I spin around and find the same tall woman Datu called Savi. “My apologies for interrupting, my chief, but I hearHaraasking questions I can provide answers for.”
Datu inclines his head for her to continue. I don’t understand why she doesn’t look directly at him.
“Raiki, the main caregiver, tracks every trove. A trove is gifted by the provider—in this case, Jeku. These are the eldest sprouts, so they will hatch by summer time.”
“How long until summer here in human time?”
“Two months, approximately. They gestate for ten years.”
Fuck. That is a long time. “Those are fast-growing trees, right? Is it different in the other village?”
“No, every sprout hatches after ten years.”
“Got it,” I dig out my pen and paper, writing down every information they give me. Datu and Savi patiently answer everything I ask, and every now and then, the latter would randomly touch Datu for reassurance. If she had not looked so upset, I would have felt some type of way.
When Datu hauls me out to relax for a minute, he explains to me,“There is no need for jealousy. As one of the few males living, I act as their father.”
“Might I remind you that I’m human, and I do not know that. It just looks like flirting to me.” The stress is getting to me, and he hands me a fruit from my bag.
“Eat, please.”
For the first time, I do without protest. No fear, no deliberation of how much I’ll gain. Right now, I am dead set on working—which means I need to have all the energy.
“I really need to talk to Ingar.” I mutter with my mouth full.
The air whips around us.“For what reason?”
Making a weird noise in my throat, I point accusingly at him. “See, you’re even feeling some type of way when you know Ingar and Teva are together.”
“That is different,”he defends, but it’s too late. There’s resignation and amusement in his expression.
I swallow all my food and place my hands on my hips. “What is this, huh? Is this some sort of relationship? Why are you acting so possessive?”
I have a feeling his eyes are phosphorescent. They glow in times of strong emotions.
“Do not act like you don’t know I want you.”He snarls at me.“That my mouth’s watering at the thought of eating you again. That I am dying to sink intoevery single holeyou have.”
Again, I am rendered speechless. Not knowing how to react, I just huff loudly in offense—clutching the toga tighter to me like pearls.
“See that? You aren’t prepared for real answers.”He admonishes arrogantly.
In a span of thirty seconds, our whole dynamic shifts. We’re not just unlikely allies anymore. I’m not the quiet, detached botanist sent to collect pollen, neither is he the blithe, blasé chief. And whatever we are now, it’s stronger, potent than ever.
I squeeze my thighs together, reminded again of what happened last night. The tension between us hangs like a guillotine.
“You and I—we’re working, not fucking.” I gesture to the two of us, attempting to maintain some kind of professional boundary.
“Why are you fighting it?” His voice caresses me.
“I have the Great Wall of China around, nobody invades me.” I’m talking out of my ass.
“You do not have a wall. Youarethe wall.”He grins wryly, triumphantly.“Lucky for me I can scale heights much steeper than meagerwalls. I’m far superior than a whole battalion of Mongols or Huns.”
I hate how witty he is. I hate how heunderstandseverything I say. It makes him harder to ignore…and more attractive. Much, much more attractive.
Opening my mouth for a retort, he watches me expectantly. Embarrassingly, I stutter. “Well, y-you’re a-a—”
“A-a-a,”he is now openly ribbing me, and I clutch my hair in defeat.“I told you, you aren’t living here like you did back in the Otherlands.”
