Chapter 16
SIXTEEN
NICOLE
I only happen to glance over when I see some movement. A few seconds later, and they’d be watching me kiss this tall alien while completely naked. As it is, they’re watching me only cuddle him—still while completely naked.
They’re people. Actual human beings, standing there, staring at us in open-mouthed shock.
A man with a bare chest and a woman with the most amazing dreadlocks, all rugged and dressed in simple, weathered clothing.
And yes, they’re staring, and I’m staring right back.
I don't know who's goggling at who more.
I wrap an arm around my boobs and duck into a squat. Arture moves in front of me, his scales hardening into long spikes all over his body, like a cat with its fur on end. “What do you want?” he demands.
They’re unarmed, and they’re both holding their hands out, palms open in a gesture of peace. They seem just as stunned as I am. No, probably more. After all, I’m the one with an alien companion.
“Arture, don’t hurt them,” I say, standing up slowly behind him.
He hesitates, casting a wary look over his shoulder at me before lowering his guard.
I take a shaky breath, the initial shock of seeing humans wearing off as curiosity takes its place.
“Hi,” I call out, still behind Arture. “How are you doing?”
They murmur something back, their words like a language I should know.
Arture’s got those nanites working away, translating. I whisper, "Can you understand what they're saying?”
“It's a variation of trade standard speech, like yours.” He glances down at my bare breasts, down to my naked hips, eyes drinking me in. Then he wrenches his gaze back around to face them. “Sorry. I… couldn’t help it.”
Is his voice tight because of disgust? Or is he just on edge because of the intruders?
"They’re human." His voice is still guarded. "Perhaps your species spread early in your history."
Relief and excitement course through me, mingling into a giddy disbelief. "Humans," I whisper, looking at them with fresh eyes. How did they get here if they came from Earth? Or if they didn’t, what does that mean for the theory of life evolving on our planet?
They gesture to the ship, to me and then bow their heads briefly. The man watches Arture warily, which I totally understand, as he’s bristling like a hedgehog. He crouches low, keeping himself between me and them, and I realize he’s protecting what little dignity I have left.
After a few exchanged words, Arture’s sentences start flowing more smoothly. I wish I could learn new languages like that. “They apologize for the intrusion, but they would like to come back tomorrow, during the daylight. We’re in their sacred grazing lands, where they let their livestock free.”
“I knew those horses were tame. Tell them sorry, and we won’t be here long.” I wince. “Er. Do they know about the digging we did to bring water to the ship?”
Arture shrugs, the spike-scales rippling like a deadly living mace. “We can turn it into a benefit for them. Extra water for the horses.”
I gulp. “Okay. Hopefully, we don’t end up pissing them off.”
“You won’t. They’ll be delighted to meet you.” He balls his fists. “Or else.”
The woman looks between me and Arture, giving me a knowing smile. In the flickering light of Arture’s campfire, her hair looks alive, swarming with movement.
And then I see a tiny nose, and the flash of two tiny eyes.
I squint hard. “Is that… a tiny horse on her shoulder?”
Arture’s spikes bristle harder, if that’s possible, but it’s understandable why. Except this pony is smaller than small, barely the width of a human hand high.
Oh my goodness, I might actually die.
With a chuckle, the woman lifts her hands to her shoulder and clicks her tongue.
In a flash of wings, the tiny horse launches from her shoulder to stand proud on her palms. It’s a tiny palomino, sandy-golden coat gleaming and white-blond mane and tail flowing like silk, and bright purple wings outstretched.
I race forward, or try to, except Arture catches me around the middle. “Stop,” he murmurs.
“Arture, it’s a tiny palm-sized flying pony,” I squeal. Yes. Squeal. I don’t care anymore, that tiny darling is too cute.
His arms pull me close. Where I touch him, his spikes completely flatten, retreating into smooth scales. Warm breath tickles the top of my head. “You’re naked.”
Oh, shit. I tuck into him for some kind of shelter. “I’ll get dressed and be right back out,” I tell them, steering Arture to the gangplank. He lets himself be pushed and pulled around by me, like my big gelding Dallas, keeping his attention laser focused on the two humans.
Once we’re inside I say, “Close your eyes,” and bolt into the room without checking whether he has or not. I’m too excited about the truly miniature horse. I throw on some abayas and wrap them around, before running back.
“Nic-coal…” Arture snags my hand.
I turn to face him. His eyes glow bronze in the dim light. “Stay close to me. We have to be careful. I don’t know what their intentions are, and I… I don’t want anything to happen to you.”
My breath catches. This has to be part of his mission, right, a duty to keep me safe because of his orders. But my heart and intuition say there’s something real behind it, something that comes from him, not just the programming forced on him.
“We’ll be careful. Let’s read their body language and weigh their words. But, oh fuck, that’s a tiny horse.” I’m practically hopping from foot to foot.
His gaze turns liquid, and he groans. “Of course you’re excited. I’ll stay wary enough for the both of us.” And he lets me lead the way back outside, where I approach the tall woman with dry-mouthed excitement.
Through Arture, we manage a conversation. Their people are called the Equitem, and they live alongside their herds. The woman is called Vry, their horse-speaker, and the man is her assistant, Yoko. Equeleus are the tiny palm-sized flying ponies.
“They eat cooked food only, bran mash and warmed grains,” Arture translates. “They have a close bond with humans. Most Equitem have an Equeleus companion, sometimes several.”
Vry holds out her Equeleus to me, saying something warmly.
Arture hesitates. “She says she heard from the horses that you’re in tune with them.”
The ice in his voice makes me tear my gaze from the tiny pony. “What’s the matter?”
“There’s no way she can know that unless she was spying on us.” Arture’s scales start spiking again.
“Or she really did talk to the horses,” I point out. This might just be my dream planet.
Arture’s still uncertain, but my attention gets consumed by the tiny palomino. It sniffs my fingers and the cold and the uncertainty falls away.
I know where I am with horses.
“Hey there…” I quickly check underneath its belly. “Boy. That’s it, easy now.”
The horse looks back at Vry, sees her encouraging nod, and makes the leap, gliding to me with outstretched wings.
Somewhere between a bat and a bird, the wings sport a thin membrane with flight feathers and a fluffy down underneath, next to his chest. He’s lighter than a bird, more like a kitten, stabilizing himself on my palm with all four hooves spread out.
He nickers quietly, and I breathe, “Such a good boy.”
Beside me, Arture grunts. I slowly turn to show him the tiny horse, and his lips twist. “It’s small enough to be nonthreatening, I suppose,” he allows in a mutter.
Vry speaks, and Arture says for her, “His name is Sanguis Pluma, Bloodfeather. He’s the stallion, so… that makes him the leader, yes?”
I shake my head. “No, the lead mare is always in charge. At least on Earth, she’s the alpha boss, if you like.”
Scales flickering, Arture’s body trembles.
I step closer to him, but I have my hands full of tiny pony. “Are you okay?”
“I… yes.” He shakes his head, metal hand resting on his temple briefly. His eyes flick to Vry and Yoko. He’ll think he can’t show weakness in front of them.
Vry scoops Sanguis Pluma from me, speaking softly.
“She wants to come back tomorrow. She says the mare here, Karribel, told her you had some wisdom about the pregnant mare, that you could help.” The alien shakes his head. “I don’t understand how they know all this.”
“If she can speak to horses, and a horse thinks I can help, I’m in,” I tell him firmly. “Let her know we’ll be up bright and early. I probably won’t sleep.”
“No, you probably won’t,” Arture sighs.
And I’m right. I’m far too excited to sleep. The ship is warm and has power now, so I can wander around. Arture follows me from room to room, not doing anything, but not in my way either.
I flit around the lounge, arranging the pillows on the long sofa. “What were you thinking about earlier, when I told you about the lead mare?”
He frowns. “I don’t know. It’s gone now, slipped away. Perhaps it’s nothing.” He folds his arms, and I can’t help but watch muscle sliding over muscle, chest bursting. His scales have softened now, but I saw how spiky they were when he was surprised, how he leaped to protect me.
Arture's gaze moves from my eyes down to my lips. The kiss that almost happened lingers between us, unresolved. At least, it is for me. I try to ignore the undeniable attraction building inside me, but it’s impossible.
Every time I look at him, it’s there, simmering beneath the surface. And I think it is for him too.
I need to remind myself of who he is and what he’s done, but my heart is stubborn and it insists on seeing something more. Am I fooling myself or is there something deeper here?
Or am I just desperate, like Logan said?
As I turn away, Arture points at me. “There. That face. What's that for?”
“Hm?”
“You've just thought of something, and I want to know what it is.” He rounds the sofa to approach me, prowling like he's on the hunt.
“You're so good at knowing what I'm really thinking and feeling from my body language, things I can't even put into words.
I want to know: what makes your smile fall like that? What's hurting you, Nic-coal?”