In the Garden of Gold & Stone

by Ryan Muree

“Sure, if I agree to help the people locking me up here.” His gaze darted around his space.

  “It’s called making a deal! I thought you humans might be capable of being more diplomatic and seeing reason.”

  He froze. “That’s not what’s happening here. You want me to play nice, pretend I like being captured, pretend I enjoy being a mate to some thing, all for a nicer room and the chance to fight for my freedom after.”

  She closed her eyes. When he worded it like that, it sounded questionable to her, too. “The fact remains that your brother committed a crime, and you took his place. The queen hasn’t been able to find her partner, and you’re here.”

  He shook his head and went back to his spot against the wall.

  She couldn’t tell him that this was their last chance, that her sister had taken so long to take a mate that they only had a few weeks before the hatching. That without him, they’d… they’d… “You’d be helping my species.”

  “Why would I want to do that?” he growled. “You nearly kill people for stealing some food.”

  What had the humans been told about them? If he didn’t see reason, everything could be ruined. Brynn would be much worse than she’d already become, and her sisters—spirits willing—would come into this world surrounded by hate and malice. She had to try another way. Relate to him, maybe? “Look, you have young ones in your tribe, right?”

  He didn’t say yes, but he didn’t say no.

  “You’d let another tribe come in and steal their food? Right from under your nose? And if you could save your young ones, you wouldn’t do everything you could?”

  He sat motionless and merely glared into the dark corner of the cell. His large chest rose and fell until he finally rubbed his hands together. “I need to think about this.”

  “What is there to think about? How hard is it for you to play nice?”

  “You’re asking me to help create a ton of little slitherskins. No, thank you. On top of that, your queen is using me, and you expect me to believe she’ll free me after the ceremony?”

  She had probably made things worse. Drathella’s plan had failed. She stood. “I shouldn’t have come down here.”

  His dark eyelashes fell as he rested his head against the stone wall behind him.

  What could he possibly be thinking? He had absolutely nothing to lose helping them and everything to gain. But if he acted like this, Brynn would be humiliated by his rejection, and she wouldn’t set him free after the ceremony. He’d be trapped, losing his future just for protecting his brother.

  Was he thinking he could escape?

  “You won’t get out otherwise,” Nida whispered.

  He opened one green eye.

  “You won’t. These bars are solid malkanite. There’s no breaking them. And the stone? A Tialan treasure. Unbreakable, too.”

  He glared at her. “My brother will bring an army.”

  She frowned. “Our temple has been here for thousands of years.”

  He closed his eyes and shrugged.

  “Good luck, human.” She reached for the cup to leave, but his hand shot through the bars, around her wrist, and stopped her.

  Murderers. Cruel. Please don’t hurt me.

  “I want to talk to the queen,” he said.

  The heat from his hand. The softness of his grip, firm but not painful. He was up against the bars. Eyebrows pulled together. He should have been furious. He had seemed furious. But this was different. He was… desperate? Had his disinterest and stubbornness been a bluff?

  “Get me a meeting with this queen of yours, and I’ll agree. I want to hear what she wants directly from her.”

  His hand still around hers, her heart jumped. She cleared her throat, and he snapped his hand back. “I’m sure she’ll want to meet with you soon.”

  “Now. Or tomorrow, at least.”

  Brynn wouldn’t allow that. Not now. “She won’t—”

  “She’ll want me to be her mate, and she won’t see me?” His thick arm wrapped all the way around the bars.

  She bit her lip. “She’s sort of indisposed at the moment.”

  “She’s what?”

  She squeezed her eyes shut. How do I explain it to a human? “She’s… molting. She won’t let anyone see her for a few days.”

  “She’s what?” he repeated, except this time so much louder it echoed down the hall.

  She nodded slowly. He might have shuddered.

  “F-fine. Soon. As soon as she’ll allow it. You get me a meeting with her soon, and I’ll pretend. I’ll play nice.” He reached out his hand, palm to the side.

  She flinched and stared at it.

  “It’s just my hand. We need to shake on this.”

  “Shake?”

  He waved his hand a little; she mirrored his action. He took her hand in his palm, squeezed gently, and lifted his arm up and down. She tried to emulate what he did.

  “It’s a promise,” he said. “I, Rowec of the Zchi, promise to behave if you get me a meeting with the queen.”

  She would have laughed if she thought it appropriate. His confidence and stubbornness had been a bluff. Still…

  Rowec. Rowec. It fit him. It was a strong name.

  “Well, well. Are we making friends, Nida?” Drathella teased from down the hallway.

  CHAPTER 5

  Rowec glanced up at Nida. Her smile had faded, and she dropped his hand.

  The comment had come from the blue slitherskin who had shoved Nida into the crowd. She had been the one to order Nida to go to him.

  “Well, what do we have here?” The blue-haired one had come around the corner. She wore an oversized matching robe and slinked nearer to the bars.

  He measured the creature’s movements, prey calculating its predator’s next move. He gripped the bars firmly, posture strong and straight. He wouldn’t cower to her. “Are you the queen beast?” he barked.

  Nida winced. She’d done so every time he’d used that word.

  “I am Drathella,” the creature hissed. Her fancy golden bracelets and necklaces jingled as she moved. They glinted in the sparse light. Despite her decorations, she lacked the softness Nida had, the human qualities.

  “Are those fangs you use to devour the poor men you capture?” Rowec asked.

  Drathella inched closer as he puffed out his chest. “If I must,” Drathella said. “Where are yours?”

  “Look, Queen—”

  “She’s not the queen,” Nida said. “She’s just another one of my sisters, and we don’t eat people.”

  “She’s still a beast all the same.” Rowec grinned slightly as he glowered at Drathella.

  Nida sighed.

  What was she so upset about? They were the weird ones. They were vile beasts hunting men in the night with claws and big eyes. If anyone should be shuddering, it should be him.

  “Call us that again, and I’ll chain you to the walls,” Drathella snapped.

  He lifted one eyebrow.

  Nida pulled on her sister. “Drathella, you’re not helping. Go—”

  “You do not tell me what to do!” she shouted, chin turning toward Nida. “I will care for the human from now on.” She wrapped her claws around the bars and refocused on him. “You’ll be lucky to receive water under my watch.”

  “You have to give him water,” Nida said.

  Drathella’s eyes lit with fury. She turned her full focus on Nida.

  Nida shrank where she stood like prey. He was no longer Drathella’s target—Nida was. Drathella’s cold stare wasn’t sitting right with him. It wasn’t simple sibling rivalry. It was more than that. She wouldn’t hurt her own sister, would she?

  What should I care?

  But he did. He couldn’t help it. Even here, the thought of someone abusing their power…

  Drathella gripped Nida’s arm. “You gave him water?” she yelled.

  “You’re the one who told me to come talk—ow!”

  He squeezed the bars tighter. They might all be beasts, but at least Nida did
n’t seem heartless. This one was just cruel, exerting her power for fun.

  “You’re hurting me!” Nida squeaked.

  “That’s the point, you filthy, disgusting little human-thing. You’re just as bad as he is. You’re vile to look at. You betray your sisters by helping him—”

  Nida whimpered. “I wasn’t helping him, I was trying to get him to—ow!”

  Rowec spat in Drathella’s face.

  Nida’s eyes bulged.

  Drathella wiped her cheek and scowled at him. “How dare you.” She tossed her sister aside. “Are you worried I might hurt her, little human?” She made a pouty face and gripped the bars, claws out.

  That was it. That’s all he needed.

  He gripped her hand and pulled her against his cage with all the strength he could muster.

  Her chest and face slammed into the bars. She yelped and screamed, but he slipped off her bracelets easily and released her.

  She stumbled back. “What do you think you’re doing?” she shrieked.

  “You want them back. Come get them.”

  She slid a strand of hair from her face.

  He dangled the thick wire rings in front of her.

  “You’re a trash species.” She dug in her pocket for something. A weapon?

  “Don’t, Drathella!” Nida reached for her, but Drathella shoved her off.

  “Shut up!” Drathella retrieved a small triangular-shaped object made of the same yellow stone from the temple. She fixed it into the slot at his door.

  A key.

  This was his chance. He could escape. She couldn’t fight back. She couldn’t stop him. He’d shove her to the side; he would be faster than both of them. Once he hit the jungle, then, well, he’d just have to do the best he could. No weapons, not even shoes, he’d be at a disadvantage. Still this might be his only chance at freedom.

  Drathella swung open the gate.

  Stupid. All bark and no bite, and unbelievably stupid.

  “Give them back!” she ordered.

  He held her bracelets out to lure her closer.

  “Drathella, don’t!” Nida warned.

  Drathella hesitated. She was considering it. Her eyes gave her away.

  Vain. Stupid. Naive. He knew these types; Etta, was one of them.

  “Come get them.” He dangled the jewelry out.

  She shakily held out her hand. “Give me the bracelets.”

  “Drathella, this is stupid. They’re just bracelets. Just go and tell Brynn—”

  “She’s smarter than you,” he said to Drathella. “You might be strong, but you’re stupid.”

  She growled and lunged for the bracelets as he drove his shoulder into her chest.

  Slammed against the metal bars, she cried out.

  He darted out of the cell, shoving Nida to the ground, too. “Sorry!”

  Drathella screamed, scrambling to get up from the ground.

  He spun and bolted for the darkness at the end of the hall. He’d have to sneak around, find a way out of the maze, but moving was better than being locked up. To hell with their punishments.

  Two claws grabbed his thigh from behind. He glanced down—Drathella.

  Damn . She was fast.

  “Rowec! Wait!” Nida cried out, running for him.

  He swung his arm, his fist on a collision course for Drathella’s face. She shrieked as his knuckles hit scale and bone. He tore away, charging for the cover of darkness down the hall.

  Drathella screamed on and on behind him for the guards.

  He slipped into the shadows and made his way around the corner, and another corner, and another.

  His cover would end soon. Gold reptilian sconces with their mouths wide and full of fire lit the rest of the temple. Pressed against the smooth golden wall, he edged up a ramp and around another corner.

  “I’ll kill you!” Drathella shrieked, her shrill voice echoing up the halls behind him.

  There was no way she saw him now or knew which way he turned. But he needed to keep moving and stay oriented. It was the only way out of the maze.

  Footsteps came from the right.

  He darted left and then right again. Where was the exit? He’d better figure it out fast.

  Through one room and into another, he whirled past slitherskin beasts who shouted to get him.

  He panted and took another right, then two lefts. Two tall yellow doors loomed above him.

  Thank the spirits.

  He charged forward, using his speed and strength to ram his shoulder into the door.

  It creaked open and revealed a green lush jungle on the other side. Finally!

  He tore through the brush and into freedom.

  When he got back to his village, he’d have a word with the chief about this clan—and his brother.

  ***

  Nida scrambled to her feet and raced down the hallway after Rowec.

  Drathella grabbed her as she raced past. “Wait!”

  “It was working, Drathella! You ruined it!” Nida shrugged her off and kept going.

  He couldn’t have gotten far, but she’d have to follow the commotion to figure out which way he’d gone. The maze-like hallways were meant to help confuse attackers if they came under siege, but it gave plenty of opportunities for attackers to hide inside rooms without being noticed.

  Unfortunately, the entire temple was in chaos.

  “Are you okay?” she asked a pair of little sisters, standing no more than waist-high.

  They nodded with wide eyes.

  “Which way did he go?”

  They pointed left.

  She followed, asked the next set of sisters, and charged in the direction of their pointed fingers. She followed all of their instructions until it was clear he had run in circles for a while. He had no idea where he was going, but he was moving. He had probably figured out how to get to the jungle.

  A few more turns, a couple more questions, and she slid to a stop before the western doors.

  “We’ll go,” one of her guard sisters said. The guards had been chosen because of their strength and size.

  “He could be hiding and waiting until we give up,” Nida panted. “I’ll go look for him, and if I find him, I might be able to reason with him.”

  “Reason? With that animal?”

  She shrugged. She had to try.

  “It’s the western jungle. He won’t survive.”

  “He won’t go far. I’ll call for you if I need you, but I don’t want to frighten him further. A group of guards would do that.”

  The guard nodded and took her position at the door.

  Nida pulled her hood over her head and held up the skirt of her earthen-dyed robe as she descended the stairs into the western jungle.

  If the temple was a maze, this side of the jungle was a labyrinth. Without a weapon or a tool, he wouldn’t be able to make a dent in the plant growth. He’d get turned around, retrace steps. He’d dehydrate before he ever found his way out. Not to mention his village was somewhere far on the other side of the temple. He’d have to go through the jungle, all the way around. He’d have to worry about all the predators. And not just the ones that moved. The western side of the jungle was still wild, unkept, free to live—or kill—as it pleased. Vines that choked, pits that drowned, plants that chewed.

  He had been very stupid.

  “Please, Great Tial, let him survive the night,” she muttered. He was their best shot at saving her sisters, and she wasn’t about to let the jungle take him from her.

  Sliding through the brush fairly easily, she rested her hand on the first large trunk of a paratil tree. A gash in the bark had been made, pointing deeper in. She ran her finger over it.

  Fresh. Still wet in the wound and bark flaking.

  She smiled. He had found a way to stay on track. Maybe he wasn’t as stupid as she’d thought.

  A crash in the distance caught her attention. Nothing made that much noise in the jungle. It called too much attention.

  She groaned and dashed
through the foliage in the noise’s direction.

  After a large rough patch of sendrite trees and their sharp edges, and then over the soggy bog, a grunt and a shout echoed in the night.