Page 11 of Whispers of the Void (Voidborn Chronicles #1)
CHAPTER 11
NEEV
* * *
H ow long have I been on this planet? The fact that the sky never changes makes it nearly impossible to tell the time without a clock. I should look for Uzold and ask for one to be brought to my room.
I’m so grateful for the tea that Raiz had delivered before I fell asleep last night and the cup that was ready for me upon waking today. He wasn’t lying about the strength of that wine he served last night.
And, stars, last night was oddly intense. I find Raiz to be so much more relaxed down here than he was in space. His quiet humor is disarming. Then seeing him nearly naked. The firm and toned muscles that cover his body. Do all Zeahirians look like that? Surely not. The stars couldn’t be so unfair to sculpt a species to shear perfection like that.
But the best part of the previous night was meeting Kodia. The giant synapiad with a sweet smile has already wormed his way into my heart. Raiz said they were soul-tied. I wonder what that means specifically. I didn’t have a chance to ask, but I’ll definitely look into it.
Breval brought breakfast to my room, some sort of food that tastes like eggs and spiced meat, along with several varieties of fruit to try. She asked that I tell what I liked the most, and to be honest, everything was equally as good.
I haven’t seen or heard from Raiz, but he made it clear I was welcome to explore his home as much as I wish. I want to check out the room he called a library. Leafing through books in his language should help when it comes time to translate their text.
My bare feet carry me silently down the hall, stopping occasionally to peer inside empty rooms. Everything is immaculately clean, but a feeling of emptiness pervades the space. It’s lonely and quiet.
I finally make it to the library and push open one of the doors. Soft rugs cover the floor, plush enough that my toes sink into them. Three of the walls are covered in bookshelves from floor to ceiling. The final wall has four sets of doors to another large patio. This one overlooks a quiet cove where the sound of waves lapping gently filters through one of the open doors.
A cool breeze filters through, blowing the curtains, but I ignore that for the time being. I drag my fingers over the spines of thick war strategy books lining one shelf. No, thank you. The next shelf holds what looks like autobiographies. I pull a few and surprise, surprise, they’re all military heroes. Pass. I pull out another that looks promising only to realize it’s a business book. Boring.
I need a natural history or fiction section. Even a few Zeahirian classics would be amazing. Or a biology text. Anything.
“Sister Neev,” Uzold says from the doorway. “Can I help you find anything?”
“Yes, actually.” I run through a list of books I’d be interested in, and he quickly walks to the opposite wall, pulling three out for me.
“This is a biological history of our evolution.” He hands me a thick tome and then sets two much smaller books on top. “And these are two of our more popular fictional stories.”
“Thank you.” I smile at the tall male.
“Can I help you with anything else?”
“Could you start a fire for me? Perhaps bring a blanket?”
“Of course.” He walks over to the fireplace and gets a fire started. There are no logs, just flame and some sort of burning mineral. “I’ll be back with a blanket.”
I sit and curl into an oversize chair, at least oversize for me. It would probably fit Raiz perfectly. I set the fiction works aside to focus on learning what I can of the Zeahiri. It doesn’t take long until I’m lost to the knowledge I’m gaining.
I barely register Uzold setting a warm, woven blanket beside me. At some point Breval brings in a tray of food and some hot tea. I munch absentmindedly and absorb page after page of information about them. I had no idea they are an older species than humans by nearly a million standard rotations, as is their planet. It makes sense having a red dwarf star at the center of their system.
Warmth from the fire combined with the soft blanket tossed over me lulls me into a relaxed state, and before I know it, my eyes are drifting closed. The only sounds are the gentle lapping of waves outside and, occasionally, the call of some kind of bird, if I had to guess. A few minutes of rest won’t hurt.
* * *
My eyes fly open when I sense someone watching me sleep, a large hand coming to rest on my knee. As soon as I see it’s Raiz kneeling before me, I relax. How can the sight of the male who kidnapped me make me instantly feel safe?
I blink several times to clear my eyes and set the book from my lap onto the table beside the chair I’m sitting at.
“I didn’t mean to startle you.” He picks up one of the books, his brows rising as he glances at the title. “What made you pull these?”
“I told Uzold what I was looking for, and he pulled these works for me.”
Understanding shines in his eyes as he sets them back down. “That makes sense. He and my mother used to read these together and discuss them.”
“I hadn’t gotten to the fiction books yet, I drifted off reading this one.” I hold up the thicker work. “There were a few words I couldn’t figure out the translation for. Do you mind if I take it to my room to look through tonight? It’ll help hone my skills.”
“You can take anything from this room you need or want. From any room in the house, actually. I’ve been called away tonight to help settle a dispute. Vynia will come to dine with you. I’m sure she’ll be happy to help with anything you need.”
“Okay, that’d be nice. I really enjoyed getting to know her on the ship, I’d love to continue outside her official duties.”
“Good.” He stands and holds out a hand. “Join me on the terrace?”
I look up into his bright green eyes and slip my hand into his, allowing him to help me to my feet. He’s wearing a pair of loose-fitting pants and a shirt that stretches tightly across his chest, hugging the muscles that I’m now all too aware of. Just like me, he’s barefoot, and I can’t help but stare down at the differences and similarities between us.
Where my foot is small with five separated toes, his are twice the length and he only has four toes, which are connected by a thin membrane. He must notice my attention because he lifts a foot and spreads his toes. “These help when we swim.”
“Makes sense. Like fins or flippers.”
“Exactly.”
“Humans have myths about sea creatures called mermaids and sirens, which are half human, half fish beings. Sailors used to sing songs of being lured to their death by them.”
“Really?” He chuckles quietly. “Maybe it wasn’t a myth.”
“Every day I learn something new, the thought of mermaids being real doesn’t seem so far out there.”
“Do you know a lot of human lore?”
“Yeah, it’s basically my only hobby.”
“Do you know any self-defense, or do any athletics?”
“Torre taught me some basics of self-defense after I was mugged on Calindrea one of the nights I went down to the surface. Otherwise not really. I’m more of a bookworm. Why?”
He leans against the railing and looks around the cove. “I’m hearing more chatter regarding you being here. I want to make sure you’re safe, as safe as possible when I or anyone from the crew can’t be with you. Will you be okay with Vynia teaching you a few things?”
“Of course. The thought of being hurt doesn’t sound fun, so anything you can teach me is welcomed.”
“Good.” He turns to me again. “But please know, if you’re with me, there is nothing that will happen to you. You don’t need to worry about your safety. Despite the circumstances of our first meeting, you will always be safe with me.”
“I trust you.”
Maybe it’s naive, ignorant even, to do so, but I can’t change the fact that I do. It’s not just that I trust the male, I enjoy our time together.
“Thank you. I’ve had more clothes brought in for you, so you don’t have to wear our uniform the entire time you’re on the planet.”
“Oh, good. Not that there’s anything wrong with them.” I glance down at my body clad in the black and charcoal pants and shirt. “They’re functional which is really all that matters, but it’d be nice to have something more casual.”
We fall into several minutes of silence, just watching the stars above us.
“What’s the beach like down there?” I ask, pointing at the sliver of black sand.
“It’s nice, though too small to enjoy.”
“Is there a way down?”
He points to where the terrace wraps around the side of the cliff. “There is a set of stairs there. You’re welcome to come and go as much as you’d like.”
“Thank you.” I smile over at him. “I’ve never been on a beach before.”
“Is that so? We’ll have to change that while you’re with us, then.”