Page 93 of Tharn's Hunt
The human women have established themselves along one side of the cave, their meager belongings clustered together in what looks like a protective huddle.
Around the edges of the space, Drakav males linger, watching the human commotion with expressions ranging from curiosity to confusion to something that looks uncomfortably like hunger. None of them is glowing like Tharn and Rok, but there's a tension in their postures, an anticipation that makes my skin prickle with awareness.
They remind me of a group of shy teenagers at their first high school dance—hovering near the edges, watching the girls with wide eyes, but too nervous to actually approach. One Drakav steps forward, his chest puffed out and his muscles flexed in an obvious display. He's as tall as Tharn, with a cocky look on his face that somehow translates across species. A low rumble beside me, and I realize Tharn is snarling at the showman.
"That's Haroth," one of the women whispers beside me, her cheeks flushing deeper. "He's always showing off."
Mikaela rolls her eyes, mumbling something about "too much testosterone."
I raise an eyebrow at the woman. "You can understand them?"
She shakes her head quickly. "No, no. Not really. We've just been... observing. Learning patterns."
Tina adjusts her glasses. "Justine was the only one who could actually communicate with them. Before you arrived, I mean."
My gaze shifts back to my sister where Rok is tending to her. She winces as he examines the wound, but her face is composed as the other women cluster around her, peppering her with questions.
"What happened to your leg?"
"How did you find Jacqui?"
"Can you really talk to them with your mind?"
Tharn remains rooted with me in his arms, his massive frame radiating tension. My gaze shifts to find him glaring at the one Tina called Haroth. Sarven is the one to grab Haroth and lead him away, but not before I see how he, too, looks at the other women, his gaze snagging on Mikaela particularly, who scowls.
“Tharn?” His snarl disappears the moment I say his name. Those amber eyes shift to me immediately. I expect him to take me somewhere quieter—somewhere he can finally rest—but he seems to be waiting for something, his gaze shifting to the far side of the cave.
Suddenly, the noise in the cave dims, a hush falling over the human women as they notice the change in the Drakav. Every golden alien has gone still, their attention shifting to the far entrance where a new figure has appeared.
He's enormous, even by Drakav standards, his golden skin etched with patterns. His deep amber eyes burn with intelligence and authority as he scans the cave, his gaze lingering on me and Justine before settling on Tharn.
"That's Kol," Justine whispers toward me. "Their dra-dam…that means ‘clan leader’."
Tharn straightens beside me, his posture shifting subtly despite his injuries. When Kol approaches, Tharn inclines his head in a gesture that's clearly respectful.
The two exchange what I assume is a silent conversation, their expressions shifting minutely as they communicate in the mindspace. After a moment, Kol turns to address the entire cave, his gaze sweeping over the assembled humans and Drakav.
Justine's voice rises, translating for the benefit of us human women. "Kol welcomes us all and says he's pleased with Tharn's success in bringing Jacqui safely to the clan caves." She pauses, listening to something none of us can hear. "He's declaring a feast tonight to celebrate our arrival and... um, the victory over the dust serpent. Apparently, its meat is considered a delicacy."
Sand serpent meat. Delightful. The thing that almost killed Tharn is now going to be dinner. I guess there's a certain poetic justice to that, but the thought of eating the creature that nearly dragged him to his death makes my stomach turn.
No, thank you. I'd rather eat sand.
After a few more exchanges that Justine doesn't bother to translate, Kol steps back, gesturing for Tharn to proceed. I feel Tharn's chest expand with a deep breath before he finally turns toward one of the smaller passages leading from the main cave.
"Where are we going?" I ask quietly as he carries me away from the reunion.
He makes a low sound in his throat as he continues moving.
The passage is darker than the main cave, but Tharn’s flickering glow lights the way. After several turns, the passage widens into a small chamber that Tharn steps into. It's simple, with a large stone platform covered in what looks like furs or hides, a small alcove containing various weapons and tools, and a natural basin filled with clear water.
Tharn gently sets me down on the edge of the stone platform. The tenderness in his touch makes my heart ache, especially with the fact he must be in so much pain.
The moment I'm safely settled, his legs finally give out. He collapses onto the bedding beside me, his massive bodymaking the stone platform seem suddenly small. He doesn't lose consciousness, but his breathing is ragged, his eyes half-closed with exhaustion.
"Tharn," I whisper, my hand hovering over his shoulder. "What can I do? How can I help?"
His eyes open fully, finding mine with visible effort. He doesn’t demand, doesn’t beg. Just looks at me like I’m the moon, the stars, the world itself.
