From what she could see, it was definitely an open-planned prison, and two of the four small cubicles were occupied by a collection of strange humanoids. They had the same basic shape as Spurns, but ... with no webbings or gills ... and their skin was the wrong color.
Her eyes were drawn to one of the females in particular. A stunning redhead, she was statuesque and much taller than Talina. She stared in amazement at the pale ivory of the female’s skin and her green eyes. Talina couldn’t believe what she was seeing ... green eyes ... crazy.
But the reason this female, in particular, stood out from the rest of her group was the amazing red markings that framed the left side of her face and tracked down her neck. Also, she strode around the small prison, so sure ... confident. This was a woman who was afraid of no one.
Talina was instantly jealous; she’d always wished for one ounce of the composure and attitude this female so effortlessly displayed. But that would never happen.
Putting aside her feelings, she examined the prisoners more closely. They had hair on their faces, just like her own. Twin lines above their eyes and flicked-out blackness along their eyelids. Were they from the same land as her father? Excitement and panic flooded her. She needed to break in there and speak with them before they either disappeared or went to trial.
The redhaired female turned to face someone in the other occupied cell. Talina shifted her view to observe him, a giant man with broad planes and flashing dark eyes. He was unlike any of the males on Spurn, but for some reason Talina found his chiseled jaw and muscular physique attractive.
She had just started to observe the rest of the inhabitants when strong hands grabbed her, pulling her backwards away from the window.
Chapter 2
Abigail
Even though our current adventure wasn’t exactly going to plan, I was enjoying the mini-meltdown happening in front of me. Lucy stood at the bars of our prison and, from where I sat, it looked like she almost had her head through the slats. She was yelling as loudly as she could. And, for a small person, it was damn loud.
“What the eff? Seriously, where the hell are you hiding, fish-boy? You better get your ass back in here.” Her blond curls stood on end; she’d run her hands through them so many times.
The ‘natives’ were out of sight at the moment, and I wasn’t sure if that was a good or bad thing. From the moment we had arrived on Spurn, landing on stunning white beaches in the weak sunlight, we’d been taken captive by the locals. I hadn’t had much chance to observe them before they threw us into the prison. But they were ... different.
“Why is it every time I turn my freaking back someone is throwing me in a cell? I swear to God, if anyone comes near me with a knife or a taser or anything resulting in the marking of my skin, I will rip their face off and wear it as a mask for Halloween,” Lucy continued her tirade.
Samuel, my brother and Lucy’s boyfriend – mate – whatever the current term was – looked torn between amusement and desperation as he attempted to calm this five-foot-nothing fire-storm.
I chuckled again; she was just so amusing to watch. She was now storming back and forward, swearing like the proverbial sailor.
Lucy and I grew up together on Earth, the youngling planet my parents stashed me on for safety, and I knew her better than anyone. She was scared. Word-vomit is her go-to for fear. And I couldn’t blame her; she’d just recently escaped captivity, where she was tortured by Olden, our old compound leader on Earth. We had no idea what awaited us in the hands of these strange hybrid humans. I don’t know exactly what type of welcome I had expected, but immediate imprisonment ... well, it was a little less friendly than I had hoped.
Absentmindedly, I rubbed the now non-existent scar on my chest where Olden had stabbed me. I still wondered if it had been another inch to the left whether I would be here to tell this tale.
Yeah, I know my father is a kick-ass god, but considering I’m just a half-Walker whose longevity and powers are unknown, I won’t be thinking of myself as indestructible yet. In fact, Josian, god-like father, had once believed I was the only half-Walker in existence. But my aunt Francesca, a.k.a. the crazy soothsayer, assures us there is one on each of First World’s youngling planets. And it’s my job to find and gather them. Hence the reason we’re sitting in a prison on the youngling planet of Spurn.
“Aribella, do something to stop her before they come back.” Samuel, who rarely spoke, had decided that now was the time to start ordering me around.