Page 111 of Shadows of Stardust

He’s tall, broad, with sharp features and deep green skin accented with scales. He has a tail, too, and golden eyes narrowed in suspicion as he steps forward, walking slowly downthe planks of the long dock that juts out from the structure and into the river.

When we’re within hearing range, he calls out to us.

“State your purpose here.”

I rise to a full standing position, but rest a hand on Roslyn’s shoulder in a silent command to stay where she is. It’s a command she ignores, much to my consternation, as she stands, too, and pulls back on the throttle to bring the hover to a stop over the river a few meters away from the dock.

“We’re here looking for someone,” she answers the male. “A human. Savannah.”

“And who’s doing the looking?” the male shoots back, eyes narrowing even further.

“Her sister.”

The males studies us for a few seconds more, seeming to weigh his decision carefully before he gestures us forward.

“You may dock.”

Roslyn maneuvers us forward, easing the hover to the end of the dock so we can disembark. Behind the male, a crowd has gathered. The assembled villagers appear to be just as diverse as the Mate Match cast, an amalgamation of different species, ages, genders. A vibrant and apparently thriving community here in the Eritin wilderness that even includes a handful of children peering out from behind their parents’ legs to see what’s going on.

As soon as our feet touch the wooden planks, the male takes another step forward, gesturing to me.

“I’ll take that blaster,” he says. “And any other weapons you might have.”

“This is our only weapon,” I say, just as curt and formal as him, as I take a step closer, lay it on the dock, then step back to stand next to Roslyn.

“We’ll have to verify that.” He looks back over his shoulder. “Thanna, search them.”

A growl rises in the back of my throat, but Ros lays a steady hand on my forearm. “Let them.”

She’s right, I know she’s right, but I still bristle as a female who looks like she may be of a species related to the Aventris steps forward. Two large, feathered wings rise gracefully from her back, and ostentatious plumage runs from the crest of her beaked face up and over the back of her head, feathers in a hundred different shades of purple and blue.

She makes quick work of the search, patting us both down and confirming we’re not lying about being unarmed.

“I’ll need to check your hover, as well,” she warns, and I give her a brief nod of confirmation before she completes that task, too.

Satisfied that we’re not about to launch some sort of attack on her home, Thanna retreats.

The green-scaled male, who’s been watching the entire time with his keen golden eyes, turns his attention to Roslyn.

“What do you want with Savannah?”

I want to snap a warning for the tone he takes with her, but I hold my tongue and wait for Roslyn to speak. I’m here for her, and however she wants to play this, we’ll play this.

“So she’s here, then?” Ros says, and though she’s doing an admirable job of keeping her voice just as brusque and business-like as the male, I don’t miss the quaver in it, the edge of desperate hope.

“That doesn’t answer my question,” the male says flatly, and this time I can’t squash the rumbled warning in my chest.

It’s a warning that catches the male’s attention, has his gaze snapping back to me, but he doesn’t get the chance to speak.

A sudden movement from the gathering crowd puts me immediately on the defensive. I step in front of Roslyn,keenly aware of the disadvantage we’re at being unarmed and outnumbered.

“Ros? Is that you?”

The voice sounds so similar to Roslyn’s that I stiffen in surprise. It’s a surprise that only doubles when the person it belongs to steps out from the crowd, walking forward to stand at the male’s side.

Human.

The similarities between this woman and Roslyn go well beyond the voice. Their height and build are similar, and though this woman’s face is slightly longer and narrower, her rich brown hair and bright green eyes are almost an exact match to Roslyn’s.