52 Chapter 52 The Gift of Sigh (1/2)

As they all settled down for the night, Gia decided she couldn't trust her mother to not cause trouble while everyone was asleep.

”Mom, I think it would be best if you and dad slept in the back of the tent,” said Gia, grabbing their bags and moving them to the furthest sleeping platform in the back of the tent.

”What? Why?” asked Carla, gathering the sleeping blankets and rolls up and following her.

”Dad can't see if we get attacked in the night, so I thought it would be best if Vonn and I slept near the door,” she said, thinking fast.

”Keep in mind, young lady, that the two of you aren't married yet,” chided Carla, waving a finger at her after setting the blankets down.

”Carla,” said Tom. ”Just because we haven't held some kind of ceremony, doesn't mean the two can't claim they're married. We can still have a ceremony later. I doubt there would be a soul alive who could complain after everything we've been through.”

Gia watched as her mom nodded thoughtfully at Tom's words, and sighed inwardly at the change in subject. While it wasn't what she would have preferred as a change in topic, it would work for her.

Mikey came up to her, holding his Limcheez Sprout in his hands. The tiny green fuzzball was looking around and blinking his eyes curiously.

”Gia! Sprout ate all the food I gave him. Can I have some more? I don't want him to get hungry!”

”Alright, Mikey. I should have some of my rations still in my bag. I didn't finish all of it,” she said with a smile, heading back over to her bag.

Mikey beat her to it, and set his new pet down to rummage in the bag. Sprout wrapped his long prehensile tail around Mikey's ankle while he looked around. His two little feet stuck out of his fur, as he twisted and turned to see everything.

Once she had Mikey settled on his own sleeping platform with his new friend, she helped Vonn finish settling their blankets and bedrolls. Her stomach was churning at the thought of starting the night at his side, but she had to agree with her dad. Her and Vonn should start acting like they were married, instead of sleeping apart. The ceremony could wait.

”Are you alright?” he asked, as he lay down and pulled the covers up.

”I'm a little nervous about this,” she whispered, not wanting her parents to hear.

Vonn laughed. ”Don't worry, my Giavanna. I'm not going to ravish you here, in the middle of a lizard village. I plan to wait until we have our own bed in our own house. Do you mind?”

Find authorized novels in Webnovel，faster updates, better experience，Please clickfor visiting.

The relief and disappointment that washed over her was very confusing, and seeing her face only made him laugh more.

The next morning came far faster than Gia was expecting. The moment she heard noises of the others starting to stir, she was wide awake and climbing out of the bed. Her mother hadn't tried anything in the night, and she was very grateful. Hopefully the wild attitude her mother had the other day would stay gone. Gia sincerely hoped it was just a weird reaction to the spell the lizard healer had used.

”The Witch Doctor is ready for you,” said a small lizardman, sticking its head in to tell them its message, and then darting away.

”Quickly! Pack everything up so we can head out as soon as this is done!” said Gia, throwing things into her bag.

The others didn't hesitate, and she could see Tom pacing nervously as he waited the few moments it took to fold the bedrolls. Making their way out of the tent, it was easy to see where they were supposed to go. The lizardman witch doctor had an alter set up near the back of the village. The round plate where a fire was gently burning, looked to have sticks poking out of it, much like a giant bird's nest. The doctor was moving some of the items near the flames slowly with the scale they had given him.

Gia led them towards the alter, wondering if this was such a good idea, when she saw what the items he was moving were. A human skull, some rib bones, and a large leg bone were being moved slowly around the red coals. Swallowing, she realized the skull was too small to be from a grown man.

”In order for this to work, there is a cost,” said the lizard as they approached. ”Returning sight requires a sacrifice. I refuse to expend my personal life force to return this ability to you, but if you are willing to give up something of equal worth, your sight can be returned.”