Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 83946 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 420(@200wpm)___ 336(@250wpm)___ 280(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83946 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 420(@200wpm)___ 336(@250wpm)___ 280(@300wpm)
“Halun?” Selina questions.
I don’t even have to search for my brother. He stands at the very forefront, hair blowing in the breeze behind him, his sword not at his back, but in his hand, pointing at the human who stands in front of the humans there. The humans are easily outnumbered three to one, and the guns they aim at the Hallans would be useless were they to be fired, for I’m sure every Hallan down here has a security suit on.
My brother speaks again, words the humans cannot understand, but if they could, and knew Halun at all, they’d tremble at his lips merely moving to form the words, because never have I heard my brother make an idle threat.
I will reduce this planet to nothing more than ash if my brother is not brought to me.
Selina begins to climb down, and I allow her, releasing her thighs, although I hate to lose the contact with her body. She doesn’t go too far though, and her fingers press into my back. I can feel the shaking in her hands, the shuddering breath that ghosts across my skin.
“Halun!” I call out.
Every Hallan and human eye turns to me. Selina gasps, maybe at the sudden, utter silence all around. Not even the breeze dares to make a sound. The Hallans bend at the waist to me and I hear a sound of confusion from Selina, but I don’t explain their reaction right now because I am focused on the look of elation that takes over my brother’s face. As he looks me over longer, it changes, slowly morphing until nothing but rage pools in his black eyes and a scowl on his lips remains.
“They did this to you?” he asks in our mother tongue, but his words are chipped. Even if I were not looking at him, I would know they were being spoken through clenched teeth.
I know better than to answer him and give him the reason he needs to burn this planet to the ground. I am still undecided on if I want that yet. This planet seems full of males like the general, arrogant, sinister, violent towards their females, and even unforgiving to the very water and land that provide for them. But it is possible if my mate is here, another Hallan’s mate will be as well. This makes me look at my mate as I consider that there must be good people here, too. I think of the memories she showed me of her mother, trapped in whatever evil system has control over Earth. They don’t deserve that end. And yet, the anger in me finds it hard to reach for sympathy I don’t have when my body is still bleeding and broken.
Nonetheless, when it counts, I won’t forget those people here. The good ones. For my mate, I make that silent promise to myself.
I begin walking towards Halun instead of speaking. Selina moves slightly to the side, peeking around me. Halun’s eyes widen with alarm and his fingers quickly work to twist the spear in his free hand.
“Behind you!” he shouts in our language, hefting the spear to ready it to fly through the air. Even with the distance there is between us, I know he would not miss.
I roar at him at the same time that Selina screams in fear. Quickly moving, I place myself in front of Selina in case the spear comes our way, But with my words, my brother stills.
“Ami Zawla—my mate!” I tell him, needing to say nothing else.
Halun instantly drops the spear back to his side, his head bowing as he asks for my forgiveness.
I bow back as a silent way to telling him of course you have it. Just as every brawl or game or hunt between us has been ultimately settled in the same way.
“You are safe,” I tell Selina, then. “He knows who you are now. He will never hurt you.”
I reach back, placing my hand to Selina’s lower back as I begin walking, keeping her close to me. Everyone watches as we approach, but my eye is on the humans. There are different expressions upon their faces. Some fear, a lot of anger, and even a spattered few full of confusion. When they see Selina with me, however, it changes something. A disdain for her is clear and it makes me want to walk towards them instead of the Hallans just so I can tear those looks from their faces.
Literally.
But I reach my brother instead, using my free hand to clasp around his arm. He does the same and then his forehead comes to mine. My eye closes at the way I have greeted my brother for all of my life. His forehead was the first to touch mine when I was born, his unruliness even as a child meaning he made sure to be the first to greet his baby brother upon birth when it should have been my mother or father.