Archion seems to shake with pent-up energy or emotions too strong to contain. Khal is blinking rapidly, his mouth moving as if he wants to speak but can’t. Archion swallows hard, then looks at Nora.
The war of emotions playing through his face and body stops. He’s stock-still and the fire burning in his eyes is one of passion, love. Love so deep, so true, he’s walking away from his life as it has been and fully embracing the one Nora represents.
“Yes,” he says firmly.
Khal’s eyes burn into me, drawing me to him, forcing me to look away from the passion play that Archion and Nora are playing out. When I meet his eyes I’m burned by the intensity in them. The flames of his passion roar. My skin flushes hot and, embarrassingly, I’m wet and want nothing more than to jump on Khal and take him.
It’s a physical reaction to something so much more than physical. His eyes consume me, burning past all my fronts, the parts of me I show the world, and looking at me naked, not physically but spiritually. Me. He sees me and accepts me as I am. Flaws, broken parts, whole parts, skills and failures. He accepts me as me and I see him too. He’s throwing it all down, for me.
“Councilor,” he says, his eyes not leaving mine. “I will join my brother in exile.”
“Will you?” Tashak asks. “Both of you?”
“Yes, Councilor,” the brothers answer in unison.
My hearts stops, breath stops, time stops as tears form in the corners of my eyes. Khal turns to face Tashak but his attention doesn’t leave me for an instant. I’m wrapped in the warmth of his love.
Tashak rubs his chin, staring with a deep frown and furrowed brow. He looks at each of the men before him in turn, silent. My lungs burn, screaming for air, my muscles quiver, but he doesn’t speak, and I don’t dare to breathe.
“We are not monsters,” Tashak says, sighing and shaking his head.
He doesn’t say more, leaving us hanging. Waiting. What does he mean?
He looks at the two guards flanking him, neither of whom give any visible response. He raises his hands, then drops them to his sides. Khal’s eyes dart to Archion. The tension is killing me.
“You are to serve as Ambassadors to Draconov,” Tashak says, finally. “You are granted clearance to engage in general inquiries and basic resource disclosure, but that is it,” he adds with a stern look.
Excitement races through me with a burst of hope and joy. Khal’s eyes widen, my own shock and excitement mirrored in his expression.
“Thank you,” Archion says, glancing at his brother then looking at Nora with a broad smile spreading across his face.
“Do not simply stand there—there is no time!” Tashak orders. “Go!”
“Thank you, Tashak,” Khal offers, pulling me forward.
The Councilor nods.
“Perhaps we needed this disruption,” he returns cryptically. “Now, go. Quickly.”
He doesn’t have to say it again. Archion leads Nora down the stairs and Khal follows, pulling me along behind him. I make it down four steps before the panic hits me and I freeze in place, unable to move.
Khal’s strong arms wrap around me, pulling me tight. He leans down, his mouth close to my ear, his breath passing over my shoulder.
“I have you,” he whispers. “Nothing can hurt you while I draw breath.”
He holds me, not forcing me to move, doing nothing but holding me and strangely it’s enough. His strength flows into me and in that moment, he becomes my rock. Forcing my eyes open, I stare into the swirling depths of his purple ones. Lips trembling I nod, unable to speak. He understands. Holding my hands he takes a step backward, down the steps. I follow him, one step at a time. The tunnel closes around us. Tightening and panic rises, but something burns in him, passing through the gentle touch of his hands on mine.
We continue, one step, then another. When we reach the bottom, the fear isn’t gone, but it isn’t controlling me. The trembling in my limbs stops and I take deep breath, exhaling slowly. I nod and Khal turns, still holding my hand, but the tunnel isn’t wide enough for us to walk side by side. He leads the way.
My eyes adjust as we enter the tunnel itself, the length of it dimly lit with sporadic glowing rocks. It isn’t short like that first tunnel we took was. This thing is long. Long enough to hopefully spit us out somewhere safe.
Archion and Nora are a ways ahead of us and Khal sets a fast clip leading us along. I rush to keep up with him. Time is definitely of the essence here, but the tunnel seems to go on forever, turning slightly at one point, but going mostly straight.
It’s difficult to tell how long we’ve been down here for, but I would estimate maybe a full half hour before we see stairs leading up at the other end. By this point I’m out of breath and my thighs are screaming for a break, but we push through, climbing the steep stairs.
Khal and Archion lift the hatch at the top partway, popping their heads up enough to scan the area before disappearing from sight.
“Wait here,” Khal says.
Nora and I nod, but nobody’s there to see us. I listen intently, trying to figure out what’s going on out there. I don’t hear anything. Well, nothing until I hear that distinctive, familiar rumbling. Nora and I glance at each other.
“The rover,” we say in unison.
Someone must have moved it here for us, for this purpose. Khal reappears, gesturing for us to follow.
“There are no Invaders in sight. We must leave while that is still the case,” Archion says.
Copy that. Nora and I scramble up the stairs, blinking at the brighter light even though we’re still in shade. This particular tunnel spit us out in a rift, which I can appreciate. Some cover is nice knowing the enemy is out there.
“Come!” Archion calls out, already in the rover.
We all hurry over, sliding inside. No sooner are the doors closed than the rover lurches forward, back out into the open desert. After spending so much time locked inside, it’s almost a shock to see all this space. I reach out toward Khal without looking. He slips his hand into mine, squeezing it. I relax a little, my shoulders dropping as we gain distance.
All things considered... this turned out a hell of a lot better than I expected when I woke up this morning. I look over at Khal’s profile, his eyes alert as they scan the area around us through the window.
Yeah.
I can work with this.
21
Khal
I watch the desert around us, more aware of every danger that we could possibly encounter on Tajss than I ever have been, because of her. Everything is new, fresh, and different because she is in my life. My inner dragon has chosen. She is my mate, the one. She is more precious than my own life.
And for the first time, I feel a fear that I have not felt before as well. She is so vulnerable, so completely not suited to the harshness that is Tajss. I glance over to find her looking out the other window, her delicate profile beautiful, soft.
I will protect her with my life. There is no question.
Now, after everything that has happened, I marvel at how in control Archion was when he was separated from Nora.
“Khal.”
I look ahead at Archion’s warning tone.
“Yes?”
“Sismis, to the right.”
Leaning closer to the window and looking up at the fast darkening sky, I try to spot what he’s seeing. It does not take long to find the fluttering cloud of them flying directly toward us. Sharp teeth, talons, and leathery wings create a dark, foreboding mass. And then the screeching reaches us.
Blind, the creatures navigate through sound. Scavengers by nature, they are still a threat, able to tear and bite in a deadly swarm.
“What are we going to do?” Ashlee asks, craning her head to see the airborne threat.
“Do not worry,” I reassure her, opening my door as Archion brings the rover to a stop. “Their ears are very sensitive.” I hold up the whistle hanging from my neck for just such a danger. “This will be painful enough to drive the
m away.”
“A whistle?” she asks dubiously.
“Yes,” Archion confirms, opening his door and lifting his whistle up. He meets my gaze. “Ready?”
I nod and turn my attention to the sismis. I bring the instrument to my mouth, the smooth bone familiar and worn from time. Archion and I blow together. The sound is so high, we cannot detect it. When I glance at Ashlee, I see that she cannot either. It is out of range of the human hearing span as well. However, the flock of sismis reacts immediately.
The screeching increases, discordant as the cloud separates in confusion. They scatter individually, unable to navigate with sound any longer and attempting to escape the grating whistling, breaking their flock.
We don’t stop the sound until they are out of sight, the stragglers dipping and weaving drunkenly. Only then do we climb back into the humans’ rover and close our doors.
“Wow,” Nora whispers.
“Yeah, that was... really easy,” Ashlee agrees. “Where can we land a couple of those whistles?”
Archion and I laugh at that as he starts the rover and we move forward once more.
“I can make some for both of you,” I tell her.
“Yes,” Archion agrees. “But for now, we need to stop for the night.” He scans the fast-darkening landscape around us. “It is too dangerous to continue our journey through the night.”
“There is a small cave system over that rise ahead,” I point out. “We can take shelter there.”
Archion nods and turns the rover toward the indicated direction. The cave system is exactly where I remember it. It has multiple small caves that dot the rock formation, many of them connected to each other, with some stand-alone crevices.
We find two near each other and stop the rover right outside, partially blocking the entrance to keep out any of the larger predators.
“Stay in the rover,” Archion orders. “Khal and I will hunt for dinner.”
“Be careful,” Ashlee implores when I turn to leave.
I turn back and kiss her softly.
“Yes.”
Archion and I move swiftly, in silent accord. Neither of us wants to leave them alone for long, even with the protection of the vehicle. Moving into one of the interconnected caves, we separate, moving quietly. It would be very easy to scare skittish prey away in these echoing chambers...
I sense movement. Turning and swinging with my lochaber before I fully register it, I stab a small, furry round creature. A gretba, one of the cave-dwelling creatures of Tajss.
I lean down to pick it up, judging how much meat is on its bones. Enough for three. Carrying it back to the front of the cave, Archion is returning too, carrying a gretba only slightly smaller than my own. He eyes the one in my hand and grunts.
“Enough,” he says.
“Yes,” I agree.
Nora and Ashlee exit the rover as soon as they see us and look at what we caught.
“Oh... those are unfortunately cute,” Nora remarks.
Ashlee nods.
“Sure, but we’re hungry and they aren’t going to waste,” I say.
The females’ eyes widen almost as one and they purse their lips. Ashlee shrugs but Nora pales at the prospect, hands moving to cover her stomach.
“I think I’m going to be sick,” she gasps, then runs out of the cavern. An instant later there is the sound. Perhaps we should have skinned and dressed them before bringing them back, but what is done is done.
Ashlee and Nora get pallets out of the rover while Archion gathers kindling. He forms the material into a small pyramid shape then leans close and belches a small burst of flame to start a fire to cook the meat. While he works I skin and dress the gretbas. Ashlee brings out some metal skewers they have in the rover and I use some rocks to set the meat far enough away from the flame to cook evenly.
The smell of cooking meat and the glow of the flame is lovely after the darkness outside. Cleaning off my hands, I settle onto the pallet next to Ashlee to wait for it to cook. Archion does the same with Nora.
Ashlee smiles, cuddling into my side with a sigh. Holding her close, I feel... contentment. A warm blanket of comfort. I have not told Ashlee what I am sure of in my heart. I want to share the rest of my days with this beguiling female. Defending her, fulfilling every one of her needs, and simply basking in her presence, in a love so pure it managed to thaw even my heart, to break it free of the hard cage of duty and obligation.
That same heart that always felt separate, asleep perhaps, now feels vital and filled with light. She has changed me. Changed me in a way I did not even know was possible and for which I will be forever grateful.
I kiss her silky head, thinking of the endless days that were my life before her, one blending into the next. I have been renewed, given a new purpose. One that fills me up, warms me from the inside.
When the meat is cooked and I offer her the fruit of my labor, I enjoy watching her eat knowing that I was able to provide what she needed. When we lie down on the pallet together I cover her back with my own body, keeping myself between her and the mouth of the cave. There is a bone-deep satisfaction in keeping her safe.
I hold her close, knowing she is the most precious thing to ever come into my life and that I want her with me forever.
“Khal?” she murmurs, sleep edging her voice.
“Hmm?”
“I hope... you like... the city.”
I tighten my grip. “If you are there, I know I will like it.”
No response. When I look down, it’s to find she has fallen asleep. I smile, lying down once more. I fall asleep some time later, but I do not allow myself to go to deep sleep. I must be able to detect any threat before it reaches us. When I wake up the next morning, it is with a smile upon my face.
“Morning.” Ashlee greets me with a husky voice, her eyes warm.
I kiss that lovely smile and know this is how I want to wake up for the rest of my life. Next to Ashlee.
However, we do not have time to linger in the cave, not now. Eating and packing quickly, we return to the rover and continue on our way just as the suns begin to climb in the sky. We do not have much farther to travel and it is not difficult to notice when we are near.
The city is difficult to miss—the activated dome sparkling on the horizon long before it comes into view. When I first see the dome and the shadowy outlines of the structures it protects, I feel old memories stirring. There are faded memories of this place glimmering in the back of my mind.
The Devastation took so much. Recollection of what we once had is not even the greatest casualty. My memory of this city clashes with its current state. It is still grand, and obviously they found a way to power the shielding dome, but as we draw closer, I can also see the effects of time passing. The destruction wrought simply by the lack of inhabitants, but over that destruction, I also see a renewed hope.
As the rover pulls up outside the dome it’s easy to spot recent repairs and some that are in progress. We step out of the vehicle and growing hope takes root inside me as I take in the city. Beyond the dome there are people, both human and Zmaj, walking around. Living.
This... this is a new beginning.
Possibilities play out before me, futures of what could be as our two races work together, bringing not a return of what was but creating an entirely new future. On the far side of the dome there is a group walking toward us with purpose.
It’s made up of three Zmaj and one human female who strides a step ahead of the two males. She is dressed in pristine white with a flowing cape. Sharp features but sharper eyes that miss nothing. The three males with her carry an air of arrogance about them. One of them is slightly larger than the other two, but neither of them give away anything with their looks.
Nora operates the controls of the airlock and our group files in, waiting for the process to cycle us into the dome and the city proper. When we exit the other side the female stands waiting, flanked by the males.
“Nora, Ashlee, Archion, I’m glad y
ou made it back safely,” the female says, her tone commanding, eyes steady on me. “And who is our guest?”
“This is Khal, my brother,” Archion says, introducing me. “He has come as an ambassador from the Order. Khal, this is Rosalind, the Lady General.”
I meet her steely eyes and see the bright, shining intelligence in them. I place my fist against my open palm and bow one quarter from my waist, not taking my eyes off of hers.
“It is an honor to meet you,” I say.
“The honor is mine,” she returns, smiling quietly. “I am glad the Order is considering forging ties with us.”
“Yes,” I agree. “I hope we can have a fruitful relationship.”
“On that we can agree.” She turns to the commanding Zmaj beside her. “This is my mate, Visidion.”
“I hope you had a safe journey,” Visidion comments, clasping my forearm in a warrior’s greeting. His gaze is as all-knowing as I was warned it would be. His eyes are assessing me—my character, my intentions, and my skill. I have nothing to hide.
“Yes, there was no trouble,” I say.
“Good.” He turns to the others with them. “This is Ladon and Sverre.”
I greet the other Zmaj, struck by the welcome from them. In my experience meeting any Zmaj is a gamble if they’re not of the Order. Almost all of them I’ve met prior have been gripped by the bijass and our meetings did not end so well. I also observe the striking contrast to how the Order greeted Nora and Ashlee. I much prefer this reception.
“Come on, I’m sure you’re all hungry after that trip,” Rosalind interrupts. “Let’s eat so you can then rest in your quarters.”
“My thanks,” I murmur, following the group through the city.
The signs of decay are more evident up close than they were from a distance but so are the efforts to repair and rebuild. Looking everywhere I try to take it all in at once. Broken glass, twisted steel, sand drifts, and debris dot the city blocks, but it’s clear that this is being cleared away. They are productive if nothing else.
When we reach the town square foggy memories of before rise from the mists that engulf most of my thoughts. The massive statue that dominates the center fountain stimulates them. The statue that commemorated the rebellion.
Dragon’s Temptation: Red Planet Dragons of Tajss Book Fifteen Page 16