I practically felt Nuni’s excitement and she took a step to walk forward, but when she looked down at my hand, then at my face, I saw in her bright green eyes that she was going to reject the offer from the alien male and stay with me. My heart warmed for her at that moment. Besides Mama and Nicah, she was the nicest person I had ever known, and it worried me deeply that I was beginning to care for her. I was terrified that if I loved her like a sister, then I would lose her and be alone again.
I whispered, “Go.”
She didn’t move a muscle.
“It’s fine.” Her smile was so easy-going. “I can learn about the plant life another time.”
I gave her hand a squeeze. “Go.”
Nuni was torn, so I gave her the push she needed by removing my hand from hers and nudging her arm. She exhaled a deep breath, then leaned in and kissed my cheek.
“I’ll be right up at the front of the group,” she assured me. “If you need me, shout my name, and I’ll come running.”
I nodded in understanding.
“Promise me.”
I ducked my head as I smiled. “I promise.”
With a satisfied bob of her head, Nuni left my side and walked towards the front of the group. I watched her go, then I focused on the people around me. Other human women were looking all around like they were seeing Ealra for the first time, and I knew I did the same thing. When I woke up every morning and remembered what planet I was on, it brought a sense of comfort to me. Everything thrived on Ealra. There were no visible signs of death, and I liked that. I liked not looking at something and wondering how long it would be until it died.
I did that on Earth, but I refused to do it here.
For an hour, we walked a trail alongside a section of dense forest. Many warriors from the Guard flanked our group. They always did when we had little outings because the wildlife of Ealra was incredibly dangerous. Learning a little about the creatures that lived within the dense forests and deep lakes had caused me to shiver with fear. Beauty was everywhere on Ealra, but the hidden dangers lurking could also end a life quicker than a blink.
I was staring out at the purple lake that was far off in the distance as we walked, and my distraction caused me to trip over something solid on the ground. I sucked in a startled breath as I fell forward and tensed as much as I could to lessen the pain of my fall, but before I hit the ground, something firm wrapped itself around my upper arm and halted me mid-air. I latched onto the thing that caught me, but I released it just as quick when I realised it was not a what that stopped my fall, it was a who.
A tall grey who.
“Take care where you place your feet, tiny female.” The lips of the brooding giant standing over me thinned to a line. “I will not always be here to catch you when you fall.”
I stared up at the prince who Nero introduced to our group, and worry gripped me. He released his hold on me and took a step backwards, but he didn’t take his eyes off me. I didn’t even think he took a second to blink. The longer he stared at me, and the longer I stared back, the more panicked I became. I was challenging him by looking him in the eye, and I didn’t mean to. I opened my mouth to speak, to apologise, but I couldn’t get the words to come out. I then tried to call for Nuni, but I couldn’t work my throat to produce anything other than a whimper.
“Female.” The alien frowned as he sniffed the air. “Why are you so scared? I scent it on you.”
Terror took away my ability to function, so I could only do what I knew best. I dropped to my knees, bowed my head until my chin touched my chest, squeezed my eyes shut … and I waited for the pain to come.
Chapter Two
Ezah
Forty Ealrian years ago on Ealra …
“Again, Kol!”
A loud, frustrated groan reached my ears as the heat of the daystar beamed down on my bare back. I tossed my blade to the ready and waiting warrior to my right and focused on the panting male staring up at me from his backside on the ground.
“Are you complaining, little brother?”
“No, baja,” Kol grunted in response as he pushed strands of his dark hair from his sweat-coated face. “I am focused.”
“Focused?” I repeated as I stared down at him sitting in the dirt, breathing heavily. “You look anything but focused to me.”
He glared up at me, making me grin as I reached down and offered him a hand to help him to his feet, which he took. I had to use a fair bit of strength to pull him up, which made me grunt with approval.
“You’re heavier,” I said, pleased. “You have gained a good amount of weight.”
“Yes,” Kol answered, brushing the dirt off his gear. “I have been weight training heavily so my meat intake has improved.”
“Do not lack on cardio,” I warned. “Speed is sometimes more important than brute strength as I have just proven. The tests will search for any weakness. You know only the fiercest warriors become an Elite.”
“I know.”
I eyed him.
He was one of my six younger brothers, and we’d always had a special bond. As an older brother, it was my duty to guide my younger brothers. In a large family, older brothers each picked a younger brother as their charge, and I chose Kol as mine, which meant I was his mentor. Kol was a grown male at one hundred and sixty years old, but as I was one hundred and two years older than him, I could not help but see him as my tiny brother since I once held him in my arms when he was newly born. However, that outlook was getting harder and harder as of late. Ever since I began training him in combat, taught him to hunt, and instructed him on how to pilot a spacecraft, I could no longer deny he was grown.
He was a male and no longer a young one.
“You will pass the overall test.” I clapped my hand on his back. “I know you will. You’re a great warrior.”
Kol looked somewhat relieved and elated with my words, and it bothered me when I realised that while I had been training him in preparation to become an Elite of the Guard for the past decade, I had never thought to tell him that he would do well. I was focused on making him better, quicker, stronger but I did not pause to think of how far he had come in his skills during our time together.
“You know”—I nudged him, grinning—“Remi and Nesi think they are both ready to test as an Elite.”
Kol looked like he saw Thanas himself, and it made me laugh.
“Your expression is perfect.” I simpered. “I feel the same way.”
“They just became warriors of the Guard.” Kol was in utter disbelief. “Father only let them test for the Guard because they complained to Mother for nine moon cycles straight about it, Remi even cried over it. They’re only eighty-one years old!”
“I know.” I shook my head. “They’re very young. Father would have never let us get away with such antics when we were that age. He would have sent me to the Endless Forest for a night armed with only a small blade if I had behaved as they do when I was young.”
“Do not tell Father I said this,” Kol almost whispered, “but I think with each son, he gets … more tolerant.”
“Agreed.” I nodded. “Ryla, Silis, Kaiba, Aylee, and Talin swear he is a different male than the one they knew growing up. They said he began to be less and less firm with each son born after Talin. I can’t imagine Father being any firmer than he was with me. He mentored me instead of one of our brothers because of my edge tendency. He trained me fiercer than how I’m training you to gain control over my instincts, and I swear to Thanas, I was terrified of him at one point. He once worked me with drills until I was so exhausted I fell asleep in the dirt. He checked my pulse, realised I was sleeping, and just left me. I woke up the following morning to a kit urinating on my face.”