“Woah!” Dagger whispers as the nest moves. There are two small windows on the nest: one on each side. She peeks out the one at her end watches as we’re lifted up and away from the ground. “This is incredible. We’re so high.”
I chuckle because we’re only about 15 feet off the ground. It’s high enough that the lellianes can’t get us, but low enough that we won’t be seriously injured if something happens and the branch breaks or the nest falls. That won’t happen, but I like to be prepared, just in case.
Once the nest reaches its stopping point, I relax. Now it’s time to have a snack and go to sleep for the night. I glance at Dagger, but she’s peering out of the window still. The moonlight pours in the nest and illuminates her hair, casting a lovely glow on her, and suddenly, I realize I’m going to be lucky if I sleep at all.
Chapter 6
Dagger
A nest.
I’m sleeping on a nest that’s hanging from a tree with a huge blue alien I met in the middle of the jungle.
And for the first time in days, I feel myself physically relax. For the first time since I overheard Stremon and Mrs. Finkle talking about their plan, I feel like everything might be okay. For the first time in what seems like forever, I can breathe normally.
I can rest.
I can have some peace.
I barely know this guy, Ezra, but he makes me feel safe in a way I never have before. It doesn’t hurt that he’s super fine, too. Seriously. It’s not fair that aliens are so damn sexy. As a human, I have to watch every bite I eat. I have to exercise. I have to take strict care of my body or I’ll gain weight and lose my strength. Ezra doesn’t seem to have that problem, I think, as he reaches into his pack and pulls out some food.
I get the feeling he can eat whatever he wants and still look like a god.
And I don’t mind looking at him.
Not at all.
“Are you hungry?” He asks after a second. There’s plenty of room to sit up in the nest. We’re sitting at opposite ends, but our legs are touching, and I’m curious as to how sleeping is going to work. I mean, will we sleep with our heads at either end of the nest? Will we cuddle? Do I want to?
There are so many questions racing through my head, but right now, I need to focus on the one he just asked me.
Am I hungry?
Yes, but I think I’m going to throw up from nervousness and excitement if I eat anything.
“No,” I shake my head, but Ezra’s eyes narrow.
“When was the last time you ate?”
I can’t remember.
“Um…”
My stomach chooses that moment to growl loudly, betraying me. I glare at no one in particular, frustrated at my body.
“You should eat, human,” Ezra says. Then he softens his voice, breaks off a bit of the food he’s eating, and hands it to me. “It’ll give you energy.”
“What is this?” I ask, accepting the food. It looks like fresh baked bread and smells just as good, but it doesn’t smell like bread. It smells like fruit.
“My sister made it,” Ezra smiles. “Try some.”
Gingerly, I stick out my tongue and lick the fruit bread thing.
“It’s good,” I say, suddenly realizing it tastes like candy. I eat the entire thing and hold out my hand for more. I know I look like a hungry little kid, but I don’t care. That stuff is incredible.
Ezra just laughs and hands me more.