Free Beneath the Twin Moons of Haldae by Angela Yseult

she couldn’t say any of it.
    “Shuttle?” she asked when he reached her.
    He smiled.
     
    * * * *
     
    The Elders made Zaren sit on a round, grass-filled pillow on the floor while they sat on the same kind of age-old wooden chairs that furnished the Elders’ room. ick"+0"> rKris frowned as he realized they were treating her as though she were a child. It displeased him even more that she had no idea what her position in front of them implied.
    For a moment, he thought about asking for a pillow and joining her on the floor. If she didn’t have his support, she had nothing. A quick look at the rest of the circle changed his mind. Eyebrows were rising in his direction already, silently asking why he was still standing and delaying Zaren’s interrogation. If he followed his heart rather than his head now, he would only make things worse—worse for Zaren.
    He sat, his fists resting on his thighs, and forced himself to take a deep breath through his nose to calm down. Across from him, Zaren sat cross-legged, the long, wide skirt Elea had given her covering her legs in its folds. Her eyes were flitting between the Elders and Kris, always coming back to him as though hoping for a word of reassurance. Kris would have liked nothing more than to give her that word, but he was forbidden from speaking. All he could do was smile at her and give her a small, encouraging nod. She smiled back, relaxing ever so slightly.
    “Do you understand my words?” Elder Sarly asked abruptly, without introducing himself or anyone else.
    Zaren’s eyes focused on him at once. “I do understand you. My name is Zaren. May I ask—”
    A murmur ran over the circle at the unknown words coming from her lips, while the translating machine at her throat spoke their language.
    “What witchery is this!” Elder Pala exclaimed, standing and pointing a shaky finger at Zaren.
    She raised her hands, palms out in an appeasing gesture.
    “Not witchery, I swear. This won’t hurt you.” She touched the small device with a finger. “It’s just a means for me to talk to you.”
    The Elders conferred in hushed voices. Unable to speak, Kris didn’t bother listening. He wished he could have taught more of his language to Zaren. He should have realized the translating machine would be a problem. Crossing his arms, he scowled at the Elders. If they discussed every word that came out of Zaren’s mouth like this, they would spend the entire night there. He looked back at her, trying to apologize with a look. She gave a little shrug to tell him that she didn’t blame him.
    He had tried to warn her this could happen, but even so he felt guilty. She had entered the village with him. If he couldn’t stop the Elders from condemning her, it would be as though he had traded her life for Elea’s.
    He’d die trying to free her rather than let that happen.

 
     
    Chapter 9
    Coming Out
     

     
     
    Before crashing to the planet, Zaren had thought she was in good physical shape. She was in no way an athlete, but she took care of herself. On what felt like her hundredth day in the forest, only the thought that they were getting close to the shuttle pushed her forward, step after painful step. After sleeping on the ground and walking almost non-stop for two days straight, her body ached in ways she had never imagined.
    And that was before her shoes fell apart.
    They had been walking for two hours that morning, going more slowly than before because Zaren simply couldn’t keep up, when she tripped yet again. She didn’t have time to throw her hands in front of her to cushion her fall, but she was lucky enough to land on a carpet of thick, dewy moss.
    With a groan, she turned and sat up, looking straight up while she caught her breath. The forest was less dense here, and she could see a patch of light blue sky high above her and the edge of a pale moon slowly drifting into view.
    Kris said a few words, drawing her eyes to him. He looked on edge as he walked back to her.