Vexing Valmir (Ice Planet Clones #5)

CHAPTER 1

APRIL

When Liz first pulls me aside to have a talk, I play it cool.

I keep my smile bright and my eyes wide and open, like I'm the most innocent angel who ever fell to Earth.

You don't want to get on Liz's bad side.

I beam at everyone as if nothing is wrong as she pulls me away from the group by the fire.

The urge to extend my thumb and pinky and shake them comes over me, but I stop myself, because I'm not sure why I want to do that.

I keep smiling instead. Nothing to see here! Just two chicks having a chat before lunch.

The looks of wild interest on the others' faces as we leave tell me they're not buying it.

The tribe loves a good bit of gossip. And as Liz tugs me behind a hut and faces me, the scowl she wears tells me she's not buying my innocent act, either.

She crosses her arms over her chest and gives me a focused look. "So. What's this I hear about a list?"

It's hard not to be intimidated by Liz. Not because of her size — she's shorter than me and I'm more strongly built.

It's the bravado inside her that's terrifying.

If she were an animal, she'd be a pua'a — the wild island pig is fierce, fearless, and ready to tear you apart at the first sign of weakness.

She's the boss you don't want to answer to...

and while there are no bosses here on this hellishly cold planet we've been abandoned on, Liz more or less runs the show at the encampment.

You don't want to be on her radar.

Which is why I keep smiling, putting the slightest puzzled expression on my face. "I don't know what you're talking about." Gesturing behind me, I continue. "It's my turn to cook lunch—"

"Bzzt. Wrong answer." She eyes me with a sharp, menacing stare, and I change her internal animal from a pua'a to an owl.

No, that doesn't sound scary enough. Something watchful and vicious?

A velociraptor, I decide. She's definitely a velociraptor.

Liz points a finger in my face. "We both know exactly what I mean. "

"I really don't," I protest with a light chuckle I hope she's buying.

Her khui-blue eyes glow with leader-like malevolence, offset by her permanently pink nose. "Come off it, April. I know something is up. It's a small tribe."

"You were just saying yesterday that the tribe was enormous—"

"Bzzt! Wrong answer again!" She snaps her hand at me as if I'm an insect she's snatching from midair. "I know something is up. Everyone does. You made Valmir go off on some wild goose chase and now he's in there with the healer, getting his ankle re-broken so it can heal properly."

I do my best not to wince at that, because I do feel bad. Really bad.

And responsible.

It was my idea, all right. I was the one who sent him out there to go and find me a plant that grows up high in the mountains.

He was supposed to bring it back to me, roots and all, so I could plant it for myself.

Didn't happen. Valmir fell into a pit trap, got taken by metlaks and their leader Corvak, and ended up captive for several days.

Thanks to the super-healing of the khui, Valmir's ankle mended far too fast and now the healer, Veronica, must set it again.

It is my fault. I mean, it's also Corvak's fault for digging a pit trap, but I was the one who sent Valmir out there.

"So tell me why Valmir was days away from camp and in the mountains?" Liz demands.

"Hunting?" I reply innocently.

"We both know it wasn't hunting," she continues. "So 'fess up."

I'm determined to ride this conversation into the ground, like so many of my choices. "Liz, gosh, I really don't know what you mean—"

The smaller woman (with velociraptor energy) puts her hand in the air again, stopping me. "I knew you were going to cockblock me in this conversation, so I went to him. Valmir isn't saying what happened, either. Isn't that interesting?"

I keep my face blank and bright-eyed.

"So you know what I did?" Liz continues. "I went to Skarr."

"Fuck," I say aloud, unable to help myself.

"Exactly." Her expression turns smug. "Everyone's favorite braggart spilled the beans on what his buddy has been up to, and he spilled weeks ago.

I've been waiting for you to 'fess up on your own, but since that doesn't seem to be happening, I thought we should talk.

I know about the list. You're making Valmir do stupid tasks so he can win stupid prizes. Namely, your pussy."

I wince. When she boils it down like that, it does sound rather terrible. Her rendition is so far off from the reality that I feel the need to explain myself. "That's not it at all. Skarr doesn't know what he's talking about, and Valmir asked me for a list."

"I don't care who asked for what," Liz continues. "I'm putting the kibosh on this as your chief."

I put on my most innocent expression. "I thought Raahosh and R'jaal were acting as joint chiefs—"

The look she gives me could tear flesh from my bones.

Liz lets me squirm uncomfortably in the silence for a moment before continuing.

"Okay, as alpha bitch around these parts, I'm telling you two to knock it off.

No more honey-do lists, no more tasks to get some pussy.

You're resonating, and I'm sorry to say that no one's figured out a way around it yet that won't turn you into a zombie.

So fuck the guy, even if he sucks, and get on with your life. Understand me?"

Biting my lip, I nod and do my best to look contrite.

"Look, you know I love a woman putting a douchebag in his place as much as anyone, and Valmir is competing heavily for the douchebag crown.

But we're looking down the barrel of a crisis at the moment.

It's gonna be snail season any day now, and we've got cave people and gladiators popping out of the mountains left and right. I do not have time for this shit."

She makes it sound like we're an endless stream of crises all happening at once, and maybe it feels like that for her.

I just have to cook lunch and do my regular chores, but Liz is raising three girls, and she and her mate pretty much run the show lately now that R'jaal resonated and won't get out of Rosalind's hair.

(Not that Rosalind wants him to.)

I admire Liz. I like her. I like that she gets shit done.

She's got a crazy work ethic, but she also likes to laugh and have fun.

Everyone respects her. Some people fear her.

Honestly, goals. I want that respect, too.

I'll take a bit of fear as well. I'd get so much more done if people thought I was someone to be wary of...

like right now, when Liz is treating me like a naughty child. "I'm sorry it's so stressful for you."

"It's not, but I'm trying to put these fires out before shit does get stressful. Understand me?" Her brows go up.

I realize she indeed wants an answer to this rhetorical question. "I do understand you. I'll have a talk with Valmir."

I'll do no such thing. Talking to Valmir is like talking to a really annoying brick wall. Liz doesn't need to know I'm going to continue avoiding him. I can get a few days out of a simple white lie, at least.

Liz makes a face at me. "Sure you will. For the record, you lie worse than my toddler does. Just shut this shit down, or I'm going to lock you both in a hut together and throw away the key."

My eyes go wide, this time in legit alarm. "I'll do something about it, I promise."

It's just not as simple as Liz thinks it is. Nothing with Valmir is simple.

Nothing in my life has been simple since the day we resonated.