“They claimed you. For their son? How old was this son?” Jason asked.
“Twenty, maybe younger.”
“You were given to this guy, and you don't even know his age?” Jason questioned.
“I didn't ask his age or his favorite color or what kind of music he likes. I didn't care.” I could feel my anger start to rise. I was not going to give in to my pride yet. I took a deep breath and walked to the edge of the bed.
“I was betrothed to Zeke Prowe as his first wife. He tried to get me to stay with him. This ring is part of their ritual, their marriage traditions. I was required to pick a family. I asked to be exiled instead. His family claimed me long enough to send me home with provisions and gear. Instead of just the clothes on my back.” I explained calmly.
“I should feel some gratitude for this family, not allowing you to walk back home unprotected.” Jason stood up and walked to the dresser placing the ring and the necklace carefully on the glass top. “but I don't.”
“Ja, I don't know what you want me to say. I spent my time telling anyone who would listen to send me home before you bombed the entire seabed.”
“I was prepared to wipe them off the planet for taking you from me, but I needed to know if you were alive first. I couldn't risk harming you again.” Jason wouldn't look at me. He faced the doorway. It looked like he wanted to leave.
“Again?” I asked. “You had nothing to do with this. They took the other girls and me because we looked like pretty things, they wanted to save from the meteor strike.”
“I shot towards you and the thing that had his arm wrapped around you. The gun was empty. I couldn't see clearly, but I tried to shoot in your direction. I could have killed you.”
“We have been told that it's better to die than be taken by the Reds. You hear something enough times, and it sounds true even if it's a lie. I'm glad you were out of bullets. I'm glad to be alive. All these bruises and scrapes will heal, and we can leave this horrible crap in the past where it belongs.”
Jason nodded his head in agreement while he rubbed his hand along the wood door jamb's decorative carvings. “There's something I need to know, and then I won't ask any more about this. The man that you were claimed by, the Prowe, how hard did he try to get you to stay?”
“I don't know,” I answered, removing the towel from my hair.
“What did he promise you to get you to stay?” Jason asked, walking closer to me.
“Nothing really, family, protection, love, himself, I suppose. They don't live like we do. Possessions are used for survival, not status.” Jason nodded his head quietly in agreement and pulled me up off the bed.
“Did he do this?” Jason slid his hand across the small of my back and pulled me close to him.
“Yes, a few times,” I conceded. Looking into his eyes, I could see this was what he really wanted to know.
“What about this?” Jason kissed my lips softly. I looked him straight in the eye and whispered—yes.
Jason ran his hands down my back and rested them on the thick folds of towel covering my hips. “How about this?” he asked.
“No,” I whispered, shaking my head slowly.
“He must have done something to try and persuade you,” Jason growled.
“We talked about the many ridiculous customs both our societies have, he tried to teach me to swim, and he kissed me. I was so happy to be allowed to leave that I kissed him back. He asked me to share his bed after his family claimed me, and I politely told him no. Anything those people got from me, they had to take.”
“Blue stayed, she was claimed and persuaded to stay,” Jason stated.
“Blue chose a man. His entire clan accepted her as one of their own. Chip found all the gear I needed to get home alive. He's a kind man. If she lives through the meteor strike, I imagine she will be happy.
“But Blue didn't have you to come home to. She didn't leave the man she loves bleeding in the dirt while she was carted away into the darkness. There was nothing they could do to make me want to stay.” Jason kissed my forehead and pulled at the newly trimmed curls hanging around my face. He lightly traced the scrape on my cheek and slid his hands to inspect my bruised neck.
I turned my back to him, revealing my newly bruised shoulder blades. The memory of tripping and landing on a pile of rocks made me wince. Letting my towel loose, I was able to show Jason the full extent of my newest and most colorful injuries.
“Kar, I'm so sorry this happened.” Jason pulled his hands back to his face and curled them into tight fists.
On the dresser top was an assortment of creams and powders, hair clips and combs. I set my eye on a bright purple hair clip large enough to sweep my shorter locks up off my neck. I walked over to the dresser, rolled my hair into a loose twist, and secured it with the clip.
The room's light came from overhead and created round spotlights of golden brightness across the light cream carpet. I picked the spotlight nearest me and dropped my towel to the floor, revealing all my minor, yet ugly injuries.
“This is what it took for me to get home. Take a good look, and when you question what anyone did to make me want to stay. Try to remember it wasn't
