Chapter 12
Piper
My chest hurts so bad, but not nearly as much as my heart aches.
Everything was going so well. I’ve been able to keep my coughing to a minimum around Alesha, and Katem hasn’t noticed I’ve lost some weight.
Or if he has, he hasn’t said anything. It’s probably helped that I bartered some of my data pad time for some clothes a size bigger.
“Katem, would you mind going outside for a few minutes to get some water?” the woman—Healer Sage—asks. When he hesitates, she tacks on a, “please?”
I can’t look at him, because if I do, I’m going to burst into tears and he’s going to want to comfort me, and right now, I need him to not see me.
His footsteps move away and then there’s a flash of sunlight before the interior of the tent dims again. Finally, I face the healer.
She points at the corner of her mouth. “You have a little blood there.”
I swipe at both sides, just in case and wipe my hand on my pants. I’ll clean them tomorrow. Sage gestures at the low stool that sits off to the side. “Maybe you should rest for a minute.”
Since I’m exhausted and grow more so every day, I do as she suggests. Once I’m seated, she slowly approaches and kneels. “Do you mind if I check you out? Although, I suppose you already know what’s wrong.”
I nod, but flip-flop my hands. “Go ahead and do what you’d like to do. Not that it will change anything.”
While Sage performs a perfunctory exam, I try not to fidget. She’s just trying to help, but I’ve had enough of doctors to last me whatever short life I have left. She sits back on her heels and stares up at me.
“Would you like to tell me about it?”
I give a half-hearted shrug. “Not much to tell. I’m dying.”
Maybe if I say it enough times, it’ll get easier.
“Are you sure?”
I just look at her, and she holds up her hands. “Sorry.”
“No.” I shake my head. “I’m sorry. You’re just trying to help, which I appreciate. Yes, I’m sure. It was confirmed by more than one doctor, including the one from the upper tier who gave me the physical and translator implant when I signed up to come here.”
“May I ask what from?”
“Cancer.” I laugh, but it’s bitter sounding. “The only thing the bottom tier ever gave me.”
“How long?” Sage asks quietly.
“Left? Two years, at most.”
“Katem doesn’t know.” It’s not a question. “Were you going to tell him?”
“Eventually. I just wanted to pretend for a little while longer that my life is normal. I don’t want things to change between us or for him to treat me differently. I don’t want everyone staring at me with pity.”
Sage nods. “I understand.”
I study her. She has the look of someone who’s seen things and wishes she hadn’t.
“I’m not sure if we have any remedies that might ease any symptoms or help with any pain you might have, but if you want to come see me, I’m happy to look.”
“Thank you.”
Sage stands. “Do you want me to have Katem come back in?”
As much as I’m not ready to face him, I’m sure he’s going out of his mind out there. “Will you keep this to yourself a little longer? Just until I’m ready to tell him myself.”
She hesitates.
“Please?”
“Okay, but he needs to know so he can take care of you. He’ll blame himself if—when—it gets worse and he wasn’t able to be there for you. That’s all they really want. To be there for and protect their mates.”
“Except he can’t protect me. Not from this anyway.”
Sage studies me a moment longer and then leaves the tent. Barely a second passes before Katem rushes back inside. He shoves the water at me and kneels at my feet, gripping my free hand tightly in his.
“What happened? Are you well?” The fear is evident in his tone as well as in his eyes.
From a distance, I wasn’t sure how expressive the Tavikhi’s eyes were. But, up close their emotions are easy to read. Katem’s are, at least.
“It’s just an infection in my lungs. On occasion, it acts up—like today.” I take several long sips.
“This infection causes bleeding when you cough?” He gapes.
“On occasion.”
“You are sure it is nothing more than this? Not that I do not trust Healer Sage, but perhaps Kyler should examine you as well. Just to be certain.”
I set down the cup and cradle his face. “I’ve been seen by a couple Earth doctors already, so I’m certain of what it is. While I’m sure Sage and Kyler are perfectly nice and good healers, I don’t really like being seen by one.”
Katem scans my face, and I remain still and unblinking while he does. “If this infection gets worse, you will tell me right away, please?”
“I’ll tell you if it gets worse.”
We kiss, and then he grips my hand. “Come, let us take the evening meal with the others. We will have our swimming lesson the next turn to give your body time to heal.”
The coughing spell took far more out of me than I want to admit, so as much as I don’t want to postpone starting, it’s probably for the best.
We exit the potter’s tent—that’s what I’m calling it—and walk through the village toward the central fire.
It’s a pleasant evening with a nice breeze.
Over the regular scents I’ve come to associate with being here, there’s also the hints of florals in the air along with the delicious forest odors that make up Katem’s scent.
The Tavikhi village is far more alive than the human settlement.
I’d been surprised to discover there’s a number of residents who came from the upper tier: people who left in disgrace for things like going bankrupt or for corporate crimes like embezzlement.
The rest are made up of those of us from the bottom tier who came here hoping—expecting—a better life.
Yet, almost every single person back at the settlement continues living as if they’re still in the bottom tier.
Everyone is depressed and the atmosphere is solemn and morose.
As I observe the tribe members—Tavikhi and humans alike—and how they interact with each other, the more I’m confident in my decision to move here.
No matter that I’m afraid to admit to Katem how limited our time together is, I want to spend what’s left of it with him.
We reach the fire and I come to an abrupt halt.
I can feel Katem’s eyes on me, but I can’t look away from the enormous greenish-black alien standing there talking to the shefir.
He’s terrifying from head to toe with his thick rope-like hair, beady black eyes, and the two large tusks that bracket the vertical slit that is his mouth.
I take in every visible scar—and there are so many—and tremble at the sight of the axe strapped to his back that could probably cleave me in half with a single strike.
“Kala is one of our Krijese tribe brothers,” Katem says. “You have nothing to fear from him.”
Holy shit, so that’s a Krijese. No wonder those back at the settlement always appear unsettled when they’re mentioned. As if sensing my stare, Kala shifts his gaze from Zander and it lands on me. It’s only for a second, but that’s long enough to feel the cold chill creep down my spine.
“He’s not as scary as he looks.”
I turn to find a curvy woman with a large birthmark covering half of her face. In her arms is a small bundle. Peeking from it is a dark-colored head with the same thick roped stalks that stick up everywhere.
I wince in embarrassment. “It was rude of me to stare.”
“It’s an understandable reaction.” The woman—it’s also noticeable now that she’s missing her left hand at the wrist—smiles slightly and it changes her whole face. Whereas before she was pretty, now, she’s beautiful. “I’m Iris, Kala’s mate, and this is our daughter Jiasha.”
Even if she hadn’t told me, it’s obvious the baby in her arms is a mix of both their features. Her facial features themselves look decidedly human, but her skin color and that hair comes most certainly from her father.
“She’s adorable.”
“Thank you.”
“Momo, look who is awake.” A mirror image of Kala strides toward us, although he doesn’t appear to be more than maybe ten or eleven.
Holding his hand and toddling along beside him with a slightly unsteady gait is a Tavikhi-human child.
The mini Krijese takes slow and careful steps, not rushing his tiny friend. They join us after a short time.
The little boy’s gaze lands on me and he outstretches his arm. “Greetings, new female. It is a pleasure to meet you. I am Sorin, and this is Makahla. She does not understand yet how to properly greet people, so I am teaching her.”
I laugh at how sweet he is. “Well, you’re doing an excellent job. I’m Piper. It’s nice to meet you both.”
“We are on our way to speak with Gogo.” With that, Sorin walks away.
“He’s obsessed with her.” Iris shakes her head, but there’s a smile on her face. “I better go over there and mediate so my son doesn’t take Makahla around to every tribe person just to show her off. It’s nice to meet you, Piper.”
“You as well.”
Iris heads for her mate and son. When she reaches them, she leans against Kala and he wraps an arm around her waist, tugging her close. Then, he does the most interesting thing. He nuzzles his cheek across the crown of her head.
“Even the Krijese tribe is slowly growing,” Katem says. “Jiasha is hopefully the first of many kits for Kala and Iris.”
“They really are friends with you guys.” It’s still hard to believe after all the stories that’ve been told of them.
“Kala is the only Krijese of his tribe that visits our village, but many of his tribe brothers have come to our aid when we have needed it. Jodah and Healer Sage visit them often as well so that Sorin may see Makahla. He also has a great fondness for Healer Sage, since she saved his life during a recent cold season.”
Katem’s hand goes to my lower back and he guides me forward until we come to a small wooden bench big enough for two people. The scent of seasoned meat makes my stomach growl and I’m surprised to find I have an appetite tonight. “It’s no wonder he admires her so much. She seems like a kind person.”
“We are lucky to have her. She and Kyler are passing on their knowledge to Iris and one of their elders. The Krijese number so few and no longer have a healer of their own.”
I glance at the small Krijese family. “Have they considered merging their people with yours?”
Katem shakes his head. “I do not know if that is anything Kala and the shefir have spoken on. The Krijese still do not fully trust outsiders, even the Tavikhi. It is just their way.”
I’m not sure how the humans who live here would react to the other tribe moving here anyway.
The rest of the tribe people trickles forward, and finally Katem and I get in line for food.
My anxiety is high knowing that tonight will be the last night I spend at the human settlement, but as I glance around the central fire, I’m also excited to be surrounded by people who are actually living life the way I want to.