Page 10 of Fated to the Alien Hero (Warriors of Tavikh #7)

Astrid

I can’t believe how good it feels to speak up for myself. I’d been terrified how Evren would react, but I couldn’t stop the words from coming out. Of course, there is that voice in the back of my head telling me that him being agreeable is a front because we’re in the presence of other people. The real test of his true feelings will be revealed the next time we’re alone.

Except I shake off that thought, because I don’t want to paint Evren with the same brush as Grady. So far, nothing he has done would make me think he will treat me differently in private than he does in front of the village. As difficult as it might be, I’m going to believe that the Evren he’s showing me now is his true self.

We stop holding up the line and move forward. I wince at the fact that people are staring at us. At me. For a second, I forgot where we were. We reach the large clay kettles suspended over the fire and Evren takes the two bowls of what appears to be a stew of some kind. As delicious as the one was yesterday, it only reminds me that I’m slightly incapacitated. At least when he fed me, we had privacy. I’m determined to feed myself today.

He leads us to a narrow, backless bench a short distance away from everyone who is already seated. Evren waits for me to sit before lowering himself next to me. I adjust my arm in my sling to try and make a level surface. Holding it in place is a bit uncomfortable, but I’ll suffer some mild discomfort if it means not being fed like a toddler again.

“I’ll take mine, please.”

Evren snaps his mouth shut before he can speak. Instead, he hands me the bowl. Carefully, I balance it on my arm and slowly dip out a spoonful. I can sense him watching. Almost like he’s waiting to catch the thing if it tips over. The first few bites go without incident and I relax. It’ll be fine.

While we sit and eat, I listen to conversations around us and observe everyone. I noticed it a little yesterday, but the Tavikhi village is so different from the colony. It supports the entire tribe. They all work together, as evidenced by the humans and Tavikhi both who serve food to the people who walk through the line. It’s all so orderly. The humans back at the settlement could learn a lot from those here.

“How is the food?” Evren asks.

I swallow the bite I just took. “It’s delicious.”

“Good. I am glad you are enjoying it.” He opens and closes his mouth. “I do not want to make you upset with my suggestion, but I will be happy to ask a couple of the other females to join us so you may talk with and get to know them. To see if perhaps you wish to be friends.”

“Thank you for the offer, but that is something I need to do for myself without anyone’s help.”

He angles his head down. “I understand.”

I feel bad too for getting a little testy with Evren. I think there’s a part of me that wanted to push back just to see what he’d do.

We finish our meal with a few bits of casual conversation about various goings on around the tribe, like the lessons the children get from London on reading and writing. I’m not sure where they’ll use the knowledge, but Evren mentions being penpals with the children at the human colony. We discuss the weather and the two seasons on Tavikh until the Tavikhi kit and human girl I’d seen earlier run up to us.

“Greetings, Evren’s mate, I am Talek,” the adorable little boy with his tail swishing behind him introduces himself. “This is my human female friend, Cecily.”

I can’t help but smile at them and their cuteness. “It’s nice to meet you Talek and Cecily. I’m Astrid.”

“Your name is so pretty,” Cecily compliments me. She’s a cute redhead who I’d guess is twelve or thirteen.

“Thank you. I like yours, too.”

“Thanks.” She stands a little bit taller.

“We merely wanted to welcome you to the tribe and are glad to have another one of our tribe brothers find his keeshla ,” Talek says, his gaze darting quickly to Cecily before returning to meet mine.

“Thank you for the warm welcome.” I try to ignore the part about being Evren’s mate.

“When you have healed, you should come train with us so you will be able to fight off any attacker who wishes to harm you. Cecily is the only female right now, but more are welcome.”

Talek’s suggestion makes me jerk for several reasons. Not once since the first time Grady hit me have I thought about defending myself or fighting back. He’s so much bigger than me. Yet, Cecily was able to defeat Talek. It doesn’t matter that they’re children. He still tops her by at least four to five inches and has to outweigh her by twenty pounds. Plus, he’s probably been training since he could walk. I doubt Cecily has been at it that long.

“That’s…that’s very kind of you to offer.” I’m not sure what else to say.

I’m still processing the fact that he knowsI was attacked. The news really has traveled, which causes my heart to skip a beat, despite the fact Evren and London assured me word wouldn’t get back to Grady or the colony. The two kids wave at me and dash away as quickly as they arrived.

“Talek’s suggestion is not a bad one,” Evren says. “After the Bohnari come, I would be happy to teach you how to fight. Perhaps we can trade. You teach me of this calendar you spoke of before, and I will train you.”

My mother always said violence is rarely the answer, but there could come a time in a person’s life when it is the only answer. It’s almost like she knew what was going to happen to me. “How about I decide after I’m healed? About training, I mean. I’m happy to show you about a calendar regardless.”

“I would like that.”

I finish as much of the stew as I’m able without tipping the bowl over. Evren finishes his off completely. Or at least as much as he can without actually licking the bowl clean. The thought makes me chuckle inside.

“Have you eaten enough, or would you like more?” he asks.

“I’ve had enough, but thank you.”

“I will take it then.” He picks up my bowl and carries it and his to the fire where he adds it to an accumulating stack.

On the way back, he gets waylaid by another warrior. While I wait for him to return, I glance around, trying not to be too obvious. Four Tavikhi-human couples sit together. I recognize five of the people, including London, who is seated beside a large warrior whose tail is wrapped around her waist. That must be the tribe’s leader. My gaze keeps going back to the fourth couple though.

They are not people I could have pictured together. If I thought Evren’s face was a bit too rugged to be considered handsome, then this other warrior’s is like chiseled stone. The massive scar that bisects the right side of his face makes me flinch. Not because it’s ugly, but because I can’t imagine how much it hurt. His body is covered with them actually. He’s also massive. Bigger than any of the warriors I’ve seen since I got here. I’m sure I haven’t seen them all, but there’s no way any of them could compare.

Yet, beside him is the tiniest woman. If not for her obvious breasts—and the possessive way his tail also twines around her—I’d almost assume she was a child.

“That is Maeve and Benham.”

I jump at the sound of the voice and my head whips toward it. Evren sits down next to me again. He gestures toward the couple I’ve been rudely staring at.

“Benham is our head warrior and trainer. He also is our weapon maker,” he explains. “Maeve is his mate.”

I continue observing the two of them, but my eyes keep getting drawn to her. There is something about her—something in her eyes—that’s familiar. Not like I know her or anything. I just can’t tell what it is. She leans into her mate and he lays his arm around her shoulders, nearly hiding her from sight. Instead of appearing uncomfortable, she relaxes even further. Like she’s happy to be away from prying eyes.

“Maeve is working on becoming less fearful,” Evren says like he can read my mind. “I do not know exactly what caused her to be afraid, but there are quiet rumblings that it was something that happened to her back on Earth. No one asks for specifics, because Benham won’t have it. He is extremely protective of his mate. As are all Tavikhi.”

That’s it. She wears the same look I last saw on myself before Grady and I boarded the ship that brought us here. The look of someone who’s been treated badly by a person they loved and survived, albeit still suffering the battle wounds. It makes me wonder what her story is. Even more than that? It makes me envious that she’s clearly found someone here who truly loves her and, based on the softening of her body and the tightness loosening in her face, someone she loves back.

I turn away from her and the scene in front of me and focus on Evren. Could that be me if I choose to go down this path with him? Is it possible to be that blissfully happy?

“What is it you are thinking?” he asks quietly.

Deciding for honesty, I tell him. “I’m thinking about us.”

“And what is it about us you are thinking?”

“If we could happy together. If—when—I was free, I mean.”

Slowly, Evren takes my hand in his and laces his fingers with mine. He brings them up to his mouth and kisses them gently. Lovingly. In the same way he is. “I can only speak for myself, my Astrid, but I can say, without any doubt or hesitation, that you already make me the happiest of males. My whole life has been spent waiting for you, and now that you are finally here, everything I have ever hoped for is mine. My soul light shines brightly now, because the missing piece of it has been found.”

This isn’t the first time I’ve heard him mention his soul light. Zara called it love. Maybe I’m not imagining whatever light I see shining from his eyes on brief occasions. I gather my courage.

“I’ve seen it.”

Evren cocks his head. “You have seen what?”

I swallow down the indecision. “Your soul light. At least, I think I have. I’m not sure what else it could be.”

“Where do you see it?” The bony ridges over his eyes shift, like he’s confused. God, am I mistaken? Is he going to tell me it’s not possible?

“Sometimes, when you look at me or when we’ve touched, your eyes…glow, I guess you could say. There’s a light that shines out of them. I noticed it the first time I touched you. When you found me out in the forest and I grabbed your hand. You said that was when your mating marks appeared, right?”

Evren nods. “Yes. My mating marks were triggered and my soul light ignited in that moment.”

“I saw it. Still see it.”

He doesn’t speak for several seconds and I brace for his rejection of the possibility. For his dismissal of me.

“To my knowledge, no other Tavikhi or human has seen their mate’s soul light. Ever.”

And there it is.

“Do you know what this means?” Evren continues. “It means you have been blessed by Deeka. She knows what a worthy female you are and wants you to know it as well. That is why she has allowed you to do what no other person has ever been able to do. You are a wondrous female indeed, Astrid.”

I blink in confusion. What? “You believe me?”

Evren’s head jerks slightly. “Why would I not believe you? Is what you have said not true?”

“No, no, it is true. I really have seen it.” My whole body shakes. “I just figured you’d tell me I was imagining it.”

“Why would I tell you that? The soul light exists, and you have seen it. What is there to imagine?” His confusion is as obvious as mine. Except his makes my heart sing.

Tears well in my eyes. For the first time in longer than I can remember, there’s not this crushing weight of worry on top of me. Worry that I’ll say something wrong. Worry that I’ll be punished for it.

“I can’t tell you what that means to me.” I squeeze Evren’s hand tightly.

He leans in and rests his brow ridges lightly against my forehead. The feel of his skin against mine sends a shiver of awareness down my spine. “I will always believe you, Astrid. Always.”