Page 91 of Xefe
“Trust me, they need to get warm.” True rushed from the room.
Veras looked skeptical but moved us toward their makeshift couch. It was a bundle of stuffed sheets arranged in a rectangle on the floor. He piled rough blankets on top of us.
It took a good hour for everyone to settle down. True fed us, Veras told the warriors about their identities, and I cried into my food, unable to take a bite. Sunny held me the entire time. My tears were tearing him apart, but he wouldn’t let me go.
We were all weary and tired to the bone. Eventually, Sunny asked, “How long have you been here?”
“Many, manysonas.”
“Almost two hundred years.” True shrugged. “I was abducted in the 2020s.”
“Is that a long time? I do not understand your measure of time.” Nheenya added.
“It is the equivalent of two human lifespans. Almost three.”
“The Oro can extend your life…indefinitely. You won’t die from natural causes, but you can be killed.” True sat on Veras’ lap, Nito ruffling her hair as she spoke.
I didn’t care. I felt dead inside. I should be planning, should be demanding Veras save them, but the shock penetrated too deeply. I was lost to agony. My Valentina. Nieve. Sobs wracked me. I had no hope. No chance of seeing them again. “I didn’t kill him. I failed. Freckles got away.”
Would they kick us out?
“I brought you here because…it is too late for you to go home, Hermosa. The extraGlrtsstllllorogggyou used irrevocably changed you. You need it continually now to survive. I’m sorry.” Veras sighed. “Truthfully, we would have helped you regardless. I wanted you to kill Freckles because it was such a deep yearning inside of you. Plus… he needs to be killed. He’s shown far too much of an interest in humans.”
“He told me he knows our secret.” My stomach dropped as I remembered smashing his face in. I looked down at my broken knuckles, which had already begun to heal. “That humans and Nozarocans can breed.”
The room erupted. I’d dropped a bomb, and there was a flurry of chatter between Veras and the warriors.
The softest sound tickled my ears, just above the animated conversation. Hoots bounced off the walls, getting louder and louder in a cacophony of sound.
“No-Wing.”
“Where?”
“You safe?”
“You hurt?”
“Mama!”
“Holy shit!” I sat up and wiped my tears. “I’m in here!” I hooted back.
“Oh no, how very sad. I have seen this before.” Veras looked at Sunny. “I am so sorry, my brother. Your human is permanently damaged. The Aavvee have broken her mind.” He shook his head. “She’ll never be the same again.”
“Myalmaxis fine. That is her way. She communicates with…everyone. Even the animals of this planet.” Sunny glared at Veras. “Do not ever call her broken again. She is perfect.”
Veras rolled his eyes.
True giggled. “I taught him how to do that.”
“They’re my friends. Don’t hurt them.” A wave of black fur and wings flew through the doorway.
“Greeeooowwllls?How did they breach the force field?” Veras held True above the cloud of mink fur. “Great! We are infested. We’ll never get rid of them.”
Joy coated and intermingled with some of the pain, breaking through my fog. The wave of pangos spread everywhere, on the walls, jumping on the furniture. The whole lot of them.
King Pango emerged first, with Baby attached to his back, riding piggyback. “No-Wing? You safe? Good?”
“I’m good.” I hooted, reaching out for Baby.
