Total pages in book: 98
Estimated words: 91775 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 459(@200wpm)___ 367(@250wpm)___ 306(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91775 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 459(@200wpm)___ 367(@250wpm)___ 306(@300wpm)
“So it is.” Devi takes it from him, beaming. “I stand corrected. This one is absolutely worth keeping. We shall put it on our shelf of ‘attractive but scientifically superfluous’ discoveries. Good job, N’rav. You’re such a big help.”
He giggles and races off into the sands again, no doubt to look for more shells.
Noj’me approaches us, her expression troubled. “What is su-per…su-per…”
“Superfluous,” I finish. “It means duplicate.”
She blinks at me. “Doo-plick—”
“Double,” I correct. “A repeat.”
“Aaaah, repeat. Yes.” She nods sagely. “Devi knows a great many of the oracle’s words. She is very wise.” She gestures at the wide open beach. “Where talk?”
The beach isn’t busy today. The weather is nice, the faraway twin suns casting down their faint sunlight with all their might. It means it’s a good day for hunting and going out to do chores that are put off during blustery weather. It shouldn’t feel as if we’re on parade, but with my khui humming and Rem’eb at my side, I feel conspicuous. Like all eyes of the beach village are on both of us, wondering if we’ve fucked yet.
I can’t even blame them. If I was on the other side of this, I’d be watching us, too.
I point at a distant rocky outcropping near the shore. It’s just far enough away that no one will be able to hear our conversations, but not so far that it’ll be a huge hike back to the village. Which is good, because I’m not sure I have the energy to trek far. Every bit of me feels like it’s trembling, all because of resonance and its need to be fulfilled.
We make our way over, and Noj’me perches on the flat part of a broad rock, crossing her legs and then resting all four arms on her knees as she watches us. I sit across from her, my hands clasped in my lap, and watch as Rem’eb sits next to me. Instead of keeping his hands to himself, he slides one to my waist, another on my shoulder, and pulls me close. It makes my khui go haywire, and when I glance up at him, our eyes meet.
And then I’m lost. I want to crawl into his lap and kiss him until we’re both panting and naked. I want to straddle him and guide his dick between my thighs. I’d hold him carefully, rubbing the head of him against the entrance of my body and making both of us wild before I let him slide deep into me. Then I’d ride his dick until it unfurls inside me, filling me with his release—
Noj’me speaks, jarring me from my filthy thoughts. “So, Tia the Stranger, tell me your words.”
I jerk my gaze away from Rem’eb’s heated one, distracted and flustered. “Right. Of course. My words.”
Now is the time I say everything. It’s just that…I haven’t really thought this all the way through. I keep getting distracted. I turn to Rem’eb, who’s watching me with understanding, worried eyes.
“I need you to make a deal with me,” I tell him, my words feeling weighty.
“Tia the Stranger needs you to make with her.” Noj’me says. “Make resonance, I think.”
“Make a deal,” I clarify, and it takes all of my being not to shout at her. “A bargain. An agreement.”
“Aaaah,” Noj’me says. “She wishes for you to agree with her.”
“Agree,” Rem’eb says, puzzled. “Over what?”
I’m starting to think we’d be better off without a translator. Noj’me’s grasp of our language is decent, but she gets just as much wrong as she does right, because she doesn’t understand slang or idioms. “We exchange things we want,” I say, trying again. I take one of Rem’eb’s free hands in mine and clasp it tight. I avoid eye contact, because if I look him in the eye, it distracts me and I need to focus. “You want resonance. I will do that if you go somewhere with me temporarily. It won’t be for forever, but it’s important.”
“Wait, too many words at once,” Noj’me says, looking frustrated. “You speak words different than the others.”
Right, because I can’t quite repeat some of the sounds the sa-khui make when I speak their language. No wonder she struggles to follow along. I focus on Rem’eb instead and start over. “We have been holding off on resonance.” When Noj’me repeats my words more or less correctly, I continue. “It’s not because I don’t like you. I like you too much. It hurts to think about you leaving once we have resonated and made a child. Have you changed your mind?”
Noj’me translates, and when she finishes, Rem’eb sighs heavily. His hand squeezes mine. “I cannot change my mind, my Tia. My people need a better leader. I fear what will happen if someone does not step in.”
I nod, trying not to feel disappointment. Of course I was hoping he’d feel different after being together for the last week, but it’s too much to hope for. He’s known them all his life, and me just a few short weeks. Why would I be important enough for him to abandon everything? He’s important to them.