Chapter 16 Hrad
HRAD
The need thrumming in my veins has been sated, but it’s still there, waiting to rise again.
It takes longer to go through the pre-flight checks than it does to fly to the bridge.
I sit next to Alisha, the cockpit full of the scent of sex, of her arousal, and sweat which at the moment is oddly calming, though I can imagine it becoming torture if the need rises.
That I need someone for my survival wars with the pure primal thrill of having a mate. It is biological. Nothing more, and yet I can’t help but enjoy it. I want to strut around and let others see the way my markings glow.
I was chosen.
I have a mate.
My place is with her.
She sets the ship down alongside the river so we can view the bridge and settlement through the front window. I want more time to enjoy the view when flying. “Can I sit here on the way home?”
We wait, peering out the window, to see how many approach the ship before we open the door and step out.
“I don’t see why not. I don’t need a copilot on short trips, but it might be nice to have some company.” She smiles, and her eyes are soft and warm.
Movement outside catches my attention. Five warriors are walking toward us. In front of them is a woman, who from the beads in her hair and jewelry around her neck and wrists must be either the leader or related to her. “Do not speak to the warriors. Address the woman.”
“Yeah, she looks fancy. I do not.” Alisha glances at me.
“You arrived in a flying ship. That is fancy.”
“I guess.” She shrugs.
A laugh forms on my lips. “Trust me. A ship made of metal that flies is fancy.”
She runs her hand over her hair as if to smooth any stray strands. “Let’s find out who is in charge.”
I follow Alisha out of the cockpit and into the cabin, staying a few steps behind. She opens the door and stands there for several heartbeats, letting the woman and her guards see her. I’m sure they can note the glow of my markings too, even though only my hands and neck are visible.
“Hello, I’m from the human colony on the other continent. You have taken some of my people.” Alisha sounds friendly, as if this will be a quick chat even though we are outnumbered.
Silent conversation ripples between the warriors and the leader. They reach out expecting Alisha to answer. They do not expect me to respond.
I step up next to Alisha and take her hand so I can speak with her silently, and because it is via skin contact, the other tribe will not be able to overhear.
I address the leader in my language. “Pilot Alisha doesn’t speak Honey. She is human and lacks kam, so please address her vocally and I will translate.”
I repeat my words in English for Alisha, because as planned, I need to act as translator as at the moment we don’t want the other tribe to know we can communicate by touch. It is several heartbeats before the leader of the other tribe responds.
“What is human?” She finally asks.
“Another type of being from the other continent.” I speak to the leader and then murmur to Alisha.
“The other continent doesn’t exist. It is a myth.
” The leader sounds confident, but there is a line between her eyebrows as if she is reconsidering everything she knows about stories of the other continent.
There is no point in adding the detail about the humans flying through the stars, and I’m not sure they would be believed anyway.
“It exists,” I confirm.
“And who is Pilot Alisha? Is she the leader of her people?”
“Can you please address Pilot Alicia? I am only her mate.” I incline my head.
“I can see that. You’re markings are glowing, so you are barely her mate,” the leader sneers.
They have not noticed the markings that indicate I’m banished. I’m already dreading that conversation.
“It is customary to return to the mainland for mating,” Alisha says. “That is why we are here. You interrupted my mating and celebration by taking my people and killing one of my men.” She matches the leader's haughty tone.
“Where are my warriors, the ones examining the…” The leader stares at the ship. I know it is a ship, but I am accustomed to human technology.
“It’s a ship, one that flies.” I offer. “It is made of metal, and the human tribe has many.”
Alisha gives my hand a squeeze. Don’t talk us up too much. I don’t want to be the reason we are invaded.
I was hoping to sound threatening.
“You invaded my land. It is my warriors’ right to capture women. Where are my warriors?” the leader demands.
I wait for Alisha to respond and then tell the leader. “They are alive and in the ship.”
“Show me,” she orders.
“Show me my people,” Alisha counters.
We are outnumbered. If they attack, we will have no choice but to close the ship and return to the colony. If the colony wishes to rescue the humans, the humans will return in greater numbers.
The leader lifts her chin. “My warriors collected three of your women. They are far more valuable than two warriors.”
Alisha laughs when I translate. “Warriors are more valuable to my tribe as we have more women than men.” She pauses to let me translate.
“Part of my mating games are to bring other women to seek their mates. We then take them home and show them our tribe. Our mating happens here to give the warriors a final choice between the Honey and human tribes. All have chosen to stay with my people.”
The way she says it makes it sound as if it’s been happening for generations. I almost believe her story.
The leader’s frown deepens. Perhaps she is not so easily convinced. “No, I would have heard of flying ships and missing warriors.”
Alisha lifts an eyebrow. “Would you? You banish so many and kill those you find. How would they tell you anything?” There is a sharpness to Alisha’s words that I do not need to translate.
And I note the impact of my words on the leader’s face as she realizes that Alisha is correct. No banished warrior has the chance to tell a tribe anything. They’re killed on sight. And if they started rambling about flying ships, no one would believe them.
I did not believe that Edilk’s falling star was a ship.
He did not imagine it to be a ship. To him, it was a sign that we should follow.
That the banished warriors that came before us were watching out for us.
And maybe they were, even if the stars aren’t their distant campfires, and only the suns of other worlds.
Maybe their spirits gather around those suns to watch over all who are without a home and seeking a place to go along. Which means they also watch over the humans, and saw that the humans need us for survival, as much as we need them for a tribe, for mates, for life.
I share my thoughts with Alisha, and she smiles at me as if I am the sun that she needs. I like that thought.
Offer to show her the map of the world. She will want to know more.
That will make it easy to find us.
They do not know where you are on the continent—don’t show her the colony map.
“Perhaps we can sit down over dinner, with our people, and I can show you a map of the other continent.” Alisha says as if this is her land and she is the one being generous.
It is a chance for the leader to save face, instead of being taken off guard by the news that there are other people on the forgotten continent.
The leader narrows her eyes. “Is your mate a banished warrior?”
I don’t bother translating the question aloud.
I tell Alisha silently. There is no point when the truth cannot be hidden.
“I am. And like my banished brothers, I am glad to see the continent of my birth once again, but I do not wish to live here. I have been chosen by a Pilot.” I use the English word because I cannot translate it, and I like the way it sounds as if it is an important title. “My home is across the sea.”
“But you came here to hunt banished.” It’s not quite a question or an accusation. The leader wants it to be a statement, as if she understands what is going on.
Alisha nods in agreement. “We give them a chance to contribute to our colony.”
“You want warriors, and my warriors want mates,” the leader says.
I do not like where this is going. Alisha mutters a soft curse.
“Since I interrupted your mating celebrations and hunt, I will offer you three warriors and will keep your three women.” The leader smiles.
Alisha’s grip tightens. No, she can’t keep them.
We are outnumbered and cannot fight our way out of this. It may be the only thing we can do.
I cannot leave them. The colony will send soldiers.
We will need to convince them not to.
I don’t know if the colony will listen, but I do know that fighting today will only make things worse and may result in our deaths. Which means the colony will lose a ship, a pilot, as well as their people. They will then come seeking answers.
“Are your women not allowed to choose a mate?” Alisha asks.
I glance at her, because she knows they do, but at her nod I translate.
“Of course they do,” the leader sounds offended, and I do not blame her.
“How can I be assured that my women will be given the same respect?”
The leader smiles, but it’s cold. “They came here to hunt a banished warrior. What I can offer is far better. There are second and third sons with trades who are eager to be chosen by a mate, of any kind.” Her lip curls.
The last bit is an insult, suggesting that humans are lesser. And that by taking banished warriors as mates, they know they are lesser.
“You are assuming your second and third sons want a human mate. And that human women want to live in your tribe. We give people the choice of which tribe they want to live with.” Alisha rests her free hand on the ship. “No one has chosen to leave.”
It’s a not-so-subtle reminder that the humans have technology that the Honey haven’t even dreamed about.
And a hint that life in the colony is better than in a tribe.
For me it has been, but then I never had a tribe.
The colony has given me security and a home…
it is me who felt as though I had no place and offered no value.
Perhaps it is because I never had a tribe that I did not understand what it is like to be part of one.
Living with my banished brothers was all about survival, avoiding other warriors, finding enough food and stealing clothing and equipment.
Living in a colony is very different as there is enough as long as everybody does their small job.
“Tell me, why did you not take a human mate if you have so many men?” The leader presses.
“Shit,” Alisha whispers.
Tell her you don’t want children, and that human men are lazy lovers.
Alisha presses her lips together and tries not to smile. I can’t say that.
Well, you need to say something, and the truth is a bad idea.
Though I’m not sure the truth is believable… after all, who would choose a mate as part of a plan to rescue people? What kind of warrior, even a banished one, agrees to that kind of plan?
The kind who figured that his life was destined to be short and why not take the risk.
“Human men do not bond with their mates…they come and go as they please. As a pilot, I want more than that.” Alisha gives a tight smile. I hope that’s enough.
So do I.
And at least it wasn’t a lie.
“You could’ve chosen better than a banished warrior.” The leader tilts her chin.
Alisha smiles, revealing her teeth. “They are banished through no fault of their own. It is no different from banishing warriors who have yellow eyes. Are you going to criticize my choice of mate or do you want your warriors returned?”
The leader shrugs. “You can keep them, and I will give you another.”
Alisha shakes her head. “I will only take willing warriors to my colony.”
As I translate, I understand her reasoning. She doesn’t want troublemakers or warriors who might want to return home with their mates. Though that will be a risk no matter who we take.
The leader stares at Alisha. “I did not get to choose the women.”
“You stole them. You did not give them a choice.”
“It is a warrior’s right to find and bring women to the tribe, and they did that.” I translate the leader’s words for Alisha. She is correct. By Honey laws, she has done nothing wrong.
Fuck.
I do not think you can win their freedom.
Alisha presses her lips together. Do you think she’ll let people from the colony visit them? It might stop an invasion if we negotiate visits.
Perhaps? As long as the humans don’t arrive with guns.
“I would like to return every three months to see that my women are well cared for.”
“You do not trust me.”
Alisha shrugs. “I have no reason to.”
“When my warriors are chosen, I want them to return here for their mating.” I repeat the leader’s request. I do not like it as they will report back about the colony.
Then we will have to ensure they are not chosen. Or lie about it.
Neither of those options is practical, but we do not have any other options.
The leader nods. “Very well. Let’s celebrate the agreement.”