Chapter 10
This time when he looked at the Vorazyr, Jaron wore a wary expression, so different from the glare he’d been shooting at him days prior.
“Are you really being treated all right?” I whispered.
Both of them confirmed they were. So far. I turned to the Vorazyr. “I’m ready.”
He jerked his head back the way we’d come, and I quickly hugged Jaron and Tatiana, not knowing when I’d see them again. There was a heavy stone in my heart as I turned away. Jaron grabbed my arm, alarm flashing across his face, and I had to gently pry myself loose.
“Don’t.” I said it softly, but sent him a warning look. I couldn’t have him getting into trouble because of me. Again. It was already my fault we were in this predicament. Everything in me wished my arrogance hadn’t led me to accept this “field assignment.” As if.
This time Junyv didn’t come with us as I followed the Vorazyr back to the small house, which I now realized must be the one that my brother and Tatiana stayed in.
“Now speak,” he said cooly as soon as we were seated.
I took a breath, gathering my thoughts. I didn’t know much, and stating the little I knew wasn’t going to put anyone in danger. But how honest should I be?
“I will remind you that the safety of your brother and friend is determined entirely based on how truthful you are with me.”
“How do I know you won’t hurt or kill us after I tell you what I know?”
His eyes glittered and a humorless smile touched his lips. “You don’t. But at least there is a chance. If you don’t cooperate, there is no chance that they will remain alive and unharmed.”
I’d never been one to cry tears of frustration, but I was getting close.
The only other times I’d felt this helpless were when my mom died, and when Jaron and I had been hiking and a small landslide had sent him tumbling over the edge of a cliff.
He’d caught himself on a small boulder sticking out of the unstable mountain, but that was the only thing keeping him from a long drop.
I’d gotten a rope around him and had anchored it to myself and another boulder I found.
Use your intellect and breathe. It wasn’t over yet.
Hours passed while I told him what I knew and told him that I didn’t know the details of what he was asking about more times than I could remember.
He asked me the same question in different ways and I was so wound up by the time he sat back and finally took his intense gaze off me that I nearly slumped.
I did force my shoulders down from where they’d been reaching for my ears.
He tapped his claws in a rhythm on the table, gaze out the open window.
I watched him, studying the sharp lines of his face, wondering what he was thinking.
My gaze wandered to his wings, where the gold lines were muted today.
Did their colors change based on their mood?
My gaze flicked back to his face and I started when I realized he was watching me.
“Do your…” I swallowed away the concern that he’d react poorly to my question. “Does your mood change the color on your wings?”
He paused, then trilled. Unlike Junyv, his trill was deep, a rumble through his chest.
“Vash’taen.” I murmured. Thank you.
His eyes flashed and he leaned forward, looking at me intensely. “You speak vorikaan?” The idea seemed to upset him, as more of his fangs showed.
“As I told you, I’ve studied language and culture for many years. I’ve caught a couple of words. But your sentence structure is too complex for me to understand anything besides words I keep hearing in a certain context.”
He narrowed his eyes in thought, then sat back. “Well then, you can share your wisdom with our children.”
I frowned and my eyes darted between his as I tried to read him. “What?”
“I’m having you go to a class to give our little flyers the experience of interacting with an alien species.
You will go on a trip into the jungle with them and their teacher and use your knowledge to show them a different perspective.
” His eyes glinted. “And you will use your understanding of culture to figure out how to communicate with them.”
Was this a test? It sounded like some strange type of interview.
He tilted his head, an amused look on his handsome face. “Is there a problem?”
“No, I just…I’m surprised you’d let me near your children.”
He smiled, though it looked more like a baring of his fangs. “You won’t be alone with them, so don’t get any ideas.”
My wary look turned into a glare as my frustration bubbled over.
“I would never hurt a child. I would never hurt anyone, I’m not the one who tears people apart like some beast!
” I realized my mistake too late and lunged to my feet, stumbling backward over my chair as he rounded the table faster than I could blink.
My back hit the wall and he caged my head in with his hands, claws digging into the wood.
Tilting his head down, he leaned so close we were barely a breath apart. He was breathing hard, anger shimmering in his eyes. “You would do well, human, to remember that your people were the first to kill ours. The greed of your species stains your souls.”
I couldn’t control my trembling, but I met his gaze, pushing back the instinct to shove against him and try to get away.
“Our media said that vorpyr were the first to attack, they show us the results of skirmishes with your species, which are horrifying to see, and you want me to believe you saying that my species is to blame?”
His eyes grew hooded and my skin tingled with awareness of his overpowering presence pressing against me. One claw traced along my throat, down to where my pulse fluttered wildly. Still holding my gaze captive with his, he caressed his thumb back and forth over my throbbing pulse.
“We…” my voice came out breathy and I forced myself to speak strongly. “Can we not see each other as individuals instead of holding the sins of our peoples?”
He straightened, his eyes shadowing again. “I have more questions for you. Sit back down.” I didn’t argue and stepped past him. “And you would do well never to disparage my vorpyrren again, or I will show you personally how frightening we can be.”
“Haven’t you already?” I went to the chair and righted it.
“From the way you talk back I would assume not.” he sounded so cranky about it I almost laughed. Do not laugh at the annoyed vorpyr. Maybe the stress was getting to me.
I spent another couple of hours with him, explaining the basics of our business language, how humans typically do business, and anything else he asked.
I tried to keep what I said general and not feel like I was losing my soul for telling the enemy anything.
By the time he stood I was emotionally exhausted.
“Are you making me go back to the dark shed?” I hated the vulnerability in my voice. I couldn’t bear the thought of being chained in that building again.
He paused and something unreadable flashed across his face. “No, you will not have to go back. You and your other humans will stay here.”
I closed my eyes in relief. The thump of his boots on the floor told me he’d gone to the door.
“One more thing.” He rumbled. I turned to meet his gaze. “Do anything questionable and out of line, and it will be your companions who suffer.”
I felt the color leave my face at his threat, vividly remembering Jaron held far above the ground. With that he left, sliding the door, and something else that clunked, shut. I assumed he’d locked me in, but I checked anyway. The door didn’t budge.
Looking around, I discovered that this was a nicely appointed home, with two bedrooms, comfortable chairs in what I would call the living room, and a kitchen with appliances I couldn’t even guess at.
I hadn’t noticed before, but the bedroom with the master bath had two beds pushed against opposite walls.
There were two chests at the foot of the beds and one had clothes in it.
Jaron and Tatiana joined me after several minutes.
“I’m so glad they’re letting you join us here.” Tatiana said.
I frowned. “How long have you been here?”
“Four days.”
They’d been moved here while I was chained in that torture room? “They must really think I’m some evil mastermind.” I muttered. Not that I wanted the Vorazyr’s attention on either of the others, but I was still justifiably upset that I’d been scared and miserable for days.
“You weren’t out on the ledge, were you?” Jaron peered at me. “I don’t see the sunburn I would think you’d have if they left you there.”
“No.” There was no reason to upset him. “Do you know what those weird appliances in the kitchen do?”
“They’re so cool, I’ll show you.” Tatiana led me into the kitchen.
Minutes later I’d discovered that humans didn’t nearly have the best technology. At least not for cooking.
I was listless but so very tired, so I sat at the table. “What do we do now?” Tatiana asked, pulling a chair out across from me. Jaron joined us.
They were looking to me for a solution, and I hated to admit that I was lost. “As of right now, we need to cooperate and hope they don’t put us back on those ledges.” Then we needed to find a way out of here.
“I don’t think they’ll put us back there. So far they’ve treated us decently.” Tatiana said. She was far too trusting.
“We’ve started making inroads with them, I think. I helped the female vorpyr. I think she’s the scariest one’s wife or something,” Jaron said.
I blinked, surprised. I hadn’t thought of the Vorazyr as married, or whatever their equivalent was, but I supposed he likely was. “What kind of help did you give her? How did you communicate?” I sat forward, interested in this new development.
He explained that he helped her with some equations and how they’d communicated with a mix of drawn pictures and broken intergalactic language.
“She introduced herself as Thyra, and the male in charge is Arrazyl. I’m not sure about anyone else.”
“Kyvar is what I think is a general or some type of assistant to the leader.” Tatiana supplied.
Since when were we on a first name basis with our captors? Except me and the Vorazyr, apparently.
“The leader is the Vorazyr. I think it translates loosely to ‘high lord’ or ‘king.’” I rubbed my eyes. “I know it’s early, but I need some sleep.”
“Do you want something to eat first?” Jaron went into the kitchen and came back to thunk a glass of water down next to me. The cup looked like what would be used as a tankard of beer on Earth.
“Thank you. I’m hungry, but I’d rather sleep first.” I hadn’t realized how thirsty I was until I was gulping cool water.
“You know you’re going to have to tell us where you were the last four days, right?” Jaron’s eyes were tight as he watched me. Worried?
“I was also held in a building. They seem to think I’m the leader of some military expedition here.”
Tatiana huffed.
I got to my feet. “I’m going to bed.”
And then I would have to find us a way out of a suspended city filled with flying demons.