Page 8 of His Human to Learn

"When am I not careful?" I ask, skipping to my room with a flick of my damp hair. Nia snorts a laugh before sitting back down on the couch to work on more sewing.

After that, she doesn't push anymore about what happened and even seems to ease up on chaperoning me when Marron is here. Beren and Lyath are still overbearing, but they don't know how to be any other way.

Still, I need to find more time to be with Marron so I can figure out if we can make this work even without being able to communicate fully.

5

Tori

Tonight, we're celebrating mine and Jen's first full year with Beren, Lyath, and Nia. It's an excuse for everyone to get together and have a little party, but Jen and I have no issue with being the stars.

Beren finally got around to making the pathway from the house to the tribe, so I'm allowed to make trips up to the tribe to grab supplies on my own. If any males approach me, I have to tell them I'm an unmated female, not in the mating ceremony. So far, that's only happened a couple of times, and the males immediately apologized and went on their way.

Today hasn't been any different. Most of the demons know who Jen and I are at this point since we've been here for a year. Some of them still think I have no idea how to talk with them, but for the most part, they treat me like a regular tribe member. The only ones I ever need to remind to follow the rules are newer tribal members who come from other tribes in search of mates.But, again, they're always respectful when they're rejected. The screening process is thorough for males who come to see if their mates are here, so I would hope they're all respectful.

"Tori!"

My stomach tightens when I hear a male call out my name, who I don't want to say my name. My shoulders rise, and the pack of alcohol skins shifts uncomfortably on my back. I grip the strap tighter and keep walking, hoping that there is another Tori in the tribe that's mated to whoever just called her name. I'm not that lucky because I can hear the sound of footsteps approaching me, and then someone much stronger than me grabs the pack from my shoulder.

"Let me carry this for you. Are you going to the farm?" Joll asks, giving me a smile that feels icky as he talks.

I reach for the pack, but he moves it to his opposite side and starts walking. I stand in place for a second, debating my best course of action here.

I just left the tribe, and it's only a five-minute walk to the farm's gate. Then again, lots of stuff can happen in five minutes. I don't think Joll would do anything to me because I've known him for a year. Well, known in a very loose sense. His mother used to come to teach Thro and Jen's lessons. She kept bringing her sons up too often, and they kept antagonizing Thro and Marron whenever they came to escort their mother home, so she was asked not to return anymore. Since then, Lyath has been helping with their lessons as best as he can.

"I can walk on my own," I tell him, crossing my arms over my chest and planting my feet. I don't want to cause a scene, not when I'm pretty sure Joll's just eager for female attention. The problem is, I'm not interested in letting him woo me.

"I can also walk with you," Joll says, facing me, the pack still on his shoulder. "Your wardens would not want you walking alone in the trees."

"There's a path. I walk it a lot. I do not need help."

I can feel my nerves kicking in because my words come out uneven and not as crisp as I would like them to. I'm still self-conscious about my ability to speak the same language as the demons. I've worked hard, but it's obvious that I'm not like the other women here who can speak it fluently, thanks to the translator device.

Joll's smile takes on a cruel edge. "I did not understand that."

My blood rushes to stain my cheeks bright red as tears of irritation prick my lashes. Worst of all, I can tell that Joll wants me upset. For what reason? I don't know.

Most of the demons I talk to have a decent understanding that I'm like one of their young when it comes to talking. They might speak a little too slow and a little too loud in an effort to help, but none of them have ever purposefully misunderstood me just to deny my wants.

"I said no," I say, mustering up a bit more of an edge in my words.

My eyes harden as I stare up at Joll. If he thinks I'll back down, he'll learn quickly that I can be stubborn. His smile falls, his brows pulling together, and then he's rubbing the back of one of his horns.

"Me or any male?" he asks.

My face screws up at his question, and then the realization hits me. He's trying and failing miserably at wooing me. A part of me feels bad because some of the males don't know how to interact with females, but Joll grew up in a tribe with them.

"One male," I tell him, holding out my hand for the pack with the skins of alcohol.

His eyes narrow before he removes the bag and hands it back to me. His jaw clenches as he goes to move back around me to the tribe, but he stops short.

"What are you doing out here?" he asks.

I frown at him, thinking he's talking to me when I just made it clear that I have no interest in him or having a conversation with him. He's not talking to me, though. His gaze is firmly planted on someone else who's walking down the trail toward us.

"I was told to help set up the farm." Marron's words are clipped and harsher than I'm used to hearing from him since he usually speaks slowly and softly to me. "You were not invited."

I clear my throat to hide the laugh that tries to escape. Then, because I don't need to be here if there's an altercation between males, I start my way back to the house, knowing that even if Marron follows me, he won't do anything that could get him in trouble with the rest of the tribe. At least he won't when anyone could stumble on us.

---