“No. It’s just been a long time. Do not be afraid.”
“I’m not afraid,” she assured him even though her heart was pounding against her chest.
He tightened his grip on her hand, seemingly as much for his comfort as for her own, and started walking again. They passed around two more rock walls set at right angles and emerged into a large bright cave. The light had been blocked by the walls, and she stared around in astonishment. It appeared to be some type of garage with several fast-looking vehicles parked along the edge.
“So we didn’t have to walk at all? Or ride?”
He shrugged. “Perhaps not. These would not have been permitted before I left, but apparently times are changing. At last.”
A wide passageway led out of the garage, and he headed for it. It, too, was brightly lit, and when she looked up, she realized that it was illuminated by small clusters of glowing crystals that seemed to rotate in slow motion.
“What are those lights?”
“We call them glow crystals. We cultivate them for this purpose.”
“Are they alive?” she asked, following the slow, hypnotic movements.
“Yes. They are a type of insect. We place a food source where we wish them to cluster.”
“Curiouser and curiouser,” she muttered as they resumed their journey.
The sound of voices came from up ahead, and Baralt’s hand tightened on hers again. She looked up at him, but he was focused on the end of the passageway, his face expressionless. They stepped out of the opening onto a balcony, and she couldn’t suppress a gasp of astonishment.
A series of caverns spread out below them, all of them glowing softly in the light of thousands of the glowing clusters. The cavern directly in front of them was huge, easily hundreds of feet across, and more were visible through arched openings along the walls. From where they stood, a wide stone path circled the walls, leading down to the floor of the main cavern. Around a large central pool, clusters of odd-looking greenery separated the area into a number of smaller spaces.
Baralt’s people were everywhere, talking and working together. The majority appeared to be males but there were a few females as well, easily distinguished by their smaller size and short fur. She even saw a few children darting about. One of the children looked up and saw them and exclaimed in surprise. More people turned to look, and the laughter and conversation died away, a great silence falling over the space.
Someone disappeared through one of the side arches and returned a moment later accompanied by a tall warrior. Everything about the way he moved indicated that he was the leader, and people ducked their heads as he strode past. He stopped at the bottom of the ramp and looked up at them. Baralt stared back.
“Maybe we should go and meet him?” she suggested quietly.
“I don’t think he’s going to give us a choice. We’re going,” he said over his shoulder, and she jumped when she realized that two Hothian warriors were standing behind them. She hadn’t heard them approach.
They began a slow descent of the ramp, still accompanied by that eerie silence, and she had the sudden urge to giggle hysterically. She felt as if she was doing the walk of shame in front of a crowd of churchgoers. But she wasn’t ashamed, she reminded herself. Not of Baralt and not of her actions. Her chin came up, and she squared her shoulders.
“Greetings, Elder Njkall,” Baralt said to the tall Hothian when they finally reached him. The other male had not looked away during their descent.
“Greetings, Baralt. Why have you returned? And why have you brought an offworlder to our caves?”
“She is not an offworlder. She is my mate.”
Chapter Twenty
Mate? Izzie kept her face impassive as she tried to figure out what Baralt had meant by that. It sounded…important.
Njkall looked from Baralt to her, and she looked back at him, refusing to be cowed.
“It is forbidden to mate with an offworlder,” he said finally, his voice remarkably calm.
“Nevertheless, it is done.”
Somewhat to her surprise, Njkall let it drop. “And why have you brought her here?”
“I wish to spend some time in my family cave and show her our way of life.”
“Hmm.”
“It is still my family cave, isn’t it?” Baralt asked stiffly.
“Yes, but—”
“Baralt!” A blur of white fur came rushing toward them, and Izzie was pushed aside as a very tall female Hothian threw herself into Baralt’s arms. Her stomach churned as he looked first shocked, then delighted, and gathered the female close.
The familiar sense of abandonment swept over her. All this time he’d had a female waiting for him? And then he’d had the nerve to announce Izzie as his mate. She took a step back, suddenly desperate to leave before the tears burning at the backs of her eyes made their presence felt. A quick look around showed every path blocked by more Hothians, and she found herself looking at Njkall, hoping he would repeat his warning and banish her from the caves.
“Where have you been? What have you been doing? Why haven’t you contacted me in all this time?” The female was peppering Baralt with questions, and Izzie took another step back, but this time, Baralt saw the movement.
“Zemma, there is someone I want you to meet. This is my Isabel.”
“I’m not your Isabel,” she said defiantly, even though she could hear her voice trembling. How dare he try and claim her when he still had his arms around this Zemma person?
“What? My aria, what’s wrong?” He abandoned the Hothian female as he reached for Izzie.
“I don’t think this is going to work out. I want to return to the port. Alone. You obviously have other…interests here.”
“I don’t understand.” His hands tightened over hers. And he actually had the nerve to look bewildered.
A peal of feminine laughter interrupted.
“Baralt, you idiot. Didn’t you tell her about me?”
“No, he didn’t,” she said through gritted teeth.
“I’m Zemma. I’m Baralt’s sister.”
What? The world swayed as her knees weakened with the
