Geblit was nervous, which was making her nervous.
When, after a few moments nothing happened, it sounded as if Geblit muttered a curse underneath his breath and punched in the code again.
Apprehension crawling up her spine like a snake, Lauren bit her bottom lip as she waited.
Still nothing.
“Maybe he’s not home?” She spoke loud enough for Geblit to hear, and Geblit glanced her way again.
“I am positive he is at his residence. He never leaves.”
Punching in the code again, Geblit waited, his forelimbs shaking with impatience.
She was apprehensive of this, but what choice did she have? If they had to turn back, she’d probably end up in that market and all she could think of was those tall black aliens.
The creature will do what we want…willingly or not.
The words sent another shiver down her spine.
The market scenario presented an unknown. There were many possibilities that could occur if she ended up being sold again.
But this scenario…this scenario was better.
At least in this scenario, she knew something. She knew where she’d be, which looked like a lovely farm. She knew the owner was possibly a pleasant person. If he was like Geblit, she could deal with that. Geblit was half-nice, but she could have put up with living with him.
She imagined this Riv was another of Geblit’s kind but a little more…solitary? She could live with that.
That made this scenario her best scenario.
It was better having some semblance of an idea about her future than being thrust into a complete unknown.
For that reason, a part of her hoped the farm owner would answer.
For a fourth time, Geblit muttered a curse and punched in the code again, glancing her way as he did.
“Keep still and be quiet. It is your best chance at staying here,” he whispered just before there was a click in the panel.
For a few seconds, there was no other sound.
“R-Riv?” Geblit blinked at the panel.
“What do you want?” The voice was deep, raspy, and caught her totally off guard.
Geblit’s voice was so different from the other male’s, she found herself blinking a little, only to feel stupid immediately.
Not all human males sound alike. Why did she think the male would sound anything like Geblit did?
Where Geblit sounded like a prepubescent boy, the speaker through the intercom sounded like a fully grown man.
“Riv!” Geblit laughed, one that sounded so awkward and forced she frowned at him. “Good friend. I trust you have been well.”
There was a pause on the line before, “What do you want, Geblit?”
Well, he was straight to the point. Gotta give him that.
Geblit glanced toward the box again. “I have an…animal here that has no home.”
The words made her swallow.
From investment banker to homeless animal. Quite a drop, Lauren. Quite a drop.
“And?” Low and raspy, the voice was clipped.
“Well,” Geblit laughed again, “I was hoping it could stay on your farm.”
It?
She was it.
God, being spoken about as if she was a cow or something was really making her feel great. Still, she knelt and tried to see as much as she could through the little slits in the box, her eyes scouring the farm and the buildings within it for any sign of this alien called Riv.
“No,” was the response Geblit received and she felt it in her soul as if she had just been rejected.
Well, technically, he had just rejected her and Geblit both.
He’d said no.
Didn’t Geblit say this dude took animals in?
When the speaker on the line said nothing else, Geblit’s forelimbs folded across his body.
“It needs a home, Riv. Will you at least come out and bring it in? I must get back to my Cargga.”
A pause. “There is no space here.”
It looked as if Geblit got angry for his thin mouth formed an even thinner line.
“When have you ever turned away an animal in need?”
“Since today.” And with that, there was another click. The line was dropped. Call ended.
That’s it?
All this traveling to be turned down so easily?
But Geblit wasn’t having it. Punching in the code into the panel once more, he waited.
Soon there was a click.
“What?!”
Okay. Maybe she’d been wrong in hoping this Riv was a likable person. First impressions just came in and, well, he didn’t seem nice at all.
“Riv—”
“Go away, Geblit.”
“You owe me a favor!” Geblit was glaring at the panel as if it was the embodiment of the actual person he was speaking to.
For a few seconds, there was no sound but she hadn’t heard a click so she assumed Riv was still on the other line.
The tension was killing her. Not knowing what was going to happen was killing her.
“Fine.” The one word finally came through the device followed by a click and she could see Geblit visibly relax. His four arms uncrossed over his frame to fall at his sides and, as if he forgot she was there, he did a little jump into the air.
“Thought you said he was nice,” she said, loud enough for Geblit to hear.
With that, Geblit sobered and turned to face the box. “I said no such thing.”
Right. He didn’t.
He’d been unhelpfully vague every time she’d asked about his friend.
“How much do you trust him? Will I have to be fighting for my life?” She eyed Geblit. If this Riv was anything like Geblit, she was sure she could take him. Geblit was skinny and strong but she reckoned she could still tackle him with some momentum on her side. She could only hope this Riv had a similar stature.
Geblit moved closer to the box. “Riv would harm no creature. Of this, I am sure.”
“But I’m not a creature. I’m a being, an intelligent being, just like you are.”
The look on Geblit’s face said otherwise, as if he would argue the point.
“I am!”
“Well, I guess you aren’t as mindless as the rest of the animals in the sanctuary.” He shrugged. “Riv will adjust.”
Geblit suddenly smiled and she wanted to slap the smile right off his face.
He was in such light spirits now that he was ridding himself of trouble. The trouble
