I shake my head, ponytail flipping from shoulder to shoulder. “I won’t.” And I’m surprised to find that I actually believe it. For now, anyway.
But more pressing is that he knows that something is raging inside my head. I can see it in his eyes. It’s a test. Will I show my hand first or wait for him to make the first move? He will deny it if I ask, and he knows I’ll deny it if he does.
Well, I can play that game.
I hook my finger around the chest straps of my harness and plant myself in the padded seat the alien just occupied. “Hey, Rhiv. I appreciate the gesture. Our people . . . well, no one’s given me anything like this before. Not really. Not without some other motive behind it. To test how pious I am, or whatever.”
“You’ll never take the ash if we continue treating you like a wild
