Page 2 of Fated to the Alien Healer

My gaze darts between the two people who are supposed to love me unconditionally. My father raises a brow expectantly while my mother sniffs with a hint of disdain, even though she won’tmeet my eyes. She continues to stare somewhere on the other side of the room. Certainly not at me. I lock gazes with my father.

“Why do you hate me?”

Clifton brushes a nonexistent piece of lint off his suit jacket front. “I don’t hate you.”

“You don’t love me though, either, do you?” When he doesn’t answer, I take in a ragged breath through my nose and nod. “I see.”

Another minute passes. Or maybe seconds, but it’s clear all that’s going to be said has been. I turn my back on the people who turned theirs on me long before today and head for the door. For only a heartbeat, I hesitate at the threshold. Whether it’s because I’m waiting for one of them to call me back—to tell me they’re sorry and they didn’t mean it—or because I should say something flippant or for some other reason entirely, I’m not sure. But none of those things happen. Instead, I follow the same path I’d taken to get here back to my room.

Sure enough, Sylvia waits inside. A single suitcase lies on top of the bed. I walk across the room, grab the handle, and drag it off the bed. At least she was kind enough to pack it full, although who knows what’s inside. Maybe nothing I can actually use. I won’t ask though. I won’t give her the satisfaction. Once again, I head for a door and hesitate at its threshold. Only this time, I glance over my shoulder.

“I’m the one who told Grayson you were fucking Charles behind his back and I’m not even a little bit sorry.” So much self-satisfaction courses through me at her wide-eyed expression and gaping mouth. “He deserved better than you and now he’s foundher. I hope the fact that Grayson’s happier now than he ever was with you eats away at your shitty, hate-filled heart.”

In a petulant gesture, I give her my biggest smile and my middle finger. Then I head out into the hallway, into the elevator, and then into the atrium of our building. Motorized bots carry various items in their outstretched arms as they enter and exit the service elevators. It’s one of the reasons we moved in here. We had our own personal delivery system. Of course, they were all built by the company on whose Board Clifton sits. I dodge a couple of them all while wondering why my vision is so blurry.

It isn’t until I step outside onto the busy pedestrian platform that I realize I’m blinded by tears. At least no one’s paying me any attention. All the people walking past are focused on themselves. Not a single one of them notices me standing there with a suitcase in my hand and nowhere to go. I have more acquaintances than I can count, but all the friends I have were shared with Bryce. There’s no way in hell I’m going to comm any of them.

I track my surroundings until I’m snagged by the bright lights of a massive electronic marquee. Different advertisements appear on it, pause long enough for a bystander to read its message, then dissolve, only to be replaced by the next one. A large yellow, purple, and black planet materializes on the screen. Across it float the words “Want to experience a brand-new world? One with plenty of land, where you can live peacefully and quietly and away from all the chaos of the city? Why not head to Tavikh?”

More info slides across the massive screen, but I don’t pay much attention. My brain keeps playing the first part over and over. A brand-new world. Peace. Quiet. No chaos. All the things Amelia and I used to whisper about in the dark. How wonderful it wouldbe to get away from everything. Away from Clifton and Priscilla. Just the two of us. We’d have a cute little house like they had a couple hundred years ago with stucco exterior and flowerbeds under the front windows.

It had been a completely unrealistic fantasy, but I’d held onto it all these years. As the image of the planet dissolves and another one replaces it—the face of a woman wanted for questioning regarding the murder of a CEO of some tech company— I remain standing there.

A warm feeling fills me. It reminds me of how I felt whenever Amelia hugged me. She’d been soft and squishy and gave the best hugs. They were the only ones I’d ever received in my entire life.

I’ve gone more than seventeen years without her arms around me. Except this feeling that’s growing inside makes me think maybe she’s telling me something. That this is my chance to do what we’d always dreamed about. To go. For her. Since she’ll never be able to.

There’s nothing for me here on Earth. I don’t have any credits, and even if I somehow made my way down to the bottom tier—I shudder at the thought—I have no skills. Not a single one. It’s as though I was purposefully left helpless. Reliant on the goodwill of Clifton and Priscilla Black.

Well, fuck that.

I’m getting on the next ship and I’m going to Tavikh to live my best life ever. Not only for myself, but for Amelia.

Chapter 2

Present Day

Kyler

While joy grows in my heart, so does sorrow, as I watch my apprentice and her mate exit the tent and head back to their own, Jodah’s tail wrapped around Sage’s waist. She latches onto his arm and leans in close as they walk side-by-side. My sorrow is not because I wish for her to be my mate. I am happy for her and Jodah. But their mating is a reminder that I have just passed forty cold seasons and still remain alone. I am beginning to resign myself to the fact I most likely always will be.

Instinctively, my gaze searches out bari-colored hair slightly different than my own even knowing its owner is not wandering around the village, but rather has hidden herself in her usual place working on her craft. I shake off the pointless task and return within the tent where I feel most at home.

Thanks to Sage, I have learned a new method of helping our people when they become ill and are unable to breathe while the cold dust falls. But now, it has melted away and signs of thewarm season are visible. From the small buds of the flowering nenuphar bush to the blooming burim root that should be ready to be harvested within the next few turns of the sun. Either Sage or I will forage the forest and harvest the root when the time comes. It is something I find soothing so I may be the first to head out. Although being alone within the trees also gives me far too much time to think of things that will never be.

Soon, I have finished taking stock of the remaining inventory of healing remedies and make a mental note of what is low and needs to be replenished. I also need to increase the supply of kanet so I can grind it into its powder form in preparation of the Bohnari’s arrival. While far more technologically advanced than us, our neighbors use one of our plants they say has special healing properties they cannot find on their home planet of Bohna. It is one more thing the end of cold season signals.

I have just straightened the last clay pot when an ear-splitting war cry comes from outside.

I race out of the tent and madness is before me. Smoke fills the sky and the crack of metal against metal echoes all around. My tribe brothers are locked in battle with Njeri warriors. Yelling females scatter and scoop up screaming kits to race away from the fighting. The shefira and her tribe sister, Maeve, spin in circles, their gazes searching as they call out for their other tribe sisters.

Tearing my gaze away from them, I sprint to the nearby weapon stores and rip back the hide flap that covers the entrance. I grab the nearest sword and rush out to help defend my people. A Njeri warrior locks eyes with me and charges. He swings with precision, and I block the strike sending a rattling vibration down my arms. My grip tightens so I do not lose my weapon, and I block a second strike that causes me to stumble. While Ifrequently spar with the other warriors to keep up my skills, I am a healer first and spend more time with my patients—as Sage calls them—and remedies.

The Njeri sneers with glee at my misstep, but I right myself, and this time it is I who goes on the offensive. All around us, females scream, but I cannot take my focus off my opponent or I will die a swift death. I land a minor blow that draws first blood, but the male across from me only laughs. My jaw tightens and I do not let him get to me. A flash of bari-colored hair appears nearby, and my gaze automatically goes in that direction. My heart leaps and settles that it is not the female whose presence never leaves my mind.

The distraction nearly costs me as a sharp stinging pain runs along my side. I can feel the blood cascading down, but I ignore it and the burning sensation that follows. Once again, I charge and get my own strike in, drawing blood a second time. In the distance, someone roars Zara’s name. Somehow hearing it gives me strength, because I forge another path forward and discover a narrow opening. My sword finds its mark and I ram it into the abdomen of the Njeri. His eyes widen in shock and a pained moan spills from his mouth.

He stumbles this time, only I follow and use my tail to sweep his legs out from beneath him. With the momentum I have gained, I push the sword deeper as he falls to his back, and the tip of my blade runs through him until it exits the other side. Blood the color of the nenuphar flower spreads out beneath him to mar the bari-colored dirt he lies on. However, before I can celebrate, he takes a single desperate swing of his sword and manages to slice across the top of my leg. It gives out and I barely catch myself before I tumble on top of him.

---