Sohut's Protection: A Sci-fi Alien Romance (Riv's Sanctuary Book 2) A.G. Wilde (best way to read an ebook TXT) 📖

dark. Dark enough for the shadows of the trees to begin to look ominous and she hoped he wouldn’t be gone too long.

Just in case, she took hold of her piece of shrapnel that hadn’t failed her yet.

If anything came out of the bushes while Sohut was away, she’d have something with which to defend herself.

Settling on the stump of a fallen tree, she looked around, trying to see any signs of life.

She had no idea what the aliens they were coming upon were like, but she trusted Sohut.

She trusted him enough to believe he wouldn’t willingly put them in danger.

That thought was jarring.

She’d gone from thinking he was her enemy to sleeping with him then to trusting him with her future, her life…not in that order.

The jungle here was a lot less dense than the jungle they’d been traveling through for the past few days, but she still didn’t see anything out of the ordinary.

Rolling her shoulders, she released a sigh.

She was exhausted.

She hadn’t mentioned it to Sohut but she hadn’t known how much longer she could have gone before taking a rest.

She was nearing collapse.

Wawa stiffened on her shoulder and Cleo’s senses primed immediately.

It was only when Wawa relaxed and she noticed Sohut coming back through the undergrowth that her shoulders sagged with relief.

“Is everything all right?”

He was alone. She’d expected to see aliens accompanying him.

Sohut smiled. “They are waiting to meet you.” His eyes slid to Wawa. “And you. Don’t attack them.”

Wawa stiffened on her shoulder and cocked his head at Sohut.

It was the first time he actually tried to communicate with Sohut and that surprised Cleo.

“I think he’s wondering what you mean.”

“He knows exactly what I mean.” Sohut crouched so he was on eye level with Wawa. “Listen you little thing. Don’t attack the Torians. They won’t hurt Cleo and they’re the only place we can stay before we go across the arid lands to the plains. Do you understand?”

Wawa cocked his head again and Sohut frowned, turning his worried eyes to her. “I don’t know if he understands me. He only listens to you.”

Cleo glanced at Wawa and he bumped his head into her neck before focusing on Sohut again.

“He understands.”

Sohut’s frown deepened. “How do you know?”

Cleo shrugged. “I don’t know. I just do.”

With a huge sigh, Sohut stood, offering her his hand so she could stand too.

“Ready?” he asked.

Cleo nodded. “Ready.”

As they walked in the direction in which he just came, the density of trees slowly reduced.

They were walking for what felt like roughly fifteen minutes and Cleo looked up at the alien walking in front of her.

“I thought we were going toward that alien camp.”

“We are,” Sohut answered.

“But we’ve been walking for so long now. I thought we’d have reached it already. You were gone for this long.”

“That’s because I used the trees. We’re walking. Takes longer.” Sohut looked over his shoulder to smile at her and her shocked expression only made him chuckle. “No worries my zimsu flower, we’re here now.”

She’d have taken the time to think about the fact he just called her something endearing if they didn’t suddenly walk into a clearing.

Hanging lanterns dotted the circular expanse. One of the lanterns was close by and it looked like a paper lantern with fireflies inside.

Wawa’s eyes lit up.

“My companion is here with her…slizz,” Sohut said and she realized he was speaking to someone in front of them.

As she stepped so she could see around Sohut’s tall frame, her entire body froze.

There were maybe seven or so short green aliens in front of them. They had huge heads with balloon-like projections at the back, much like an octopus looked. Each alien had four eyes that were focused on Sohut and now that she’d stepped slightly from behind him, they collectively gasped.

She realized then that they had spears, all pointed her way, and four arms each.

“Um, Sohut…”

“Yes, my flower…”

“Why do they look like they’re going to attack us?”

Sohut paused then looked down at her.

“Not you.” His gaze moved to Wawa. “Him.”

“Great, Raxu. It really is a slizz,” one of the aliens whispered.

“I can’t see well, my eyes are dark. Is it really?” another whispered.

“That’s what I just said Nupak. Are you deaf?”

“Of course, not! … but I am a little blind. That’s what I just said; I can’t see!”

“It really is a slizz, but it isn’t attacking us. The Merssi said it wouldn’t.” One more joined in.

“I don’t trust it.”

“You don’t trust anything, Krior. But you are right, I don’t trust it either.”

“I really can’t see. Is it moving?”

“Phekking Raxu. A guard that can’t see in the dark. It’s unbelievable we haven’t been attacked yet.”

Sohut chuckled slightly. “The slizz won’t harm you. It is…tame.”

There was silence before more whispering ensued, the spears moving as the aliens argued.

“Tame! A tame slizz? I’ll give all my arms if that was possible.”

“But it isn’t attacking, maybe it is true.”

Cleo looked up at Sohut, her anxiety slowly ebbing away. “Do they know we can hear them?”

Sohut shrugged and she could see his smile. “Welcome to the Torian camp.”

Half of his face was in shadow and for a moment it struck her just handsome he was.

There was a gasp from the aliens and then more whispering.

“What is that?”

“I don’t know. Looks like a Merssi female but no horns.”

“Not Merssi then. How many arms?”

“Two. Disgusting.”

“Hideous creature.”

“Very hideous.”

Cleo’s mouth fell open.

The bubble-head aliens were talking about her.

Sohut put his arm around her, pulling her into his side. “Don’t listen to them. They think anything without several limbs or arms is vile.”

One of the aliens took a step forward, four of his eyes darting from Sohut to Wawa.

“You’re sure it won’t attack us, Merssi? I can’t let you into the camp if it is even slightly aggressive.”

Sohut glanced at Wawa and Wawa blinked at him.

“He won’t be aggressive.”

Glancing back at his companions, the alien slowly lowered his spear and the others behind him followed suit.

Cocking his head to the side, the alien peered at her.

“And you are the female