Page 31 of Einar

CatchingSlavic’sapprehensive look down at his mate,Irush to offer him what little assuranceIcan. “Theywill be out for at least half a rotation.Ihave the monitors set to alert me if they so much as twitch.”

Itis as much an assurance for myself, as it is for him.Rukuhksaren’t meant to be separated from their mates, let alone so soon after meeting them, but these are extreme circumstances.WaitingforSlavicto make a decision,Iwatch as he wrestles with himself over leaving his mate before followingRuarcandFalonout the door.Takinga deep breath,Iforce myself to follow them down the hall to the crew quarters whereFalonhesitates before opening the door to his room.

“Well?”

AtSlavic’sprompting, he presses his hand against the entry panel, andIseeSlavicrub his hands across his face as we all see three frightened human females staring back at us from the far side of the main room.Themore we speak amongst ourselves, the worse their fear gets.Itis clear the humans cannot understand a word we are saying.

“Getthem cleaned up, clothed, and provide something to eat,Falon.”

“Ialready suggested that, but they cannot understand a word we say.”

Itis crushing to all of us that these defenseless females have been treated so poorly.Wemay not necessarily be good males, but we are not evil either.Thepoor little females are all emaciated to the point they are more bone than flesh.Slavic’snext words reiterate what my medical mind observed.

“Gods, they are nothing but skin and bones.Einar, see toKallenbecause in the midst of all this confusion,Icompletely forgot about her, and she was in very rough shape.Tothe point where she had given up, and she thoughtIwas a ghost sent by the gods to take her into the afterlife. …Bikar?”

Kallen?So,Iwas not imaging things during the chaos on theVelgriddixship.Thatreally wasKallen!

“Iam listening.”

MentallyIroll my eyeballs,of courseBikaris listening.Theannoying little shet is always listening but whether he actually heeds you or not is the important part.

“Thesefemales are terrified, so find something on this bucket of bolts that can be used to translate so that they know what we are saying.”

“Iam on it.”

Bikarspins on his heel and heads back toward the bridge where his main computer is.Turning,Istart to make my way up the hall toRuarc’sroom whenSlavic’snext words stop me.

“Einar, before you leave, ifKallenfeels up to it, try to figure out how she got on that bug ship.Weneed to know where they captured her, and she said she was also looking for ‘Ruby’.Figureout who or what that is.”

NoddingthatIunderstand,Ihead off toRuarc’sroom and thePrincesshe is hiding.

ChapterTwenty-One

EINAR

Asquickly ashe had revealed himself moments ago whenIrequested entry,Ruarchid his snarling face behind the sliding door of his private quarters.Havinga door metaphorically slammed in your face while being told to frack off isn’t something that has happened to me in some time.Iwould have gone to check onKallenregardless of whatSlavicordered me to do, butIwas not expecting this sort of reaction fromRuarcat all.

Thereare questions that we need answers to andKallenis the only one that can give them to us.Notto mention her physical condition is almost as bad as my mate’s and the other humans we found on theVelgriddixship.Ican only surmise that she lasted far longer than various other species due to the sturdiness of being aRukuhk.Weare notoriously difficult to kill and that was before theAynarand their … improvements.

Shakingmy head at his stupidity,Iturn and make my way back to the med bay.Ifhe is going to refuse my help,Ican at least bring some basic care items and leave them outside the door.Mybrother is acting a fool, but he is not truly lacking in intelligence.Hewill use whatIbring to help his mate.Fatewill allow nothing less, regardless of his feelings on the matter.

Slavicis not going to be happy about this at all…

Tworisings later.

“Einar, how much longer do you think?”

Ihave to bite back a sigh whenSlavicasks me the same question he has been asking me on repeat for the last two risings.Myanswer is borderline exasperated, butIcannot truly be annoyed with my oldest brother.Heasks only because he cares so very much and does not have the medical training thatIdo.So, he only sees his mate convalescing with little to no change in her outward condition.

“Slavic, she is healing, and that takes time.Youshould enjoy the peace and quiet while you can becauseIhave no doubt that when she awakens, things are going to get complicated quickly.EspeciallysinceBikarcan’t seem to replicate the translators.Weare lucky thatKallencan understand them and has talked to the others…otherwise, this would have been a real shet show.”

“Hasshe revealed anything yet?”

Frustrationwells within me at his question.Ruarchas still not let me assessKallen’scondition, and it is beginning to vex me deeply.Sheneeds medical care, and the fracker is being exceptionally narrowminded abouteverythingwhen it comes to “PrincessKallen.”Thedumbard is constantly spouting drivel that we are not worthy of being in her presence, let alone touching her.Noteven as a medic.Seemslike cutting one’s tusk off to spite their face if you ask me.

“No, andRuarcwon’t let anyone get close enough to her to ask any more questions.Heis fighting his bond with her and no matter whatIsay, he refuses to change his mind on the subject.Icould hear them arguing about her talking to the humans all the way in the dining chamber.”

“Whowould have thoughtEinar, that our brother’s mate was ourPrincessand the female we all watched grow up?Itis sad all the time they have missed together.”

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