Page 68 of Caveman Alien's Bride

Dren’in slinks after us and picks up my sword. “You got him with this. He will never run again. How do you think he will Mate with you when his turn comes?”

The Krast men bark at him to be quiet.

But I see no reason tonotattract some dinosaurs right now.

“You will never be their chief,” I taunt Dren’in. “They treat you like mud. They kill you and let rekh eat you.”

He doesn’t reply, but he must have his doubts about the deal. All the Krast have to do is kill him, and they’re rid of a pitiful member of another tribe. And if somehow Korr’ax confronts them about me, they can say they found me in the jungle.

“You will all die,” I go on, just to say something. “Korr’ax commands both the Borok and the Tretter tribes. He will go to war against you and burn your village.”

Their leader barks a command, and everyone stops. One man comes over and ties a strip of dinosaur skin around my head, putting it in my mouth like a gag.

But they can’t stop me from stepping on every dry twig I see, every brown leaf and anything that will make a noise. I’d rather be honorably killed by a dinosaur than spend a single second in the Krast village.

19

- Korr’ax -

I climb the stairs to my cave, more tired than I’ve ever been.

“It was an expensive victory,” Breti’ax says behind me. “But the first battle is often a sign of how the war will end. We will win.”

“Of course we will win,” I agree. “But how many must die before then?”

“As few as possible,” Breti’ax creaks, sounding sprightly. But of course he didn’t do much fighting.

We stand outside the cave for a little while, just breathing in the air that’s always fresher here than down in the village.

“I have many things to think about,” I mutter.

Breti’ax glances into the cave. “You do, Chief. Too many things.”

“You still think she’s an agent of the Darkness.”

“I don’t want her to be, Chief. I like her a great deal, and I want her to be just what she looks like, a wonderful alien woman. Buteverything started going wrong the moment you met her.”

I only grunt in response. I haven’t even told him that she was indeed brought here by the Plood. If the men knew that, they would demand I get rid of her.

“Wait here, Breti’ax. We can talk about the war inside, but I want to make sure Bryar is asleep.”

I tiptoe into the cave to not wake her up. The fire is cold, and there’s no oil lamp burning.

There’s also no sound of quick breathing.

Lighting a lamp, I glance over at the sleeping corner.

There’s nobody there, only a stack of furs.

By my feet is another stack. On top of that, the wedding necklace I gave to Bryar.

She’s taken it off and carefully placed it on the floor.

My knees go weak, and I nearly sag to the floor.

She’s left me.

Without telling me why? Without telling me at all?

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