Total pages in book: 24
Estimated words: 21341 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 107(@200wpm)___ 85(@250wpm)___ 71(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 21341 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 107(@200wpm)___ 85(@250wpm)___ 71(@300wpm)
I nod, eyeing the maze again. I have been through it many times with Jorvek and Vekka. There are three turns and then you are at the center. It is not tricky, but I do have to admit that my kits enjoyed going through the maze over and over again. "Jorvek got lost every time. I worry he will not have any direction sense."
Georgie giggles. "Babe, he's little. He has time. And if you want to know the trick to all mazes, you keep your hand on the right-hand wall and you'll always find your way out."
"Eh? No, that cannot be true."
"It's true, I swear!"
I set down the travois of not-potatoes and put my hand on the right side of the wall. A bit of the ice flakes off but I gesture that Georgie should join me. "Come. I must try this for myself."
"Let's do it!" She puts her cold hand in mine.
It does not take long for us to traverse to the center of the maze, and then out the other side again, and all the while, my hand remains on the right-hand wall. I make a sound of pleased enjoyment at this discovery. "I have learned something new this day. You are full of secrets, my mate."
She chuckles and pokes me in the center of my chest. "Handy if you ever find yourself in a maze, right?"
I grin back at her and then gaze at our surroundings again. So much work has gone into the celebration, and now that it is all over, I am sad to see it end. "Claire did well, organizing all this."
"It was a good holiday," Georgie agrees. "I'm glad you decided on it, babe."
I eye my mate at that. "You and I both know it was already decided when Claire brought it up. She was just informing me. You think she would have listened if I said no?" I wave a hand at the ice walls. "She would have tried to hide this and have the celebration without telling me, and what a mess that would have been."
Georgie bites her lip, trying to hide a smile. "You wouldn't have said no. And Claire means well. She just wants to see people enjoying themselves."
"It was a good idea. I appreciated forgetting our troubles for a while."
"Our troubles?" Georgie puts her hand on my tunic and twists a handful of it, tugging me closer. "Love, exactly what troubles do you think we have? Yes, there are new humans at the beach, but everyone is getting along really well. And yes, there are strange people living under the mountains, but they're friendly enough and if your people avoided them for a thousand years, I'm sure we can go another thousand without tripping over each other."
I say nothing.
She tilts her head, gazing up at me. "Our bellies are full, our people are safe and sheltered, and our kids just had the best day. Everyone is happy and healthy. I see no troubles."
"Human people. Island people. Cave people." I shake my head. "What is next? Bird people? Fish people? How many people can one planet hold?"
My mate peals with laughter. "No one is in danger of being crowded out! I promise."
"I just..." I let out a deep breath. "My job—my duty—has always been to keep all people safe. To keep them happy. Yet the harder I try to hold on, the more I feel their happiness slipping through my fingers. There are so many people now, my mate. Never has a chief had so much to do. I cannot be in control of it all and do a good job, Georgie. It is too much."
She shakes her head, gazing up at me with such beautiful, khui-blue eyes. My lovely mate. My everything. "Oh, Vektal. No one is saying you have to be in charge of everyone. You lead us here. You can advise at the beach, but they are their own people. It sounds harsh, but if they don't live here, you can't be responsible for them. Let them live their own lives. If they ask for help, we give it. If they don't, they don't." She shrugs. "No one expects you to shoulder the responsibility of the entire planet, love. Just keep doing what you can. I promise it's enough."