Allies (Warriors of Karal Book 5) Read Online Free PDF

explain again that it was necessary, but he knew it would make him sound weak. He sighed. As if he cared what she thought.
    He couldn’t care, could he? Not yet. He didn’t know her. She didn’t know him. But his thoughts had already turned to what would pass between them later, when he took her to his bed. It had been made very clear that it would be better for them to consummate their relationship before they left for deep space. It meant that if, for any reason, they were not compatible, things could be sorted out on Karal rather than in deep space. Although, looking at Petra, he could not believe that they would be in any way incompatible.
    He led her back to the space cruiser, passing two more members of the Karal as they went. Niko found a strange emotion creeping over him. He was jealous when they looked at Petra. He wanted to tell them that she was his, a strange thing to say when the Karal were used to sharing everything they had. They had homes, they had material objects, but always they knew that they worked for the greater good. The farmers grew their crops to feed the species. The miners worked tirelessly for the precious irons and metals that the Karal needed to build the components of the space cruisers, and anything else they had to manufacture. The warriors risked their lives in deep space, finding new technologies and searching out females when the time was right to breed. This was how they worked, for the common good. So why did he feel so possessive of Petra?
    “You will land on Karal in approximately fifteen of your Earth minutes,” he said to her, for no reason other than he felt the need to make conversation.
    She just nodded in answer, watching in silence as they pulled away from the space station and turned to head towards Karal. It was as if his brain had all thoughts extracted from it; no matter how hard he tried, he could not think of anything else to say to her. Nor could he work out why it mattered. They could sit here in silence; it’s what he would have done if he was travelling with another Karalian. But for some reason, he wanted to engage in conversation, to find out who she really was, to break the silence that was like a barrier between them.
    “We should have some time to explore the planet tomorrow. If that is something you would like to do?” Niko asked.
    He thought she wasn’t going to answer, but then she did. “I’d like that. Maybe you could show me your favourite place on Karal. I know we don’t have long, but I would like to see some of your planet before we go into deep space.”
    “I would very much enjoy showing you the ocean.”
    “I’d like that,” she said, sounding enthusiastic. “The oceans on Earth aren’t the sort of place you visit. There’s no life left in the water, and when the waves wash up on the shore, they are a sickly thick green. We are told not to touch it, and certainly not to venture into. Can we walk in your ocean?”
    “Yes, we can,” he said, smiling and his colours once again lit up across his skin. She made him feel strange, she made him feel alive, but more than anything, she made him want to please her. He was now already reassessing his thoughts about them being equal, because he knew that if he wasn’t careful, she would have the upper hand. It was like she had some control over him.
    And they hadn’t even slept together yet.
     
     

Chapter Seven – Petra
     
    Karal grew larger as she looked out of the window of the space cruiser, the violet skies vibrant as they descended through the atmosphere. She could see white fluffy clouds, similar to those that used to drift in the clear skies above the Earth. A sense of excitement filled her, the thought of landing on this new planet, of breathing fresh air and eating fresh foods, was awakening her adventurous spirit, and allowing her to come to terms with leaving Earth. She could imagine that if she had entered the lottery and was coming here willingly, she would have been more