Raven Tide

18: Jahaa (Chyani)

"Begin," a nine-foot-tall olive green and orange Zhaguai female scientist commanded.

She glared at me, tapping one of her long quills as we sat across from one another in the tiny stark white room.

I ogled the tiny cube puzzle she laid out in front of me on the metal table. It looked fairly straightforward, but I couldn't keep my legs still.

It'd been six days of endless medical examinations and isolation. Normally, I didn't mind being trapped indoors for extended intervals, but I hadn't seen Raven Tide or even a single window throughout my entire detainment.

The Zhaguai called this place the Institute, and they hadn't done me any real harm beyond making me sleep in an uncomfortable bed and boring me out of my mind.

I pressed one of my newly formed fingers on the puzzle's top corner, then rolled it sideways to gauge the scientist's reaction.

The woman growled and stood up, then she snatched the puzzle box away and stormed out of the room with her long orange quills swaying behind.

I wasn't trying to be difficult. I just couldn't take being trapped under a microscope for one second longer.

I sighed and laid my head sideways on the table, fidgeting my brand-new fingers on the surface of the table.

I was still mad at Raven Tide, but mostly... now I was worried.

Every night I replayed my final moments with him inside the transport before he locked me up and broke my trust in him forever.

I knew why he did it. It was a logical decision, but trust and logic rarely flow together.

Just tell me he's ok...

I chewed on my lip and sat up.

The Zhaguai on Sahei were different than I expected. They spoke more formally than Raven Tide and were strict about everything.

His speech cadence must have been indicative of his slightly different upbringing. Raven Tide mentioned that he and his brother spent a great deal of time on Menthla with his mother's species when they were children.

My fears suddenly shattered when the heavy metal door swung open.

"Raven Tide," I shot up and hugged him.

He chuckled and wrapped his big warm arms around me.

"Check you out," his long white ears perked up. "Got your own V.I.P. sterile exam room and everything!"

"Lucky me," I wiped my eyes and smiled. "You can have it all if you want it."

"Oh, I'd take you up on it if I could," Raven Tide curled his clawed finger under my chin. "But I'm nowhere near as special as you."

"When can I leave?"

"Soon," Raven Tide took a seat on the lip of the table. "But the big brains need you to prove what you can do."

"But it's so boring," I rolled my eyes and slumped into the metal chair. "Can they at least move me to a room with a window or let me step outside for some fresh air?"

Raven Tide shook his head. "Gotta prove you're worthy to get the glory."

"Fine," I huffed and sat up straight. "Where's Chupacabra with her pokey box?"

"Chu'saka," Raven Tide corrected me with a chitter. Then he hopped up and nodded at one of the blank white walls.

"Is that like a two-way mirror?" I scooted my chair up to the table.

"Try four," Raven Tide spun his index finger in a circle.

"Yeesh," I cringed my teeth. "How big is my audience?"