Page 65 of Caveman Alien's Bride

Except for Korr’ax. He’s in his headdress and cape again, but this time he’s different. His jaw is clenched, and the speech he gave at the pyre was short.

He bends down to speak into my ear. “My wife, go and get some sleep. I will join you once I finish here.”

I see no reason to prolong this torture, so I get back up to the top of the Mount and light an oil lamp with an ember from the fire.

The whole tribe is giving me the silent treatment. Itisa funeral, so maybe I shouldn’t read too much into it. But it would fit ifthey thought I was some kind of agent of evil in their midst. Certainly Breti’ax thinks so, and I don’t think he has much against me personally.

The drums beat and the chants go on. I have had a long day, and I should be sleepy. But the old fear is back. It’s the fear of everything that can kill me. Now I have to add the Krast tribe to the list. And maybe the Borok tribe.

I’m about to lie down on the furs when there’s a soft call outside the cave.

“Woman Bryar?”

I grab the hilt of my little sword. “Who’s there?”

The caveman comes to the cave opening. I see orange stripes and relax slightly. For a second I thought it might be a Krast man.

“It’s tribesman Dren’in.”

Ah. Not Krast, but not much better.

I grab the sword again. “What can I do for you, tribesman? The chief is not here.”

“May I come inside? I have a message for you, not for the chief.”

Shit.If he has something evil in mind, then I will have to fight him. Or scream for Korr’ax. If that’s it, then it’ll be better if I were outside. “I will come out.”

“Quickly.” The man has an eager look on his face.

I clench the hilt of the sword as I look up at him. “What is the message?”

“It is a message from Piper.”

Fresh worry fills me, as well as excitement. “And?”

“You must come to her, she says. She is safe for now, but she has found a way to return to Earth. That’s your own planet, yes?”

I’m stunned. “Return? How?”

“She wouldn’t tell me. Chief Korr’ax sent me and others out in the jungle to find her and bring her back. But when I found her, I told her I would not capture her. She is looking for you, but she won’t come near the village. She’s worried that Chief Korr’ax will give her to the Krast, so that they will make him their chief. I told her that that is indeed his plan.”

My knees almost give way under me. “He would catch Piper and give her to the Krast?”

Dren’in shrugs. “Korr'ax enjoys being chief of many tribes. If the Krast had a woman, they would give him anything he wants. Of course, Chief Korr’ax must not learn of this message. Piper says there is very little time. You must meet her now.”

My mind is racing. Would Korr'ax really do something like that? Try to catch Piper to give her to another tribe to be their pleasure slave?

I wouldn’t have guessed it. But the way things are, with his men dying by the dozen, it doesn’t feel impossible.

“How were you able to talk to Piper? She not speak good.”

Dren’in shrugs. “She speaks just as well as you. It was difficult to understand what she meant at first, but then she made drawings in the dirt and I understood.”

“Did Piper give you something?” I ask, thinking fast. “So I know message is really from her?”

Dren’in looks at me for a moment. Then he gets a small piece of folded-up leather out of his belt. He carefully unfolds it and takes something invisible between two fingers. “We need light.”

I let him into the cave and the light from the oil lamp.

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