Daughter of the Alien Warrior - Honey Phillips Page 0,60
when she looked up at Inzen, he was frowning.
“Is something wrong?”
“It appears that the rainy season is beginning early. It would be of no consequence if we were in town, but I have never experienced it in the countryside.”
“Would it be different here?” She was a city girl herself.
“I do not know. Stay under the covers and keep warm.”
Lily started to squirm restlessly, so Jade entertained her with a game of itsy-bitsy spider. It seemed appropriate under the circumstances. Before her daughter had a chance to get tired of the game, Inzen returned, his face grim.
“I am afraid we may have a problem,” he said quietly as he handed both of them one of the breakfast bars that B’hira had provided.
Lily chewed happily, pretending to feed bites to Bobo, and Jade tried to ignore the crumbs she was scattering in the bed.
“What is it?”
“The stream is rising rapidly. Can you hear it?”
Now that he mentioned it, she could hear a soft roar underneath the constant beat of the rain. She shivered as she remembered how close the bank was to the cabin.
“Do you think it will wash away the cabin?”
He hesitated just a fraction too long before answering her. “I do not believe so, my letari. This building has been here for many years and it appears to be sturdy. But it was not designed to be inhabited during this season. There is no source of heat.”
“We also don’t have any food other than what was in the basket B’hira gave us. I guess we’d better get ready to go.”
His tail lashed anxiously, and his face didn’t lighten.
“Leaving may be difficult. The flyer is partially underwater.”
“Oh no.” She stared at him in dismay as she remembered bringing it to land in the open space in front of the cabin. If that area was already underwater…
“What about the hovercycle?”
“It is still safe because it is at the top of the hill, but I cannot take both of you at once. It is designed for Trevelorians and already struggles with my weight. There is also little room to carry three.” His tail lashed again. “Perhaps I can instruct you on how to drive it and you can take Lily to safety.”
“What about you? I’m not going to leave you here.”
“The temperature does not bother me as much as it does the two of you. I can wait until the water drops.”
“And how long will that take?”
He shrugged unhappily. “If the rainy season has truly started, the rains could last three or four days. Or perhaps a week. Once they stop, the water recedes rapidly.”
“A week?” She frowned. Not only did she not want to be separated from him for that long, but there was also the problem of her unwanted pursuer. “What if Gokan comes after me?”
“I told you that I would send you to Hrebec. He will protect you.” Despite the reassuring words, he didn’t seem happy about the idea. “And perhaps I can walk out after you. I should be able to cover the distance in a day, perhaps two.”
“That’s ridiculous. I don’t want you walking through the pouring rain.” She looked down at Lily, who was now tugging off one of the pillowcases to make a dress for Bobo. “Can the hovercycle carry you and Lily?”
“Yes, but—”
“What about you and me?”
“Perhaps, but it would be very slow.”
“As slow as walking?”
He shook his head. “What are you suggesting, my letari?”
“Cold, Mama,” Lily said as she climbed back onto her lap with Bobo, and Jade automatically wrapped her arms around her.
The words almost caught in her throat, but she lifted her chin and continued. “Why don’t you take Lily first? You can take her to Hrebec and Abby and then return for me.”
She hated the thought of being separated from her daughter, of sending her out on a flimsy machine under these conditions, but she knew Inzen was right. They could not stay here.
“I do not want to leave you.”
“I don’t want you to either, but it makes sense. You can get Lily to safety and then come back for me. If it takes a little longer for us to get back, at least we’ll be together and we’ll know she’s safe.”
“You trust me to do this?”
“Yes.” She didn’t even hesitate. He had never been anything but honest, protective, and loving, and she trusted him completely.
“I do not like the idea of leaving you,” he repeated.
“Like you said, there’s no reason that anyone would know that I was here. No one