I met his gaze, unable to understand why he was talking about that. “Why do you do that?”
“Do what?” he shrugged nonchalantly.
“Keep ignoring my question.”
“Perhaps you’re not listening close enough to see I am answering your question.”
I ran a hand down my face, frustration bubbling in my chest as I recalled the other Vepars’ riddled way of talking to me in the club. But these men weren’t from our world, so maybe this was their way of communicating. Never directly but hinting at things. So, I’d try to remain patient and follow their logic.
“Okay.” I twisted to face him, tucking a bent leg between us. “So, your world is frozen and is no longer inhabitable, and that’s why you’re here?”
He shook his head. “Look beyond the obvious answer.”
I sighed heavily. “Can’t you just tell me?”
But he sat there, silence filling the space between us, and he studied me, waiting for my response. Was this part of his experiment? See how the humans’ mind worked, what we focused on?
“You asked why I’m here, which could be taken as either why we came to Earth or why I’m in this garden. I answered in a way that best suited both of those questions.”
I blinked hard, my head buzzing with trying to make sense of his response. All right, I could do this. “This Russian village has people permanently living there despite the hellish cold, so they’ve learned to find a life in extreme weather. They’ve adapted.” I met his smiling gaze. “And you’re on our planet to acclimate and identify the differences. And for the garden, you want to find out more about me. To adapt.” My mouth split into a grin, and I couldn’t help it, especially when he nodded and smirked.
“Good girl.”
That small gesture made me perversely happy as if I were back at school and I’d just passed the hardest exam. But now half a dozen more questions prodded my mind, and if getting the answer to them required this much work, I’d die of exhaustion.
“Let’s start with something simple. What’s your name?” I tucked loose strands of hair behind an ear.
“Why do you do that?” he asked, studying my hand as I lowered it from my hair.
In all honesty, I hadn’t given it much thought or even noticed the habit half the time. “Nerves I guess, and-” But I paused, reminding myself who I spoke with and that this wasn’t a casual conversation with a guy I crushed on. This Vepar acted normal and interested and polite, but I still had no clue about his intention. Sure, he wanted to get to know me, but why?
I cleared my throat and straightened my posture before lowering my leg and turning to face the city in the far distance. “Why are you and the other two following me? And be straight with me.”
Instead of responding, he stood. “I’d better be leaving. I’ll see you soon, Ella.” And with those few words, he strolled down the path, leaving me alone with renewed fear bottled in my chest threatening to swallow me whole.