Page 86 of Riv's Sanctuary
“Xid,” she said. “Mee talk too yoo.” She pointed to herself than back at him. “Hee kyann help.”
Riv’s brows furrowed a little before his gaze moved to the stall’s merchant, who was rising from beneath the stall.
The long, gray neck of the peeli merchant appeared. The alien blinked at them with large, dark eyes.
A flash of excitement crossed La-rehn’s features.
“Da lan-gwedge up-lohd. Kyann yoo gihv it too him?” She motioned to him and Riv narrowed his eyes, trying to figure out what she was saying.
The merchant blinked at her.
"Da lan-gwedge up-lohd!" La-rehn made an exasperated sound before she began miming something, using her free hand to make an open and shut motion, which she mimicked with her mouth.
Riv glanced back at the merchant.
There were language disks in the back of the stall and La-rehn’s meaning became clear.
His eyes widened a little. “Do you have her language file here?”
The merchant La-rehn referred to as Xid blinked at him with large eyes. "Depends. But I don't know what she is. Which language does she speak?"
La-rehn’s brows dived toward her nose. “Hees not speekin da troot. Hee nohz mee. Ai was heer wit Geblit.”
He wished he could understand what she was saying but he recognized Geblit’s name.
“What language are you speaking?” he asked.
"Een-glish," La-rehn offered.
"Een-glish?" Xid blinked. "Never heard of it. Can't help you then." The long neck began retreating behind the stall and Riv reached his hand in his pocket to retrieve a teruva coin.
They were untraceable but valuable and rare. He always travelled with a few.
Setting the coin on the stall's counter immediately stopped the neck from retreating.
"Scan for it," Riv said.
"Ah, yes, I can scan for it." Xid eyed the coin. "Will take a while, though."
La-rehn let out another exasperated breath, her frown etched deeper into her skin.
He supposed he understood what was making her upset.
Xid already had her language file. How else would she know the merchant?
Sliding another coin forward, he eyed the merchant.
Xid tilted his head. "Might go a little faster."
Riv slid another coin.
Xid snatched all three with a skinny hand. "Okay. I can do it for you now."
Riv made a sound of annoyance in his throat.
The merchant retrieved a language transmitter. "Een-glish. Planet Earth. Ready for upload." Xid glanced at Riv. "There are other languages from that planet in the database. Would you like them uploaded too?"
"No." He lifted his hand and realized then that La-rhen was still holding on to him. Forcing his gaze away, he used his free hand to release his messhi from around his face. "I only need to speak to her. I’m not interested in speaking to others of her kind."