Total pages in book: 73
Estimated words: 66904 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 335(@200wpm)___ 268(@250wpm)___ 223(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 66904 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 335(@200wpm)___ 268(@250wpm)___ 223(@300wpm)
“We don’t have water! We don’t have anything to start a fire with! You’re leaving us to die, and you will regret it!”
She is lucky she is small and soft, because if any saurian made these kinds of threats, they would be severely dealt with. As it is, Wrath just looks down at her soft, round frame that is vibrating with rage and indignation.
“You’re right,” he says. “Have this.”
He reaches into his pocket and tosses a flint to Lettie. “There you go,” he says. “I know how you humans have to be given fire.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Lettie hands the flint to me, still giving Wrath the most vicious of stares.
“It means I know the ancient stories of your people. I know more about you than you can possibly begin to understand. And I know what I am doing right now. You will loathe me for it in the moment, but you will thank me later.”
With that incredibly dark, paternalistic statement, he turns to his guard. “Time for us to go. These two have a home to make.”
“Don’t you dare!”
Lettie shrieks and tries to run after them. I lunge to hold her back as the guards swing around, weapons drawn on her. This is a very bad situation, it goes without saying. I could probably take one, or perhaps two of these three in hand-to-hand combat, but they are armed and we are not, and that means I can’t do anything in this moment that does not put Lettie in danger.
“We have to let them go,” I tell her, picking her up so she can’t go running off after them again. She is much safer while contained in my arms. “Don’t worry. It’s going to be okay.”
“The girls won’t know where I am!” She sobs against my chest. “They’ll think I’m lost. They’ll leave without me!”
“Everything is going to be alright.”
I say the words, and I hope I mean them.
8 STRANDED PREY
Lettie
So this is what it felt like when Sullivan was sent off the Mare and consigned to wander space until she crashed on this planet. We are castaway. We have nothing, and nobody. And we are now absolutely miles from the ship, so far that there’s almost no chance of my crew ever finding us.
“Don’t worry,” Shan says, sounding worried. “I will protect you.”
“And I will protect you,” I say, returning the offer.
He gives me a brief look, then laughs. “Very kind of you, but the types of predators out here are beyond your scope for handling.”
“You shouldn’t have taken my proper suit. It had all sorts of tools and things for survival. We would have been in much better shape. But it doesn’t matter. When it comes to predators, the best protection is avoiding detection, and that’s my speciality.”
“Is it?”
“Well, theoretically. Prior to landing on this planet, I was good at stealth. I haven’t gotten on my feet yet in that way, but I think I will on account of I don’t want to die being eaten by a beast.”
“If I put you down, will you follow me? Or will you run off after the hostile saurians with weapons, who, I assure you, are more than happy to shoot you?”
“I’ll stay with you, but we can’t stay here. We can’t. We have to get back to the city, and we have to find the captains, and we have to get help from…”
“We are going to do what I say,” he says. “This is not the worst thing that could happen. We may very well return to the city, but we need to ensure that whatever we do, we are not entirely predictable. Tonight, we make camp in one of the caves, and tomorrow we make a move.”
“You want to go back to the city too, right? Because I have to find the captains, I have to get everybody together, and I… we all need to get off this planet, because this is awful.”
Shan looks at me with his dark gaze. He is so nonreactive to the situation. It almost feels as though he was prepared for this eventuality.
“Did you know Wrath was going to do that? Why did you come and get me if you did? Why didn’t you leave me safely in the city? I could have been under the alpha’s protection. I could have gathered the captains. Now I’m stuck in the stupid fucking forest…”
“Enough!” He snaps the word. “This is not the time for temper tantrums, Lettie. We are in this situation, and we will survive it. Do not worry. I forbid you to have any concern whatsoever.”
“You can’t stop me worrying.”
I know those words are a mistake as soon as they are out of my mouth.
“I believe I can,” he growls. “Let’s find our first place to sleep, and I will show you just how effectively I can stop you worrying.”