Page 25 of Rescuing Mara

Tears stream down my face as we stare at each other, and I feel as though the chain bonding me to Ananta is cracking, and one of the links has lost its strength. I shudder, and that weird pulse inside me is back. Stronger than the last time, I rub my chest. Wordlessly, O’Rec pulls me into his arms again, and I surrender.

“Will you hurry up and kiss her already?” Someone nearby shouts, and we immediately break apart. Somehow, I missed D’Var and Lauren entering Command while forgetting T’Rak was always there. Embarrassment creeps over me, making me blush, but O’Rec just laughs, pulling me into his arms again for one last hug.

We make the descent, and I quickly dry my tears with my shirt. His arm is a steady caress around me, and I’m firmly rooted on his lap. Lauren and D’Var are happily chatting, D’Var pointing out stuff to Lauren, who is also seated in his lap.

“Feel better?” O’Rec asks, and I nod. He gives me a little squeeze, and then we look at the pretty picture Novarron makes as we approach its surface.

* * *

The landing is soft,and while the ship shuts down, we make our way towards the airlock.

“The vents need to air out before the ship can open the airlock. The atmosphere is friendly, so there is no need for protective gear,” O’Rec explains as we stand before the airlock, waiting for the ship to complete the process. T’Rak stands at the front, with D’Var and Lauren at his right flank, and O’Rec and I are on his left.

Slowly, the airlock sizzles and unlocks, the doors slide open, and an exit ramp expels from the ship. T’Rak walks forward, and we follow. D’Var has his arm slung around Lauren loosely, her face open and excited. I cling to O’Rec’s arm, my body stiff and my mind on full alert.

The sunlight is blinding, and I blink several times when we walk down the ramp towards the ground. I hear soft murmurs and strange sounds, rustling, whistling, and… singing. I don’t have time to explore my surroundings because O’Rec is guiding me towards a line of people who are standing in waiting for us. T’Rak is already greeting the last person, and D’Var is taking the time to introduce Lauren to the aliens. That leaves me and O’Rec.

The first person we see is a beautiful female with soft features and a delicate but regal posture. She is taller than me, more like Lauren, and her skin is a rich brown. Her hair falls in long black waves to the small of her back, pinned behind her pointed ear on one side and loose on the other. Big golden, cat-like eyes, combined with a warm and welcoming smile, take us in.

“Welcome to Novarron, Prince O’Rec. It is a pleasure to meet you again. Tell me, who is the lovely human you have brought with you?” She greets us, her smile showing off her sharp teeth, but strangely, I don’t feel so scared anymore.

“Greetings Queen Rahna. Thank you for welcoming us to your beautiful planet. It is a pleasure to see you in such good health. Might I say you look amazing?” O’Rec says, eyes sparkling.

“You have always been easy to hand out compliments, Prince O’Rec.” The Queen laughs at his compliment, and I feel a burning sensation in my stomach at their easy familiarity.

He shrugs, then pulls me forward. “This is my mate, Marra.” I look up at him, meeting his sparkling eyes, looking down at me proudly.

“A mate?!” Queen Rahna calls out. “That is cause for celebration, congratulations my old friend. I am so happy for you.”

“My thanks, Queen Rahna,” he says formally before he takes a step forward, and they touch cheeks in a formal way.

I gather all my courage and take a step forward. Smiling, the Queen offers me her cheek and I imitate the gesture. She smiles at me when I take a step back.

“Welcome to Novarron, Marra. I am glad you have found your mate in O’Rec. He is the best of males, and I hope you will help him see to this, too, so he can rise to be the great King he is destined to be.”

Blinking, I look at O’Rec, who is already greeting the next person in line. Looking back, I see that the Queen is still watching me. The pulse in my chest is back, and I step forward again, whispering. “What do you mean?”

“You will see,” she smiles. “Just remember, he needs you as much as you need him. A true mating is a partnership of equals.” She gives me a stern look, and I move to greet the next person.

After everyone has been introduced, they guide us to large hoverboards lying on the grassy surface. A smiling Novarron occupies each board. I tentatively step upon the smooth surface, my thin leather boots almost making me fall. O’Rec holds me upright with a smile and a wink.

“Just hold on to me for the ride, Zarra.”

Swiftly, the board rises and hovers in the air. Lauren squeals, and I cling to O’Rec, who inhales deeply before putting his arms around me. His tail slithers around my ankle to ground me, and the touch is weirdly comforting. The board moves forward at a moderate tempo, giving us time to look around, and what I see is mesmerizing.

Our ship landed in the middle of a big clearing, a grassy surface with flowers spread through it. A grassy road leads from the clearing through the forest, where we are currently hovering above. The trees are enormous and all shades of green. The bark is dark purple and somehow reflects the sunlight.

Shielding my eyes, I look up at a giant sun that is so bright that it looks white. The sky is blue and cloudless, though the gassy atmosphere gives the illusion of clouds. The singing I heard earlier is the song of strange birds who fly freely and don’t appear to be scared of us.

The grassy road is vast, and we can see the end of the forest coming closer. I take it all in—it’s like nothing I have ever seen and nothing I can compare it to. I am in awe of the beauty and tranquility surrounding us. The only sounds we hear besides the soft humming of the hoverboards and the murmurs of people chatting are the sounds of the forest.

O’Rec has a blissful expression on his face as he smiles and looks around like he never wants to forget a single detail of this forest. He is so relaxed here. I see it in the easy way he holds himself and in the way he talks to the Queen about her planet and her people.

Exiting the forest, we encounter a large pink plain, which leads to mountains on both sides.

“These are the Pink Plains,” Queen Rahna tells me. “They are pink because of a mineral that seeps into the ground from the mountains. The roots of our Knory trees form a natural barrier, so the pink is enclosed between our woods.”

I respond in awe. “It is stunning!”

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