Page 27 of Meteor Storm

“Of course I do. He said you look frail and stupid.”

My brows furrowed, but by the smile on her lips, she was bluffing.

So, valerians knew sarcasm.

And by the way Thilar sighed, he knew she was mistranslating.

Sunhai rolled her eyes. “He asks if you are alright. Says he was given rutia. It is valerian herb. Makes people frenzied. Need to mate.”

“That explains a lot,” I said under my breath.

I looked at Thilar, warmth spreading in my chest, and then nodded once. He nodded back and despite the simplicity of the exchange, I was touched.

I was so confused, too. I faced front again, wishing I could just learn a new language at the snap of my fingers.

“You play game more dangerous than the arena, human,” Sunhai said.

“Why do you say that?”

“Monrians do not take mates. Is forbidden.”

“I’m not trying to be his mate.” Even the word was odd to use.

She snorted like it was a joke. “Perhaps not, but still dangerous.”

I cleared my throat, folding my arms over myself and then putting them back down at my sides and straightening.

“Why don’t monrians take mates?”

“Monrians are too pure. Mates chosen for them depending on… what is it called… your being. Genetics. If you get pregnant, his people not like a half-breed. Here? They might keep it. Raise it to make more credits.”

Both thoughts made me uneasy. Although, there was one thing that watered down the fear of either of those things happening and that was the fact that I couldn’t get pregnant.

Not for lack of wanting.

One of the scars on my torso burned like the wounds were fresh and I twitched, flexing my fingers to center myself. The line started moving and I walked with a stiff gait. I heard Thilar’s quiet voice behind me and again wished I knew what he was saying without needing Sunhai’s translation.

“He wonders why your heart has changed,” Sunhai said.

“My heart?”

“Your beat. Pulse.”

“He can hear it?”

“So, it has changed?”

“No.”

Thilar said something as if to argue with me and I glanced briefly at him, brow raised.

“What are you thinking, human?”

I let out a sharp sigh. “Nothing important. Just that I’m not going to get pregnant. I can’t.”

“I know of humans,” Sunhai argued. “You have children easily. Too many, most say.”

“But I can’t.”