by Zara Zenia
The temperature seemed even colder behind the cave. The wind was coming directly at him. Usually, he didn't have a problem with the temperature outside. He loved the heat and the cold equally, and he loved being outside.
But standing in the river, he wished for the walls of the palace more than ever. The water was ice cold and his hands were shaking as he waded deeper, waiting for the fish that he wasn't sure were there.
“All right,” he tried to psych himself up and then reached into the water, using his finger as wiggling bait.
It might have been the Creator looking out for him, but he could see shining fish scales reflected in the water with the dying light guiding his way.
The cold motivated him to move faster, and within ten minutes, he had several fish bodies thrown on the shore. He thought that his feet had turned to ice, but he waited a moment or two longer, wanting to grab another one just in case.
His patience paid off, and there was a giant one swimming toward him. It was a particularly gross-looking fish, with several eyes and a huge mouth, but he would have eaten it raw at this point in the day.
He nabbed it and slammed the rock against it just as the last ray of sunlight disappeared.
His teeth were chattering as he came out of the water and headed toward the cave again, with fish in his arms. He was regretting everything, and he wasn't sure that he would ever get warm again. However, when he saw Margot at the back of the cave, waiting for him with a smile, he thought that he would do it all over again in a heartbeat.
“Wow,” she said when she saw the size and number of fish. “Those are amazing. You're magic.”
Draklan placed them on a rock beside her. Margot handed him a few sticks that she had gathered that had sharp points at the end. Before long, the cave was filed with the delicious smell of cooking fish, and they were warm beside each other.
“I think we make a pretty decent team,” Draklan said to her as the fish cooked.
“I think we make a good team too,” she said, leaning against him. “But I'm starting to get scared.”
“Don't be scared,” he said to her, kissing the top of her head. “We'll figure this out.”
“You didn't see anyone out there?” she asked.
“No,” he said. “We're safe for the night. Pull that ugly fish out of there. It's almost black.”
“I'm glad that I can't really see it,” Margot said. “Because I don't think I would even want to paint it, let alone eat it.”
Draklan laughed as he took the stick from her.
“These fish are actually a delicacy,” he said. “It's called an Umblu fish, and the bigger and uglier they are, the tastier they’re supposed to be.”
“Is that true?” she asked.
“No,” he said with a laugh. “But we can pretend that’s the case.”
“It's a romantic candlelit dinner,” she said.
He took a bite. “A date,” he said.
“Yeah,” she said. “Date night. That's something they encourage you do to even after you are married.”
“Hmm?” he asked with a mouthful of fish.
“Date night,” she said. “It's like . . . after you’re married and all the romance has gone out of your relationship, you choose a night of the week to go out on a date like you did when you were courting.”
“Oh,” he said. “I suppose I see the point in that. Except . . .”
“We didn't exactly have a courtship,” she said. “So I suppose we're doing things backward.”
“Well, I was always told my life wasn't normal,” Draklan said.
Margot bit into her fish. Despite the fact that it was harshly cooked and she’d never had it before, she seemed to finish it with gusto. He was watching her closely, and she seemed to gain more energy and more spark as the night went on.
“How's your head?” he asked after they had finished eating.
“It still hurts,” she said. “But we're going to sleep soon?”
“I think that's a good idea,” he said. “I want to be out of here before the real dawn light comes in. If we stay here, they’ll eventually find us.”
“We can treat it like a luxury hotel,” she said. “A cave hotel, five stars, a niche experience.”
“With extra-hard beds that are good for your back,” he said, getting into the spirit.
They dosed the fire and found a place in the cave where they could both lie down. However, with the fire doused, the temperature dropped even further. Margot rolled right into Draklan's arms, and he put a strong hand on her shoulder.
“It's okay,” he said. “I know it feels cold, but this region won't get dangerously cold. We'll be uncomfortable, but we'll be safe.”
“Do you think . . . you can think of another way to keep me warm?” she asked.
“I . . .” He could think of an exact way to keep her warm, but he didn't want to assume anything. “Possibly. What did you have in mind?”
“Well,” Margot said, and he felt her lips on his neck. “I felt really warm back in the forest when we were kissing. You could try that.”
He didn't need to be told twice. He kissed her fully, and she shifted to lie on top of him. Draklan could feel his body answering to her weight, and he wasn't sure whether to engage or make it less obvious. He didn't want to do anything she didn't want to do.
It soon became obvious, however, that his ideas matched hers. She lay her full weight on top of him, and Draklan moaned as she kissed him.
“We should probably . . . try to keep most of our clothes on,” he managed, trying to be practical. “It's so cold.”
“I can do that,” she said, reaching between them.
Even though their relationship had begun awkwardly, they both had been aching with physical need for a while. As soon as there were no barriers between their bodies, they fit together perfectly.
“Oh, Creator,” he moaned as Margot began to move.
Both of them had been deprived for quite a while, and he didn't last long. Their every emotion and movement seemed to fit perfectly together, and their pleasure rose in tandem. When he finished, she finished with him, both of them trying to muffle their cries of pleasure as they rode the waves.
She collapsed on top of him, panting when it was over and gently running her hands over his torso. For quite a while, neither of them could speak, lost in their pleasure.
“That . . . wow,” Draklan managed. “That was amazing.”
“Yeah,” Margot said. “It was.”
He hugged her to his chest, wanting to never let her go. “You're so good at that,” he said.
She grinned. “Are you implying that I've had lots of practice?”
“What? No, no, I wasn't trying to . . .” he panicked.
She laughed, sitting up a bit. “I'm teasing you,” she said. “I'll take the compliment.”
“You, uh . . .” He didn't know how to ask. “You've only been with David?”
“Yes,” she said. “I had boyfriends before him, but it wasn't serious and we didn't . . . get that far. So just the one.”
“I was just curious,” he said. “If we're going to spend the rest of our life together, I want to know everything about you.”
“What about you?” she asked. “I know it's been more than one.”
“Not many more, actually,” he said. “I think three or four. None of them were anything serious. They were just . . . life.”
“Did your mother know?” she was teasing him again, and he gave her a little pinch, which made her giggle.
“We should sleep,” he said. “Because the sun comes up early.”
“Mmm.” She snuggled into his chest. “This is the most comfortable I've ever been in my life. Are you comfortable?”
“Completely,” he assured her.
Their day had been exhausting, and Margot's head was still giving her trouble. Both of them drifted off to sleep fairly quickly, despite the uncomfortable conditions. He slept fitfully, waking up every hour or so to make sure she was all right
and make sure they were still alone. By the first rays of dawn, he knew that his mind wouldn't let him sleep anymore.
Gently, as to not wake Margot, he slipped out from under her. Now that it was light, the temperature was a little warmer. But with light came the advantage of the fact that a fire couldn't be as easily spotted.
He took a moment at the tiny fire pit she had built to restart the fire. By the time she woke up, he hoped it would be crackling and warm.
Once the fire was built, he crept quietly to the mouth of the cave, surveying the landscape. They had really walked quite a distance the day before. Based on where he thought the shuttle was, he estimated it as at least four miles. He didn't feel as tired as he thought he would, given that they had basically run up the hill.
His memory of last night was also giving him energy. He hadn't expected it to happen, but he was eager for the opportunity to do it again. In his few moments of sleep, he had dreamed of taking Margot to his bed in the palace and entertaining her all night long.
He was so lost in his thoughts that he almost missed the movement below him. It was far enough below him that he thought he couldn't be seen from his position. As he squinted into the growing light, he saw that Margot's assumptions had been right.
One of the men was the mechanic he’d seen in the hangar. The other man looked just like him. They could be brothers, Draklan thought. From the way they were moving, looking about, Draklan knew that whoever they were, they were clearly looking for him and Margot.
These men were not mechanics. They were paid assassins, and they weren't going to give up until they found their targets.
Draklan moved slowly so that his movement couldn't be detected. He was afraid that even stepping on the wrong branch could alert them. He’d heard stories of these types of assassins, so well-trained that the wrong intake of breath could lead them to their target.
He crept into the cave, where Margot was still sleeping. She looked so peaceful beside the warm fire that he hated to wake her. However, he knew they had to keep moving for their safety.
“Margot,” he said, putting a hand on her shoulder. “Margot, love.”
She stirred but didn't wake. Her face had a slight smile on it, and her eyelids were fluttering. She was having a good dream, from the serene expression she had.
“Margot, my love,” he said again.
Her eyelids fluttered open. “Hi,” she said softly.
“Hi,” he said. “I'm sorry. We have to go.”
“What?” She seemed confused about where they were, and she sat up. As soon as she did, she winced, her hand going to her head. “Why? Where . . .”
“We're in the cave,” he said. “The shuttle crashed and—”
“Yes,” she said. “Yes, I remember. Oh, God. I was having the best dream.”
“I know,” he said, his voice full of regret.
“You know?” she asked.
“You just looked so . . . beautiful,” he said. “I promise you that we’re going to get out of here, and everything is going to be fine. But we have to go now. Those men are coming.”
“So, there are two of them?” she asked. “You saw?”
“Yes,” he said. “And you're right. It’s the mechanic and possibly, his brother. They were probably hired by someone.”
“To fix our ship?” she asked.
“To hurt us.” He didn't want to come out and say kill them, but she seemed to understand.
“Who would do that?” she asked.
There was silence between them. Draklan couldn't bring himself to say it.
“Draklan,” she said softly. “You know who would do that.”
“No,” he cried. “I can't . . . he wouldn't.”
“Who else would have?”
“I have so many enemies. So many enemies, Margot. You have no idea what it's like when you are trying to please a whole planet.”
“I'm sure there are some people who are quite upset,” Margot said. “But does any of them know you intimately enough to sabotage a shuttle?”
“These people have a way of finding out all sorts of things,” he said.
“We told no one where we were going or how we were getting there,” she said. “We didn't publicize it. We didn't approach anyone except Bhatraz.”
“We hate each other, it's true,” Draklan said. “We've scrapped our whole lives, Margot. And he isn't the only guilty one. The three of us brothers, we are very different people. Yes, we've absolutely hated each other for it all the time. But you're talking about killing each other . . .”
“Who inherits the island kingdom?” she asked. “If you die?”
“Well . . . it would revert to the crown and his children,” he admitted.
“And Rabbina is obsessed with you. Everyone knows that. You can't tear her off you half the time. He hates you for it.”
“She—”
“Stop arguing with me,” Margot cried at him, harsher than she meant it. “You know it's him. You know it's him.”
Draklan fell silent, shaking. Eventually, he spoke, his words calm and measured. “He Wouldn't. Do. That. I can't think that of him.”
“You have to,” Margot said. “You have to, because if we get out of here alive, we can't go back to the situation we were in. We'll die, Draklan. We almost died this time.”
“Argh!” he looked up at the cave ceiling, trying not to explode with anger. His anger wasn't necessarily directed at her, but he couldn't speak.
Margot looked at her hands. He knew he couldn't act like this when their lives were currently in danger, but his heart wouldn’t let him believe her words.
“Didn't you say we had to go?” she asked softly.
“Yes,” he said at last. “We have to go. Here.” He offered her his hand and she stood up.
“I'm not trying to say these things to hurt you,” she said softly.
“I know,” he said. “I just . . . this will destroy my family.”
“I don't know if it's a cold comfort,” she said, “but I will always be there for you. No matter what happens.”
He was experiencing so many conflicting emotions, and he didn't know what to say. So he chose to say nothing, dousing the fire and then covering it with some rocks.
“Come on,” he said. “Let's go.”
“Did you see any way we should go?” she asked.
“We should keep going in the direction we were headed,” he said. “There's a resort around here somewhere, and we may be able to make it there. To be honest, though, Margot, I don't know if we are going in the right direction, but . . . we have to keep going until we get a better plan.”
“Right,” she said. “Sort of hard to think and mountain climb.”
“We're going to have to,” he said as they headed out of the cave.
Margot knew that they had to move quickly, but when they got out of the mouth of the cave, she stopped.
“This is the view,” she said, and he turned to her.
“What?” he asked.
“This is the view that I painted for my gallery show,” she said. “I found a picture of it online, and I knew it was going to be the main piece. I couldn't tear my eyes away from it. I dreamed of it . . . and there it is, right in front of me. Oh, my God.”
He wanted to keep moving, but he allowed her a moment to take it all in.
“I could die happy right now,” she said.
“No dying,” he said. “I'm glad you're happy, but I'm not ready for you to die.”
He took her hand and pulled her directly up the hill. Margot took one last look and then started climbing up the hill.
“Draklan,” she said. “I'm sorry about what happened in the cave.”
“You don't have to apologize,” he said after they moved a little higher. “You did what you thought was right.”
“But . . . do you still think I'm wrong?” she asked.
“I don't think that you're wrong,” he said quietly. “But I can't . . . can't believe it right now.”
&nb
sp; “I could be wrong,” she said without any hope. “I mean . . . I don't know everything about the political situation here. You could have enemies who—”
“You know it's Bhatraz,” he finally said softly. “And I know it's Bhatraz too.” He swallowed past the lump of emotions in his throat. “I'm sorry that I put you in this situation.”
“Don't you mean you’re sorry that Tariana Drax didn't do her job properly?” Margot asked.
“No,” he said with a grin. “I'm not sorry that she didn't do her job properly. If she had, I might have ended up with some stuck-up princess who would refuse to sleep in a cave.”
Margot laughed at that. “At least it's a story we can tell our grandchildren,” she said.
It was the first time she had really talked about a future or children, let alone grandchildren. It filled Draklan with hope as they continued to climb. Maybe, just maybe, there was a chance they could get out of this. They wouldn't ever be able to go back to the way things were, but he had hope that they could make a better future for themselves than they had when they got on the shuttle.
“Let's start with children,” he said to her. “How many do you want?”
“Maybe two?” she said. “How many do you want?”
“Six?” he asked hopefully, and she looked ready to throw a stick at him.
“You wish,” she said with a laugh. “I'm not doing that.”
“We can start with two,” he said, laughing.
They had almost let go of the stress on their shoulders, climbing and reveling in safety. Suddenly, a gunshot came from behind them, and Draklan turned, seeing movement behind them.
“Run!” he said.
Chapter 17
Margot
The high ground continued to give them the advantage. However, even as they lost the assassins once again, Margot lost hope that they were going to find civilization.
“Are you sure that we are going in the right direction?” she asked.
“No,” he replied. “I'm really not. I don't know this area very well, so I thought the resorts would be up on the high ground, where the best views are. However, there is clearly nothing here. There goes my reservation.”