Page 23 of Riv's Sanctuary

"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 as 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 being her.

"You know, you're being a real dick right now."

Geblit stopped grinning. "A dick? What’s a dick?"

She was about to explain when the surroundings suddenly grew quiet. It took her a few moments, brows furrowed, ears perked, before she realized what it was.

The barrier was no longer zinging—she hadn't even realized that it had been.

It seemed Geblit realized this too because his four eyes lit up with glee as he turned back to face the farm.

"Here he comes," he said, almost too enthusiastically.

Raising her gaze toward the biggest building on the premises, she saw the door open and a large figure step through.

Even from the distance, she could see that the being was male. Large, threatening, and undoubtedly male in his stance.

"Who the hell is that?" she whispered and Geblit cast a nervous glance her way.

"That is Riv," he said. "Now, hush!"

Mouth agape as she watched the alien walk down the path toward the perimeter fence, Lauren’s eyes widened.

Riv was supposed to look like Geblit.

You know, skinny, nervous, and possibly easy to take down in a fight.

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