent.”

I barely registered that last bit. My brain spun in my skull.Garrek. I had not seen him since we were children. When we’d been brought here and then immediately separated.

“He went to the lake, you said?” I asked, even as I was already hobbling towards the water.

The boy did not answer. A moment later, the sound of his rock-blade hacking against wood resumed.

I came upon Garrek suddenly. I rounded a small stand of trees, and there he was ahead. He was seated on the ground with his back to a boulder, his head down. His face was in shadow, but even so, I instantly knew it was him. There was no mistaking him, even though the last time I’d seen him he’d had skinny, young shoulders exactly like the ones on the boy I’d just left by the wood pile.

I did not speak. For a moment, I wasn’t sure I could. I’d had no indication he would be here. No warning at all.

I’d missed him. I hadn’t realized how much until that moment, when the sight of him felt a bit like a punch to the head.

Garrek was not alone. The reason his head was bent was because he was bending over someone.

A human woman.

My data tab, though cracked and currently out of power, still had visual capabilities. I’d spent enough time staring longingly at images of human females in the Zabrian database to recognize one when I saw one. Though she was smaller than I’d anticipated, her little body curled in Garrek’s lap – perhaps sleeping. He held a plait of her thick dark hair in his hand, stroking it like it was precious to him. His mouth rested against her temple.

I still had no explanation for why Garrek was here, but I at least had an explanation for this.

Garrek had elected to take a human bride. Just as I had.

Which was strange, because I thought the warden had told me some time ago that Garrek had refused to participate in the bride program. But clearly, that was not the case. Or maybe something had changed since then. Because my cousin held this human woman like he never wished to let her go. Like she was as necessary to him as his own hands, his own heart. There was no doubt in my mind that she was his wife.

It almost felt wrong to intrude upon them.

But I could not just stand there staring forever. My foot was already throbbing something fierce.

“Garrek?”

He did not react. He really was not that far away. He should have heard me.

“Garrek!”

No response.

Blast it all to Zabria and back. He’s really going to make me walk all the way over there.

And suddenly, he feltveryfar away.

I gritted my fangs, adjusted my hat, looped my tail ’round my belt hook, and started limping towards my cousin and his wife.

He did not lift his head even when I finally stood right before him.

Well, now he’s just being rude.

My tail unfurled. It slid along the ground and curled around a pebble the size of my eye.

I hurled it at my cousin’s head.

“Ah! What-” He reared back when it made contact. Wild, white eyes met mine.

“Hello, cousin!” I boomed.

He gazed blankly back at me. Like I’d roused him from some deep slumber. Or stupor. Or both.

“Oaken?”

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