Page 22 of The Highseer's Mate

I roll my eyes. I hate that name.

He shrugs. “Then I guess I’ll go eat by myself.”

Varek turns and walks off, leaving me standing alone. Fuming. I huff and run after him, following close behind. When he looks back, he has a smug smile on his stupid face.

“Or you can come too.”

Jerk.

Chapter 10

Paige

Varek leads us through the caverns into a common area that is almost completely open to the skies. The kitchens, he calls the room.

The air is chilly and wraps around me as the cloudy weather fills the chambers with a thick mist. The common room is lively as other Vruts group up and share a meal, some sitting against the wall, others lounging on hammocks with a plate of food across their belly. I look around the room as they all stare at me, curious and untrusting expressions. I don’t know how to process it, but then Varek wraps a possessive arm around my side as if to claim me.

I’m his.

His chest glows and the other Vruts in the room understand our bond. Then they all bow their heads in respect.

“Come on. I’ll make you a plate,” Varek rasps near my ear. The soft tickle of his breath sends chills down my arms.

He gathers some food on a petrified wood plate and my brows knit as I take it all in. We sit by ourselves against the wall and he shows me how to eat.

He scoops a big chunk of something red and sticky in between his fingers and takes a bite.

“Ruvash. It grows best in the marshes and is the main source of all food for us.” Varek slides the plate toward me and points at it. “Try it.”

“It looks—” I trail off. The smell of it isn’t terrible. But the red color is making my stomach turn.

“Paige,” he says. “You must eat. You will get sick if you don’t.”

His eyes sparkle as he looks at me, nodding at the plate again.

A sense of overwhelming warmth flows through me at the concern on his face. His jaw is tense as he waits, watching me intently.

I lick my lips and reach for the ruvash, plucking a little bit between my fingers. Varek nods as I bring the portion to my lips and taste.

“Mm,” I mumble as I chew the warm grain. “It’s like rice,” I say.

Varek cocks his head.

“Something we have on Earth.”

He points to something else. A dark, dried hunk of something that looks like meat. “This is strid. Draxel brought one down a week ago.”

Strid? So Draxel’s a hunter. I nod to myself, picking up the next thing to try. I take a bite and it’s chewy like beef jerky, but the flavor is outstanding.

“You like?” Varek asks, a prideful glint in his eyes.

I nod my head. “I do.”

While I eat, Varek explains that the hunters go out every other day to bring in food. One strid can feed the entire clan for two weeks if they stretch out the meat. But the vast majority of their nutrition comes from what grows in the marshes and whatthey can scavenge in the trees—those massive ones that we saw before entering the cave—that Varek calls voraliths.

On the rest of the plate are some root vegetables and a little smattering of fruits. I try each one and listen as he teaches me about his life. His people. After a bit, the plate is empty and I’m licking my fingers clean, my belly finally full.

“Wow, that was good.” I feel renewed. My body doesn’t ache as much anymore and my headache is down to a dull roar. Ireach up and touch the strange paste that still crusts across the cut on my forehead.

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