“Indeed.” He set a bloom ofxelan,a gift from the Healer, in his pocket. The blooms would be ten times more effective than the Zahranian medicine if they came to harm. Though Tiegan was hoping they did not.
“I don’t agree with this,” Sim-pony’s eyes flashed. “You’re not one hundred percent yet. You can’t go traveling around.” She slammed her hand against her hips. “We do not even know where Sida is.”
He smiled at her concern. “This is why I have asked for Korben’s help. We will connect with them at the meeting point and we will ride Sida for the rest of the journey back to camp.”
“But until then, we have to walk.” Sim-pony frowned.
“It is not a far journey.”
“I’m not buying it, Tiegan. You just had a hole torn out of your freaking body. It is not the time to go wandering through this planet. What if a lizard beast comes after us?”
Adhi’s eyes widened. “Lizard what?”
“Or what if those evil wasps descend again.”
“We’re talking alien wasps or regular wasps?”
Sim-pony turned to Adhi. “The kind of wasps that can kill you with one sting.”
Adhi cringed. “Why are we leaving so soon again?”
“The Healer expects guests.” He slipped a flask of damas and tumera in his pocket in case the females grew hungry on their way. “We must make room for others.”
“You’re still sick,” Sim-pony pointed out.
“But you are not. And there is a law that those who have been healed must leave the sacred damas.”
She huffed.
He caressed her upper arms and stared into her face. How was she so beautiful when she was angry? He wanted to swoop in and kiss her deeply, but Adhi had already spied on a private moment between them and he did not want her to feel more uncomfortable.
Settling for grazing his thumb over Sim-pony’s dark skin, he explained, “It is a short walk. Korben, Pin, Lans and the others will meet us soon.”
She frowned. “If I see one sign that it’s too much for you…”
“I will take a stop and rest immediately,” he vowed. “I am feeling stronger with every turn. Do not fret.”
“You keep doing stupid things. I have to fret,” she mumbled.
He hid his smile with a cough.
“You two are…” Adhi pointed a finger in his direction and then in Sim-pony’s direction. “You’re cute. Which is something I never thought I’d say about an alien and a human, but there you go.”
Sim-pony barely acknowledged her. “What’s going to happen to Ginger?”
“The Healer is sealing your comrade in her cavern.” His eyes slipped to Adhi. “However, he hopes to reconvene with you at a later time.”
She smiled innocently in response.
Tiegan faced Sim-pony. “Let us be off.”
She nodded and took his hand. As he held her, the Healer’s warning returned to his mind.‘They will come for her’.
Tiegan tightened his jaw.
Neh.
No one would touch her while he was breathing.