Barbarian Alien(62)
Vektal stands there, a frown on his face. Several of the other tribe men are behind him, and they look unhappy. Georgie is at Vektal’s side and wrings her hands, her gaze worried.
“Raahosh,” Vektal says in a proud voice. “At my mate’s request, I have given you the night to say your goodbyes to your woman. But—“
“Goodbyes?” I sputter. “What?”
“But,” Vektal continues in a strong voice. “Tribe law has been broken. You were forbidden to take the woman, Leezh. You did so and knew the cost.” He lifts his chin and his face looks weary for a moment, and sadness flickers in his eyes. “The elders and I have conferred and your sentence is exile.”
“Exile?” I parrot, unable to believe what I’m hearing. “For borrowing me for a while?”
“For accosting you and endangering your life,” Vektal says. “For that, he is cast out of the tribe.”
Raahosh’s expression is shuttered, his eyes narrow, icy slits of blue. He gets to his feet and moves to my side. His arms clench tightly around me. “This is not right. She resonated to me.”
“And I warned you,” Vektal counters. “And you deliberately disobeyed my orders. These humans are unknown. What if she had rejected her khui? What if she had needed the healer? You endangered her by keeping her hidden. You forced her hand.”
“The khui decides,” Raahosh says flatly. “We do not. Liz is mine.”
I’m a little concerned that Raahosh has fallen into the MINE-MINE-MINE trap again, but he’s upset and I don’t blame him. This is getting out of control, fast.
“You are exiled,” Vektal repeats. “Pack your things and leave the caves.”
I look at Raahosh, shocked, then turn back to Vektal. “But I’m pregnant! With his baby!”
“You are staying,” the leader says, and crosses his arms. “You and your kit will be safe here in the caves.”
“You cannot separate us!” Raahosh snarls. He holds me closer, and this time I cling to him. I don’t want to leave him.
“She will be taken care of here. You know this.” Vektal’s voice is colder than anything I have ever heard. “I am sorry, my brother, but as leader, this is something I cannot ignore.” With a sad look, he steps back and three big men step forward.
One is Aehako, and the look he gives Raahosh is unhappy. “Come,” he says. “Do not make this harder than it already is.”
“No,” Raahosh says, and he presses his mouth to my hair. “I will not leave my mate!”
Georgie’s hands tug at me. “Come on, “Liz.”
“But — no!” I don’t want to leave him! I don’t want any of this to happen!
Suddenly, there are people pouring into the small nook. Hands grab me and I scream as I’m tugged out of Raahosh’s arms. He bellows like a wounded animal and begins to fight, and I see arms and legs flying – not all his – as he struggles to get back to me. They hold him down and separate us, and I watch, tears blurring my eyes, as they drag my struggling mate out of the cave.
“Liz!” He bellows. “LIZ!”
“Raahosh!” I scream back. I want to go with him. I shrug off the helpful people holding my arms and try to follow, only to have Georgie grab me around the shoulders. I try to push her away but she gives me a fierce look.
“Stop, Liz. You’re making it worse.”
“You can’t exile him,” I protest. I feel more stupid tears coming on. “You just can’t.”
“He’s broken the laws,” Georgie says in a soft voice. “They don’t have many, but that’s the big one. Endangering a woman is like a death sentence around here.”
“But — exile? What about his family? I thought that was the point of all this!” I smack a hand against my chest, where my cootie is silent. “You wanted me to have an alien mate and now you’re taking him away!”
“LIZ!” Raahosh’s pained bellow echoes in the caverns, but it’s receding. They’re taking him away.
This can’t be happening. It can’t.
How can I find a mate only to lose him?
Part Six
LIZ
I stare out at the snowy landscape from the entrance of the tribal caves. In the distance, high up on a ridge, there’s a lone figure sitting in the snow, facing the caves. His shoulders are slumped in defeat and if I squint hard, I can make out just one single horn.
My poor Raahosh.
They won’t let him come any closer to the caves. Exile is exile, I am told, and he’s not welcome anymore because he can’t stick to the rules. I’m not allowed to go out and see him, either. My cootie sings a sad, lonely song when I see him, and I blink back frustrated tears.