Total pages in book: 92
Estimated words: 83205 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 416(@200wpm)___ 333(@250wpm)___ 277(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83205 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 416(@200wpm)___ 333(@250wpm)___ 277(@300wpm)
"There's an island?" Aidy asks, tone bright.
J’shel’s smile fades. "No longer."
"Oh." The silence grows uncomfortable for a moment as we stare at one another. Aidy's hand feels clammy in mine, and I realize she is nervous after all.
I clear my throat, nodding at J’shel. "We are glad to be here. Survival alone is…difficult."
The male's face creases into a broad grin. "This I know well. I look forward to hearing your story, and I will tell you mine across a fire sometime." He glances behind him, watching as another male comes forward, this one with impossibly tall, arching horns that seem to point at the sky. Less useful in battle, for all their deadliness. They are too easily grabbed, I decide.
"I am R'jaal of Tall Horn," the male says as he approaches. "Now of the Icehome Beach. This is my mate, R'slind. She is one of your people, and we are glad to see you." He gestures at the solid, pale human female with a yellow mane at his side. The female seems timid, less like my Aidy, and she gives us a shy smile.
"You're a clone, too?" Aidy asks.
R'slind nods. "Everyone that arrived in the same drop is a clone. It was on the bracelet…" She gestures at her wrist. "You didn't get one?"
"I didn't know what it was, so I took it off," Aidy lies easily, touching my arm again. "But the clone thing makes so much more sense than me thinking I was losing my mind."
R'slind laughs. "I can see that. Some of us definitely have more memories than others." She gestures behind her, where there are more and more people gathering and staring at us. "Do you want me to introduce you? I can point out our group. Icehome is actually several different groups all coming together. It'll be confusing at first, but I promise you'll be comfortable quickly."
Aidy glances up at me. "Oh, that sounds lovely, thank you." She steps forward with R'slind, who is immediately approached by several other human females.
I hold back, noting the suspicious looks they are sending me. Aidy is welcome, but they are not so certain about me. I do not look like them. I understand it. I will not look like anyone, because I have no people. I am a mix of many people and belong to none.
"Well, well, well," calls a female voice. "Look what the cat dragged in. Literally."
Another yellow-haired human female strides forward, this one slightly older than the others if I had to guess. She is followed closely by an ugly, battle-scarred mesakkah male with a tall, rangy form and a scowl on his face. The female crosses her arms over her chest and eyes me speculatively.
This is the leader, I suspect. She has that air about her.
"I am Corvak." I gesture at Aidy, who is being surrounded by human females and pulled farther away. "Valmir has convinced us to join you."
"Valmir did?" Her brows go up. "That's…impressive."
I look around at the crowd, trying to count heads, but there are so many. I see all kinds—a moden splice, another a'ani with vivid red skin, and others I do not recognize. "I did not expect it to be so…crowded. How many of you are here?"
"Too many," the yellow-haired leader says.
I freeze at that.
The ugly male behind the female nudges her.
"Oh, shit. I was kidding!" She puts her hands up in the air. "I figured if you were used to Valmir, you could take a bit of ribbing." She thinks for a moment, counting on her fingers. "Well, there's those of us from Croatoan, and then there's the islanders—"
"Exiles," the scarred male adds.
"Yup, there's exiles, too. And the Ancestors. Not the real ancestors, but I'm not calling them Those Who Remain because that's too much of a mouthful. And the splices. And the human clones. Oh, and the dragon. Can't skip him." She rolls her eyes. "He'll never let us forget it if we do."
"Visitors," her mate says, interrupting again.
"Yeah, them too, but they don't really count as part of the tribe since they're just hanging out for a while, right?" She tilts her head, gazing up at him thoughtfully. "Though do we count Bek and Elly's kid? She was born here but they're Croatoan…though they're not in a hurry to go back—"
Her listing of all the different peoples makes my gut clench. If there are so many, how can they all possibly be fed? Are two more going to be seen as a burden? "Are we welcome here?" I ask, voice flat. "Or should we leave?"
They both turn and glare at me, as if I am annoying them. "Everyone is welcome."
Aidy returns to my side, her hands on my arm. There's a look of concern on her face. "Everything okay?"
I nod. What else can I say?
"Do you want to see my baby girl?" Nadine asks Aidy, all smiles. "I swear you won't see a cuter kid on this beach."