Tribute by Tana Stone

Author:Tana Stone [Stone, Tana]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Broadmoor Books
Published: 2020-04-20T05:00:00+00:00

Twenty-Three

T’Kar barely noticed the pain in his side as he took long steps along the ridge of a lengthy dune. He tried not to glance behind him, as this action seemed to concern Holly. He couldn’t see anything, anyway. There was not a soul anywhere in sight, which made the knot in his belly tighten further.

He might not be able to see whomever was out there, but he had felt them. The pulse of emotions had been sudden and unfamiliar. It was not a Crestek mind, of that he was certain, but he was not sure if it was a Dothvek, either. He’d sensed curiosity about him and Holly, but also a flicker of fear and hostility.

He squeezed Holly’s hand and moved faster. Someone had been watching them. He was certain. Since they’d started moving, he could no longer pick up on the other mind. Either his skills were not strong enough or they were no longer being followed.

Glancing up at the colorless sky, he saw that the two suns were nearly straight overhead, their rays relentless as they beat down. His throat was bone dry, and he could taste the tang of blood, which he attempted to swallow down and ignore.

He was not used to such punishing heat in the Crestek city. Their cool stone buildings and awnings protected them from the worst of it. For a moment, he longed for the comfort of his home, then he glanced over at Holly and pushed the feeling aside. Soon they would both be safe and free.

“Can we take a break?” The small female asked, pulling back on his arm. She pushed her hood down and peered up at him, her face flushed.

“Are you unwell?” He touched his fingers to her pink skin.

“I’m hot as hell, but okay,” she said, putting a hand gingerly on the cloth wrapped around his middle. “It’s you who needs to take it easy.”

T’Kar followed her gaze and saw that the bloody spot on the fabric had indeed grown larger. “I am fine. Once we get to the Dothvek village, I can rest.”

She scowled at him. “If we make it. I’ve got news for you, big guy. If you collapse, no way can I drag you the rest of the way.”

He closed his hand over hers. Now that he’d stopped moving, he was aware of the pain in his side.

“You want to tell me the real reason we’re going so fast?” she asked, swiping a damp strand of red hair off her forehead. “And don’t even think of feeding me some bullshit story, because I’ll know if you’re lying.”

His pulse quickened. Could she sense what he was feeling? He’d never heard of such a thing, especially since she was an offworlder, but there was little known about other species and their abilities. “Are your kind empathic?”

“You mean like the Dothveks?” She shook her head. “No, I’ve just got a really attuned bullshit detector, especially with guys.”

He was not sure what that meant, or what ‘bullshit’ was, but he got the general idea that it was not a good thing.

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