Total pages in book: 82
Estimated words: 76583 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 383(@200wpm)___ 306(@250wpm)___ 255(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76583 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 383(@200wpm)___ 306(@250wpm)___ 255(@300wpm)
“No one will care.”
“It’s very ostentatious,” she says, but she keeps touching the stones.
“Aye, and it’ll look glorious in that thick hair of yours.”
Her eyes glow. She puts it on and perches it atop her head, the sides of the tiara disappearing into her messy, tangled hair. “You don’t think it’s too much?”
“Not at all. I want you sparkling and lovely. I want my family to look at you and think I am lucky.”
“Do you feel lucky?” Her voice grows timid again.
I want to answer her, but I’m afraid of my tongue betraying me once more. I gaze into her lovely, worried eyes and then slowly reach out and caress her ear.
Vali smiles.
Chapter
Twenty-Two
VALI
Days Later
“What do you mean, ‘we have to swim the rest of the way’?” I’m trying not to panic, I really am. Surely he just misspoke, as Ranan is sometimes known to do when he’s stressed or flustered.
“Just that. We will have to swim. To there.” He points at the dark line on the horizon. “Akara can take us no closer.”
I open my mouth to protest, but nothing comes out. Instead, I get to my feet and climb out of the shade of the sun-awning anchored on her back and move closer to the edge of Akara’s massive shell. I put my hand to my brow and squint at the waters as if that will somehow help me see the distant smudge and have it magically turn into the flotilla village that I’ve been anticipating for the last several days of travel.
Nope. Still looks like a smudge to me.
I turn back to Ranan, my belly in knots. “I don’t understand. Why can’t we move closer?”
He tries to get to his feet, grimaces, and flops gracelessly back onto the blankets. Immediately, I rush to his side. Ranan is the worst at being ill. He pushes himself hard every day, and he’s not giving his leg a chance to heal up. Throughout our travel on Akara’s back, I’ve been doing everything that needs doing—making fresh water with the sand filtration system, drying seaweed, pulling up nets, making food, tending to Ranan, and adjusting our tent so the strong winds that come through don’t knock it down. It’d be fine if there were two people to do such things but with Ranan being injured, I’m the one handling all of it.
And I am exhausted. Truly and completely bone-deep exhausted. My initial nerves at going to the village of his people have gone away, and now I’m just ready for someone else to help with the chores. Ranan does what he can, but he’s still weak and gets fatigued easily. Most things also have to be completed on the edge of Akara’s back, and Ranan has to stay under the tent, so I just handle it all.
I thought as we traveled that perhaps I’d have time to practice swimming lessons, but there’s been no chance.
Ranan tries to push up from the bedding again and I make it to his side, putting my hands on his shoulders. “Stay down! How do you expect to heal?”
“I expect the healer to take care of that,” he tells me in a surly tone.
“Well, they’re not going to be pleased that you’ve pulled your stitches twice,” I snap at him, forgetting to be pleasant and ever so eager to please. The moment I realize I’ve lost my temper, I flinch.
But he only laughs, the sound as rusty as the smile that tugs at his lips. “No, they will not like it at all. I cannot sit here forever, though. We must get to the flotilla and Akara can go no closer.”
“Why not?” I try to keep the panic out of my voice. Surely there’s a logical explanation. “You said there would be no swimming, remember?”
For a moment, he seems chagrined. “I did not mean to lie, my wife. I thought this would be easier. Akara’s older than the last time she was near the flotilla, but she is just as belligerent as before. Her thoughts are becoming increasingly territorial. The reason why Akara and I are not with the flotilla is because she is at the age where she is confrontational to other females. Once she is older, she will calm, but until then, we cannot get any closer or she will grow aggressive. If the hamarii split apart because she is challenging a female, they will submerge. It will cause those aboard their backs to lose their supplies. Akara will stay back here and you and I will have to swim the rest of the way.”
“But…your leg.”
“I am buoyant in the water. It will not pain me to swim. I will just use my arms more than anything.” He reaches up and takes my hand in his. “I am far more worried about you. Do not fret, Valessa. I will not let anything happen to you.”