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We landed a few minutes later, and it blew my mind how bereft I felt dismounting and putting her back on her feet. I wanted to draw her into my embrace again and just hold her for however long. Had she not put that ‘ask before touching’ rule between us, I would already be holding her with my face buried in her hair.

Oblivious to the thoughts traipsing through my mind, Mirella started tapping on the glass of her bracer.

“I’m calling them now to let them know they can come,” she explained distractedly, then refocused on me once she was done. “Don’t be scared. A big vortex is going to open in front of us. And they will come out of it. For what it’s worth, I’ve never seen it before either, so I’m a little nervous and very excited.”

My stomach twisted with apprehension. As the Thesh of my tribe, I should feel thrilled and undaunted at the prospect of facing the unknown. But the thought of a sentient being able to appear anywhere in our lands on a whim distressed me. What if he turned on us and proved too powerful for my combat abilities? What if he became a threat to my female?

It shamed me to admit that Mirella’s excitement went a long way into alleviating my fears. The fact that she was communicating with people that Brother Mares and Kayog appointed to us also dampened some of my worries. But I couldn’t deny feeling a little overwhelmed by so many foreign things being thrown at me after the Long Sleep.

Your ability to deal with crises is the very reason you are the Thesh and were appointed as the vanguard of our people before the Awakening.

And I took great pride in my ability to do just that. However, nothing had prepared me for what I was faced with right now. Still, I had pledged my protection to our people, and I would see this through.

My heart nearly leapt out of my chest when a thundering sound resonated half a beat before a giant, circular window opened in the empty space in front of us. Mirella gasped, and I inhaled sharply at the sight of an Edocit female standing in the window with a golden-lizard-looking creature towering behind her. I had never seen such a being. Just like the Birdman, he was clearly a person, not an animal. At least, with his two legs, two arms with five fingers, he stood erect like our people did. Golden scales covered him from head to toe, and large black and gold horns adorned his head.

Through the ‘window’ behind them, I could see what looked like a huge room with strange machinery and shelves laden with large containers.

On instinct, I pushed Mirella behind me. Although I didn’t pull out one of my weapons, I kept a hand close to my belt. The female in the window raised her palms in an appeasing gesture as she slowly approached.

“We come in peace, Taelen Drossara,” the female said.

“It’s okay,” Mirella said, placing a soothing hand on my left upper arm.

My mind struggled to reconcile the fact that she had just stepped into the forest from that rift through space. The giant golden lizard followed her in. A large bag hung on his broad shoulder. As soon as they were both inside the clearing, the lizard flicked his right hand, and the window vanished with a suction sound.

I recoiled, my eyes flicking this way and that in search of where the window had gone. But Mirella attempting to circle around me to approach the newcomers snapped me back out of my shocked stance. I blocked her again with my left arm while eyeing the strangers suspiciously.

“It’s okay, Taelen,” Mirella repeated. “You can see the UPO uniform. They’re friends here to help. They’re not going to hurt either of us.”

“She’s correct,” the female said in a gentle voice. “My name is Maeve Riley. I’m the hacker sent here on behalf of the Enforcers and the UPO to unlock the secret cave. And this is Cedros Qhelian, a Shadow Lord of the Derakeen. He opened the portal here so that we wouldn’t need to fly over your lands with a shuttle. We’re friends.”

I swallowed hard and forced a neutral expression on my face as I lowered my arm blocking Mirella.

“Greetings, Maeve Riley, and Cedros Qhelian. Thank you for coming so swiftly,” I replied carefully.

“It is our pleasure,” Cedros said.

My jaw dropped upon hearing him speak flawless Universal. Just like with the Birdman and his beak, my brain struggled to comprehend how he managed to form proper sounds with his lizard snout. The discreet chuckle from the two females and amused expression from all three of them had me audibly snap my mouth shut.

By the Goddess, I was making a complete fool of myself.

“Apologies,” I said, mortified. “I have never seen a being such as you are.”

“No apologies necessary,” Cedros said. “I had a similar reaction the first time I met a human. Like you, my people don’t normally travel the stars. Discovering the countless species who dwell in our galaxy can be quite jarring.”

“Thank you for your understanding,” I said, all tension bleeding out of me.

Despite being massive and intimidating, there was something very gentle, almost innocent emanating from the golden giant.

“If it’s okay, I will now unlock the door,” Maeve said.

As I opened my mouth to agree, I suddenly froze while staring at Maeve.

“You’re human!” I exclaimed with sudden understanding.

She slightly recoiled before smiling with a nod.

“Yes. I was born human like Mirella,” she said, waving at my woman before raising her bare left arm adorned with a few delicate vines and veris. “These are gifts from my Edocit mate, Helio Breisa. I acquired them through our formal bonding.”