Total pages in book: 92
Estimated words: 85553 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 428(@200wpm)___ 342(@250wpm)___ 285(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 85553 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 428(@200wpm)___ 342(@250wpm)___ 285(@300wpm)
Skarr approaches, much to my dismay, but Sabrina immediately pounces on him. “Let me see your eyes.”
“Oh, come on,” Jason says. “Even from here I can see his glowing. His khui is fine. It’s just Kyth’s that’s a problem. Mine is good. Vivian’s is good. Yours is good. It’s just Kyth’s.”
“Vivi’s khui is more than good,” Skarr immediately states. “It is clearly the best.”
My face flushes with mortification at his words and I stab at the fire, wishing the ground would suck me up. A convenient sinkhole would be nice right about now. Even worse? My khui started purring at the sight of him, but at his words it’s getting even louder, as if it approves.
“A khui is a khui,” Sabrina says, furrowing her brows at Skarr. “There’s no better or worse, I don’t think.”
“There is better,” Skarr says confidently. He moves to stand next to me and I immediately circle the fire, moving away from him. He doesn’t seem to notice, too intent on correcting Sabrina. “Her khui knew to choose me out of all males. That makes it the best. It is enhancing her already powerful and clever nature, and she is beautiful and wise. That makes her khui the best.”
God. Is he fucking with me? I don’t dare make eye contact with him in case my khui’s song really goes crazy, but the stuff he’s spouting is strange and illogical and embarrassing. I wish he’d go away.
Even as I wish that, my body pulses with heat right between my thighs. Stupid khui.
Others gather around the fire, and I’m relieved to see Flor and I’rec join us. People snicker and share smug little smiles at the sight of the loving couple, but I don’t care about their escapades last night—I’m just happy they’re drawing the heat off of me.
“How is everyone this morning?” Flor asks.
“Kyth’s khui died again,” Sabrina says immediately.
“I had a rough night of sleep,” Valmir adds in a sly voice. I didn’t even hear him come up. He stands across from me by the fire, his arms crossed over his chest and a smirk on his strange face. “Someone kept screaming.”
A few of the women give tired chuckles.
“Yes, well, someone was having an excellent time.” Flor isn’t ruffled by the teasing. “Kyth, let me take a look at your vitals. Everyone else feeling okay?” When no one else volunteers any aches or pains—or khui death—she nods at her mate.
“We will be breaking down the tents and heading out for the village,” I’rec tells us. “You will like the beach. It is protected from the worst of the winds and snows and there is plenty of fishing. Food is shared between all and there are many friendly faces.”
“Sharing,” Skarr mutters. “Bah.”
“Is there a problem with sharing?” Flor asks even as she holds her fingers on Kyth’s big wrist, taking his pulse.
He shrugs, his jade-green skin stark against the white furs bundled against his skin. “I would rather compete.”
“I would compete, too,” Chalath adds. He rubs his hands, and I can see wicked claws tipping his fingers. “I am ready.”
“There are no competitions,” I’rec tells them in a hard voice.
“You lie,” Skarr replies, all confidence. “You told me yourself that hunting is a competition. That we compete to get the most meat to feed the females. And then of course, there is the breeding competition.”
Breeding competition? Oh my fucking god. My head jerks up in horror. “What—?”
“Breeding competition?” another woman screeches. “No fucking way! You guys are having a competition to get us pregnant?”
Flor shakes her head. “What? No! No one’s doing that—”
“I am doing that,” Skarr replies. “My mate has been chosen by my khui. All that is left is to best her in a fierce battle and give her my son.”
I can feel people staring at me. I can also feel my mouth drawing into an expression of pure, abject horror. “That is not happening,” I say in a small voice, and when it doesn’t properly convey my anger, I say it again, louder. “That is not happening!”
“I’rec, handle this,” Flor says. “I need to check Kyth out and I can’t right now.”
I’rec grabs Skarr by the collar and drags him away from camp, no doubt for a nice “talk.” That is one way of handling it, though I suppose it’s too much to ask that he comes back wearing Skarr as a pair of boots. I breathe a sigh of relief as they leave, but everyone else is still watching me, waiting to see what I’ll do.
I do what I always do. I duck my head and escape. I head for the tent, where I decide I’ll hide out until it’s time to break it down.
The day doesn’t go as planned. Kyth is given another khui from a small rabbit-like thing, but it dies before lunch, making Flor fret. One of the tents falls over, and I help fix it up again, because Isadora and Natalie have no idea what they’re doing, and I…do? Sort of? Vague memories rush through my mind as I pull the tent together and drive stakes into the frozen ground while they watch.