Page 39 of Alien Healer’s Mate

“Her loss,” she said.

Rhav blinked, and his eyes widened slightly. “That’s kind of you. But you don’t know me.”

She shrugged, picking at a purple berry on her plate. “I know you’re sitting at a table full of strangers being nice to the one person who’s more out of place than you are. That’s enough.”

He was quiet for a moment, his gaze searching her face, and then his expression warmed. “You’re very direct.”

“Comes free with the accent.”

That wrung a laugh out of him, low and surprised. “So what’s Earth like? We’ve all heard about it, but no one can give me any details.”

The question caught her off guard, and she laughed.

“That’s a big question. Earth is… a lot. It’s crowded and messy, and half the time it’s raining when you don’t want it to. But it’s home, you know? The sky’s blue instead of whatever that is—“ she gestured at the dome overhead “—and we have oceans. Big ones. Have you ever seen an ocean?”

“Only in data files. My homeland is mostly arid. Deserts, mountains and scrubland. The water we have is piped up from underground reserves.”

“That sounds harsh.”

“It’s beautiful in its own way. The sunsets are…” He paused, hunting for the word. “I don’t have the translation. At dusk the light turns everything violet, deep as the heart of your dress when the light catches it. I miss it.”

She frowned. “Have you been away for long?”

A shadow moved behind his eyes. “Seven years.”

He reached for his glass again. “I was in the harem of another warlady before this one. She…” He stopped, his jaw tightening. “When my lady absorbed her harem, I went with it. That’s how it works among us. The strong take what they want.”

The strong take what they want. Delilah’s gaze flicked toward the head table, toward the warlady and her hand still resting on Kellat’s arm, then made herself look back at Rhav.

“That’s awful,” she said quietly. “Being passed around like property.”

He shrugged. “It’s our way.”

“Still awful.”

His tone was careful and measured, but his eyes told a different story. “My lady isn’t cruel. She doesn’t mistreat us. But there’s no…” His lips pressed together, and he shrugged again. “I am the lowest among her harem, so I don’t expect…”

He trailed off.

“Your eyes,” she said. “They’re the same color as hers. Is that… I mean, is that a Vorrtan thing?”

He nodded. “When Vorrtan bond, our eyes change to match the female we belong to. A physical marker of the connection.”

“So everyone in her harem has her eyes?”

“Yes.”

“Are you jealous?” The question was out of her mouth before she could think better of it. She went red, hand flying up to cover her mouth. “Oh god. I’m so sorry. I really shouldn’t have said that. That was so rude.”

“It’s not a problem.” Rhav’s voice was gentle, and when she risked looking at him, his expression hadn’t closed off. If anything, he looked relieved. “Ask. I don’t mind.”

She bit her lip.

“Are you jealous of being one of a group?” she managed. “How does that even work? How do you feel about that?”

Like I’m waiting my turn. Like I’m watching her touch him and wondering if I’m going to get him back, or if this is the part where he decides I’m too much work.

Rhav was quiet for a moment. When he spoke, his voice was low and even, stripped of the polish he’d worn earlier.