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)
"Relvi likes to be a quill-beast," I admit. "Because they curl up in their dens and snuggle their babies. So I curl up in bed with her and snuggle her when she wants to play pretend. It's cute."
Asha thinks for a moment, and then a sweet smile curves her face as she looks at us. "Shema loves to be a leather worker, like her father."
"Perfect!"
Asha's skepticism remains. "But a leather worker wears whatever they choose—"
Josie waves a hand, dismissing that. "No, no, you make her a copy of Hemalo's favorite tunic and give her a tiny skin to carry around with her and a tool. It's all about pretending. I promise she'll love it. The kids will have so much fun. And we will, too!" She's practically bouncing in her seat just thinking about it. "I love this idea, Claire! Is Vektal on board?"
"Um. I thought I'd run it past you guys first. See what you thought before I approached him."
Asha cackles at my response. "Where is your spine?"
"Have you seen the mood he's been in lately?" I make a face. "Maybe I'll tell Ereven to bring it up to him. Everyone loves Ereven."
"Coward," Asha laughs.
She's right. In this, she's absolutely right. I'm not looking forward to running the idea past Vektal at all.
CHAPTER
THREE
GEORGIE
Ever since Ashtar left after his last visit, my poor mate has been...well, the best word for it is “overwhelmed.”
"Read his words to me again, Georgie." My mate has his head in his hands as he sits by the fire. "I need to hear them once more."
"They're not Ashtar's words. They're Tia's, I think. Or that new woman, Rosalind. The one that was the librarian. It's written in English and I don't think Ashtar can write in English. Someone else penned it." I don't move to get the scroll, because we've already read it twice this afternoon. "Not that it matters, but he's just the delivery guy."
"I am starting to dread seeing him in the skies," Vektal mutters. "At this point, I think I would rather see a skyclaw."
I try to hide my smile. Ashtar's visits for the longest time were just him and Veronica coming to visit, or to carry messages between Croatoan and the beach village, Icehome. But then there was the message about Flor and I'rec finding more people in stasis pods in the snow. And then this most recent message with them saying that Tia had found more people underground. That they looked like the “ancestors” of this world and Tia had mated one and gone to live with him, and three others were living at Icehome Beach now.
To be fair, there have been a lot of changes for his people since we humans arrived. It's like Not-Hoth was quiet and peaceful for a thousand years, and suddenly the past decade or so has been nothing but chaos. "It'll work itself out."
He wraps his arms around my waist and buries his face against my stomach. "My mate, I worry for our village."
"What? Why?"
"We are living in their houses."
Oh. Is that what he's worried about? "These are very old ruins, Vektal, love. I don't think they're coming back for them. And anyhow, they abandoned them. They're ours now. And if they show up on our doorstep, well, there's plenty of room for everyone."
"I am just so tired of change, my Georgie." He sighs and holds me close, one of his horns digging into my breast.
"If things remained the same, you wouldn't have a single human here," I point out, running my fingers through his hair. "You wouldn't have two daughters and a son and a growing tribe."
He grunts. "True. Fine, then. I would like for things to remain the same for one season. Just one season."
I chuckle. "You act as if your hair is turning gray from all the stress, but I don't see a single gray strand here." I make a big show of looking through his thick mane. "No grays. That means you're not as worried as you think. And you know why? Because you're the chief that can handle anything."
"You have such faith in me."
"I do. You're a wonderful leader. And besides, these people probably already have their own leader. You just need to meet him, say hello and be friendly, and then go on your way. No one needs to join our tribe. Not everyone has to live together."
Vektal pauses, and I can tell from the look on his face that this idea never occurred to him. It reminds me of just how small the population here has been. For so long, the entirety of the planet's citizens (as he knew) were his responsibility. No wonder he's fretting over the idea of newcomers.
I continue on this train of thought. I stroke my hand through his hair. "Raahosh and R'jaal are doing a good job at the beach, right? You don't have to oversee their every move. It can be the same with these new people. Be friendly, but let them do their own thing. They have all this time, right?"