Someone knocks lightly on the door, and Rakiz opens it.
Terex glances at us and then back to Rakiz. “What do you need?”
“Messengers.” Rakiz scans us. “Arrange for kradis for Sarissa and Korzyn and then have four of our strongest warriors sent to me.”
Terex nods, and I barely notice as he leaves, my mind foggy with exhaustion.
“We need Dragix,” I murmur. “If he can clear the way, Arix can get here faster.”
Rakiz sighs. “Once Arix banned any Zintas from his side of the water from allying with the Dokhalls, they had to make a choice. Some of them were lured into an alliance with the Dokhalls simply because they want the chance to board the ship with the Dokhalls and travel to a new planet.”
I snort. “If they believe the Dokhalls will hold up their end of that bargain, I’ve got a bridge I can sell them.”
Rakiz’s brow creases at that, and he shrugs. “While the Dokhalls are a threat, the Zintas are able to provide them with information they would find extremely helpful. Dragix has been hunting a pack of Zintas that allied with the Dokhalls and then went north, planning to attack Tecar’s tribe.”
“When did he leave?” Korzyn asks.
“Nine nights ago.”
I wince. No wonder Charlie is freaking out. Since Dragix realized she was pregnant, he’s been even more overprotective, refusing to leave her side for more than a few hours at a time. Nine nights must have felt like an eternity.
The door opens, and Terex nods at Rakiz, gesturing for us to follow him. I mumble good night to the tribe king and trail after the huge warrior.
Korzyn murmurs something to Rakiz before following us, and we walk in silence until Terex points to Korzyn’s kradi.
The commander gives me a look I can’t quite read before nodding at Terex and stepping into his kradi.
The sun is beginning to rise in the cloudless emerald sky, the hazy glow of light dancing across the roofs of the kradis.
“I will have Ellie bring you a dress from one of the other females,” Terex says. “She is an early riser now.”
His eyes turn cloudy, and my throat tightens at the frustration on his face. I haven’t been on this planet for long, but one thing I’ve learned? There’s nothing more difficult for a Braxian male than to be unable to help his mate if she’s struggling. The Braxians’ protective instincts seem to be continually in overdrive when it comes to their mates.
“How is she doing?”
He shrugs. “The babe is still not here. Moni is insisting it isn’t too big for Ellie to birth it, but my little mate is small.”
“Human women give birth to surprisingly large babies on Earth,” I say, and he nods.
“That is what Zoey says.”
He stops at my kradi, and a woman I haven’t met ducks out of it, a large empty bucket in her hands.
“I have arranged for baths to be drawn for you and the commander,” he says.
“I could kiss you.”
The ghost of a smile plays around his mouth, and a tiny bit of the strain on his face disappears. “I don’t believe Ellie would like that.”
I laugh. “Nope. Good night, Terex.”
He glances up at the sun and then grins at me. “Good night.”
Chapter Eleven
Sarissa
The kradi is quiet…almost lonely. For the first time in days, I’m by myself, without any plans running through my mind.
The bath calls to me, and I strip off, removing the earring from my ear, and slide into the water with a sigh. I’m so tired I’m worried that if I close my eyes, I’ll fall asleep in the bath, so I force myself to dunk my head, scrub every inch of my body, and get out, wrapping one of the long cloths the tribe use as towels around me and then leaning over to wring out my hair in the bath.
“Sarissa?”
“Come in,” I call, smiling at Ellie. “You didn’t have to get up for me,” I say, and she rolls her eyes.
“Don’t worry.” She runs her hand over her bump. “I was already up.”
“How are you feeling?”
“Huge. I know you’ve only been gone for a few weeks since Beth’s mating ceremony, but it feels like it’s been months.”
“You poor thing.”
She smiles. “This little guy or girl will be worth it. I’ve always wanted to be a mother. How’s Vivian doing?”
“Ruling with an iron fist.”
She laughs, and I grin as she hands me a dress. I recognize it as one Vivian wore often when she was here.
“She had her coronation. I can’t tell you how weird it was seeing an actual crown on my cousin’s head.”
“I bet. And you? How are you doing, Sarissa?”
I shrug, picking my earring off the floor and showing it to her. “I have the chip.”
I slide it into my ear, and Ellie nods, her eyes steady on my face. “That’s great. But how are you doing?”
I open my mouth, and my throat suddenly tightens. My eyes dart, and Ellie gives me a sympathetic look.
“Listen to me prying into your personal life. You’re exhausted. We can talk later once you’ve had some rest.”
She rubs my arm and smiles at me before waddling out of the kradi as I pull on my dress, unsure why I’m suddenly so upset.
My mission is complete. I’ve brought the chip back, just like I wanted.
So why am I not jumping for joy?
Maybe I’m just tired.
I wonder if Korzyn has had his arm looked at. Something tells me he’s not the type to go to the healers unless someone drags him there.
It’s none of your business what the commander does.
I picture him lying in bed, teeth clenched in pain, his arm throbbing. What if he gets an infection?
That’s it.
I stride out of my kradi, making my way to the healers’ one. Zoey is murmuring to Moni, one of the healers who provided me with a salve that’s meant to loosen up my scars.
Zoey glances at me and smiles, finishing up her conversation and making her way toward me. She looks content
