Chapter 4

Jagger's boots hit the stone path leading away from the square.

"Stop right there, Jagger!"

A shrill, grating voice cut through the tension.

A woman stepped into their path, blocking the way. She wore a skirt made of vibrant, iridescent feathers that caught the sunlight. Her face was painted with aggressive red lines, and her eyes were fixed on Cora with pure, unadulterated hatred.

This was Inell, the tribe leader's daughter.

Cora lifted her head from Jagger's shoulder. The sheer malice radiating from Inell made the hair on her arms stand up.

Inell pointed a manicured finger at Cora. "You brought back a piece of trash from the mud? Look at her. She's pathetic. She smells like a rotting corpse."

Jagger's body went rigid. He slowly lowered Cora to her feet, stepping in front of her, completely shielding her from Inell's view.

"Move, Inell," Jagger warned. His voice was a low, dangerous rumble that vibrated in the air.

Inell flinched, her eyes shining with unshed tears of jealousy. She had thrown herself at Jagger for years, only to be ignored. And now, he was protecting this filthy outsider.

She forced a sickeningly sweet smile onto her face. She snatched a beautifully crafted leather waterskin from one of the women standing behind her.

"I only came to offer you water, Jagger," Inell purred, holding the skin out. "My father sent the sweetest spring water for our strongest warrior."

Jagger didn't even blink. He didn't reach for it. The disgust in his eyes was clear.

Inell's smile tightened. She shifted her gaze to Cora, peeking out from behind Jagger's arm.

"If Jagger won't drink, perhaps your... little pet is thirsty," Inell said, her voice dripping with fake pity. She shoved the waterskin toward Cora. "Drink. You look like you're dying."

Cora stared at the waterskin. Her throat was parched, but something in Inell's eyes felt wrong.

"BEEP! Critical Warning! Liquid contains high concentrations of alien aphrodisiac herbs. Ingestion will cause severe mental disorientation and forced heat."

DAISY's voice screamed in Cora's head.

A cold sweat broke out on the back of Cora's neck. Inell wanted her to drink it. She wanted Cora to lose her mind in front of the entire tribe, to become a spectacle of uncontrollable lust.

Cora's hands trembled as she reached out. Behind her lowered eyelashes, DAISY's interface rapidly scanned the ground beneath them. "Notice: Indigenous 'Blue Flame Grass' detected in stone crevices at 6 o'clock. Chemical property: Reacts violently with alien aphrodisiacs, emitting visible vapor." Cora's mind raced. This wasn't just a trap; it was her chance to turn the tables. She adjusted her footing, calculating the exact angle.

She played the part of the weak, exhausted victim perfectly. Just as her fingertips brushed the leather, she feigned a stumble, intentionally twisting her wrist to knock the waterskin downward at a sharp angle.

The heavy waterskin slipped from her grasp. It didn't just hit the stone. It splashed directly onto the cluster of small, blue-leafed weeds growing in the cracks of the path.

The moment the liquid touched the 'Blue Flame Grass', a violent chemical reaction occurred.

Thick, bright pink smoke hissed up from the weeds, carrying a heavy, sickeningly sweet, musky scent.

Several older hunters in the crowd instantly covered their noses, their eyes widening in shock.

"That's heat-root!" one of them yelled, pointing at the pink smoke. "It's a breeding drug!"

The square erupted into chaos. Every eye turned to Inell. The disgust that had been aimed at Cora was now entirely focused on the Chief's daughter.

Inell's face drained of all color. She stumbled backward, her hands shaking. "I... I didn't know! My servant must have grabbed the wrong skin!"

Jagger didn't care about her excuses.

He lunged. His massive hand wrapped around Inell's throat, lifting her entirely off the ground.

Inell kicked her legs wildly, her hands clawing at his thick forearm. Her face turned a deep, mottled purple as her airway was crushed.

He was going to snap her neck right there.

Cora knew if Jagger killed the Chief's daughter, the entire tribe would turn on him. She grabbed his thick bicep.

"Jagger, stop," she pleaded, her voice shaking.

The warmth of her small hands on his skin seemed to break through his bloodlust. Jagger's golden eyes flicked to Cora. The murderous rage in them dialed back just a fraction.

He threw Inell onto the hard stone path like a piece of garbage.

Inell gasped for air, coughing violently, tears streaming down her face.

Jagger stood over her, his chest heaving. He looked at Inell, then swept his deadly gaze over the rest of the tribe.

"If anyone touches her again," Jagger roared, his voice echoing off the stone huts, "I will slaughter your entire bloodline."

He turned, scooped Cora up into his arms, and walked away, leaving the tribe in stunned, terrified silence.