Chapter 19

19

- Alba -

The food we've brought from the Borok tribe many days ago is getting stale, but still I chew on a piece of grilled meat while the night grows long.

The boulder I'm sitting on is hard, but cool. It keeps me from sweating too much. It feels like I'm boiling over. Was this jungle always this hot?

The campfire sends a flickering light over the camp. Some of the men are asleep, but three or four are sitting by the fire, finishing the last of the frit and talking softly.

Dror'iz comes over, clearing his throat to not startle me. “We can leave at any time, Woman Alba.”

“I know, Dror'iz. Thank you.”

He puts his thumbs inside his belt. “Their village is quiet. But it may be some time before Healer Anter'az can come back out. If he's still…”

“Alive?” I ask, my voice harder than I wanted.

“That is a concern,” Dror'iz admits. “They're a difficult tribe, the Krast. They've not made friends of any other tribe until recently, when they needed us to help them. Anything could happen. Especially now, when they've decided to abhor women.”

I wipe the sweat off my brow. “He said he would come back out. We'll give him time.”

Dror'iz looks around. “We can be back in our village at next sunset if we leave now.”

“We'll give him time! ” I snap.

“Yes, Woman Alba,” the huge warrior says and pulls back a couple of paces. “But at sunrise, we will leave. And you will come with us.”

“I will, Dror'iz,” I promise, regretting my tone. “But he needs time.”

“Of course.” He withdraws and goes over to the campfire.

I get to my feet and kick at a twig. What am I waiting for, really?

Just the love of your life, a small voice says inside me.

“I guess he is,” I mutter. “But he better get a move on?—”

There's movement over by the village. A big, dark shape is coming towards me.

The Borok and Tretter men see it too, and Dror'iz comes closer, hand on his sword.

“Alba,” the shape rumbles. “You're still here.”

“I am, Anter'az. Just waiting for your return, like you promised.”

Dror'iz withdraws, giving us privacy when he sees that Anter'az isn't carrying a sword.

Anter'az's torso is all bloody and dirty, starting at the forearms and going all the way up to his chest. But his hands are clean.

“I'm grateful. You need not wait any longer.” His orange eyes catch the light from the fire, making them look more than ever like the eyes of an owl.

I stand up. My lower back aches with each move. “You were able to persuade your tribe that women are not evil?”

He looks away. “Not yet. It could take a while.”

“Is it worth the time and effort?”

“It's my tribe. I must try. And it might work.”

The night keeps getting hotter, but my insides keep getting colder, because I think I know what is about to happen. “So?”

His owl eyes focus on me. “So you can go home now. I will stay with my tribe and try to cure them of their madness.”

A heavy coldness settles in the pit of my stomach. “You want me to go?”

He comes in closer and looks down on me, his hand grabbing mine. “There's nothing in the world I want less than for you to leave. But you're not safe with my tribe. Even standing here, supported by your tribesmen, you're in danger.” His hand feels ice cold around mine. It's strange, because it's usually so warm.

I suddenly can't stand the thought of having to live without him.

“Come with me!” I urge, my voice cracking. “You're too good for this tribe!”

“Maybe. Or should I say ‘perhaps’?” He gives me a pale smile as my hand slides out of his. “And yet, it is my tribe. No matter how weak it has become. I greatly enjoyed my time with you, Alba. I wish I could have more. I will pray to the Ancestors to grant me the privilege of meeting you again. But I have no hope about that. Because I have been blessed so well already, more than any man on Xren. For as long as I live, I shall remember my time with you and cherish the memory. You…” His lips work as if he wants to say more, but then he spins around and walks back to the gate, fast, his head down.

For a while, I stand there stunned, as his broad back vanishes into the maze of traps.

My face scrunches up, and I squeeze my eyes shut to stop the tears. It doesn’t quite work.

After a while I turn around. “Dror'iz, do you want to leave now, or will we wait until sunrise? We have nothing to stay for now.”