Soul Ties

Chapter 48: Gut Instincts

Sitting on the roof of the abandoned treehouse, I watch the city around me. When I had thought of Xoven this definitely wasn't what I pictured. Yes I knew it was very populated, maybe the most populated planet in the galaxy, but watching ship after underwater ship filled with every species float by, I realize I was in over my head. Especially when I noted how many buildings there were.

I had never seen such a crowded city in my life. And the worst part was, I couldn't even tell how many others there were because the windows wouldn't let me see inside. Maybe I should've taken Scorpius up on that offer to go back home. At least then I would know what to expect and how to live.

I notice a few Luniods swimming in and out of the buildings, some of them even traveling next to the glass ships. I assume their mates who can't really breathe underwater are in there and they're keeping as close to them as they can without overcrowding. Other Lunoids travel to the bottom where the lower buildings reside. I watch as a few of them collect something in a basket. I wonder if that's food.

How was I supposed to get Scorpius down here? Even if he was a good swimmer, there was no way he could hold his breath that long. And how was I supposed to get him on one of those ships?

"What are you doing here?" a voice asks behind me. I jump, completely startled. Spinning around quickly, I see a Sidin with her four arms holding a long jagged spear pointed at me. Her golden scales glitter along with the water, making her seem like she's shining. Her body is almost as muscular as Scorpius but with the lack of veins pulsing through her skin.

She lands on the roof with a loud thud, as if her body is so heavy that it's taking effort for her to float in the water. The dark blue armor that's covering her neck down to her hips makes me nervous, as does the sharp edge of the spear she has pointing inches away from my face.

Her eyes narrow into thin slits through what seems like a bubble around her head. Is that what's helping her breathe? She steps forward, her toned legs and bare feet exposed just like her arms which show me her scales. Flexing her muscles, she grips the spear tighter pushing it even closer to me.

"Well?" she asks.

I put my hands up to show her I'm not a threat. "I just got here. My mate is waiting on the surface for me. I needed to hydrate because the heat was becoming unbearable."

"That doesn't explain what you're doing here." She bangs her foot on the roof of the house making it shudder underneath the weight.

"I was just exploring. I didn't know I couldn't come to this house."

She stares at me for a moment longer, her eyes flicking back and forth on mine until she finally pulls the weapon away from me and stands straight. Putting one of her left arms on her hip, she points with the other to the house we're standing on.

"These houses are off limits to everyone. If you're found here again the punishment is imprisonment. Understood?"

I nod my head furiously, my nerves completely rattled.

"Good. Now, tell me your name so I can help you and your mate into one of our residences."

"Lynx. Lynx Corai." I say.

Her hand drops from her waist, her right hands gripping the spear more firmly as her eyes widen. Her lips part and she stares at me, making me even more uneasy than I already was.

"Corai?" Her voice is almost a whisper. Did I say something wrong? Why was she acting as if she knew me when I had never step foot on Xoven before? I wonder if she had heard of my parents before. But how was that possible when my father died and my mother moved back home? It wasn't like they were anymore special than any other soul tie.