Flare

by JC Hay

  The woman looked between them and nodded, her smile slight and secret. “Indeed. And before you ask, I’ll take you to it as well.”

  There was a catch, Kayana could feel it in her bones. “How soon?”

  The matriarch smiled again. “Immediately if you wish, though I do recommend another skewer of pol-fish for the road. It’s a bit of a hike. Your matter transfer beam won’t get us any closer I’m afraid. Something about elemental deposits or polarized neutron flows. I forget.” She waved a hand in the air derisively.

  “So you know what we’ve come to do then?” Despite the AI’s assurances, the use of the word temple had given Kayana pause. She wanted to make sure they weren’t stealing some holy relic from these villagers. Even her avarice as a pirate had limits.

  “Oh of course. We put the gem in there for the Corporation. It’s perfectly all right. In fact, if you survive, we’ll have a big feast to celebrate.” She paused for a moment. “Then again, we’ll have a big feast if you don’t survive too. Octiron’s paying us either way.”

  Ax paled a bit as he focused on the element Kayana had missed in her amusement. “What do you mean if?”

  “It’s like I said, you can’t use your ship’s matter transfer beams at the temple. So once you go in, you have to solve the puzzle to get out. If you don’t solve the puzzle, well...” She drew her thumb under her chin in an elaborate throat-cutting gesture. “That’s all the challenges you get.”

  Kayana sighed and grabbed a pair of skewers from a tray that a villager brought by. It figured. Octiron wasn’t ever going to let it be simple.

  A BIT OF A HIKE, SHE says. Ax struggled to maintain his composure as he followed along behind Kayana and the matriarch, and hoped he didn’t look half as bad as he felt. The humidity and dense air made it feel like he was breathing through a wet, rolled-up washcloth. The quiet whirr of the holovid drone had begun to grate in his ears like the whine of an annoying insect. He resisted the urge to check the time, knowing they’d been hiking for two hours the last time he’d checked. In the plus column, lagging behind let him watch the way Kayana’s ass moved beneath her exo-suit, the flex and play reminding him of the too-short time they’d had in her cabin.

  She had chased her pleasure with such abandon, almost desperate in her desire for release at the end. He’d been with more than a few women over the years, but something about Kayana made bringing her to release feel like an act of worship. Ax would have been happy to spend the whole travel time in her cabin, learning every sensuous, scarlet curve of her. Memorizing every sound she made, every sigh and gasp that could be coaxed out of her.

  Dammit. The only thing worse than hiking, was hiking and fighting an erection at the same time.

  Stupid Berniss and her stupid camera drones. Ax shot a dirty look over his shoulder and wondered what the penalty would be for abandoning the camerawoman and her equipment somewhere. Ideally some place just dangerous and primitive enough to keep them from ever leaving. He glanced at the yellow drone following along at a respectful distance. No doubt Octiron would disqualify them.

  It might be worth it.

  At least it had given him time to cobble together the spark-glove out of the remnants of the drone that got damaged during her attack. He scribed every moment of her unmasked joy in his heart like a treasure. Building the glove had been a spur-of-the-moment idea, given her need for a flame to do her fire-shaping thing. He’d expected it to be helpful, and she’d treated it like he’d given her solid gold.

  Shit. Maybe he had. He should look up Malebranki marriage rituals when he got back to the ship, see if Algol had any information on them. He already had one broken engagement in his shadow. Ax didn’t need a second.

  The matriarch giggled at something Kayana had said and gave her a congratulatory punch in the arm. Whatever her actual age might be, the woman was spry as a child. She set a grueling pace as she led Ax and Kayana toward the temple. Not that Kayana was having any trouble keeping up. She stopped to hold another of the broad-leafed, thorny vines out of his path while Ax ducked under it, leaving him deliciously aware of how close he had to pass to her in the process.

  He glanced up at her, and she laid her hand against his cheek. The smile on her face was just wicked enough to make him think she’d be open to marooning the holovid crew as well. He brushed his lips over her wrist before looking in the direction of the ocean. “Well, you can’t say I never take you anywhere nice.”

  That much was certainly true. Vedenemo looked like a paradise. Even the temperatures were better once you got to the water. The rustic community of the village had felt like a better version of home with the giggling children replacing the gaggle of cousins, nieces, and nephews that crowded the family mansion. Whatever else his parents were, they firmly believed in the importance of family, and stuck to the adage that a house wasn’t a home without the laughter of children.

  Until he and Kayana had come to the village, he hadn’t realized how much he missed it. A sudden pang of homesickness twinged in his chest, and Ax tried to will it away. After all, it wasn’t like he was headed back home. Ever, if he had his way. Ax blinked and refocused on Kayana.

  Her grin widened. “Get done with this challenge quickly enough and maybe we’ll have time to take each other somewhere nice.” She narrowed her eyes. “Or several somewheres.”

  He chuckled, but the tightness in his pants returned with a vengeance. “Careful. I’d hate people to think that scary exterior is just a façade.”

  “If you two are done flirting under that Lamanea leaf, I’d like to get to the temple already.” The matriarch’s bark held little bite, however. Her grin was almost as lecherous as Kayana’s had been, and it made Ax wonder exactly what stories the two women had been sharing as they walked.

  “Were you a drill sergeant?” Ax called back. “Seriously. I’ve been through boot camp that was easier than this.”

  “Then suck it up, Buttercup. Let’s move.” The older woman smiled again. Clearly these people had found the secret to everlasting youth on the island or something, as her energy was bottomless. “I’d like to be back home before nightfall.”

  Kayana glanced at him. “You were in the military?”

  “Oh, hell no,” he said, and patted his chest. “Problems with authority. But I watch a lot of movies. This is way harder than movie boot camp. Longer too.”

  She rolled her eyes and shoved him up the trail ahead of her, but her smile had lit up her whole face. Another treasure for him to tuck away for when all this was over. Each grin felt like a reward, the warmth that flowed into him better than the finest New Terran brandies and twice as intoxicating

  They crested the rise at the matriarch’s side, and Ax realized they’d passed all the way through the interior of the island. A deep cove sat in front of them, surrounding a low stone building that extended over the blue waters. Columns guarded the front of the building, like something out of a fantasy movie, with no clues to what lurked inside.

  As they drew closer, Ax could see that the stone of the columns and the inner wall around the door had been carved with stylized animals in all the available free space. As for the entrance itself, it loomed black and empty beyond. He looked at the matriarch. “Any insight you want to share before we go in there?”

  “Yeah, take a boat back when you’re done. That hike sucks.” On cue, a small hydrofoil cruised around the back of the temple and headed toward the waiting woman. When Ax boggled at the craft, she chuckled. “What. We live rustic. We’re not savages. Oh, and lest I forget—birds are first in all things.” She gave them both a sage nod, as though she’d just announced the secret of life.

  “Birds first. Got it.” He glanced at Kayana, and she nodded. So far, they had plenty of clues and no puzzles. He just had to hope they had the right ones to succeed at the challenge.

  “If you live through the challenge, there’s a flare gun with the Water’s Heart. You can send up a signal, and we’ll come get you.” The matriarch made a shooing moti
on with her hands. “Now get in there. I’ve got things to do.”

  He and Kayana stepped into the darkness of the entrance, and the older woman reached in and tapped something on the wall. A dim glow spread out from the spot she’d touched, following the carvings in a random and unpredictable fashion. She gave them both a final smile and said, “Have fun!”

  A heartbeat later a heavy stone barrier slammed into place over the entrance, sealing it off. They were trapped.

  Nine

  Kayana scanned the foyer, surprised when she spotted the floating yellow holovid drone. She’d grown so used to the high-pitched whine of its hover motors that the sound had faded into the background of her subconscious. Then again, she supposed Octiron had designed them that way. The corporation wanted contestants to forget about the cameras so they’d act natural. At least she hadn’t had to worry about the camera last night, because she’d gotten far more natural than she’d intended. Her inspection of the room paused on the broad expanse of Ax’s shoulders. His exo-suit left little to the imagination; tight fabric clung to Ax’s muscles and stretched to highlight the subtle strength of him.

  Heh. That was probably the only subtle part of him.

  She smiled to herself. The last time may have been delicious, but she definitely needed another taste to get him out of her system.

  Only one door led out of the foyer where they found themselves, so where to go next didn’t seem to be much of a question. She wished the same could be said about the tension that coiled between her and Ax like a patient Anderian tiger, looking for the perfect moment to strike. How did humans talk about their expectations and desires? The minimal experience she’d had with them before had shown them to be prudish and conventional. Would he be embarrassed if she brought it up at all? Then again, he’d been the one to give her the toe-curling orgasm, not the other way around. Maybe she had it all wrong.

  Kayana threaded her fingers with his and lifted his hand to her lips for a quick kiss before meeting his eyes.

  “There’s not much choice, is there,” he said. Despite the humdrum statement, she’d seen his eyes spark at her kiss.

  “You’re creative.” She smiled and nuzzled his knuckles, enjoying the smell of soap on his skin. “More importantly, there’s clearly some technology tucked into the building. I don’t think we can trust anything to be what it seems.”

  He nodded and squeezed her hand. They passed through the door from the foyer into the next room, and a moment later a low electrical hum sounded. She’d been around enough energy fields to recognize when one was activated.

  “That’s no good.”

  “What?” He looked back at the doorway they’d just used.

  She gathered some dust from the floor into her hand, and blew it through the open door. Blue-white sparks erupted, as the debris hit the deadly barrier that had dropped behind them.

  Ax winced. “So much for the primitive appearance.”

  The new room was smaller than the foyer, with doors centered in the left and right walls. “I think it’s safe to assume that at least one direction here is dangerous,” she said.

  Ax chuckled. “So, which way do we think leads to certain death? And how do we pick?”

  Kayana released his hand and stepped away to examine the doors. The one on the right had a doorframe carved with small insects. She couldn’t recognize what type from the carving, but it was just as likely they were native to the planet and she wouldn’t know them anyway. “Check the carvings on the other door.”

  He nodded and stepped across the small space. “You know, they say the secret to solving a maze is to just take the right-hand choice every time.” He ran his fingers along the doorframe and then called back to her, “I’ve got...I think it’s a hawk, maybe?”

  What had the old woman said? Creatures of the air were first in all things? Something like that. Regardless, it sounded like left might be the wiser choice, given the clue. She looked at Ax. “Why would right be more significant than left?”

  “I don’t know,” he responded. “I suspect it doesn’t matter which you choose, as long as you pick the same one each time.”

  She nodded her understanding. “Good, because I suspect we want to go left. Birds, not bugs.”

  “Yeah, but the kids said predators chase their prey. Birds eat bugs. So maybe the bird is the wrong choice.”

  Kayana picked up a chunk of rock that had fallen from the ceiling and tossed it through the insect door. An enormous, scything blade swept across the entryway. Someone walking through the door would lose a leg at the very least.

  Ax jumped back with a shriek of surprise. “Guess it’s not bugs then.”

  “Apparently not.” Kayana looked for another rock to throw through the bird door. “Or they trapped both doors as a means of eliminating basic options.”

  Before she could test it, he leaped through into the dark beyond. His bloodcurdling scream echoed back, and her heart caught in her throat. What the hell had he been thinking? Idiot! Sudden panic crushed down on her.

  He poked his head out of the darkness a heartbeat later, his smile broad. “No, seriously. I was just fucking with you.”

  She punched him in the jaw as she joined him the next room.

  The new room had a single door off to the right. Ax moved to stand next to her, rubbing his cheek. “Totally worth it. Knew you cared.”

  “Certainly, I cared about losing my partner and getting disqualified. You owe me a ship.”

  “I owe you a later.” The emphasis on the word made it clear exactly what he meant and sent a delicious tingle of anticipation racing along her spine. Heat pooled low in her belly, like warm honey.

  “Then the sooner we get this done the better.” She took his hand and nearly dragged him through the door into the next room. Once they’d crossed over the threshold, a great stone block fell behind them to seal the room.

  The chamber was scattered with broken pieces of tile and mosaic that had fallen from the walls. Small holes gaped in the intersection of the flooring panels, but there were no other doors. She squeezed Ax’s hand in hers. “I don’t understand. There was only the one door. How could it lead to a dead end?”

  “Why’d you have to say it like that?” A heartbeat later water welled up through the holes in the tiles. At first the speed made it bubble and sputter, but far too soon there was too much water in the room, and the level began to rise silently as well as quickly.

  Kayana fought to control the panic rising in her chest at the same pace as the icy water. “Let’s be reasonable. There’s got to be a way out. We just have to figure out what it is.”

  “Before we drown,” Ax added, though it hardly seemed necessary. The water was over their ankles now, and getting deeper by the moment.

  She gave his hand another squeeze before letting go. “Then let’s get to it. I’d look terrible dead.”

  OKAY, DROWNING WAS definitely not on the list of ways I wanted to die. Ax fought against the urge to take a deep breath. He’d always hoped to have his heart give out in the arms of a beautiful woman. Ideally, several of them.

  He glanced over at Kayana, who was studying the wall looking for an exit. Or maybe just one.

  Ax splashed through the water, which had risen over the tops of his boots, until he reached her side. The holovid drone drifted toward the top corner of the chamber and positioned itself for the best possible view. Its presence made Ax want a way out just to deny that corpse-chaser Berniss any ratings-winning footage of their death. “What about carvings? Anything we can use as a hint?”

  Kayana traced her fingers across the stone in an effort to find a seam, while he shot a last, baleful glance at the camera and headed toward the front of the room. Loose stones rolled under his feet, and Ax had to catch himself to keep from pitching into the water completely.

  A thought seized him. “What about plugging the holes with the loose stones?” He knelt to feel around on the floor, the cold water splashing over his hips as he got lower. Out of the
corner of his eye, he could see Kayana doing the same. Before he could get distracted by the thought of her in a wet exo-suit, he started to plug the rocks down into the first hole he could find. Some fit, others got stuck, but didn’t actually block the flow of water through the nozzle.

  “It’s not working!” Kayana sounded frustrated, but now he could hear the edge of concern in her voice. As well there should be. The water had risen another few inches just since he’d knelt down. “I’m sorry I called it a dead end.”

  “Maybe it’s weight based. Once it fills with enough water, it will open up?”

  She shot him a skeptical look.

  “Yeah, I didn’t think so either. Try the bigger rocks. Maybe they lock on to the holes or something.” He didn’t buy it, but anything had to be better than doing nothing and accepting their fate. He lifted a fist-sized piece of mosaic out of the water, which was decorated with an ornate icon of a bird. Unlike the bits of rubble he’d been using, the edges of this piece were smooth. As if they’d been tooled.

  Bird!

  He splashed across to Kayana, “Hey! I found this. What do you think?”

  “That it’s a flat rock,” she said as she took it from him. As she turned it over, she gave a little squeal of excitement. “Birds lead in all things! This must be the key!”

  “Yeah, but where’s the lock?”

  She stood and forced her way to the wall opposite where they’d come in. “How about these?”

  He came to join her, unable to distract himself from the way her wet outfit clung to her and highlighted every curve. He’d never been jealous of an article of clothing before, but he had every intent to get just as close. Later. They had to get out first.

  Four identical divots had been cut into the stone of the wall, and Kayana held the bird tile next to them to confirm that it matched the holes in size. “Looks promising.”