Page 11 of Ngozii's Plight

Lifting the lid of the basket, she slowly pulls out some fruits and cooked fish, setting them out on the blanket for us before pulling out two cups, which she fills with a bottle she had in the basket. It’s a dark liquid I’ve never seen before, and I sniff it carefully.

“It’s fruit juice, from one of my favorites in the caves. Don’t worry, I wouldn’t poison you.” She grins at me, and my heart squeezes at her words. Does she mean that because she knows she’s my mate or because she’s just being nice?

“I’d like to know a bit more about you, Xenshay. Tell me, what really brought you here?”

Setting the cup down, I clasp my hands together, my tail lashing behind me as I fight to settle my nerves. I don’t want to tell her the truth and have her hate me, think less of me. At the same time, I don’t want to lie to her, not ever. If we are to have any chance of being mates, I can’t establish our relationship on lies.

But I don’t know how to be in a true relationship, so how can I expect this to work? If I’m going to try, I need to do this right, give her the chance to see me for who I really am, whoever that is. I don’t even know anymore.

“Well, Priestess, it’s not a pretty story if I’m honest. You see, my family was a bit outcast in our village. My father believed that the cohabitation of the villagers, the working together, was making them soft. He felt that interstellar travel, the separation of our people between villages and cities, was diluting our blood. He taught me to be a man of anger, to take what I felt I was owed in this world and not look back. I learned to fend for myself, but I also learned poor ideals, and I’m only now realizing that fact. He beat my mother into submission, and when I was old enough to find a good woman of my own choosing, I mistreated her as well, causing her to leave. Humans and aliens arrived in our village seeking sanctuary, and I hindered them. The humans were brought to help the others, but I felt that both of them being there was wrong. We were a pure village, as my father believed we should be. I destroyed their ship in the hopes of hindering their ability to bring more of their kind to our shores, and it cost me everything. I was banished from the village, never to return. I was lucky to escape with my life at all. In my anger, I chose to find the farthest, quietest place I could to start over. Little did I know how much change it would bring me.”

I pause, my gaze locked on hers. Her face is blank, her gaze soft as she studies me, taking in my words without judgment. She sips her juice, lowering the cup to her lap as she asks, “What do you mean?”

“You. You changed everything for me the moment I saw you, Priestess. You see, my species knows their soul bonded mates the moment they see them. I never thought I would find mine, my father made it seem an impossibility. The best I ever hoped for was finding a woman I could tolerate and bear at least one child with. I thought I was doomed when I was banished, but then you appeared. My heart flipped, my father’s voice stopped screeching in my head, and now I’m left to wonder what I’m meant to do.

“Based on my past, I amnotworthy of a woman like you. If I were the old me, I wouldn’t treat you right. I would fail you. Seeing as how my mind is now my own, and I no longer feel brainwashed by my father, I want to worship you, give you everything I am and more. But you would have to accept me as your mate first. How can you accept someone as messed up as I am, though? I don’t even know if I was made into this evil man or if my soul is wrong to choose someone… as my father would say: impure. As it stands, I’m not sure what my next steps are.”

My eyes drop to the blanket in front of me, unable to look into her eyes any longer. I’ve bared my soul to her, shown her the worst of me and called her impure, how can she stand to be in my presence a moment longer?

“I think your father meant well, Xenshay, but bloodlines aren’t everything. We choose who we are in the grand scheme, and the universe is always unpredictable. Sometimes it challenges us in ways we never would expect because there’s something amazing on the other side for us to enjoy. I don’t fully understand this soul bond that you mentioned, but I can admit that I feel some sort of connection to you that’s very different than anything I’ve experienced before. I’m half Nyanine, you know, and I know nothing of that heritage. I also understand father issues, so you don’t need to feel ashamed with me.”

Her voice is gentle as her hand reaches out, resting atop mine, and I look up into her smiling face. Turning my hand over, I grab hers in mine and hold it gently, caressing her soft skin.

“I’ll tell you anything you want to know.” I kiss her knuckles gently, her cheeks flushing a dark pink as she blinks, a smile tugging her lips higher. “Can I ask what you mean about the father issue?”

She scoffs and drops her gaze for a moment, her hair shifting around her face. “I suppose I should share with you as well if we’re to truly know each other.” Pulling her hand from mine, she readjusts herself to sit flat on her bottom, her legs outstretched and crossed at the ankles as she leans onto two of her hands, her eyes on the brook across the cave.

“My father is Criido Bahli.”

“The chief of my village!?” My voice is high with shock, and I clear my throat quickly, whispering an apology as she chuckles.

“Yes, exactly. My mother never told me of my father. She was a mean woman, always drilling me to study my skills, to focus on my magic and how to run my colony. She never showed me love and insisted that my father was a worthless man not worth knowing. It wasn’t until she passed this year that my spirit guides finally told me his name. He’s never been here for me, never reached out, and clearly didn’t care.”

She huffs, shaking her hair off her shoulders, and I’m mesmerized by the way it shimmies behind her, rubbing the blanket with a soft shh-ing sound.

“Anyway, my people are ill, as you saw. My mother was the first to die, and many have followed her. Several wait suspended in the sick cave until I find a cure, which I’m afraid I’ll never find. Then you arrive.” Her head turns, her silver and purple eyes spearing me as I lose myself in their swirling depths. “You, my key, have come just in time to save my people. With your knowledge and help, we can remove Criido from power, take his place, and give my people a new home in which to thrive, one where they won’t die in pools of their own blood from some illness I can’t pinpoint. I need you, Xenshay. Will you help me?”

Her words are soft but filled with power, her need driving her point home for me, and I know that I’ll do anything for this woman, whatever the cost. She’s passionate about saving her people, about doing what’s right, and if getting revenge on her deadbeat father is what we must do to make it happen, so be it. What did Criido ever do for me? Nothing. He threw me away just as he did her, and I’ll be damned if I let anyone treat my mate that way.

Grabbing the left hand she’s not leaning on, I lift it to my lips and kiss it deeply, staring into her eyes. “I’ll help you however I can, my Priestess, my mate.”

Her smile is pure joy, making my heart thump loudly in my chest. I don’t care what I have to do, I’ll make sure that smile appears on her face everyday for the rest of my life.

Chapter 7

Kari

Vahru carefully lands the ship in the bay, Garvon waving us in. As the door finally opens, Vahru hefts our bags, and I rush down the steps, twirling as I reach the bottom. “Oh, it’s so good to be home!” I yell out, both men laughing at my dramatics. Grinning, I hand Garvon the keys to the ship as I look up at him. No matter how many times I see him, I think I’ll always be mesmerized by his unique coloring. His skin is nearly midnight black, the white swirling pattern making him look like a galaxy all his own. “Thank you again for the ship. We took good care of her. She handled the portal jump like a champ.”

“Portal jump?” Garvon’s brows bunch as his white gaze bounces between Vahru and I. “So I’m guessing you acquired some new tech for your missions, eh?”

“Sure did. Things will be much faster now, and much less complicated. Oh!” Turning, I dig into the bag in Vahru’s hand. He chuckles as he struggles to hold still while I rummage until I pull out what I’m searching for. “Here. This is for you. I want you to be an official part of our team, if you want to be. This is an interstellar comm, that way we can give you a heads up about ships in the future and any other help we may need.”

“It’s an awful tiny thing. I hope I don’t break it.” He studies the pocket watch, turning it this way and that before popping it open and nodding in appreciation. I quickly show him the ropes, and he thanks me for thinking of him. “I’m happy to help you, Captain, however I can. Don’t hesitate to call when you guys need something. I’ve got your back.”

“Thanks, Gar. We’ve got to get going, but we’ll be in touch.” We say our goodbyes and head out to the SUV waiting in the sun.

As I step outside, I breathe deep the fresh air, humming in approval at the heat of the sun on my face. I’m glad I chose to wear a light t-shirt and shorts with sandals, it’s definitely a warm summer day. Hopping in the vehicle, Vahru drives us back to the village, and because I’ve missed it so, I hang my head over the side and enjoy the wind on my face, the smell of the woodsy air as we near it.

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