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SUMMER
“Never say you are not brave,” Adone said. “A very brave tiny human female just stood by my side to fight off a pack of scoopeens.”
“I’m scared shitless of everything. Like I said, it took me eight freakin’ years to get up the nerve to escape the commune. If the leader hadn’t noticed I had boobs, I’d probably still be there, hiding out in the library, where I could disappear inside the world of books.”
“You threw sand at the scoopeens.”
“That’s nothing. We didn’t have weapons.”
“This showed bravery. Bravery is stronger than any weapon in the world.”
“You would’ve socked them and kicked them until they ran away. You did something, though I’m not sure what it was, and they did run away.”
“I was able to make my scales do something.”
I peered up at him. Tumbles sat on my lap, looking up at him too. I couldn’t believe he’d come right up to me and rubbed against my leg, begging for pats.
“Do you think you poisoned the scorpion with your scales?” I asked.
“I don’t believe it was poison. The toxin Vunne forced my body to create should’ve killed them immediately.”
“Maybe they’re immune?”
“Or maybe I didn’t shoot much of anything. Although, whatever I shot seemed to burn them.”
“It was totally badass.”
“I have a nice ass,” he said with a smile. “Not a bad one.”
This big, burly alien was so cute.
“Badass means you’re like a superhero, Batman, Superman, and the Hulk, all combined into one hot, muscular killing machine.”
His smile widened, though I could tell he had no clue what I meant. But his lips curled downward quickly, and the bit of light I’d spied in his eyes faded. “Killing is one thing I refused to do for Vunne. I lay still when he cut me. I struggled not to scream when the pain nearly drove me out of my mind. But even when he put me in holes with dangerous creatures, I refused to end their lives. Disarm them, yes, but I would not do what he asked no matter how much he punished me after.”
“Adone,” I said, resting my head on his arm. “I’m really sorry. What he did is wrong.”
“I am wrong. So wrong. You do not see this yet, but you will.”
“No. You’re not wrong. You’re perfect.”
He scoffed. “This, I am not.”
“When you crossed that arena and dropped to your knees in front of me . . . When you took my hand, I saw someone strong and brave.”
“I was frightened for you. You are tiny and vulnerable.”
“I saw someone who could make me feel bigger. Braver, just by association.”
“This is not me. I am not this person.” He sounded almost shocked.
“Sure you are. It’s not just your size; you’re a big person inside, where it counts.”
His head tilted as he pondered my words. With a huff, he reached out and ran the back of his knuckles across Tumbles’ spines. Tumbles was a bit like a porcupine in that the brush-like spikes sticking out of his body could be stiffened so he could roll across the ground—the only way I’d seen him travel. But while he sat on my lap, they had softened and lay flat across his bowling ball body. He had no legs or arms, just a big mouth with long rows of sharp teeth and two pointed ears.
When he rolled toward me, I wasn’t sure if I should freeze or run. But he made a soft cooing sound much like a dove, and I couldn’t resist bending down and extending my fingers. He tumbled closer and squatted in front of me, his spiky-bushy exterior flattening. He loved pats, but I only gave him a few before scooping him up and bringing him with me. I couldn’t leave him for the scorpions to hurt.
“I don’t want to kill anyone either,” I said, scratching the side of Tumbles’s face. He cooed and his eyes slid closed. “But I suppose to win this Game, we might have to.”
