Citrine (Deliverance #3)

50. Wroahk

50

Wroahk

All the deals were terrible, but I know by now when she is serious enough to remove kind privileges. Her anger is making my mating tentacles twitch, but now is not the time.

She starts talking with the woman again in the language I don't know. She's just as ugly as Eli used to look. Maybe more so. The male with her has been looking at me with a promise of death in his eyes if I come any closer to his female

He can have her. One is more than enough.

I think about how this means there will be at least twice as many words, and I shudder. Except then I realize that I no longer have to pretend I'm listening in order to avoid threats and suddenly this all seems like a much better idea.

They will speak to each other. How have I not realized this before?

Except what if Eli likes them more than me? What if they take her from me? Despite my agreements, my tentacles start reaching toward them.

The male seems very confident, even after I so easily stole his woman. I shouldn't underestimate him. Especially since it was him I went to grab, but couldn't.

Just like I couldn't harm Eli when she fell from the sky. Except why was I able to grab the purple female?

None of it makes sense.

Eli starts using my voice again. "You will keep the Many Teeth away while they swim across to our cove. Repeat it."

I agree to yet another one of her deals, even though I already said I would do as much, and then pull her down so we are underneath the pair as they swim. They are even slower than Eli.

Many Teeth come to investigate, of course, not being able to resist the sounds of their flailing. I let one get close to them near the top of the water just to see what the male will do.

I have plenty of time to intervene, of course. I'm not risking kind hands for something so useless.

I'm not even sure what the male does. There is a blur of movement above the water and then the Many Teeth is thrashing. The male doesn't even pause in his efforts to reach the other shore. Not long after, the water behind us is murky with Many Teeth blood, except there is no killing frenzy.

The ones nearby flee with strong swipes of their thick tails.

A thrill passes through me. Finally, a worthy opponent.

Then I remember that I'm not allowed to fight with him, even if whatever prevented me from grabbing him wasn't already a barrier. And I also remember that if I die, Eli won't last more than a few minutes.

Not with such a weak body and ridiculous ideas about making everyone her friends .

Will she still want to touch me if they are here? There is that new feeling in my chest again. One I do not like. That ache that keeps surging up every time she talks about freedom.

I can't keep resisting giving her what she wants, but the more I think about how much better they will be able to understand her, the more that terrible feeling grows. Maybe they will be better at keeping her from being sad and she won't want me.

I think I made a terrible mistake making this deal .