Page 32 of Diamond

The only one I can trust is Roshan. I shudder and twine my fingers in his fur. Roshan seems to feel the same, except he is more angry than frightened. I'm pretty sure he's trying to figure out a way to chase him off.

I can't blame him. No one that violent, that cruel, could be anything but trouble personified.

When he stands up, his height and massive size intimidates me, but I don't show it—or try not to anyway—and move to stand as well.

First, I slowly sit up, placing a hand on the boulder behind me and wincing as pain radiates throughout my body. I grunt under my breath before I settle back down, breathing hard. Everything hurts but I don't think I have broken anything.

Ya Allah,I hope, anyway. Who knows where would I find any sort of medical attention here?

I look at the man and see that he and Roshan are in some kind of intense staring contest. I want to lash out at him again, but I know that it could make things worse, especially considering how confused I am about being around Tehlmar and now this guy.

I don't understand the difference between alien cultures, and I don't want to get my throat cut. I shudder when I remember the way he dismembered Tehlmar like some sort of demented surgeon.

Roshan snarls; I tap his side to get his attention as the alien catches my gaze. He is looking directly at Roshan, his face blank and calculating. Whatever he is thinking about, I already know I don't like it.

I need to get up. I repeat this to myself, biting my lip as I look around for something sturdier to hold on to.

Roshan's body is in front of me and I decide he will be my crutch. I hold on to one of his fuzzy legs and push myself up, pressing my lips together when the pain rushes through me, making me feel lightheaded. It creeps up my legs and shoots through my body as I exert myself.

I want to scream and collapse back to the ground, but I shut my brain off, screw up my face, and pull myself into a standing position. My elbows are scuffed and raw, my joints groan, and I struggle to stay on my feet.

Now is not the time to show weakness.

The corners of my eyes burn with tears and my entire body feels raw. I suck in a breath and adjust myself against Roshan, opening my eyes again. Black dots cloud my vision and my hands feel cold.

"Keke…" I huff out.

Roshan pushes his mouth against my side and nibbles softly, making me suck in a quick breath at how painful the normally gentle gesture is.

I rub his head and put a hand to his mouth so that he can nibble at it while I search for a spot on his vast body to lean against. My eyes catch the long cut on his back, open and clotted blue, and it reminds me why I don't want to go anywhere with this alien.

I face him, imagining my eyes to be guns and my glare bullets. His broad shoulders slump and he looks away from me, guilt flooding his features.

That's right, he should feel guilty for hurting such a sweet animal.

Looking at the cut again, I wonder how I am going to treat it. I know he is an animal, and they get wounded all the time, but this was from an already bloodied and maybe even rusty knife. I don't know what kind of diseases they have on this planet and because Roshan is not native to the place, it might turn out even worse for him.

My brain feels like it is being stomped on, but I focus on Roshan, while trying to figure out how I can help him.

My unwanted companion notices how worried I am about Roshan. "I have something to help with his wounds," he says, his voice low.

I snarl at him, and he averts his gaze. "Is it another weapon?" I hiss at him, not feeling any remorse for my tone.

His brow lowers again, his skin moving differently than a humans, and on a different arc because of his rounded forehead, but instead of saying something back, his shoulders slump even further.

He shifts the buckle, which I didn't notice before, to the back of him and a large stuffed pack appears in front. He opens it, pulls out a weird, slim silver tool and tries to hand it to me.

Roshan didn't like this and bleats loudly as his head pushes my hand back. He is such a good boy, looking out for me, but right now I need him to be still. I put my full weight against him and try to distract him by grabbing on to his muzzle.

I stroke my hand over the surface of his fur to calm him, then go back to holding his mouth, pushing it gently to the other side. While he's distracted, I stretch my other hand to collect the silver item, but Roshan interrupts again and this time pushes the man away from me and snarls out a warning.

"He is very protective," the man says, but I don't respond to him.

My only concern now is Roshan; this alien can go stuff himself.

Instead, I try to pull Roshan's large head toward me and my throat tightens. "You are such a sweet boy, aren't you, Roshan?" I coo in Farsi.

I can see that he is still suspicious of the man and the thing in his hand, so I muster strength and pull his head a little harder. It strains my body, but it works.

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