Chapter 6
Iave
I knew that Artek was well aware of what was going on between Kalani and me, but a single challenging look was enough to warn him not to open his mouth.
Instead, he simply declared my female all healed up with a single glance at the screen, and then he invited her to wash up in the bathing room just off the medical bay.
She took him up on that offer eagerly and I tried to pretend that it didn’t make me uncomfortable and restless when she was out of my sight.
There was also the niggling doubt that she would decide she preferred staying here with the Shaman and all his luxuries.
I kept my eyes on her retreating back as she ducked into the next room and my ears focused on every little noise.
“Let me replenish your fluids, you lost a lot of blood,” the Shaman said placidly from my left.
He knew me well enough that he hadn’t approached yet; I didn’t like it when people snuck up on me.
In his hands, he was holding a needle and some tubing, along with a sack with a clear fluid.
I hissed at the sight but stuck out my arm anyway.
I knew what that was, I’d had to undergo this treatment many times before.
I still hated having to get the needle stuck between my scales; it was just wrong.
Artek went to work quickly, bending his head down over my arm so that his long, pale hair fell forward and hid what he was doing.
“So, she is your mate, huh? These humans are surprisingly compatible with us. Very interesting.” The Shaman spoke in soft tones, and there was absolutely no way that Kalani could hear or understand what he said, but I still lifted my eyes back to the door she’d disappeared through.
“Humans?” I asked and Artek rambled about how that’s what her species was called and then he started listing their physical traits.
It didn’t really catch my interest until he said something about genetics indicating that Kalani could even carry my offspring.
“Really?” I asked, my heartbeat speeding up at the thought of starting a family with her.
What would it be like to have younglings?
To teach a little girl or boy how to hunt? To see my mate with a rounded belly?
The idyllic images were dashed when a cold wave of fear crashed over me.
I had a family once; loving parents and siblings.
My family hadn’t been a typical Naga family.
I’d had a mother who doted on us, and who seemed as adoring and in love with my father as he had been with her.
That had been snatched away from me in the blink of an eye.
“Yes, it should be possible, so keep that in mind.” Artek lifted his head from my arm just enough to wink at me with one golden eye, a grin teasing the corner of his mouth that lifted one lip to show off one of his long, slender fangs.
“All done, let me arrange some supplies for you and your female. Are you meeting back up with Zathar and Corin, or are you planning to rescue the lost human?”
I stared at the male and his gold gaze met mine without flinching.
Would he judge me if I decided to take Kalani straight to safety?
Probably not, he was a Shaman, so he understood the mating drive a Naga male experienced.
He knew my history too, he’d understand how protective I felt.
I still felt a hint of regret that I’d given him that much detail about our situation earlier.
“Yes,” I said, unsure if I was promising I was going to rescue Naomi or locate Zathar.
The Shaman didn’t ask me to explain; he simply turned around and slithered away.
By the time Kalani had returned from her shower, smelling fresh and sweet, I had a pack full of supplies waiting for us.
I didn’t waste any time and started to usher her out of the medical room with a palm on the small of her back.
It felt a little selfish but I hoped that if I rushed her out of here, she wouldn’t have time to consider if she wanted to stay.
I should have had more faith in the stars that had cast my Goddess down from the heavens for me.
Kalani’s face lit up with eagerness, “Are we going to rescue Naomi? Are those enough supplies? Do you think the Shaman can loan me a better weapon?”
Right, Kalani was a warrior, she was made to be my other half. Of course she wouldn’t be interested in the luxuries Artek had to offer, not when someone weaker and smaller depended on her aid. My breath got stuck in my chest when I realized what choice I had to make and fear wanted to paralyze me.
“What about a bow?” I suggested somewhat hoarsely.
If I could convince her to use a long-range weapon that would at least minimize the risk she ran during any possible combat.
I held my breath as I waited for her answer, worried she’d demand one of my axes because she wanted to be more hands-on.
While the image of my beautiful dark-skinned Goddess wielding a mighty war ax was intoxicating, I was pretty sure I would expire from worry if that became reality.
“Oh… A bow? A recurve one maybe?” she asked, her dark eyes sparkling with excitement.
“I used to shoot with one of those for fun during downtime. My aim’s not too bad with one and I suppose I shouldn’t expect a laser rifle or pistol anyway.
” No, she should not, because I had absolutely no clue what those two weapons were.
I shrugged my shoulders and turned to eye Artek who was hovering nearby, avidly staring at our exchange with a strange expression on his refined face.
“You have a recurve bow for my little warrior here?” I barked at him, and Kalani clasped her hand over her mouth, muffling the sound of mirth that escaped her.
I had no idea what she found so funny but I loved that little twinkle she had in her eyes right now.
Artek cleared his throat and then gestured with an elegant hand; his wrists tinkling from the many gold bracelets he wore.
“Follow me, I have just the thing,” he said.
I guided Kalani after him with my hand and she settled against my touch with her spine.
It felt right to travel down the hallways with her at my side, her elegant legs easily keeping up with the pace I set.
I needed to remember that I should never underestimate her.
Soon the three of us were outside and Kalani was holding the bow that Artek had procured for her, along with a sheath filled with arrows that she had already strapped to her hip.
Clever, I had to concede to the pale Naga; he’d given her a recurve bow sized for a youngling.
On her, it was still easily half her height and though she seemed to be at ease at stringing the weapon, it was at the upper limit of her strength.
In rapid succession, she pointed out her target; a branch on a tree, a thick knot on a trunk, and then the round curve of a ripening nut.
She shot at each and hit her mark the second and third time, only the first missing by a few inches.
“Alright, it will do,” she declared, and with that easy gait, she ran to retrieve her missiles.
“Not bad,” Artek said with a grin, “You are well-matched. Congratulations, Iave.” Then he turned around and without another word, slithered back into the domed building with all his precious plants.
When Kalani returned with her arrows, I aimed myself in the direction of Orshala Peak and started out.
She didn’t say a word as she fell into step at my side.
Now I just had to figure out how to rescue one helpless human from the claws of Bitter Storm while keeping my mate completely safe. Easy.
***
Kalani
As far as traveling companions went, Iave was not the most talkative but I found that I kind of liked that.
The silence between us was companionable, not fraught with any kind of tension.
He simply was himself, and that meant silence.
I had the feeling that Iave liked to fade into the background, which was at odds with his large size.
He preferred to stay on the periphery of things; observing but not participating.
I knew his type, the grumpy, prickly man who had withdrawn from the world.
I wondered what had caused that. He was so big and strong, but something had hurt him badly; I would bet my life on that.
Not uncommon in many of the people I’d shared been stationed with during my carer, most had a similar story to mine.
A checkered past, an orphanage, or poverty.
I didn’t usually pry but with Iave? I felt this itch, I wanted to know everything there was to know, I wanted to know what had caused him to create this prickly exterior.
In-congruent as it might be, it already felt like he was one of my wards like I was his protector.
Maybe not of his body, but of his more vulnerable heart.
It felt a little unhinged to be thinking this.
I should still be upset with him for keeping me out of the loop when he talked with the Shaman, and especially for what he’d done while I’d been under that healing machine.
My body flushed and tingled just thinking about it.
Let alone that barbaric claim when I’d tried to leave and collided with the pale Naga.
I wasn’t his, I had never let a man get away with such statements before.
Trying to distract myself, I reflected on what I’d discovered in the Shaman’s cave.
The wealth of functioning technology, even if it looked like it was all quite old, and the ease with which the strange Naga had used it all.
Because those medical beds were shaped like round nests meant to accommodate a Naga body, I had to conclude that Iave’s species had made that place.
But why did Iave not know how to use any of it?