Page 64 of Healer
“I had little choice. Hakkar was very insistent we heal you. He said he could not survive without you. It was my honor to assist Hakkar. He is a great healer.”
I stepped from George’s side back into Hakkar’s embrace, sliding my arms around his waist.
“Yes, he is,” I managed before Hakkar brushed his lips with mine.
“I bet I know something you don’t know,” Daicon prodded Ewok and George.
“What?” Ewok bounced up and down with excitement while George looked on with mild interest.
“We’re about to have guests on the ship,” Khaion took over the announcement. “It’s a family that helped Agnes and Hakkar on Arstan. They have a little girl like you.”
Ewok frowned, his button-brown eyes narrowing as he glanced toward Hakkar. “Like me? A Kerzak?”
“Yes,” I answered.
Ewok didn’t look worried any longer. He looked afraid.
“Are they nice... like me?” His gaze skipped to his adopted parents and back again. “They’re not like the others?”
Hakkar knelt, bringing himself to Ewok’s level. “They are very nice,’ He promised, then added, “Although I doubt anybody is as nice as you.”
Ewok giggled when Hakkar’s finger bopped his nose.
“This calls for cake,” Orzon announced, entering the dining room and carrying a tray that held slices of what appeared to be German chocolate cake. The foreboding in Emmy’s gaze told me the treat would most likely taste like German chocolate ass.
“To begin the feast, something sweet to celebrate the sweetness of life and friendship,” Orzon announced, setting the tray on the table. With a flourish, he swiped a dish holding arather large slice of cake and handed it to me. Over his shoulder, I saw Clara shaking her head, mouthing the word ‘no.’
Orzon waited, his pale blue eyes dancing with impish expectation.
Seriously, how bad could it be?
I picked up an alien utensil, which was like a spork but with longer tines, and shoved a small bite of cake between my lips.
Bad, it could be bad.
Real bad.
Like chalk dipped in dog shit and doused with pickle juice. I forced myself to swallow.
“Oh... lovely,” I grated, trying to keep from gagging. Beside me, I felt Hakkar quivering with amusement. Thankfully, Orzon took me at face value and swaggered back toward the kitchen.
My stomach rolled, imagining what other awful-tasting mess lurked in my future. I snatched a glass of valat from the table, swishing the sweet wine in my mouth while everyone chuckled at my predicament.
“I think it’s delicious,” Ewok said, addressing himself to the remainder of my serving.
“Very good,” George agreed before helping himself to a smaller piece.
Aliens must have very different taste buds.
“I still have some travel rations in our cabin,” Hakkar whispered before pressing a kiss behind my ear. I shivered, thinking more about what we could do alone in our cabin that had to do with sustenance of a different kind.
Khaion’s buzzing comm drew my attention from my libido.
“Chieftain, we have landed with our guests.”
“Good, thank you, warrior,” Khaion replied in a more clipped tone than I’d heard him use, his chieftain's voice no doubt. “Will you escort our guests to the dining hall?”
“With honor, Chieftain,” came the reply.
