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Then Chief Daggir waves us forward, and it’s like a spell has been broken. Everyone rushes around to take their places on the benches squished together shoulder to shoulder. Even Vrenner is here, and I see him give Draggar and I a subtle nod as he takes a seat just a few places away.
One of the aliens who had been standing near the fire pit brings over a large clay pot and sits it down in the middle of the table, while another adds a large platter piled high with what looks like the flatbread I enjoyed earlier today with Draggar.
The scintillating aroma emanating from the thick, hearty stew as bowls are passed around makes my stomach growl loudly, and I try to smile innocently as some of the men glance worriedly at me. It doesn’t seem like that long ago that I ate, but I guess I worked up an appetite.
That thought makes me glance over to where Draggar is seated to my left, and I realize he’s watching me. Gold flecks have begun to crowd out the normal icy color of his pupils, and his gaze leaves a warm trail behind as it caresses my face. I can feel the steady thrum of arousal begin to flow through my veins and I wonder for the hundredth time how he can turn me on with just a look.
It is then that I realize Chief Daggir has been studying both of us, and my face flushes with embarrassment to be caught ogling Draggar in front of him.
He chuckles, his eye crinkling at the corners. “Ah, the amoris bond. It is a gift for the mates who experience it. I did not think to ever see the bond in person.”
As soon as the food has been distributed and the cooks have taken their places at the table and everyone has begun to eat, the chief clears his throat and says, “You have much to tell us, son.”
Chief Daggir’s words startle me.
I didn’t realize the chief was Draggar’s father. But as I stare at them, comparing their features, I realize there is a strong resemblance there that I hadn’t noticed before. They both have chins that are just a little too obstinate and pointy, faces that are broad and rugged, and the same silver eyes that are similar in shape with the top lid being slightly hooded. Even the variation in the blue-green shades of their skin is nearly a carbon copy.
I dig into the rich stew in front of me as Draggar tells his father and the other assembled tribe members about stumbling upon me in the jungle and his fight with the tiniio. Actually, he calls it our fight, and he beams with pride as he tells them about me taking on the dinosaur with nothing but a rock and what he calls a small twig.
Some of the tribe members have been eyeing me with something that looks an awful lot like suspicion, but after that, they look at me with respect and awe in their eyes.
The few children and teens that I’ve seen have settled at one end of the table, and they listen in rapt attention with their faces glazed over with excitement as the man next to me speaks. It’s clear that he is a well-respected member of his tribe, and I couldn’t have asked for a better guy to rescue me from the tiniio.
I still don’t know what to think about this whole mate business or what exactly my feelings are for Draggar. Maybe it’s love, I don’t know. But I definitely care for him more than any other man I’ve ever met and I already can’t imagine my life without him in it. And I’m starting to think that it is love.
As Draggar speaks, he takes care not to mention that he was shot with a poisoned arrow by a rival tribe, and I quickly realize that he probably wants to discuss that information with his father first, instead of blurting it out to the whole tribe. Instead, he mentions briefly that he was ill for a short time after crossing over to the other tribe’s territory, and that I cared for him.
Once he has finished his recitation of the last few days, the chief turns his gaze to me and asks, “Haley, tell us, from where do you hail? How did you find your way to our planet?”
I tell them, with Draggar translating for the tribe members who don’t have translator chips, about the Zyfeliks and being stolen from my home, how scared I was, and that the gray aliens were going to sell me. Some of the men gasp and I even notice a couple of them place their hands on their swords as if they’re ready to take on the beings who took me and that warms my heart.
I continue and relate how the Zyfeliks’ ship was pursued by the space cops – they look a little confused during that part – and that they dumped the cargo hold I was kept in, and it crash landed onto this planet.
Then, I take a deep breath and share a questioning look with Draggar. He gives me an encouraging nod to continue. So, I do, and I tell them about the others.
“The thing is, when the ship crashed on your planet, I wasn’t alone.” I wait a moment as Draggar translates for me, and during that time, I take a peek at his father.
The older alien’s brow ridges are drawn together in a harsh line over his eyes, and he looks at me solemnly, waiting patiently for me to continue.
“Other humans were abducted from Earth. They were dumped on this planet with me, and they survived the crash, too.” As soon as Draggar finishes translating my words, there are shouts and exclamations and questions from the gathered tribe members.
A couple of them even stand up from the table and look as if they want to immediately leave and travel to the crash site. As I sit there and watch the commotion, I start to wonder if maybe it was a mistake to tell the tribe about my friends.
“Silence!” Chief Daggir’s loud voice roars out a command, and everyone immediately goes quiet.
He stares at them for a moment, his steely gaze raking over each one of the men. Then, he turns to me, the expression on his face gentling, and gestures. “Please continue, Haley.”
“We’re not used to a planet like Laedirissae. On Earth, if we get hungry, we go to a store and we buy food. We don’t have to hunt for it or even cook it if we don’t want to. We don’t have to worry about the dangers that your planet has.”
I’ve never liked having to ask for anything, and I feel like asking a whole tribe of strangers to take in a bunch of humans is a pretty big ask. I don’t know how they’ll react. Maybe they’ll immediately say no or maybe they’ll expect something in return.
Draggar senses my hesitancy, and he takes my hand in his. I take another deep breath and try to draw on his strength. If he thinks his tribe will help us, then I will trust that they will.
“My friends didn’t have much food or water when I left them, and they’ll probably run out soon. That’s if they haven’t already. Would the Anuriix tribe be willing to help us?”
There is a long moment of silence after Draggar translates my question, and I begin to wonder if he was wrong and I’m going to be immediately tossed out on my ass.
The aliens are all quiet and staring expectantly at Chief Daggir, waiting for his decision.
