Two disgusting aliens who wanted to rape her were having a spat and she was sure she shouldn’t stay around to see the end of it.
But as she made to move, the words of the new Tasqal caught her ears, making her freeze in the spot.
“Don’t you dare run, Cluu. I’m not about to lose you again.”
Cluu?
She turned to stare at the beast that had spoken, her mouth falling open, her eyes wide.
CLUU.
How did he know that name?!
Sohut.
A feeling of dread filled her, she almost lost her balance.
Sohut had given her that name. The only way the toad would know that name was if he had somehow gotten to Sohut.
Somehow, her lucky metal dislodged from the other beast’s eye and fell to the floor.
Snatching it quickly, she only had one second to stand before the body of the toad-man that had bought her slumped to the floor.
His throat leaked green ooze.
It’s been slit.
Eyes rising slowly to her new captor, Cleo gripped her piece of metal. The end still dripped the ooze from the other Tasqal’s eye.
“Clee-yo…” the toad-man said before taking a step forward but when she raised her metal, pointing it toward him, he paused, his eyes darting to the metal then back.
“It’s me…” he whispered.
Her eyes narrowed some more. Somewhere inside her, hope bloomed but it must be some hope for the impossible.
This wasn’t her savior. She didn’t know this being.
And he was her enemy.
“Me who?” She took a step back, eyes darting to the door once more.
“It’s me, Cleo. Touch me.”
Her nose scrunched up.
What sort of request was that?
His voice was low as he spoke.
“Touch me and you will see. I’m using a distorter. It was the only way I could get to you and we need to hurry. Wawa has gone missing outside and I just know the little rhag is up to no good. I don’t think he trusts me to get you out of this.”
“Wawa?”
How did he know about Wawa? Did she dare believe him?
A beat passed before she reached out tentatively to touch the outstretched hand of the toad-man.
It felt strange. Smooth. Velvety.