The Rise of Azlyn (Book 4): Planet Urth, no. 4

by Jennifer and Christopher Martucci

  It still amazes me even after seeing it as many times as I have, but Urthmen are extremely clean creatures. The room is meticulous.

  “I think this room is perfect,” Sully says warmly.

  “Me, too,” I agree. Then to June I say, “What are you waiting for? Go try it out. Go see how comfy the bed is.”

  She hesitates for a moment then shuffles into the room. “I feel like I’m walking on, I don’t know, like spongy earth.”

  Sully and I follow her in. “Ah, it’s the carpet. This is really nice carpeting,” Sully says.

  I look down at the floor. Plush fibers in a cream color cover it and do feel spongy beneath my feet. “I like it. I bet it feels good without shoes and socks on.”

  “Oh yeah, I bet it does!” June agrees. She yawns a third time. “We’ll have to try that later.”

  Sully looks over her head at me and smiles. “Count me in.”

  June pulls back the covers and inspects the sheet and pillow. She sniffs it and purses her lips.

  “Well?” Sully splays his hands at his sides.

  “It’s fine.” June shrugs then unties her shoes. She climbs up into the bed and sits. “Oh wow! Oh my goodness! This is the softest thing ever!” Her eyes are closed and her expression is one of pure bliss.

  Sully folds his arms over his chest. “I don’t believe you,” he says levelly.

  June’s eyes snap open. She looks equal parts insulted and shocked. “What?” she asks.

  “You heard me, I don’t believe you.” Sully gives a slight bob of his shoulder.

  “But why? I’m not lying, I would never—”

  “I need to test it out for myself. Now shove over.” Grinning widely, Sully kicks off his shoes. He plops down near the foot of the bed and groans. “Oh man. You weren’t kidding. I feel like my backside is being hugged.”

  A fit of giggles bursts from June. Even I can’t help but laugh.

  “Come on, Avery. Let your butt get a hug.” He waves me over beside him.

  “No, I’ll take your word for it. I’m fine. Besides, if I sit I won’t get up—”

  “Oh blah, blah, blah.” Sully takes my hand and yanks me to the bed. “Take a load off.”

  As soon as my backside hits the mattress, I understand what they meant. “Oh wow,” is all I say.

  “See, I told you so,” June says and shakes her head. “And to think, if Sully here didn’t make you try it out you’d have never known.” She makes a tsking sound and shakes her head again, just like our father used to.

  “Okay, okay, you’ve made your point.” I swat the air in front of me playfully. “And now I may never leave.” I flop backward so that I’m flat on my back.

  June yawns again. “Whatever you want,” she says. She looks at me drowsily. Her eyelids, half closed, look heavy. “Just don’t jiggle so much, okay?”

  “Okay.” I sit up and so does Sully.

  Putting up a futile fight against sleep, June’s eyelids flutter. She mumbles words that are inaudible before her breathing becomes even.

  “I’m going to check things out downstairs one more time before I come up and go to sleep. I’ll take the room next to you so I don’t disturb you, okay?”

  Incoherent words tumble from her. I take them as affirmation and slip from the bed, stopping only to grab my shoes before I leave the room.

  “She’s exhausted, huh?” Sully whispers.

  “She is. I feel so bad for her. She’s been through so much.” Acute worry returns to me like a faithful travel companion, or a dark and ever-present passenger.

  As if sensing my plummeting mood, Sully stops and latches onto my wrist. He turns me gently, so that I’m facing him. “Hey, she’s okay. She’s going to be okay. You’re doing a great job with her.”

  I snort self-depreciatingly. “Yeah, her crying spell earlier was proof positive that I’m killing it in the taking care of her department.” I roll my eyes then stare at my feet.

  Sully hooks his index finger under my chin and lifts it so that our gazes meet. “Don’t do that. Don’t put yourself down. You’ve kept her alive and safe since your father died. That’s including Urthmen encounters, creature attacks, and a whole slew of other things like starvation and the elements, and you’ve kept her in one piece through all of it.” Sable eyes seem to liquefy. “What you’ve done, what you’ve accomplished, is incredible. You’re incredible.” His fingers slide from my wrist and entwine with my fingers. “Plus you put my father in his place and got her out of New Washington with her sanity intact.” His brow lifts and a sly smile curves his lips. “Now that’s something to brag about as far as I’m concerned.”

  “Hmm, your dad. I forgot about him.” I purse my lips and picture the smug ruler of the city below the earth. Though it’s only been weeks since I saw him, his image is fuzzy, less distinct than it was in the days following our exit. “I wonder how he and his people are doing.”

  Sully smiles and gives my hand a gentle squeeze. “If by ‘his people’ you mean those over-privileged airheads we spent the evening with, I’m guessing they’re experiencing some hard times right about now.”

  I lean back and fake a frown. “You mean you don’t miss them?” I imitate Kim’s singsong voice and ask with pretend surprise.

  Sully laughs and rakes his free hand through his hair. “Uh, no, not even a little.” We walk toward the room next door to June’s. “Those jerks are used to getting everything they want when they want it, having everything done for them. Now that all the people who served them and produced their little trinkets are gone, they’ll learn what it takes to run the city.”

  I chuckle. “There’s no way they’ll be able to run the city.”

  “Tell me about it. They won’t be able to maintain power. Food won’t be produced. The animals will die. Even if the hundreds who stayed behind worked every hour of the day, it still wouldn’t be enough. It takes thousands to run that city, thousands that are in this town with us right now.”

  “That’s so sad.” I shake my head and suppress the small smile that threatens.

  “I know. My poor father will have to clean his own castle. What’s this world coming to?”

  Laughter overtakes me. I giggle until my eyes fill with tears and overflow. Sully laughs too. When we both stop, I realize we’re at the threshold of a room with a large bed identical to the one in which June sleeps. Decorated in shades that range from cobalt to pastel blue, the room also has a bathroom.

  “Look at this,” I say and lead Sully inside. “There’s a bathroom in here and everything. The Urthmen lived like kings.”

  “They sure did,” Sully agrees with a hint of disgust spiking his words.

  “I wonder if there’s running water.” I pull back the curtain and inspect the large tub and showerhead.

  “I’m sure it does. There are towels on the rack.” He points to towels the color of forget-me-nots. Then he twists a shiny metal handle. Water sprays from the metal mechanism overhead. I squeal and step back. I can’t believe Utrthmen are intelligent enough to maintain working plumbing, but somehow they’ve managed to do exactly that. Sully places his hand in the stream and smiles.

  My muscles ache and throb. The thought of water cascading down my tired body sounds almost as good as a warm, comfy bed to sleep in. Enjoying both would be a dream come true.

  “Why don’t I leave and you can hop in the shower,” Sully says as if he’s read my mind. “I’ll check out the bathroom down the hall and do the same. I’ll come back to say goodnight. Sound good?”

  For a split-second, I’m speechless. “Yeah, that sounds perfect,” I say when finally words return to me.

  “Great. See you back here in a bit.” He kisses the top of my hand that he’s holding then releases it and disappears, closing the door behind him.

  I strip out of my clothes and step into the shower, closing the curtain. Jets of water pelt my skin and massage tired, aching muscles. I squeeze sweet-smelling gel from a tube on the ledge of the tub into my palm and rub it
between my hands. Bubbles form. I lather my hair and body then rinse. Eager to see Sully again, I turn off the water and step out of the shower. I dry and dress in my underwear and tank top then spot another tube on the side of the sink. I open it and smell it. White and pasty, it smells like the mint leaves I used to chew when I lived in the forest. I figure that it must be toothpaste like we had in the underground city, so I squeeze a pea-sized amount onto my fingertip and touch the tip of my tongue to it. The taste is pleasant so I scrub it over my teeth.

  Feeling fresh and clean, I step from the bathroom and nearly faint when I see Sully standing before me.

  His eyes travel from my toes to the top of my head, and his cheeks turn scarlet. “Avery! Oh my gosh! I’m so sorry.” He covers his eyes with his hand. “I, uh, didn’t, you know, expect you to be in your, uh, you know, underclothes.”

  Heat zips through my body and rushes to my cheeks. I cover myself with the door. “Uh, no problem. I just, uh, got out of the shower and felt so relaxed.” I rush inside and slip on my pants. I return, holding my long-sleeved shirt. “Okay, my pants are on. You can open your eyes.”

  Sully drops his hand, and his gaze immediately travels to my chest. “Sorry about that before, about, uh, you know walking in on you.” His eyes return to my face as I pull my shirt over my head. He’s blushing and fidgeting. I’ve never seen him like this before. Nervous and twitchy, he shifts his weight from one leg to the next and looks uncomfortable.

  “No, I’m sorry. I should’ve known better. I was just so relaxed from the shower and the soap. I don’t know, I guess I just didn’t think. Sorry.”

  “You have nothing to be sorry for, trust me.” His eyes travel the length of my body once again, only instead of feeling embarrassed as I’m sure I should, I feel oddly exhilarated. As if catching himself doing something he shouldn’t, Sully shakes his head and refocuses on my face. “Well, good night.” He turns and starts to leave.

  Every part of me cries out at once for him to stop, to stay. After the day we had, with the bridge and then the Urthmen, I should want to sleep for half a day, yet all I can think of is that I don’t want Sully to leave. “Wait!” I blurt out.

  Sully stops and turns toward me. He swallows hard and licks his lips. “Yes?” His sandy hair is still wet and sticking up in spiky tufts. His gaze is searching.

  I suddenly forget how to speak. My tongue feels too large for my mouth. “Stay,” I manage breathlessly.

  “Stay?” he repeats with wide eyes. “Here with you, like now?”

  I clear my throat and twist the front of my shirt nervously. His gaze alternates between my hands and my eyes. “Yeah, stay here with me for a while, or for as long as you want. We can talk. Whatever.”

  “That would be great,” he replies.

  “Come on in. Close the door behind you.” I close the door to the bathroom and make my way to the bed. Sitting on my knees I watch as Sully hesitates and looks at me questioningly.

  “Is it okay if I sit too?” He points to the side of the bed opposite me.

  “Uh-huh, sure.” I nod nervously.

  As he sits, the scent of soap and mint and leather is carried in the faint whoosh of air—a scent I’ve come to associate with Sully. I’m reminded of our night in Washington Central, the night we kissed. Involuntarily, I close my eyes and the fingers on one hand move to my lips. When I open them, Sully is watching me intently. He smiles.

  Wearing just a short-sleeved shirt, his sweatshirt is in his hands. I didn’t notice him carrying it when he first came in. I was too busy being mortified by the fact that I was in just a tank top and underwear. But now I see it, and I see him. His broad chest stretches the fabric of his T shirt, and taut cords of muscle run the length of both arms. I notice an angry red scar. “How’d you get that?” I ask.

  “Get what?” he furrows his brow.

  “This.” I lean in and touch it, my fingertips grazing the raised mark.

  He draws in a breath and goose bumps arise on his flesh.

  I worry he’s unwell, or reluctant to discuss how he was injured, or at best cold. “Are you okay? I didn’t mean to pry or anything. You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.”

  Sully looks perplexed.

  “Or if you’re not feeling well, or cold or whatever.” I clear my throat and stew in feelings of ineptitude.

  “Not feeling well? Cold? Where’d you get those ideas from?” He asks

  “Oh, well, I saw the goose bumps and I thought maybe you weren’t feeling well or you were cold,” I reply and hear how ridiculous I sound.

  A brief pauses passes between us then Sully says, “The goose bumps weren’t from being sick or cold.” He takes a deep breath, making the hard planes of his chest visible beneath the cotton of his shirt. “It was you.”

  “Me?” I ask, confused. I feel color heat my cheeks then drain from it just as quickly as it came when realization hits me like a sledgehammer. “Oh.” I make the goose bumps appear, my touch. The same exact thing happens anytime his skin touches mine.

  His admission, the fact that I have an effect on him, causes my belly to feel as if innumerable butterflies are dive bombing in my stomach. I look up at him and see that his gaze has grown heated. I want nothing more than to feel the heat of his skin beneath my fingertips, to watch him react to me. Impulsively, I reach out a hand and allow my fingertips to glide up his bare arm, stopping at his shoulder. I’ve never touched another the way I’m touching him. I have no idea what I’m doing, only that I don’t want to stop.

  Confusion and panic collide. A bolt of elation rockets down my spine. My pulse is hammering so hard I feel it beating in my throat. Sully closes his eyes and sighs, as if savoring the sensation of my hands on his skin, encouraging me to explore further. I allow my fingers to skim his hairline then his collarbone. I see the pounding at the base of his throat increase its fitful tempo. Emboldened by the thrill of euphoric emotions coursing through me, I risk leaning in and pressing my lips to the throbbing pulse point. Trembling, I plant a light kiss there. When I pull back, a pair of molten brown eyes watch me.

  My breathing hitches and I become lightheaded. His gaze is fiery, yet tempered with something else, something profound and vulnerable. He reaches out and cups my face in both hands, then bends toward me. Closing the distance between us, he kisses me tenderly. I tilt my head to one side and welcome the warmth of his lips against mine. Soft and sweet, his mouth, his proximity, causes the world to fall silent all around me, save for the sound of my heart racing in my chest. His tongue traces my lower lip, the sensation sending a shiver through me and causing the fine hairs on my body to rise. My heart flutters, and for a moment, I worry I will faint. When I don’t, I inch toward him, hungry to be closer to him. Running my hand up his arm again, I trace the length of it until I reach his hair. I twist my fingers in the short locks at his nape. Drawing in a sharp breath through his nose, he pulls me close.

  With no space between us, our hearts beat in time with each other. Urthmen, Lurkers, underground cities with overindulged inhabitants controlling the vast majority of the wealth, and power hungry presidents cease to exist. There are just two people in the world right now: Sully and me.

  We hold each other for a long while. Still it is too short. I wish we could stay as we are, locked in an embrace forever. But sleep beckons. We have many long days ahead of us, long days filled with battles and bloodshed.

  The depth of our kiss fades to a series of light pecks until they stop altogether. Wrapped in Sully’s arms, I feel pure happiness.

  “Avery, I have to tell you something.” With my head pressed to Sully’s chest, his voice echoes through me. I hear the faint tremor in his tone, and alarm prickles within me.

  “What? What is it?” I ask.

  “I-I love you.”

  I pull away from him and prop myself up on one elbow. Surely I didn’t hear him say what I think he just said. My pulse rate soars. “What did you just say?”

  “I love you, Avery. I’
ve loved you since the day I met you.” His gaze is locked on mine. Amusement does not dance in it, and gone is his wry smile. He’s serious, sincere.

  My heart stumbles like a clumsy runner. He loves me. Sully loves me.

  And I love him.

  Sully rakes a hand through his hair. “Wow, sorry. I didn’t mean to lay that on you. I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable—”

  “I love you, too,” I blurt out.

  “You do?” Sully’s eyes light up and a broad smile rounds his cheeks.

  “I do.” I smile back at him and tears gather in the corners of my eyes.

  He hugs me tightly, and for the first time in my life, I am overjoyed. Feeling safe and loved, sleep finds me. Deep, dreamless oblivion welcomes me into its warm and dark embrace.

  Chapter 4

  A ribbon of sunlight streams in through the closed curtains in my room, rousing me from the best night of sleep I’ve ever had. Huddled in Sully’s strong arms with the covers drawn to my chin, I am nestled in a cocoon of safety, of love, of pure bliss. I know I need to move, that the day has dawned and the time to leave has come, but try as I may to convince my body to budge, it doesn’t. Sully’s deep, even breaths, the steady rhythm of his heart at my back, and his body molded to mine does little to motivate me to leave. Feeling as I do is too wonderful to give up just yet. Happiness is rare. Feeling warm and safe is even rarer. Still, I know we must get up. June will wake soon, and if she finds me with Sully, as I am now, she’ll have questions, and possibly hurt feelings. I want to avoid both.

  Reluctantly, I twist to face him. Buttery light casts a soft glow on his face, caressing his features and softening them. His hair is in a state of disarray, but somehow manages to make him look even more handsome. Expressionless and completely relaxed, he looks younger, or I suppose he looks his age, and vulnerable. Nineteen years on the planet is long by human survival standards, but once upon a time, centuries ago, people our age enjoyed something called youth. They got to explore the world around them and become who they were going to be without the burden of running for their lives at every turn. I envy that once upon a time. And right now, looking at him as he is, so peaceful and serene, I’d give just about anything to travel back to that period and explore the world with him and June. My heart clenches. I know it’s not possible, not the way it once was. But perhaps someday we’ll be able to live free. That is my goal.