The small earther’s chest rose and fell rapidly. She sucked in deep breaths. “Don’t you touch him.” Hermosa looked him in the eye for the first time. No subterfuge. He saw only determination, and fire. “He’smine.”
“I will have to stop you.” His supreme would not like this, but Xefe found himself saying, “But it is your due to try.”
Her head canted to the side, exposing her long neck. So vulnerable. “Why can’t I kill him?”
“He is valuable to my supreme.”
“And you do everything he asks? Your supreme?”
“I am First.” His eyes narrowed. “I would die for him. Kill in an instant.” Xefe tightened his hold on his staff. “Do you want to harm my supreme?”
“N-no!” Her eyes went wide. “No, no, no!Jesús Cristo.Your eyes are swirling like whirlpools.” She sat back on the bed abruptly. “You said I could ask questions, so I’m asking!”
Truth.For once, her words calmed him instead of enraging him. “Go on.”
“A-about my pain? All of my previous injuries from competing were gone.” She kept her distance, wearing what he could guess was a wary expression. “It’s pretty amazing.” She rotated her left arm in a circle. “Like the socket has been completely repaired or never injured in the first place. Is that weird?”
“It is not unusual. TheGlrtsstllllorogggis highly prized by all lifeforms for its healing attributes.”
The human sighed. “I know a ton of humans who would kill to be healed.”
“Many aliens as well. That is why my supreme needs us. His warriors protect the portals to this world. And we protect my supreme and his people from the beasts outside of this facility. All threats to him and theGlrtsstlllloroggg.”
“What does it do besides heal?” Hermosa chewed on her bottom lip, her square ineffectual teeth causing no harm. “Is it alive?” she whispered.
Clever earther.How had she divined something even his leaders were unwilling to admit? Because he had no answers, only suspicions, he said, “It has never been used on earthers.”
“Humans.”
“That is what I said.”
“Okay.” She raised his blanket to her face and took in deep breaths. “Smells so good,” she whispered to herself.
Strange.
“How is it that I’m feeling better now? I passed out earlier.”
Xefe hesitated to give too much information this early. He refused to tell her about theGlrtsstlllloroggghe kept for emergencies. Not willing to trust her, he asked another question, “Why haven’t you mentioned your other gift from the… what do you call it? Oro?”
She opened her mouth and shut it quickly as if warring with herself about what to say. “What do you mean?”
“Considering you’ve been speaking to me in my own language, on and off this whole conversation, I’d say there is more to tell.”
“Yeah, I’ve always had a way with words.”
“Earther!” He half stood, but she didn’t shrink back this time. “I know you understood andspeakmy language. You understood every word spoken by my supreme. Do youspeakhis language as well? He is royalty. And his language is only to be spoken by the elite. I want true answers. I am running out of patience.”
“Well, so am I! Why should I have to tell you all my secrets? That information helps me survive. You know it’s a tactical advantage; one I want to keep to myself.”
He gripped his staff, realizing the weight of her words held meaning. Depth. When she spoke, he didn’t feel the irritating pressure in his chest when she lied or exaggerated. For this, she would be rewarded. “As long as you do not use this ability against my supreme or my warriors, I will keep your secrets.”
“Really?”
“Don’t get excited. I predict you are one who makes many enemies. Quickly.”
The crease between her brows denoted annoyance but not deceit. “Truth.”
“You will be interacting with many aliens and will need any advantage because of your floppy limbs and weak muscles.”
