Page 27 of Across the Stars (Cosmic Threads of Fate #1)
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
MAE
Mae sat in the dining hall with her new friends, perusing the cavern and wondering how the structure had been cut without damaging the integrity of the tree.
Bioluminescent moss and vines covered the walls as glowing stones dangled by ropes along the furniture, filling the area with a warm, homey feeling.
It reminded her of an exotic, high-end resort restaurant built to create fantasy dining environments based on famous books and movies.
But what she was experiencing was something more.
Even though she couldn’t understand the natives, she enjoyed listening to them talk and share food like a potluck. Their gentle, melodic tones and warm expressions put her at ease.
She noticed how expressive they were when they spoke to each other.
Their pointy ears and tails were as animated as their faces, with their ears perking up or pinned back in response, matching their feelings displayed on their faces.
Their tails reminded her of felines on Earth, though they looked to be prehensile like those of the T’sisk on Terra.
Now that she had the opportunity to observe the community, she noticed the various relationship dynamics and how open they were in their display. While the majority were male-female couples, there were also many female-female and male-male couples, as well as throuples and larger polycules.
A female was surrounded by six males in the cooking pit beside her, all of whom were offering her food as she breastfed her infant twins. There was also a male sitting between two very pregnant twin females, offering them a waterskin.
The intensity of their affection for one another made it obvious that they were in a committed relationship. It was the soft touches, the joining of the fibers at the ends of their tails, and the intense gazes, as if each member of their cosmic thread was the only person—or persons—in the universe.
Mae had only ever trusted facts and science, but everything about this moon made her doubt herself.
Was the power of this cosmic thread of fate, woven by the moon’s goddess Z’myu, that great? How could Watai’s people so easily accept such a life-altering and determinate connection?
Her gaze landed on Watai and his family, who appeared to be discussing something important based on the movement of their tails and hands. As she stared at the gentle yet protective male, his mother’s and Iskzo’s words echoed in her mind. They’d told her she was chosen—destined—to be with him.
The sight of the alien male who had gone out of his way to make sure she was taken care of tugged at her heartstrings. She wondered if she would be able to walk away once she had accomplished her mission here.
She could already feel herself falling for this world—and fast—but she had to decide whether she was willing to stay with Watai and his people or leave them all behind once she awoke the crew of the Atlantis .
Mae was willing to go to any length to ensure that Watai’s people and world were safe and erased from the vessel’s system—even if it meant learning their language, finding a mount, and exploring the cosmic thread of fate’s true meaning.
She was in this alone. Watai’s people wouldn’t understand how much danger they might truly be in.
Xarntu nudged Mae. She shook her head, jolting out of her trance. Mae looked at the woman, tilting her head, wondering what she wanted.
Xarntu gestured for her to try an array of raw foods she’d placed in front of her. Mae shook her head and pointed at the food.
“ Xarntu yev. Mae yusum. ”
“ Xarntu tyng yev gun’ Mae, ” Xarntu took a star-shaped purple crop and held it out to Mae. “ Mae yusum yev. ”
Mae slowly grabbed it and took a bite. Her taste buds were delighted by the sweet, tangy flavor. She smiled, nodded with appreciation, and gave her a thumbs up as she took another bite.
Xarntu looked at her threadmate, her brow furrowed as if seeking advice. Mae shook her head and grabbed Xarntu’s hand, transforming it into a thumbs up, then mirrored her, nodding and waving their hands up and down in unison.
“Yes!” Mae grinned and then frowned, turned her thumb upside down, and shook her head side to side. “No. Ninu .”
Xarntu and Yawix repeated the gestures and terms, eager to learn from her. They turned it into a game by competing to see who could gesture the most animatedly, which earned them a few side glances from those nearby and their cooking pit mates.
Yawix faced her, gestured no in both common and their language, then flipped her thumb up and nodded. “Yes. Kess. ”
“ Kess? ” Mae repeated, testing the word on her lips.
“Yes,” Yawix replied, continuing to nod.
Someone passed her a pile of teal and black leaves, motioning for her to use them to wash her hands. Mae took a few leaves and followed the others’ lead, rubbing them together to make a lather and cleaning her hands as she had done in the hut.
Watai approached her when she finished washing her hands and motioned for her to stand. He addressed the cooking pit, who called out to him and nodded, waving them away before speaking to Xarntu and Yawix.
Yawix took a few of the purple star-shaped fruits and placed them in Mae’s lopsided basket before handing it to Watai, who nodded and replied.
He led her out of the slowly emptying dining hall and onto a nearby landing ledge. The sun had set, and the glowing dusty clouds had painted the sky orange and purple, with the large blue, purple, and white marbled planet illuminating the starry sky.
Mae’s heart skipped a beat as she followed him to the ledge’s edge and gazed out at the breathtaking view. The large lake sparkled below them, and the jungle beyond was alive with night sounds, the flora sparkling with bioluminescence.
Watai stood beside her, his tail wrapped around her waist, and she immediately felt at ease in his presence. She leaned against his arm, grateful for this moment and the time she had spent with him and the community that day.
Dragons came and went, gracefully landing on the branches outside, their scales gleaming in the moonlight, picking up their riders and the occasional child before taking off again.
The air was filled with the sound of soft flapping wings, branches creaking under the weight of great beasts, and satisfied rumbling calls from the dragons.
Peering up into the canopy, she was captivated by the sight of the dragons settling in for the night, their large bodies resting on branches and their tails dangling like vines.
Mae’s heart raced with awe. She couldn’t help but be amazed by the majestic creatures. Riders tended to their dragons, whispering to them and scratching their heads. Despite the great distance between them, she could tell they had a strong connection to their animals.
“Thank you,” she said softly, looking up at Watai with a smile.
Watai smiled at her with his bright teal eyes, nodded his head in understanding, and pointed to the edge of the landing platform.
Iskzo landed beside them with a thud, announcing his arrival with a loud bugle and dramatically tucking in his wings. His scales glistened in the moonlight, giving the impression that they were made of stars themselves.
Another wave of awe washed over her as she gazed at the magnificent creature, wondering if what she had been told was true—that she had a threadmount waiting for her in their world.
Was she truly a part of Watai’s cosmic thread? Did they share a link not only to his Iskzo, but also to her threadmount?
Watai scratched his chin as he welcomed his space dragon and motioned for her to hop on Iskzo’s back. Mae grabbed the saddle and swung herself into position, using Iskzo’s knee as a stepping stool.
As she settled onto the dragon’s back and began working the saddle’s clasps to secure herself in place, Watai climbed on behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, holding her securely.
“ Yip! Yip! ” Watai exclaimed.
Iskzo folded his wings and leapt off the landing edge, freefalling from the tree’s canopy as he took off into the night sky. The wind whipped her hair back and battered Watai’s face as she let out an excited whoop.
“I have you, cordrider,” Iskzo pathed as a deep rumbling rumble rolled up her legs from his body. “I will not allow anything bad to happen to either of you.”
“How about next time, you warn me?” she replied quickly. “I would have leaned forward and gripped you tighter.”
“Where’s the fun in that?”
Iskzo quickly opened his wings and jerked them upward as he cleared the area. He began to flap his wings slowly, creating the illusion that they were sitting between two waves in the sky.
Mae took a deep breath and sat up, trying to calm her racing heart.
Flying on the back of a dragon was nothing like flying within the safety of metallic walls, where she could direct where the vessel went. Iskzo had made her realize something about herself: she much preferred being the one to steer.
She was reluctant to trust Iskzo, but she knew she’d have to if she was going to make it on this moon.
She glanced back at Watai, who gave her a reassuring grin before loosening his grip.
Mae trusted him, and she knew she was secure in his arms. Deep down, she knew he’d keep her safe.
It was unclear whether her feelings came from some mysterious cosmic bond between them or from the fact that he had spent the last few days selflessly caring for her.
That was something she needed to consider before her feelings deepened and it was too late to turn back.
As they flew over the peaceful lake, she turned her gaze forward and took in the breathtaking view of the landscape below.
In a wide arc above the surface of the lake, Iskzo tilted his wings and sprayed water on her. When Mae felt the mist on her skin and the wind in her hair, she laughed and whooped with joy.