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Cal only snarls, turning to head right for me. At first, I think Cal just swore at him with the nasty way he snarled, but then I realize there’s a lot more to it that Luc’s translating.
“He says it’s only been a day, but he’s proud of his mate.” I watch Luc sign, impressed beyond belief.
“Can you teach him to sign?” I ask. Cal moves behind me, wrapping his enormous arms around my shoulders. “Like you?”
“Would you like to learn?” Luc signs to Cal while he growls.
“He says, of course, he wants to learn.” Looking to the left, Luc waves over an Orclan dressed in long robes. I didn’t notice him because he was standing motionless in the shadows by the stairs we came down.
“Everyone, this is Serlo, the Confluence here in the Temple. And my sire.” He waves back at the Orclan Emma thought might be his father. “His name is Malk. You probably saw us arguing, but he doesn’t understand what it was like there. In the Roportorium. And Serlo, it isn’t what you think. I’ll explain everything, I swear it.”
There’s more shuffling as they growl at each other. Luc isn’t signing his responses any longer. Everything is tense all over again as Serlo moves over by Malk, talking him down from the looks of it. Luc’s father is really taking this personally.
I wonder if coming here was the best idea. Yeah, I know technically we shouldn’t take these guys to Earth’s dimension first, but it sure is tempting. I look down and study the new ring I’m wearing from the portal. At least they won’t be able to follow us here.
Ugh. I wish I understood them.
Now that we have access to the portal here... the Dishif, as the Ropors called it, I can spend some time touching it and see if I get any other images. Especially more about how it works.
I want to talk to Emma and find out how she knew to get it coming here. Right now, we’re flying by the seat of our pants, winging it. Not the best thing to be doing while we’re running for our lives.
“How long do you think we’ll stay?” Nako glances back up at the Dishif. She’s not signing any longer either.
Emma shifts back and forth on her feet, glancing at me and raising her eyebrows. ”Well, I won’t be going. It’s not like I can have him move in with me on Earth.”
Her hands still as she adds, “I guess it’s up to Edith, depending on what she plans on doing with Cal.”
Alexa’s mouth is an ‘O’ as she signs,“That’s why we’re here. Instead of Earth?”
“Well, that and we had to make sure the Ropors couldn’t come back here. I don’t know what they’d do to us if they came to get us. You know?”
As Luc and Serlo move closer, she switches to signing again.“I mean... not to pressure you or anything, Edith, but how confident are you that the Ropors can’t use the Dishif to come back here? We didn’t really get to talk about it when you said you fixed it so they couldn’t go back to Earth.”
Nodding, I think back to the visions from when I sat in front of the portal on Earth. “I feel really good about it. Confident. But the easiest thing would be to test it.”
When no one responds, I add, ”You know? I leave here and go to Earth, locking it off. Then you try while I’m there.”
Cal snarls a second later, and I realize that Luc’s translating our conversation to the Orclans. His green, penetrating gaze shoots through the haze of gray and red of his energy. He’s in front of me, crouching down in a split second.
But the rumble is nonsense. Chastising me? Probably yelling from the sounds of it. Maybe it’s better I can’t understand.
Luc moves next to us, his hands going so quickly, I can barely follow. He’s better at ASL than I am!
“Cal doesn’t want you to do this. And if you insist, he wants to go with you. For protection.”
It’s hard not to laugh. Protection from what? The dead tomb of our archaeological excavation will still be silent. I doubt anyone has missed us yet.
Unfortunately, I can’t put my hands around Cal and sign at the same time.“Tell him I’m not leaving. It’d only be for a few minutes. A test. I’ll come back.”
Luc’s still translating my message to Cal as I turn, heading back up the stairs. I’m abruptly captured from behind. Burying his face in my neck, Cal growls, vibrating my entire frame. His rumbling tone makes my body act totally inappropriately in the mixed company.
Twisting in his grasp, I wrap my hands around his neck as he picks me up and continues climbing. “Emma, it’d still be better to at least let me show you how it works, right?”
She signs, and I know Luc is telling everyone our plan. There’s a crowd now at the bottom of the stairs, watching us curiously. Only Serlo tags behind, stopping at the top in front of the portal.
Luc takes the stairs three at a time until he’s in front of Cal, still growling my idea. They go back and forth for a good minute. Luc isn’t signing the conversation, so I have no clue what’s being said.
Luc looks at Emma before turning back to me.“Cal said you can show us how it works, and one of the other females can go back.”He waves at Nako and Alexa.“Someone who isn’t mated.”
