Chapter 30 - Polly

You know that ‘oh shit, should I really be doing this?' feeling? Yeah, that kicked in pretty much as soon as I saw just how much jungle we were soaring over to reach the other tribe.

But then I remembered Aloryk's lie.

And yes, maybe I should have stayed and confronted him on it. Maybe I should have gotten to the bottom of all this mess. If he really has been dreaming of Delphi now instead of me, if she is the one who is meant to be his ‘forever mate' then it probably would be better to just rip the band-aid off and face it. Hell, I probably would have still asked to come along with these guys because I couldn't stick around and watch that romance unfold. It would feel like torture.

But I wouldn't have been a coward about it all - sneaking out at daybreak and making up lies about Aloryk and I not being mates after all.

Well… maybe they're not lies? Maybe he only thought that when he met me by some kind of genetic proxy? Maybe it was a Jacob-Bella-Renesmee deal… except a little less fucked up.

Only a little.

Because mistaking someone for the love of your life because they share some genetics with your actual lover is still messy as fuck.

I glance down at the semi-permanent tattoo I'd given myself - the one I was meant to give Aloryk to match. Finders-Keepers . God, I want to hurl. No one ever wants to ‘keep' me. And why would they, if they can have someone like Delphi? I can't even hate her at this point. Her and Aloryk will look so good together - like they were made for each other.

I'm not at the point that I can wish them well as a couple yet.

Maybe one day.

In the very, very distant future.

For now, I'm just hurt.

And anyway, I need to concentrate on my new home. This other tribe. And pray that it's all a good enough distraction from what might be going on back at Aloryk's hut now that I'm out of the way and he can have his proper mate.

The Trixikka male who had carried me in his arms as we flew was nice enough. I tried not to engage in too much conversation with him, though. One reason being that I didn't want to feed that interested look in his eye, and another being that I simply do not feel like talking to any man at all right about now.

I really miss Niska.

I wish I could call her and she could roll up to my apartment with her arms laden with the most unhealthy snacks so we can watch reruns of our comfort shows while she tells me how we don't need anyone but ourselves to be happy. Just like we used to before she moved across the country.

My gut twists doubly. I really felt like I couldn't have that without Aloryk. I felt like he was ‘it' for me. My happiness.

And it's only now that I'm reminded what a dangerous thing that is to believe.

It feels like my dad choosing his other family over me and Mom all over again. But somehow ten times worse because I didn't have a choice in loving my dad, but with Aloryk… well, I was stupid enough to let my guard down. It's my own fault for believing in a dream, I guess.

"You are well, female?" the Trixikka who carries me asks. I wish I could remember his name but I just can't recall what he'd said before he scooped me up and took off.

"I'm…" I'm heartbroken . "I'm fine," I tell him, forcing an awkward smile to my face as we glide on his graceful wings over acres and acres of tangling forest below. "I guess I'm kind of hungry?"

Mr Whatever-his-name-is smiles wide and genuine. "There will be a feast in your honor this night. If you tell me now which are your favored foods, I will gather them for you once we land."

I honestly couldn't remember the names of the fruits, vegetables and meats that I've tried here and liked. Aloryk just took notice of that kind of thing and then before I knew it, he was only bringing me the ones that tasted good to me.

"I like it all," I lie, my false smile hurting my cheeks.

It takes maybe a little more than half a day to fly to the other tribe and by the time we land, I'm ready to not be in someone's arms. In fact, I don't really want to be close to anyone.

I'm not granted that wish when we land, though. It feels like we're practically mobbed as soon as my feet are put back on solid ground. There are lots of Trixikka men, but also one human woman who pushes and shoves her way through the crowd of giant winged males to reach me. "Oh, my God! A new girl!" she exclaims excitedly, her blond curls bouncing as she moves to grab my hand with both of hers. "I'm Skye," she beams.

I'm about to give my own name when I'm suddenly made very aware of all the males crowding us. And all of them are staring very intently at me. I take them in. How close they all are. How tall. It's like standing among those huge redwood trees or skyscraper buildings - it kind of feels claustrophobic. Some of them smile when I make eye contact. Some of them puff up their chests, or open their wings a little - trying to appear even larger in the confines of the crowd.

Skye seems to notice. "Jesus, guys!" she huffs. "Let her breathe!" She takes my hand and drags me through the crowd. I can feel all those Trixikka eyes on me as we go, the attention twisting my belly. Is this what it would've been like all the time back at the other tribe if Aloryk hadn't ‘claimed me'?

It feels like a lot .

"Don't worry about them," Skye turns back to say. "You're all shiny and new and they're dying to get those special twinkly feelings for a woman of their own."

"Thanks," I say as we clear the crowd, Skye weaving us around every male, and now through huts, too. This village looks very much like the other, except maybe the stone used to make the huts is more sandy in color, the buildings topped with darker purple ferns. "My name's Polly, by the way."

"Nice to meet you, Polly," she says, throwing a grin over her shoulder at me. "C'mon, it's quieter in here."

She pulls me into the biggest hut of them all, built at the center of the village where the ‘feasting area' would have been back home-… back… at Aloryk's tribe .

I halt, standing still in the large, open doorway. This place is the biggest construction I've seen since waking up on this alien planet. It's round and made of stone, but every now and again, the usual solid rock building-block is replaced by one of those glowing opals they have here, making the walls appear dotted with windows of magic. The woven roof has a sturdy looking wooden frame and a hole in the middle, presumably to let the smoke out from a central fire. There are those rocks that the Trixikka use as seats scattered around, as well as areas sectioned off with screens made from the stretched skins of animals.

"Apparently there was once some chief Trixikka who thought very highly of himself and demanded he have the biggest and best hut of them all," Skye tells me, gesturing around at the roundhouse that honestly feels more like a communal area than one man's living space. She points to the items mounted on the walls that I hadn't noticed before. Animal skulls, huge, odd-looking antlers with what looks like razor-sharp edges and a plethora of spears and daggers. "Manly Viking warrior vibes, right?" she asks before putting on a silly voice. "Me big, dangerous man, me conquer all creatures with my mighty spear!"

I smile at her and we end up rolling our eyes together.

"Anyway, Lord Over-Compensating-For-Something is long gone, and Big Zee gave this place to us girls." she shrugs.

"If you're trying to get a reaction out of him by calling him that, it's not going to work," a weak-sounding voice calls out from behind a screen, followed by a wheezing sound.

"You're awake!" Skye grins. She grabs my hand and pulls me toward a sectioned off area.

" I'm awake ," the voice agrees before we round the hide screening. "But he's not."

There, on the biggest Trixikka nest I've ever seen is a woman. She's pale and fragile-looking with dark hair framing her face. Beside her, sat on the ground but with his torso leaning on the side of the nest, his head bowed forward, resting on the woman's stomach is a large, sleeping Trixikka man, his huge wings rising up and down at his back as he breathes deeply while he slumbers.

Skye stifles a giggle at the sight, smothering it with her hand before she composes herself. "Is his head heavy? Do you want me to wake him?"

The woman sighs and shakes her head. "He won't leave my side. This is the first time I've seen him get any rest." She rolls her eyes before her focus moves to me, a questioning look on her face.

"Oh, this is Polly!" Skye whispers excitedly, doing quiet little happy-claps as she introduces me. "Jaryk brought her back from the other tribe." She turns to me and says, "this is Sophia, she's just woken up from a coma to find out that Big Zee is her man," like it was the most normal sentence to speak into existence. But then again… that's kind of what happened to me, so…

"… Big Zee?"

Sophia gestures to the huge guy who's currently draped over her. "High Spear Zarriko," she clarifies. "One minute I'm closing my eyes, thinking that the jungle is going to be the death of me, but not really caring because I was beyond exhausted. And the next, there's this guy with his chest all lit up telling me I'm his." She shrugs and shakes her head.

Zarriko makes a single sleepy snoring sound and nuzzles his head into Sophia's belly.

The three of us grin at each other at that, and I watch as Sophia's hand gently strokes through Zarriko's dark hair. "He won't let me feed myself or wash my own hair. He's driving me crazy."

"Sounds like a nice problem to have." The words are out of my mouth before my brain can catch up with myself. I hadn't meant to voice that out loud. "I mean…" I can feel my cheeks flame with embarrassment. "I'm sorry, that was insensitive." I don't know what this girl's feelings are about all of this. "I just mean that it's nice that his-" gesturing to my chest, my fingers make pinchy-flashy gestures, "you know… it just confirms for sure that he's your guy."

I can feel Skye's eyes on me and when I turn to look at her, I can tell she's trying to piece together a puzzle.

I sigh. What have I got to lose? "I… I volunteered to come to this tribe because there's a guy back at the other one-"

"I knew it!" Skye exclaims. "Did he come on too strong?"

"He convinced me that we were meant to be together," I say, holding back the scoff at the back of my throat. "But his… you know," I do the hand-flashy-gesture all over again, "never appeared. I'm pretty sure he's meant for a different girl. The one he snuck out to go and meet with in the middle of the night."

" He did what ?!" Sophia squeaks, jolting ‘Big Zee' out of his sleep. He sits bolt upright with a snort, grabbing a dagger from his belt lightning-quick.

"Hey!" Skye says, her hands up in surrender. "It's just us."

Zarriko grunts, the wild look in his eye starting to recede once he sees it really is just two women in front of him. "I wager that you are still a threat," he says, jutting out his chin toward Skye. "I have not forgotten the time you snuck my Sophia out while I was getting her nourishment." Zarriko puts his dagger back in its sheath, but he still looks pissed.

Skye huffs. "She needed some fresh air and someone else to talk to besides the riveting conversation you're providing."

Zarriko grunts again, dismissing us to look down at Sophia. "You have not eaten much this day, shall I send for-"

"Oh, for God's sake, just get on the bed," she says, looking exasperated with her arms open wide, inviting him to come lay down with her.

Zarriko seems to stop breathing.

Sophia rolls her eyes and I can sense Skye beside me, trying to contain her laughter. "Just-" Sophia reaches for him, "-get up here and sleep properly already."

"With you?" Zarriko asks, like he can hardly believe what is happening. "You will stay in the nest with me?"

"Yes. Just… no funny business."

Skye and I watch as Zarriko awkwardly lays down beside Sophia like he's afraid one wrong move will cause her to disappear.

"When you wake up, you can feed me whatever you want."

"Be careful with that offer," Skye giggles beside me. "Because these guys are -" she holds her hands out, indicating an ungodly length between them as she nods her head.

"A jaw-ache," I provide, biting my lip to keep from laughing.

Skye's grin is impossibly wide. "Exactly."

"Ok, I think you've outstayed your welcome." Sophia says, manually rearranging Zarriko's limbs around her and resting her head on his chest, ready for their nap-time cuddles. She's acting all put out about it, but her guy looks shocked that she's even letting him lay down next to her so this feels like something that's been a long time coming for him. "It was nice meeting you Polly," she says dismissively. "I'm sure Zarriko will greet you properly when he's had more than a few minutes of sleep at a time."

Zarriko himself doesn't even look up as he grunts in agreement. He's far too preoccupied with gingerly wrapping his arms around Sophia to care too much about me.

It's when Skye leads me back out of the massive hut that we hear Sophia shriek behind us, "Oh, my God! Are you purring ?!"

We look at each other, bursting with laughter. And, for a moment, I feel good about my decision to come here.

"C'mon," Skye chuckles. "I'll introduce you to Tessa."