Page 33 of Redeeming Captivity (Human Pets of Talin #7)

Ruby

At first it was only me. I liked that. The smaller one was always picking me up and cooing to me. I eventually understood she was called Lena and the bigger, harder one was called Tarquin. Not that I’m much for names, but I do like to respect how others do things.

Lena was the best. She was so warm and was always picking me up and tucking me close to her body. She’d even feed me bugs she caught herself. That was nice. She didn’t even get upset when I accidentally tried to eat something on her shirt. It wasn’t my fault. She likes to decorate herself with all kinds of things that dangle, and sometimes I get confused.

Her male, Tarquin, made me a place to lay that never got cold. I’d have to climb down because sometimes it would make me overheat, but I saw the gift for what it was—an invitation to stay.

One day, Lena called me Ruby. I liked that name. I told the male who tried to court me that I was now to be known as Ruby. He ignored me, so I flared my back scales and scared him away. Stupid male, it wasn’t even mating season. What did he think was going to happen?

When the next one of my kind showed up in the garden, I would’ve chased her away, but she made it to Lena before I saw her. Of course Lena and Tarquin invited her to stay by offering her a warm spot also.

They named her Lapis. Stupid name. Mine was much better.

Even with Lapis here, this was a good life. Every day Lena and Tarquin made the area they claimed a little better. They bent the plants to their will and shooed away any trespassers that might do damage to their careful work.

There were days they were gone and wouldn’t return until almost nightfall, the bags they carried full and their expressions pleased.

There were days they didn’t come out of the cabin at all and I could hear them moving around and making sounds I think meant they were enjoying themselves. I wasn’t fond of those days. I liked it better when Lena came out and petted me at least once. It was better when she held me and carried me around. The best was when she held me, carried me around, and fed me dried bugs!

Then he arrived.

It was common for other two-leggers like Tarquin to visit. They’d come, spend time in the garden, but they always left. He didn’t. I’ll never forget the first time he stumbled into Lena and Tarquin’s territory. He didn’t make it far before he fell to his knees. I was sure he was going to fall face first into the dirt.

I thought it was an odd way to visit.

“What’s happened?” Tarquin asked, rushing to the stranger.

“I don’t…don’t know,” he responded, gasping for air. “I touched…and…”

His eyes rolled back in his head and he slumped forward. Tarquin caught him and laid him out on his back. That’s when I understood he was injured.

“Hurt?” Lena asked, breathless from running across the garden to join Tarquin.

Tarquin was examining the man’s hands and feet. “I think he might’ve gotten poisoned by a yilk or sorum plant. I don’t recognize him. He must be a new arrival, probably scouting out a place to settle and accidentally…ah, here it is!”

Tarquin held up one of the stranger's feet and showed where a thorn must’ve hit just right and pierced him in a vulnerable spot. I wasn’t attached to this person yet so I could only hope that if he died they’d leave him to rot. That would draw all the best bugs!

He didn’t die.

They tried to take him into the cabin to recover, but even in pain and only half aware, he fought them. He didn’t want to be inside. Instead they made a bed for him in the garden, right under my perch.

Under Lena and Tarquin’s care, the stranger recovered quickly. But even after he was all better, he wouldn’t leave! I don’t know what he said to them, but it must have been good because they didn’t shoo him away like they did everyone else.

At first it bothered me, and I thought about descending my perch and driving him off, but then he started talking to me.

“You have a nice place here Ruby,” he said the night I’d decided I had enough. He was lying on his back, staring up at the night sky. “Thank you for sharing it with me.”

Those words kept me from doing anything but climbing down later that night and settling on his warm chest. I made sure no bugs bothered him that night and every night after.

“Are you ready for the day?” he asked, setting me on my perch. This was our routine. I waited until he was asleep before making myself comfortable on his body. The next morning, he put me back on my perch.

I watched him through half-closed lids. He seemed to think that meant I was ready.

“I’m sure there will be plenty of tasty bugs,” he said as he rolled up his bed to tuck out of the way. “I might even start looking for a place of my own to build. Lena and Tarquin have been kind enough to let me stay here for so long, but I think I’m strong enough to be by myself again.”

I opened my eyes a little more. I didn’t like what he was saying. I was tempted to climb down my perch and up his leg.

“I’m not happy about leaving the safety of their little area, but I’m not filled with dread either,” he continued, sitting on the bench under which he stored the bed. “I spent so long trapped on that derelict ship all alone that you’d think I’d be used to being by myself. But I guess something like that stays with you.”

I didn’t know what he was talking about, but I knew he’d suffered in the past. It was one of the reasons he was here. Many of the two-leggers came here because they suffered somewhere else.

He went silent for a little while. My kind aren’t known for our jumping abilities, but his shoulder was close to my perch. I gauged the distance. Could I make it?

“Tarquin? Lena? Myrum?”

Before I could decide to jump, the sound of Kormin’s voice made him stand up. That was probably for the best. He waited for Kormin to make his way across the garden.

“Lena and Tarquin are still in the cabin,” he explained, accepting the item Kormin was holding out. “I’ve already told Holian and everyone else I don’t want an Ident.”

Kormin made the sound in chest that I thought was an apology. “I was told I had to give it to you. They need your help. It’s volunteer only, but when you hear his message, I think you’ll agree to go.”

Wait, that was even worse than him going off to build a new home. This sounded like he was going to leave the planet!

“I can’t help,” he insisted.

“Holian thinks you can, and he’s a good judge,” Kormin said. “You don’t have to agree. Listen to what he needs. You can always say no.”

Myrum’s shoulders hunched. “I’ll listen.”

As he stepped to the far end of the garden, Lena and Tarquin came out of the cabin. They offered Kormin the types of things the two-leggers liked to consume, and they all sat down around the fire to imbibe.

The bugs were starting to wake up, so I ate my fill, then thought about climbing down and finding Myrum. I didn’t like that he was out of sight. This was the first time that had happened since he’d stumbled into the garden and almost died.

Just as I was about to take drastic action, Myrum reappeared. He walked over to where the others sat and joined them. I didn’t like that he’d clipped the Ident to his belt and didn’t hand it back to Kormin. That couldn’t be good.

“I was thinking about planting more of the sum-berries,” Kormin was saying as Myrum accepted a mug of tea.

“Ident?” Lena asked, pointing to the cube Kormin had given Myrum. “Why?”

“I’ll need it now,” Myrum said, pulling in a deep breath. “I think I might be leaving soon.”

“Cabin?” Lena asked.

“No,” Myrum said, staring at his drink. I didn’t like this. His voice sounded resigned and unhappy. That wasn’t how he should sound! “Holian needs me.”

I’d heard that name a lot in my time with the two-leggers. It was only now that I decided I didn’t like it. Holian was trying to take my two-legger away from me!

“Holian would never demand you leave,” Tarquin said. “No matter what the assignment is, someone else can do it. You should say no and stay here. He’ll understand.”

“Normally I'd agree with you,” Myrum said. “But in this instance, I’m literally the only Talin who can do what he’s asking because I’m the only one who’s ever been where he needs me to go.”

Everyone sucked in a breath and Lena looked shocked. I didn’t understand but I knew it meant he was going to do something dangerous. I didn’t like it. Anger made my spikes ache to deploy, but I forced them to stay down. Spiking was painful, and I didn’t want to be distracted from the two-leggers’ conversation.

“Please don’t go,” Lena said.

“I still think you should refuse the request,” Tarquin said. “There has to be another way.”

I was thankful for the couple voicing my thoughts, but their words didn’t dissuade Myrum.

“A transport is at the port waiting for me,” he said, his voice heavy with regret. “I’m sorry.”

Lena got up and rushed away. At first I thought she was angry with him, but soon she came back with something and held it out to him.

“For you,” she declared. “Remember to come back.”

Her words were strong, even if I could see water dripping from her eyes. She did that sometimes, when she was in pain. I understood. I was in pain too. I didn’t want Myrum to leave.

“You wove me a belt?” Myrum said, accepting the gift. He was quick to take off his old one and put on Lena’s gift, clipping the Ident and pouch onto it with care. “It’s perfect and will remind me that I have a home to come back to.”

As they talked, I realized this was it, he was leaving. I couldn’t let this happen. Not that I could make him stay, but perhaps I could go with him!

I scurried down from my perch and under the bench where he’d stored his things. There was his bedroll and bag. I climbed into the bag and curled up in a soft spot. It wasn’t long until I felt the sensation of being lifted and heard final goodbyes between the two-leggers.

“Where’s Ruby?” Myrum asked. “She’s not on her perch.”

“That’s odd,” Tarquin said. “I’ll look for her. She’s probably chasing off a jub mouse. They’re about the only creatures stupid enough to try to climb up the perches.”

“I wish I could say goodbye to her,” Myrum said, making the sound that told me he was sad. “She’s been a good friend since I got here.”

Don’t worry, Myrum, I’m here, and I’ll stick with you no matter what happens. We're in this together, and I’ll spike anyone who tries to hurt you!