Barbarian Lover (Ice Planet Barbarians #3)(52)

The loss of her still hit hard, even after everything we’d been through.

“Harlow’s smart,” I offer, thinking of her quick mind as she’d pieced together parts for the rock cutter. “Maybe she’ll find her way back.”

“I think we should send hunters after her,” Georgie says.

Vektal shakes his head. “The brutal season is coming on fast, and we have twelve—“

“Eleven,” Georgie quietly corrects.

“Eleven new mouths to feed. And several of those are bearing young. We must think of the good of all of the tribe, and the hunters are needed every spare moment. If they are not leaving to hunt food, we cannot spare them.” He touches her stomach. “I will not put you and our kit – or all of the other new lives to be born – in danger for one foolish human girl.”

I don’t like his answer, but as I look at Aehako, he’s nodding. They know the weather of this place better than we do. If they’re worried about not having enough food for the winter, then we need to worry too, I suppose.

I can tell Georgie’s not happy, either, but she shoots me a helpless look.

“She’ll turn up,” I say, determined.

We discuss the second spaceship and its demise. Georgie agrees with Vektal on this one – they don’t want to tell the others. No one but us – and Liz and Raahosh, who were out hunting and saw the craft – will know about it. Georgie doesn’t want the others to panic, not when they’re just now settling in.

“And if they’re all dead, there’s nothing to worry about, right?” She gives me a determined nod. “Right. Which means we should talk about the tribe split.”

“Split?” I look at Aehako, worried.

He nods. “When we were young kits, our caves overflowed and we had a second cave to the south that was also full of families. The khui-sickness took so many lives that we all moved to this cave system, but with the new families, I suggested to Vektal that we re-open them.”

“Only because you do not want to share a cave with another couple,” Vektal teases. “You are like me and want your mate all to yourself.”

Aehako gives his chief a lazy grin. “Is that such a bad thing? To want to be able to mate my female without the worry that Asha is going to show up and demand to join in?”

I make a choked sound. “Um, I’m for a new cave, too.” The idea of Asha watching – much less trying to join – is utterly horrifying.

Georgie giggles. “You should see your face, Kira. Oh my God.”

“If there is a new cave, all of the humans must remain with the healer.”

“Is that fair to the others?” I ask. The last thing I want is to have the rest of the tribe resenting us.

“The humans are carrying kits,” Vektal argues. “If they are not yet, they will be. They need to be with the healer.”

I remain silent.

“I agree with Kira,” Aehako says. “A cave full of elderly and single hunters will only breed dissent. It is fairest to split the tribe evenly.”

“We only have one healer,” Vektal growls. “She will remain with Georgie.”

“Calm down, Vektal,” Georgie pats her mate on his big arm. “I’m sure things can be divided in a way that’s fair to everyone. What if we send the single humans to the new cave and keep the pregnant ones here?”

“What about Raahosh and Liz?” I ask.

“Their punishment remains,” Vektal declares. “They will continue to hunt until Liz is too heavy to do so. But they can den with us when it comes time for Liz to have her kit.”

“Then who will be in charge at the new cave?” Aehako asks. His hand tightens on mine.

For a moment, Vektal looks perplexed. “I was going to send you, but now that you have mated, this poses a problem. Kira will need to stay near the healer.”

I bite my lip. I guess it’s time to speak up. “Kira doesn’t, actually. I can’t resonate. I’m barren.”

Georgie’s face softens while Vektal looks confused.

“She cannot bear children. We have chosen our mating,” Aehako declares, and hugs me close against him. “There will be no kit, but it does not matter. All that matters is that she is mine and I am hers.”

His declaration makes me weepy.

“And if there is resonance to another later?” Vektal asks.

“Then we will handle that as it comes,” Aehako says. “Until that day comes – if it should ever come, I belong to Kira, and she belongs to me.”

Vektal nods and gives us both a look of understanding. “I would have done the same for Georgie, had she not resonated for me.”





AEHAKO


It takes two full days and nights before we are allowed to go and visit the other cave system. Kira has taken to calling them the South Caves, and the name has stuck with me as well. We have said nothing to the others. If I am to be the leader of this small fragment of the tribe, I want it all decided and carved in stone before anyone is moved. Once we are in for the brutal months, the visits between the caves will be few and far between.

Balancing the tribes is a delicate matter and one that takes many days of discussion between myself and Vektal, and we include our mates, who are the voices of reason when it comes to the human women. If we do not balance things just perfectly, those moving to the South Caves will feel abandoned and useless. But if we take our strongest to the South Caves, then we handicap the tribe cave.