Page 12 of Black Mamba

I rise on my tail and jolt forward, slamming my chest into his. “Because I do not want the humans to see you as I have not yet decided what I am going to do about them! Now go! Before you make things more difficult for me!”

He falls back several more tail paces, his gaze going distant. “Humans. So there are humans alive here…”

“Go!”

“Are there any femalesss?” Ixi’s blue-black gaze sharpens.

“If there were, they are not yourssss. They are mine to decide what to do with.”

Elena will not be his. There are no other females I know of.

Ixi, though strong, would not be able to provide her a fortified nest. His nest can be seen by any passing through—it is not as hidden as I think it should be. A female living in such an open nest would not be easy to keep safe during scouting and hunting missions. Ixi’s home is not like mine…

He crosses his arms and coils his tail under him. “I understand. Well, if you change your mind and do need my help… or if you find yourself in over your tail, you know where to find me, making sure my borders near here remain safe.” He hisses, slowly backing away and squinting at me. “I will go.”

I bare my fangs again until he turns and slips into the trees at the top of the hill and vanishes over the ledge.

Slowly unclenching my hands and peeling back my shaking fingers, tension fills me from head to tailtip. I was ready to attack my cousin. I would have… if he had not listened to me.

I am usually much calmer than this. He is right—I am not acting normally.

Elena…

Her name floats through my head like a breezy whisper. Clenching my hands again, I turn for her ship and approach it, uncaring if I remain hidden.

Up against her ship’s glass dome and still trembling from the encounter with my cousin, I search for her within and, luckily, find her partially turned from me, sitting at the flashing table.

Her shoulder-length silky hair curls in slight waves over the wrinkled cloth of her oversized white shirt. The pale contour of her face reveals pouty lips, recently chewed on and swollen red. I press my hands to the glass, straining against it. For the first time, I wonder what she smells like, what she tastes like.

I have seen human females but none as lovely as her, none as sad…

She reaches up and wipes her eyes. The muscles in my tail go taut and I pull away from the glass.

No, I do not want Ixi to see her. Not like this. Not sad and beautiful. He would be within the shadows with me, wondering what makes her tears flow.

Her tears are for me, and me alone to solve.

I return to the trees to settle in to watch her.

Elena…

Elena is mine.

SEVEN

VOICES

Elena

“You don’t need to be afraid of the naga, but you need to be wary of them. Like all sentient beings, they must be shown respect⁠—”

I cringe into my arm. My world spins and I slip back into unconsciousness.

“We are on the naga’s land. They are not on ours. You must remember that when you’re outside your ship. If you encounter a naga or one approaches you, try to speak to them. Many of them understand the common tongue and are proficient in it, though some less so. But be cautious, always be cautious⁠—”

A woman’s voice fills my ears, and despite being woozy, they prick to the word naga being repeated.

“Though most of the nagas have territories of their own, some are nomadic. Those that have nests guard them and will not let just anyone near, so if you happen to be near one, or stumble upon one of them, leave promptly. Signs to look out for are animal hides and bones. They like to wrap the spines of their enemies around trees as a warning. You will not win a fight against a naga in hand-to-hand combat, especially not on their own turf⁠—”