My Wild Beast
Chapter 33: Princess Treatment (2)

Chapter 33: Princess Treatment (2)

"All jokes aside." Atia raised his hands, one still holding the bones of the fish. He really did obliterate it, swallowing most of it down like a hoover. "We need to clear your name, or the tribe will continue causing problems for you. You’ll have more deaths on your hands."

"We can discuss that later," Yoa replied firmly, his tone leaving no room for argument. "It is not important right now." As Yoa spoke, he’d begun helping Nova nonchalantly, lifting the fish bones and scraping some of the meat away with that smooth stick. A small pile of meat was piling up on the bowl for Nova.

Yoa made sure to move aside some of the smaller bones he could see with his heightened eyesight. Nova won’t be choking on her food ever again. Next time he touches her face, there will be nothing to interrupt them or for Nova to hurt herself with. She really was a fragile little thing.

"Like dealing with Vulcan?" Atia asked, leaning his elbow on his leg, cheek resting on his fist as he watched the two, feeling a little sickened at their little lovey-dovey bubble they were unaware of.

"That and getting Nova back to where she belongs." Even as Yoa said that he unwittingly furrowed his brows.

Nova sighed after eating more bites, thankful to Yoa and feeling a little spoilt as he sorted her food for her. Spoilt or perhaps a child? No, she would go with the former. There were seriously no complaints here, and now, after watching Yoa move aside the ribcage of the fish, she knew how to get more meat for herself.

However, Nova might still find some tiny bones that could lodge in her throat like she did earlier. As long as Yoa didn’t completely throw her off balance with little gestures like cupping her face, then there should be no more choking!

"How exactly are you going to do that?" Atia asked, still a little sickened after watching the pair. He was trying to help build this ship, but was it going to be so damned sweet whenever he interacted with them. "I don’t understand the problem, but you two have made it seem almost impossible..."

Nova sighed again and then began retelling to Atia what had happened to her leading up to this moment. While catching him up on everything, she finished her meal with a satisfied sigh, even as the weight of what she’d told Atia settled further into her mind about her reality.

"Wait... So... You’re telling me your people are gone..." Atia said slowly, re-braiding his hair after listening to Nova’s crazy little story.

Nova began clearing up the fish bones and remains of their meal, tidying up as she nodded, "Yep."

"And... You’re telling me you fell in the lake the first time one of the tribes chased you and this man called Chase?" Atia glanced at Yoa, whose expression was blank at the mention of another man familiar with Nova.

Nova nodded again. "And you fell in the lake when it was at night time and resurfaced during the day...?" Atia looked her over. "You can’t hold your breath for really long or breathe underwater?"

"No?!" Nova laughed and then realised that this could be a possibility for some of the tribe’s people here. She really couldn’t knock off any possibility now. There was something about this island that was magical, making everything possible.

She’d seen men transform into beasts. Huge-ass eagles dominating the sky. Walked through a creepy-ass forest full of dead, ghostly women wanting to snatch babies and men. Anything is possible.

"Hmmm... Didn’t think so, but I was just checking. Why don’t you try jumping back into the lake?" Atia said simply, shrugging. Nova’s head snapped up at the mention of the lake.

"W-what?"

"Seems like you might have travelled here from the lake. What if you just resurfaced in the wrong universe?" Atia stated like it was the simplest thing in the world.

Anything is possible.

"Atia," Yoa said quietly, trying to silence him with a look.

"Whaaat?!" Atia gestured with his hands in mercy. "Sounds to me like one of those legends. Can’t remember how it goes. But if the lake doesn’t accept her, then it means she’s stuck here."

Stuck... here...

Nova gaped at him and Yoa. "Wait, what?! Legend... The lake doesn’t accept me??" She hopped up and gripped Atia by the shoulders, staring him down even as she was half his size. "What do you mean the lake won’t accept me?!"

What does that mean?! Would she really be stuck here?

Atia shrugged, smirking over her shoulder at Yoa in a goading manner that Nova’s hands were on him. Yoa’s eyes reflected back like two bright sunsets, ready to burn him alive with a look alone. "I don’t know much about the legends, I didn’t care to listen, and I’m not a preacher, man. But... Luna Lacus is next to the Sacred Lands. It’s possible you’re a traveller between worlds."

Between... Worlds? Nova stared back at Atia in shock. Honestly, it shouldn’t be so shocking by this point.

Nova had accepted everyone else on this island could shift and that there were other supernatural creatures. The island itself seemed to pulse as if the ground itself was alive. But to accept that she’d possibly travelled between worlds... nah-ah. That meant she was supernatural, too, or something supernatural happened to her.

The cavernous room started to spin. For a moment there Nova thought some supernatural phenomenom was occurring because why the hell not after everything else... But it she was merely starting to feel dizzy because this was something else she couldn’t handle. If Atia is correct that meant she was much further away from her family, friends and life than she thought.

Worlds apart, even. That idea made her body shiver, and nausea coil in her stomach. Yoa’s hand slipped around Nova’s waist, both to steady her and glare at Atia. He didn’t like them being that close. He stepped back with her as she steadied herself into him, hand gripping his bicep, as she breathed slower to get a hold of herself and her surroundings.

Yoa could see the fatigue falling over Nova at the mention of her being possibly in a different universe. "That was very... helpful," Yoa grunted at his friend.

Atia shrugged again, whipping his plait behind him. "Glad I could help," he said either completely obliviously to Yoa or purposely. He couldn’t quite read his expression right now when Nova looked so suddenly tired and pale.

"Atia, it’s time you left," Yoa muttered, his attention on Nova.

"Wow, thanks, bro, you’re a real charmer," Atia complained dramatically.

"It’s been a long day for us," Yoa explained as he started leading Nova towards the bed, letting her sit down.

Atia looked between them, a grin spreading. "Ohhhhhhh alright. Go have some rest kids," He winked at Yoa.

Yoa gave him a deadpan look before dismissing his friend by ignoring him. Atia pouted and lumbered past them. "I’ll keep a lookout for any more trouble from the Oncari. I can’t promise anything..." He paused by the threshold of the entrance, looking back at the pair, hands going behind his head again.

Nova arched an eyebrow at the guy posing again, flexing those muscles.

"And Nova, my little snack...." He smirked at Yoa’s responding little growl. "I do hope to see your pretty little face again." He blew her a kiss.

"Out!" Yoa snapped. "Now!"

Boisterous laughter followed Atia as he left the pair to it.