by Lizzy Ford
The glow was caused by massive iridescent gemstones that lined the cave. Soft blues, greens and purples lined one side with the addition of glowing orange on the other. From deeper in the cave, I heard the splash of a small waterfall and saw a glowing path of yellow leading deep into the earth.
“These are beautiful,” I said and reached towards one wall of the cave. The gemstones were lit from within and cool to the touch.
“My people live beneath the ground to avoid the windstorms that have plagued Bikitomani for many years. We mine and sell these to the other worlds,” my companion said and motioned to the glowing stones. “I must admit, I did not believe the envoys when they told me your story.”
I faced him.
Away from the others, his features had relaxed, and he appeared more welcoming than before. He motioned to a table made of stone streaked with a line of glowing pink stones. I sat down and traced my fingertips along the pink, fascinated by the inner light.
Tomtom sat beside me, eyeing the Bikitomani.
“My mother was taken by a Nidiani,” I began. “I don’t know much about him, except he is suspected of kidnapping other Caretakers. Forty nine, to be exact.”
“And there are around fifty of you.” The Bikitomani leader frowned as I spoke. “It is a crime punishable by death on all the worlds to harm a Caretaker,” he said severely. “Although, I am not entirely surprised. The Nidiani have been desperate for quite some time. I cannot guess what they think they are doing, but I would put nothing past them.”
“What makes them so desperate?” I asked, puzzled. “I thought the Tili and Komandi were shouldering the war, and Nidiani broke away from the alliance to try to make peace.”
“Bikitomani is one of the three worlds traditionally allied against the Tili and Komandi, before our common enemy appeared. But I fear divisions in how we operate, and distrust, broke the coalition. Nidiani went one step further and broke from its traditional allies as well. We do not harbor ill intentions towards them as we might our traditional enemies, but we were unwilling to follow them down the path they chose, either,” he explained. “Their attempt at peace was deemed foolish by my government and the Woli’s. Peace is not possible with such an enemy.” He grew pensive, his handsome features troubled. “The Nidiani went too far. They have reason to be desperate.”
I didn’t quite grasp what had happened, how peace talks could go so wrong, but it was clear the Nidiani had alienated everyone. I wished I’d known what to ask Carey, or what to be listening for when he spoke. Nothing he told me seemed helpful or particularly useful in my current circumstances. He had claimed not to know Jiod’s motivation either, but I wasn’t so certain.
Whatever he discovered when he returned to his home world had left him shaken. I was kicking myself for not insisting he tell me more.
“For the sake of the Caretakers and all you have done for us, please take this warning as concern, not discouragement,” the Bikitomani continued. “Going to Nidiani for any reason is ill advised.”
“But if they have my mother and the other Caretakers, what choice do I have?” I replied.
“To save yourself where you might not be able to save anyone else.”
Fear trickled through me. “You think they’re … they’re not alive.”
“I think anyone who goes to Nidiani will soon be dead, yes.”
I swallowed hard. It wasn’t the news I wanted to hear.
Tomtom nudged me, feeling my fear and pain, and I wrapped my arm around his neck and buried my face into his soft fur while I struggled with my decision and emotions.
“If you insist on visiting Nidiani, I will not impede you,” the Bikitomani said more softly. “I will send an escort as well. I cannot have a Tili war party crossing through our portals.”
I listened and drew a deep breath then released Tomtom.
“I must go to Nidiani,” I said. “I understand you are at war with Tili. I would like to ask that Teyan accompany me.”
“The Tili war leader?” the Bikitomani shook his head ruefully. “Can you not see how his presence might not make my leadership eager to help you? We can supply you with any number of escorts. We don’t need the Tili here.”
“He’s more than my escort,” I replied quietly.
It took a moment for my words to register. The Bikitomani gazed at me in confusion. When it hit, his eyes widened. “This is unusual. Not completely unheard of, but normally, your kind prefer the less warring races.”
“What do you mean?”
“You are not the first Caretaker to choose a mate from among the Five Peoples.”
“He’s technically just a boyfriend,” I said.
“This is why you have a guardian beast. The Tili take such alliances very deeply.”
I know. I wasn’t about to tell this stranger everything that had been twisting me up inside about Teyan so I nodded. A little flustered by his knowing look, I clenched my hands and drew a breath. “Will this make it easier for your leadership to approve him coming?” I asked.
He studied me, and I held my breath. “Perhaps it is none of their concern if a Caretaker and her escort cross through our portals.” Something about his pitying look made me think he had already written off any chance of my mom being alive. “He may come,” he decided. “The rest of his party must remain behind, and I’ll accompany you, along with two of my men.”
“Fine,” I said. “I don’t care how many people come as long as I can find my mom.”
“The Tili may not agree.”
“He will if I ask him to,” I replied, suspecting Teyan would do anything I asked if he’d come to his enemies for help reaching Nidiani.
“Welcome to Bikitomani,” the man before me said and rose. “I’m Hiko. I will tell your warrior we will be staying here. I would send none of my people, or you, through the portal to Nidiani without scouting ahead first.”
I wanted to tell him we didn’t have time for that, but his tone was firm. I wasn’t able to imagine what could be so scary about visiting Carey’s planet that even their allies didn’t want any part of it. Before I could ask him anything else, Hiko strode from the cave and left me sitting beneath the glowing gems.
Moments later, he returned, accompanied by Teyan, Teyan’s cat and another Bikitomani. I stood, gaze riveted to Teyan. The rest of the world always seemed to fall away when we were together. He joined me, his guarded stance and sharp gaze mirrored by his cat. I slid my hand into his, nowhere near as worried as he was after my talk with the Bikitomani.
“Follow me, Caretaker and escort,” Hiko said without looking at Teyan. He walked to the gold gemstone trail. We trailed him.
The path sloped downward into the cave, until my claustrophobia began to surface, before the narrow path opened suddenly into a massive cavern whose boulders had been carved into dwellings. Stalactites glowed a hundred feet overhead while gemstones located strategically throughout the cavern city lit the underground world up bright as day.
We were escorted to one of the hollowed out boulders.
“I will have a guard posted. My people will not take likely to seeing a Tili among us,” Hiko said. “I would recommend you remain here until we come for you in the morning.”
Teyan nodded, and Hiko left.
I stepped into the home, surprised to find it was two stories tall. The floor we were on contained a sitting area and a separate room behind a tall curtain. The bottom floor had been carved out of the cavern belly itself. I walked down the stone stairwell and paused at the bottom, gazing around. Airy, spacious and bright. I wasn’t expecting the white marble interior or fluffy rugs and bright gem lights. In the corner, water tumbled out of a manmade waterfall into a small pool. The soothing sound was peaceful.
“The more I see, the more amazed I am,” I said, taking in everything around us. Turning, I jumped when I realized how close Teyan was. His body inches from mine, I looked up at him and almost forgot to breathe.
His hardness was gone, the warrior replaced by t
he man who sat with me for hours last night. Combined with his scent and heat, his intensity had the ability to melt me from the inside out.
“Are you well?” he asked and cupped my face in his hands.
I nodded, face warm as I glanced at his lips. Resting my hands on his chest lightly, I froze, uncertain what to do next or even if I should do anything.
“Thank you for being here with me,” I managed.
When Teyan kissed me, my world seemed to stop. Nothing but the soft pressure of his warm lips and his espresso scent existed. The heat of his palms pierced the sleeves of my t-shirt to my very soul. I’d never experienced such an awakening before, a blooming of physical warmth but also of contentment, as if this were the moment I’d waited my entire life for.
He was gentle, always so gentle, despite the strength of the warrior’s frame beneath the palms I pressed to his chest.
How long we stood there, kissing and touching one another, I didn’t know. It felt like forever and a mere second simultaneously. A combination of ecstasy and longing added to the growing fire within me and with this intense emotion came a flare of fear. I was unable to forget the incident that changed my life, but I was also aware of everything Teyan had done, everything he was, as he stood before me.
He would never hurt me. I understood this at a primal level, even if I couldn’t quite shake the fear of being out of control of myself, of trusting someone else with the part of me that had never fully healed.
Teyan lifted his head and wrapped his arms around me in a hug. I clung to him, struggling to understand the changes in my body and grab onto one of the many thoughts and emotions zipping through my mind.
“I am honored to be here with you.” His voice had lowered in timbre.
Squeezing my eyes closed, I relaxed against him, uncertain when I’d last felt this safe anywhere with anyone. In his strong arms, I knew nothing bad could ever get to me, assuming it got past my rawerah. I was grateful for the distraction, too, because I kept remembering the sympathetic look Hiko gave me. Teyan hadn’t said as much, but I sensed I was the only optimistic person among us when it came to the hope of finding the Caretakers and my mom alive on Nidiani.
Teyan hugged me for a short time longer then released me and took my hand.
Together, we explored the dwelling and sat down beside one another on a pile of pillows in the sitting area. Another shy kiss turned into a deeper, longer, slower one. I was soon in his lap, and our hands began exploring one another through our clothing. No warning alarms went off when it came to Teyan, and I found myself sliding into desire. I never thought I’d feel comfortable with anyone, let alone an alien, but my defenses melted away. I no longer had a reason to keep him away from me, no longer wanted to put up the barriers between us.
I needed to take a chance on him, and I tumbled into vulnerability with the same speed as I did need.
In his arms, I was able to release my anger, hurt and worry, my past and all my fears, and know he would never give me a reason to regret doing so.
We made out and talked for hours. He didn’t make any attempt to remove my clothing, and I didn’t know if I was grateful or frustrated by his consideration. Eventually, we stretched out on a bed, cuddled, and hugged each other to sleep.
I fell asleep in his arms with the soft snores of the rawerahs filling my ears and a dizzying array of emotions somersaulting within my breast.
Chapter Twenty Two
Warrior Teyan was back in full force the next morning, when Hiko and two of his men came to fetch us. Someone had left us food first thing, enough to feed the two great cats and us. Tired of the smell of stale sweat from my clothing, I changed into the Tili garb Kay packed for me. It was more comfortable than I thought it would be: leather leggings supple enough that I could barely tell the difference between them and my normal leggings, plain shirt lined with soft fibers woven from jungle plants and a belt. I felt awkward but the clothing was light and breathable.
We stood in front of the hollowed out boulder, Teyan appearing ready to pounce and the two men with Hiko likewise tense.
“A gift from my leadership,” Hiko said and held out a massive tanzanite gem that glowed from a light within.
“Really?” I asked, surprised. I accepted the cool, heavy stone. It was large enough to fill both my hands.
“You are only the second Caretaker ever to visit our world,” he replied. “Your kind is always welcome.”
How odd was it for them to like humans but not each other? Carey had said there was no history with humanity like there was among the Five Peoples. Humanity was really good at getting in its own way. Perhaps we hadn’t had enough time to piss them off.
“It’s incredible,” I said. “Thank you.”
“My pleasure. Caretaker, are you certain you wish to go to Nidiani?”
“Yes.” I carefully placed the jewel in my bag then swung my pack onto my back. “I must go.”
Hiko glanced at Teyan. “Maybe it is wise to take a Tili warrior with you.”
“What are you not telling me?” I asked, perplexed. “Is it so different from any other world? Are Caretakers not welcome?”
“No one is welcome,” Teyan replied.
“No one has gone there since they invited the monsters to a peace summit,” Hiko said. “We don’t know what has happened to the world.”
My mouth was dry. I was afraid. No, terrified. If these people, who had been around for a million years and at war with monsters for at least a couple decades, hesitated to go to Nidiani, then I had to be a fool.
But … whenever I thought of my mom, my resolve outweighed my fear. Whatever Jiod wanted with the Caretakers, and my door, I imagined it might be of concern to these people at some point. They seemed to like coming to my planet, and Jiod could change that. Whether or not they wanted to admit it, this concerned them, too.
“Our scout assures me the portal is unguarded and safe,” Hiko said to Teyan. “But we must be prepared for anything.”
Teyan nodded once. “Gianna,” he said.
I turned to look up at him, relieved to see he displayed none of the worry I felt.
“This is a Tili defense shield.” He handed me a baton made of the same sort of unidentifiable metal the ovens had been. “If you are in danger, slam this into the ground at your feet just so.” He pointed to the blue end of the stick and then the ground. “Stay out of the way of the white side.”
I studied the simple device.
Teyan took it and slid it into a spot on my belt. I watched his long fingers move with fascination then met his gaze. His warmth was present, if fleeting in front of the others. His intense look set me on fire, and I marveled at how our accidental meeting had turned into something so much more than I ever thought possible.
“Tomtom has a defensive shield implant. He can face our enemies in a way you cannot, so you must not get close enough for them to touch you, should we run across any,” he whispered and cupped my face in one hand. “Stay beside me.”
“I will.”
The silence between us stretched on, our worlds melting away until it was just us.
“If you’re ready,” Hiko said and cleared his throat loudly.
Teyan blinked and offered me a small smile before his hardness returned. His hand dropped.
I drew a breath and faced Hiko. “I’m ready.”
He nodded and spun, leading us away from the cavern city. I didn’t think it was the right time to hold Teyan’s hand, not when he and the others seemed ready for battle. Tomtom walked beside me, so I ended up touching him instead. I would never get used to his fangs, but I liked having him around. The beast made me feel safe.
Hiko led us to the cavern wall and stopped. One of his men disappeared through it, and Teyan touched my arm gently as he passed me to go second, trailed by his rawerah. I went third and gripped Tomtom’s fur tightly as he walked us through the portal.
Heat replaced the relative coolness of the cavern.
Nidiani was a swath of de
sert broken up by piles of black that appeared to be on fire. I squinted in the brilliant sunlight, my eyes watering until I could hardly see.
“Nidiani summers are harsh,” Hiko said and approached me. He wore dark lenses over his eyes and held two for me. “They have summer for five winds then winter for five winds. During winter, this all turns into savannah. Close your eyes, Caretaker.”
I did so. His touch was light and then gone, and I opened them again. The difference was instant – I could see clearly without the sun bothering my eyes. The lenses adhered directly to the skin around my eyes in a way I wasn’t able to figure out when I touched them. They felt gummy.
Nidiani had two suns, I realized with a glance up. The sky was orange-yellow in the center and blue around the edges. It almost looked like the suns had burnt a hole in the heavens.
A closer look around us revealed what exactly the black blobs were in the sand.
Cities. Rather, destroyed cities. We stood next to a tall sand dune at the top of a range of dunes overlooking a valley whose charred city still smoked. It was far smaller than New York, closer to the size of the nearest town to the bed and breakfast. Black metal and whatever other materials the sand city were made of were bent, melted and contorted, as if the buildings had wilted in place. It was unlike a normal kind of fire, and nothing like the pictures of damage left over from atomic bombs I had seen in history class. I wasn’t able to identify what kind of weapon was capable of doing this.
“What happened?” I breathed.
“They tried to make peace with our enemies,” Teyan replied.
“For once, we agree with the Tili,” Hiko added. “There is no peace with the monsters.”
Was I finally going to see what they considered to be a monster?
Teyan was grim, his skin blacker than I’d ever seen it beneath the glare of the two suns.
“I’m sending the rawerahs to scout ahead,” he told me.
I nodded.
Tomtom and his sister bounded away from us, towards the city.
I twisted around. Smoke plumes rose from distant points around us, and dread settled into my stomach. The desert stretched to meet the sky in every direction.