Page 45 of Alien Barbarian's Little Human

The truth sinks in. Chloe is right. We have been corrupted.

“It’s not Chloe’s fault, though,” I say firmly. “She has, in fact, called for her own exile from this place. How is that corruption?”

“She says one thing, but does another, like most humans.” Bedal shrugs. “I will not attempt to convince you otherwise from the fantasy you have woven around the human woman, Varona, but I will likewise not suffer your ignorance. You must consider what we have said. Banish the woman, from our world and your heart. It is for the best.”

Bedal strides away from me, his entourage falling in around him. That’s one way to end a conversation, Chloe would probably say if she were here.

“You will not take her from me.”

I flinch at the sound of the harsh voice, and take a moment to realize it was my own. Aggression, anger, and a desire for violence all spiked inside of me when I spoke.

I cover my face with my hand and try to recover my Ishani peace. It eludes me, though I am able to quell thoughts ofviolence against Bedal. The implications, namely that Bedal is right, are not lost on me.

I have to speak with Chloe. It is the only way I can center myself again. It takes me some time to locate her, and when I finally find Chloe she is at the spaceport.

Chloe stands near one of the terminals, chatting amicably with an elder Vakutan whose red scales have given way to pink. They both laugh, and he puts his hand on her shoulder for a moment. There is nothing sexual or possessive about the gesture. I know this on a logical level.

But I still stalk up to them and put my hands on the Vakutan. I give him a hard shove, growling like an animal.

“Do not touch her.”

“Varona?” Chloe’s confusion wages war with anger. “What the hell are you doing? This is my friend, Ambassador Krel.”

“It’s all right, Chloe. We’ll speak later. Your friend is clearly quite…agitated.”

“Friend?” I sputter to Chloe. “Is that what you told him we were? Friends?”

Chloe cocks an eyebrow at me and crosses her arms over her chest.

“What’s your problem? It’as not like you to be jealous, Varona. Why is this suddenly a problem?”

“Never mind that,” I snap. I’m not prepared to tell her about my conversation with Bedal and the other Elders. “Come with me, now.”

I grab her by the arm, and she yelps in pain. I recoil at the sound, but I don’t think I was rough enough to warrant such a response.

“What’s wrong?” I ask.

“Something caught on me,” she says. “Are you wearing a ring?”

She looks at her sleeve, and there is a tiny slash and a few drops of blood. How did that happen? I do not wear jewelry, like most Ishani.

“Perhaps I need to trim my nails…”

My words trail off when I look at my palm. A tiny growth protrudes from the center of my hand. I touch it, and it’s hard. Like bone.

“Never mind, it’s just a scratch,” she says. “Varona, I don’t mean to upset you further but I just got some bad news. I’m being called back to Earth.”

My stomach bottoms out. Chloe, leaving? What am I going to do now?

CHAPTER 12

CHLOE

Acry of terrible pain rips from Varona’s throat. His face becomes a mask of sheer misery. It hurts me to see him in so much agony.

“Varona, please, stop,” I say, grabbing him by the forearm. “Don’t be like this. It’s not the end of the galaxy, or the end of you and me! I can request a station on an IHC base in this sector, or even leave the military completely.”

His teeth gnash, and his eyes turn into narrowed pits of anger.

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