Chapter 11

CHAPTER ELEVEN

RYKO

K odex, Telin, and Verig, our neld, second only to our grak, stand shoulder to shoulder beside me at the entrance to the human sector. Our grak split off from us where we left the gorjas to graze and headed toward the bantaran sector.

"Atox said to make our presence known," Kodex says.

"Make our presence felt ," Verig corrects. "But only here, among the humans."

My gut churns. Lily.

"Destroy, kill, or merely terrorize?" Telin requests clarification.

I hold my breath. Lily still works in Pen'Kesh most days. I would know if she didn't.

Since my escort duty ended three weeks ago, Sojek remains my only tie to Lily. Each day, when he returns from Pen'Kesh, he tells me of her activities in great detail, even though I never asked this of him.

It is the least I can do… as payment for your services.

I wince every time I think of the terrible words I spoke to her my last day in Pen'Kesh. Sojek never said anything the entire ride back to Mount Racha that day. I suspect he never bought the lie, but I could not bring myself to trust him and endanger her should he report my confession to our grak.

I had planned to return to Pen'Kesh the next day, to explain to her why I'd spoken that way of her. But I never returned.

My words from that day, and especially the shocked expression on my sweet Lily's face, remain with me, like claw marks from a kuvak, only deeper, against my soul. I had carelessly discarded my female like the entrails of prey instead of strategizing as a warrior. With the threat of my grak's words in my head, I'd only considered a way to conceal the truth and cover my crime.

Now I face the very real possibility that Lily has forgotten me or let another claim her in my place. As is her right.

I failed her in a moment of weakness, not cleverness.

Vekk, I long to see her. To heal the wounds I've caused.

What if… what if she took a mate after I left? I left her no reason to believe I hadn't meant what I'd said. I'd had no time to prepare her.

The image of a male touching and holding my female sparks rage within me. May the gods save me from myself, I will slay the male and take her. A male who might be worthy and even good to her, it matters not. I won't let another have her. I cannot!

"Vekking ugly," Telin says, nodding toward a small group of females standing as far from the entrance as they can, their heads together, whispering as their eyes skirt ours the moment we look in their direction.

My eyes gloss over four rather plain, dull females. My Lily is not among them.

Where is she?

"In the furs, you will not care about their ugly forms," Kodex says. Telin snickers.

They don't know what they're saying .

I cannot imagine anyone more beautiful than my Lily, the female named for a flower on Earth. Telin, Kodex, and the rest of my fellow warriors and friends would not agree with me. They would only see a human female with curly hair, deep brown skin, pinkish-brown lips, mesmerizing brown eyes, and short, blunt teeth that cannot cut leather, let alone rip the throat from an enemy.

They would not see the softness in Lily's eyes, the strength of her soul, and the goodness in her heart. She fills my world with joy and light and sees the worth in everyone, even those who don't deserve it.

Like me.

The edge of a blade slices the skin beneath my collar bone enough to gain my attention. Verig, our neld, stares at me with harsh eyes.

"If you cannot focus, Ryko, return to our mountain."

I brace my hand over the knife biting my chest, a knife from my own harness, no less. Verig drew it without my noticing. No wonder he's scolding me as if I'm a youngling, not a warrior. By allowing my mind to wander, I not only endanger myself but those I'm sworn to defend.

"I will not fail you or our grak, Neld." I grip the knife and slam it against my chest, sealing my oath.

But if we're to harm the humans… I cannot. Not my Lily.