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Because this means a lot to him. He’s been a good friend to me, and I haven’t been the same.
“Have you seen this tide pool?” he asks, pointing at it as he leads me forward. “There was a large scorpion-crab caught in here earlier.”
“Is this what you brought me to see?”
He grins, his expression sly. “No, but I figured if we are pretending to enjoy the sights, it does not look obvious that we do not cut through camp. It will draw no attention.”
My heart aches all over again, because of his thoughtfulness. “I would like that.”
“Then let us admire this creature for a moment before moving on.” He gives my hand a reassuring shake, and we pretend to admire the tide pool and its contents, and all the while I kick myself mentally because Skarr is a braggart and loves attention, yes, but when has henothad my back?
He’s always let me set the pace. He hasn’t pressured me for anything.
We take a leisurely walk along the beach, pointing out the distant glacier. No one from camp approaches us, though I can see a few are watching. It will be all around the fire tomorrow that we were walking together and holding hands, but for now, I can just enjoy the moment. Skarr sizes upthe large shapes moving on the glacier. “Someday I think I would like to go and hunt them,” he tells me. “Gren says they are dangerous creatures, but I think it sounds like a challenge.”
“Just don’t enjoy a challenge so much that you end up leaving me here alone,” I reply tartly, a little horrified at the thought of Skarr hunting somethingbecauseit sounds dangerous.
Then I realize what I’ve said and my face goes crimson even as he grins wider at me.
“We are almost there,” he tells me excitedly, moving faster as we head further down the beach. “Come and see.”
I’m curious what exactly he means to show me, and so I follow along, my steps picking up as we jog past a meandering trail of little huts, with a shell-lined path linking them together. It’s charming enough for the prehistoric vibe this place has, but I’m not familiar yet with who lives where. I’m not sure who we’re visiting and why they are part of the surprise.
Then Skarr stops in front of the last hut and gives me an expectant look. “Well?”
“Who lives here?”
“You do,” he says proudly, and throws his shoulders back as if he’s about to beat his chest out of pure pride. “I made this for you.”
“You…made me a house?” I’m stunned. This is what he was working on all the time he was avoiding me? I knew he was flying off with Ashtar and Jason, I just didn’t realize it was for this. “How…why?”
“So you can have a place to call your own,” Skarr replies. “I know you like the quiet, and I cannot imagine it is very quiet in the tent with the other females.”
It isn’t. It’s crowded and noisy and someone is always snoring, but I’ve tried to make the best of it. Here Skarr was thinking of me again, and I had no idea. “You…you are so sweet.”
He makes a face. “I am a strong, tireless gladiator. I am notsweet.”
“You’re sweet to me.” I give his hand a squeeze. “And I like it.”
“Then I will accept it as a compliment,” he says, but his voice is grudging. “Tell me that you like it? That I built you the best hut on the beach? On the planet?”
“I’m sure you did,” I murmur, amused. I study the hut, my hand over my humming heart that might be racing for reasons not entirely related to the khui. He built me ahut.Of all the things he could have done for me, this might be the most perfect, the most thoughtful. I gaze at the stone walls, admiring the large slabs of rock that make up the base platform. It’s raised off the sand, but not as much as the wooden huts. It looks more solid, though, and with a stone floor I won’t have to worry about a spark catching fire on my surroundings. “This is incredible,” I tell him, and then I realize there’s no entrance. “But where is the door?”
“In the back,” he says, releasing my hand to hop up on the slab of rock. He holds a hand down to me to help me up, even though it’s not a huge step. “There was not a way to make a wooden door, as Jason says you have back home, so I have put a privacy flap like the others have. But I knew it would feel exposed, so I made sure the door was built to the back. Now no one will be able to look in.”
Oh. It’s just another way he’s showing his thoughtfulness. I’m touched, and my eyes get suspiciously wet. “It’s a really good idea,” I admit. “The privacy flaps don’t feel all that private to me just yet.”
“I wanted you to have the best,” he tells me, all excitement. “Come inside and see.”
The interior is just as wonderful as the outside. It’s the size of my bedroom back home, with a large, stone-lined firepit in the center. The slabs of rock that make up the base have been mortared together to make one large floor, and although the interior is empty, it muffles the sound of the nearby village. There’s a hint of light coming in from the smoke hole, and while the build is very similar to the other huts I’ve seen, this one is even better because it’smine.
Skarr watches me expectantly.
“I don’t know what to say.” I’m overwhelmed with emotion. He’s worked so hard to craft this for me, and I’ve been avoiding him and resenting him.
“Say that you like it.” His face is tight, anxious. “Say that it is the best hut on the planet and it pleases you.”
“It is and it does.” I take a step toward him, putting a hand on his furs-covered chest. “And it makes me want to give you a kiss.”
