Page 99 of Diamond

Kuret growls. "A waste of breath male that tried to force Nasrin. Tall, green hair, even longer ears than mine, spikes instead of feet."

"Great. We haven't seen one of those yet, but I'll get them added to the kill list."

I should feel bad about the spike of satisfaction that causes, but I don't have the energy for it. We're on their kill list, after all.

Kira switches to Drasuk's language then speaks again. "Can you smell another human besides us?"

He takes in a long breath. "Very faintly, now that you mention it. But it's coming from multiple directions."

"Great," she says, her tone weary.

"We should go back for reinforcements," Kira says, looking disappointed as she stands upright instead of giving Azar more belly pats.

"It isn't safe to move Darya yet, I think," I tell her. "And I'd like to keep looking while you are gone."

Kira nods. "That makes sense. If we find Olivia quickly, worse case Drasuk can carry Darya back to the island. There isn't a lot of grass there, but once we get past the monsters in the water, the argila will be the safest they can be on this cursed planet. I'd love to learn more about both of you, but I think we should go back right away."

After that, they are gone within a few minutes, and I'm surprised just how sad it makes me. I was prepared to dislike her, especially with her brash, snarky tones, but the speed that she left and how focused she was on doing the right thing by Olivia completely won me over.

I know she'll be back as fast as she can.

My lips turn up at just how certain I feel. Is this what happens when you finally let yourself trust someone? First Kuret, and now I'm finding more allies? In an American, no less?

Then I think back to Oliva. She had an odd accent, but there was a little bit of American there, I realize. And Australian, maybe?

Kira's right. Now is our time to let go of our preconceptions and the cultural baggage of our past. I need to let them tell me what kind of people they are by their actions, not by the country theywere born in. We probably won't ever see Earth again, and it's busy tearing itself apart over those things.

What would mybabasay if I revived those same fights light years away by holding on to my own preconceptions?

"I won't," I promise him in a whisper. "I'll make you proud."

We need to find Olivia and get her back to the island.

A surge of guilt tries to rise for the time we lost to the storm, to endless wrong turns, and talking with Kira and Drasuk, but I push it to the side. We needed the rest, and now we'll have help soon. Still, we shouldn't linger.

Azar's playful braying pulls me out of my heavy thoughts, and it brings a smile to my face.

"Keep it down over there," I call out playfully.

Kuret and the argila turn to look, all of them staring at me like I'm a central figure in their lives. Like they trust me, and it feels good to return that trust. As if it has mended something that was broken.

This time with Kuret and the argila have been the most calm I have experienced since coming to this planet. I look at them and feel my face widening into a smile. It's like having my own small family with an even smaller family within it.

As Darya's baby awkwardly runs toward me, I bend and open my arms up for him. The little animal has really warmed up tome and I love it like I love its parents. It is also growing at an alarming rate, already a few inches taller.

Luckily, there will be plenty of grass to feed Darya as she nurses him and they all seem content.

Kuret walks toward me with his sharp grin as I struggle to lift the rapidly growing baby argila. "Ya Allah, he is getting so big."

I can still lift him just fine, of course, thanks to whatever new strength I gained, but it's awkward with all of his wiggling limbs. I set him down so he can go back to scampering.

Still, I'm relieved when I don't have to prod Kuret into searching and before long we have taken care of our basic needs and are back in a cave.

We begin to make our way through the labyrinthine corridors of the inner part of the cavern in silence. We wouldn't want to alert any predators deep in the cavern or Olivia's captor to our approach.

I stay behind Kuret as we carefully feel our way forward in the dark, his marks providing enough light to move, but not enough to do it quickly or with confidence.

"This would be faster if we separated," I blurt out.

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