19. Chapter 19

Chapter nineteen

~Kitari~

I watched as Bryce Bryce Gunner leapt around with all the joy of a baby kalao testing its legs for the first time.

This human was beyond intriguing in ways that I did not understand. He had clearly been in pain several times in the last few days, but had never once made a complaint. It was like he was determined to convince me that he was always fine. Did all humans pretend that weakness was not real? Or was it only Bryce Bryce Gunner? Clay complained enough about a variety of things.

This human was brave and determined; constantly optimistic, even when logical thought demanded otherwise. But it was contagious. I found myself appreciating things I had not even considered before. Like the warmth of the sun on my skin, the softness of the plants underneath me, the strength in my arms and legs.

And when he smiled wide with all of his teeth on display, it caught in my chest like a barb.

I took a deep breath. His pheromones were utterly delicious. I felt a little guilty thinking it; I had to remind myself that I had given my word not to act on my urges. But enjoying them and acting on them were two different things. There was no harm in appreciating him, was there?

Just then, the wind changed and a new scent caught my attention. I tilted my head up and breathed deeply. Alpha.

I moved instinctively, jumping to my feet. I would not allow an alpha near my omega—I shook my head—I meant Bryce Bryce Gunner.

He stopped when he saw me.

“Do not move from this spot,” I said. “I will be right back.”

“Where are you going?” he asked.

I strode into the brush, “I must…urinate.”

“Oh. Ok.”

I headed upwind of the scent, moving around to come at the alpha from behind. If their scent had reached me, that meant that Bryce Bryce Gunner’s scent was moving away from them. If fortune was on my side, they would not yet be aware of his presence.

I moved silently and spotted them, crouched low and moving in a hunting stance, spear in hand and moving towards the place Bryce Bryce Gunner waited. They must have heard us speaking in Panlin and assumed we were the enemy.

I leapt, barreling into them, and snatched the spear from their hand before they could react. It was Koum. He tumbled, startled for a moment, and then sprang back to his feet with an indignant growl, before he saw me and his eyes widened.

“Kitari,” he said. “I thought you were the humans, I could have killed you!”

I glanced at the spear now in my hands. “I doubt that.”

He bristled. “Where in the moon’s name have you been?”

“I got into a situation,” I said.

“A situation? I have been looking for you everywhere.”

“How long have I been gone?” It had been impossible to tell the passing of time underground, although the cycle of hunger and sleep meant it must have been a few days at least. I had not thought about what my disappearance would mean.

“You do not know? Where have you been? It has been three days since you were last seen.”

“I was in the caves, it took some time to get out.”

“In the caves? How did you end up there?”

A complicated string of emotions passed through me as I considered my answer. I could not tell him about Bryce Bryce Gunner, he would not understand and might try to take him from me. I had sworn to protect him, and I would. There was also guilt at disobeying. I did not want to face the consequences of my actions yet. But I also did not want to share Bryce Bryce Gunner. I felt incredibly possessive of him.

The thought of Koum going anywhere near him made my blood rush. But what excuse could I give that would not make me appear to be utterly useless? In the end, I decided I would sacrifice my dignity, certain in the knowledge that Koum, in his disdain for me, would willingly believe it.

“I fell in,” I said.

Koum’s face fell, a mixture of incredulity and vexation. “You fell in?” he said flatly.

I pursed my lips. “I was not looking where I was going,” I ground out.

“All this time we have been scouring the jungle for you, Jursin has been inconsolable with worry, all because you fell into a hole like a bumbling child? That is exactly in your nature, Kitari, how many times have I instructed you to be more aware of your surroundings. You never take anything seriously.”

I tried to unclench my jaw. I wanted him to believe my story, but he was believing it a bit too readily and enthusiastically.

I stared into his eyes. “Yes, you are correct.”

He seemed slightly taken aback that I was agreeing with him. “Perhaps the fall finally knocked some sense into your head.”

He turned away from Bryce Bryce Gunner’s position and snatched his spear back. “And where is your own spear?”

I sighed. “Somewhere in the caves, I assume.”

“Of course. Come, we must go back to Amalya . Jursin will want to know you are well, and just as foolish as ever.”

He started to move back into the trees, towards Amalya and away from Bryce Bryce Gunner. I stayed where I was. “You go ahead and give him the news.”

He stopped and turned back to me, narrowing his eyes. “You must come too. I am not leaving you to fall into some other hole.”

I cast around for an excuse. “I have injured my leg. In the fall. It will take me longer to reach Amalya, I will slow you down.”

“Then I will help you, I cannot leave you alone out here if you are wounded.”

He may dislike me, but Koum was dutiful to a fault, damn him.

A sharp crack came from behind us, from the clearing I left Bryce Bryce Gunner in, and Koum spun towards it, spear raised, eyes widening. Bryce Bryce Gunner had moved, and I could now make him out through the trees, pulling himself up and down on a branch.

Koum stepped in front of me. “Get back, Kitari.”

I grabbed the spear butt and attempted to wrench it from his hands again. He kept his grip but stumbled back a step. “Stop.”

“What are you doing? There is a human there.”

“I know.”

Koum looked at me, eyes wide. “Then why are you stopping me? They are dangerous.”

“This one is not,” I snapped.

“What do you…” He stopped, searching my face. “How do you know that?”

“I have taken him prisoner, and I am bringing him to Amalya so he can speak to Jursin and explain why they are here.”

Koum looked back at Bryce Bryce Gunner and then pointed accusingly. “It does not look like a prisoner. It looks like it is enjoying itself.”

“I am keeping him safe. The humans are not our enemy, once we open communications, we can resolve this without conflict.”

“There has already been conflict, Kitari, and it can not be undone.”

“What conflict?”

“You were missing, Jursin thought that the humans had taken you. While we were searching, some of them saw us in the jungle and opened fire. Several have been injured.” His tone was accusing. I did not know there had been conflict already, and guilt sat heavy in my belly. “And now you are bringing one of them to our home? Jursin will not be happy about this. We were told not to interact with them.”

“The human was in trouble, and I had to help him.”

Koum drew back. “You helped it?”

“Yes, I could not stand by and do nothing, he could have been killed.”

“Then that would be one less human to deal with,” Koum said. “You should not have been out here at all. Go back home, and I will deal with this human.”

“No. I am sorry my absence caused people to get hurt, but he is coming willingly to talk, in peace. If you scare him, we will lose this chance to resolve the conflict.”

Koum pressed his lips together thoughtfully as he considered my words. But the wind shifted direction, drawing Bryce Bryce Gunner’s scent towards us again. Koum stiffened, sniffed the air. Surprise, and then understanding, dawned on his face.

“It is an omega.”

I stepped in front of him, blocking his view of Bryce Bryce Gunner, and snarled.

Koum narrowed his eyes. “Now I see. You want it. You want to claim it for yourself.”

“Jursin has forbidden any kind of relationship with the humans,” I said. But it was not a denial.

Koum looked over my shoulder at Bryce Bryce Gunner and then met my eyes, tightening his grip on the spear. “Yes. He did.”

Koum straightened and stepped away from me. “I must tell Jursin.”

I held my hands up. “Tell him you found me alive and well. But please do not tell my father about the human omega. He will send others, and I gave the human my word I would keep him safe.”

Koum searched me again, and then turned his back and disappeared into the jungle.

If ads affect your reading experience, click here to remove ads on this page.