Page 57 of The Alien Warrior's Heart

She’d missed something important.

“Zar,” she whispered.

He looked over at her and squared his shoulders. Despite his brave front, she saw the tears gathering in his eyes.

Simone gasped and hurled herself off the zapten. Rushing over to him, she stood on her tiptoes so she could reach his jaw and captured the one, lone tear that travelled down his cheek.

“Zar, what’s wrong?”

He didn’t answer.

Turning to Chozo, she demanded, “What happened?”

“We… argued,” Chozo said.

“About what?”

“Si-Moon…” Zar grunted. He took one of her hands and rubbed his thumb over her wrist. His blue skin against her dark brown flesh should have looked out of place, but it didn’t. It looked like the most normal part of this planet.

Zar muttered low words to her.

Chozo interpreted. “He says he’s okay.”

Zar spoke again.

Chozo sighed. “He said we should leave. He wants to get to his tribas before nightfall. He didn’t trust me when I said that everyone in my city perished. He thinks the Rulari will come for us.”

“The Rulari?” Simone turned to Chozo.

“They were once enemies of the Heronas, but now they are working together.” Chozo paused and glanced at the ground. “The Rulari run the beludas.”

“Beludas?”

“Places where…” Chozo faltered. “Females, um, entertain.”

Her eyes widened. “You mean like…?”

“Yes.” Chozo blushed. “Males from all over the galaxy attend the beludas and pay gold tokens to purchase females.”

“Like an auction.”

“Yes.”

“But I never went to an auction.” She tapped her chin. “The octopus aliens kidnapped me and sent me straight to the Heronas dungeons. That was worse, wasn’t it?” She shuddered. “What they did to me was worse.”

“I am so sorry, Simone. I understand if you hate me.”

“Chozo, I don’t blame you.” She gave Zar a dark look. “And Zar doesn’t either. We know you aren’t responsible.”

Chozo just shook his head. “He hates all Heronas.”

“Just give him time. He’ll come around.”

“Perhaps.” Chozo licked his lips.

Something in the kid’s eyes gave her pause. He had concerns about Zar. Was he seeing something she wasn’t? Simone could admit she was blind when it came to Zar. And that could put her in positions she wouldn’t walk into if she were in her right mind.

Zar’s hatred is so excessive. Can I trust an alien that volatile? Can I put my hope in someone so inflexible?