by Lili Zander
He gives me a warm smile. “Not at all,” he agrees. “Your first day here, you faced down a trio of Dwals and shot two of them. You saved Sofia and Harper’s lives. How can anyone think of you as helpless?”
He’s right. I did do that. I smile at him, grateful for the words of support. “Thank you, Thrax.”
Goodbye, nice and safe Draekon camp.
Hello, crazy jungle world.
I’m ready for you.
3
Zorux:
The next day, we set out at first light. I can climb down the Na’Lung cliffs in five hours, but the human women, Harper Boyd and Ryanna Dickson cannot match our speed. Our goal today is to get to the cave at the bottom of the cliffs before the sun sets.
“Are you going to change into dragons and fly down?” Ryanna asks Vulrux and Dennox curiously.
They shake their heads. “We’re journeying into the unknown,” Dennox explains. “It would be wiser for Vulrux and me to conserve our energy.” His eyes twinkle at Ryanna. “Were you hoping to fly?”
I frown, an odd possessiveness filling me. I want to be the one that introduces Ryanna to the experience of flight, but I’m unable to transform into the dragon.
She doesn’t care for you, I remind myself. She thinks you’re surly and unfriendly.
“Not even a little,” Ryanna admits with a shudder. “I’m terrified of heights.” She grabs a heavy food pack and slings it on her shoulders. “I was really glad when Thrax carried me on the way up. I shut my eyes and held on for dear life.”
Thrax smirks. Flirting comes naturally to the former pilot, and I envy him for it. “You can shut your eyes and hold on to me anytime you like, pretty human,” he says with a wink.
Raiht’vi, the female scientist, rolls her eyes. “I would rather slit my wrists than listen to this nonsense,” she snaps. “Are we going to spend the entire day talking, or shall we leave?”
“We leave,” Vulrux says calmly. “Zorux, help Ryanna. Thrax, you can give Raiht’vi a hand.” His expression turns stern. “We are going on a dangerous journey to parts of the planet we’ve never seen. I will not have us bickering like children. Our lives depend on us acting as a team.”
I move next to Ryanna. During the rainy season, I’ve taught the human woman how to throw a knife. She’s practiced long and hard, and I admire her persistence. There’s something almost frantic in her desire to be able to protect herself.
Admit it. You admire more than the human woman’s persistence.
“I will take your pack,” I tell her, in an effort to ease her burden.
She bristles. “Y’all don’t have to patronize me,” she snaps. “I can handle myself.”
“Bast.” I mutter the curse under my breath. This woman is prickly and stubborn, and unless I want to argue with her all the way down the cliffs and risk Vulrux’s displeasure, I have to approach her differently. “Ryanna Dickson,” I say, making an effort to soften my tone. “There is no shame in your fear. My sister Sila’vi was terrified of heights too.” I hold out my hand for the pack on her shoulder. “If you let one of the others take your pack, I can carry you down the cliff.”
Her dark eyes remind me of the glitter of tauzin gemstones. “You have a sister?”
I swallow a lump of fear in my throat. I don’t know if my siblings are still alive. “Sixty years ago, I did,” I reply softly.
Raiht’vi looks up, unbidden, and her eyes take in the markings on my flesh. “Sila’vi und Saarex ab Rykiel is your sister?”
My spine prickles with unease at the attention. “Yes,” I say warily. “Why?”
“She worked on the translators,” Raiht’vi replies. “She’s very talented.”
Part of me is relieved that it’s nothing more than that. Another part of me is terrified. If Sila’vi worked on the translators that we’re wearing, then she must be living in the capital city, Vissa. Why in the name of Caeron is she taking such a big risk? She’d be better off in the Northern Wilds.
Ryanna shrugs the pack off her shoulder, and Dennox takes it from her. I place an argangana hide sling on my back. “Climb on, Ryanna.”
Part of me wants to flirt with her the same way Thrax did and tell her to close her eyes and hold on tight, but I hold my tongue. I can’t risk doing anything that invites scrutiny. The lives of my brothers and sister hang in the balance.
Ryanna:
Side note: I’ve never been attracted to a guy’s back. Until now. Chest, yes. Abs, hell yes. Happy trails? Damn straight. But backs? This is a new one for me.
Every time Zorux’s shoulders flex under my hands, I feel it right between my legs.
Maybe my vow of celibacy is finally taking its toll. Zorux smells good, too. A little more spice than smoke. I breathe it in and realize I’m almost nuzzling his neck. God, how embarrassing.
Smell, don’t touch. Except that I’m plastered against him for the next few hours of the descent.
Did the Draekons have to be seven feet tall with more muscles than a pro athlete? Did they have to be marooned on a hot planet, where wearing anything more than a loincloth is considered overdressed?
Of course they did.
Contemplating Zorux’s gleaming bronze biceps is better than looking down at our route off the cliffs. My stomach flips at how far away the Lowlands are. For about an hour, neither of us say anything. I’m trying not to panic, and Zorux isn’t exactly known for being chatty.
“Ryanna,” he rumbles at last, breaking the quiet. “Your nails are digging into my shoulders. Do try to relax. The sling will hold you securely.”
Shit. I’ve been gripping him so hard that I’ve left marks on his skin, and is that blood? Crap. I’ve scratched him. “Sorry,” I mutter, loosening my grip on his warm body. “I’d forgotten how nerve-wracking this climb is.”
“Talk to me,” he orders. “Sila’vi used to find that if her mind was distracted, she wasn’t as afraid.”
Huh. This is the most conversation I’ve ever had with Zorux, and he actually sounds nice, not surly. I’m going to take advantage. Grandma used to complain that I asked far too many questions, and she was right.
I’m fascinated by the Draekons. I’m absolutely blown away at the thought of fourteen of them stranded on a primitive world, and making the best of it. If it were me, I’d be full-on barbarian. Steel Magnolias meets Lord of the Flies. “What is your sister like?” I ask boldly. “You’ve never talked about her.”
“To you,” he says repressively.
Ouch. Faint hurt trickles through me. I guess I was being nosy, but he was the one who brought up his sister, not me. I lapse into silence, and he sighs after a couple of minutes. “I’m sorry,” he says. “That was not right of me. Sila’vi was sixteen when I was exiled, and I miss my family. She was smart and cheerful.” His voice is tinged with humor. “Nothing like me.”
“Oh, I wouldn’t say that,” I reply, the words spilling out of my mouth before I can bite them back. “I’m sure you’re pretty smart.”
“But not cheerful.” He sounds like he’s holding back a laugh, which absolutely shocks me. The idea of Zorux laughing is unheard of.
“You said family. When you were exiled, did you leave your parents behind? A wife? Other siblings?”
His muscles tense. “My parents are dead,” he says curtly. “I have two brothers and one sister, and I was not bonded.”
I get the sense that I’ve stuck my foot in it, but I don’t know why. I tense internally. Zorux’s mood swings are impossible to deal with. My ex-husband Mike was like that. One moment, he was charming and funny, and the next moment, everything would change.
This time, neither Zorux nor I break the silence. I close my eyes and clench my fingers into fists, refusing to hold onto him, and we make our way down the cliffs.
4
Thrax:
We reach the cave at the bottom with over three hours of daylight left. “Do we keep going?” Raiht’vi, the Highborn scientist, asks when we get there.
Everyone looks
at Vulrux, who’s in charge of this expedition. He shakes his head. “We make camp for the night,” he says. “Before the rains, Fehrat 1 was only a few hours away, but the floods could have washed the ship away. Dennox and I will search for it now so we don’t have to walk around in circles looking for it.”
He turns to his mate Harper, an affectionate look on his face. “You want to go flying, diya?”
I feel a brief pang of envy when I see Harper lace her fingers in his. “Can I take a raincheck?” she asks. “I’m a little wiped. I’m going to eat something and take a nap.”
The translator in my ear tells me that ‘raincheck’ has nothing to do with the deluge that has fallen for the last three months, and when Harper says ‘wiped’, she doesn’t want to clean anything. Humans. This English of theirs is nonsensical. Zor is much easier.
Dennox looks up, concerned. “You don’t look good,” he says bluntly.
Harper looks indignant. Ryanna ducks her head and stifles a smile. I move next to her. “What’s the joke?”
Her dark eyes sparkle with amusement. “Never tell your girlfriend that she doesn’t look good,” she whispers, her lips grazing my ear. “Poor Dennox just put his foot in his mouth.”
My cock hardens at her touch. Stupid cock. All it can think of is how sweet Ryanna’s pussy would feel when I sink into her. Trying to distract myself from that image, I slice some red laius roots for our meal while the device in my ear translates Ryanna’s last statement. “Is he going to get in trouble?”
Her lips twitch. “They’ve been humping like bunnies for the last three months. I think he’s safe.” She looks over her shoulder. “Check it out.”
I follow her gaze and see Dennox kissing Harper, his fingers twined in her hair. Once again, I feel a twinge of envy. If I’m being honest, it’s more like a sharp stab this time.
My father died before I was born; my mother died in childbirth. I was raised in an orphanage. Nobody has ever fussed over me when I was sick. I’ve never felt a real connection with anyone.
And I’ve never wanted to either. As a pilot, I spent more time on my ship than I did anywhere else. Surface visits were an opportunity to refuel, load up on supplies, and spend a night or two with a warm, willing woman.
Someone like Ryanna deserves better than me.
Zorux:
I can’t stop thinking about the way Ryanna had held onto me.
Because she’s afraid of heights. Not because of you.
If only things were different. If only I could allow myself to feel more.
You can’t. You will pay for the rest of your life for your father’s greed and recklessness.
We eat, and the women fall asleep. The sky is dark by the time Vulrux and Dennox return, both men heavily coated in watlich paste. I light a fire so that the two Draekons may eat a warm meal. Ryanna stirs in her sleep, but she doesn’t wake.
“Did you find the ship?” I ask them.
Vulrux nods. “It’s been swept further west of here. It’s now a day’s walk away.”
Dennox drinks the cup of kunnr wine I hand him. “We couldn’t land,” he says. “Too many trees. Unless it’s an emergency, I don’t want to risk burning them to make a clearing. We can walk to it in the morning.” He shoots the sleeping form of Harper a worried glance. “Did she wake?”
I shake my head. “She ate sparingly and went to sleep shortly after.”
Vulrux fingers tap a nervous beat on the cave floor. “It’s not like her to be so exhausted. Perhaps we should take her back.”
Dennox snorts. “Fine,” he says. “You tell Harper she can’t go along with us. I’ll watch.”
The Thirdborn grimaces. “I’d rather fight a trio of Dwals.” He tears off a piece of hulundi and chews on it thoughtfully. “Everything okay here?” He inclines his head in Raiht’vi’s direction. “Any trouble?”
The scientist makes us all nervous, but so far, she’s been on her best behavior. “None.”
The men finish their meal, and when they’re done, Vulrux unrolls his bedding. “We should probably get into the habit of setting a guard,” he says. “There’s no danger here, but in the lowlands…” His tone is filled with unease.
“You’re concerned about the predators?”
“I’m concerned about the other exile batch,” he replies. “For sixty years, the fourteen of us have lived here without sighting anyone else. But we’re heading into areas that we’ve never been before. The furthest any of us have been is a five-day journey west of the Na’Lung cliffs. We’ll be journeying in unfamiliar grounds. I don’t want to take any chances.”
Dennox, who was a soldier, nods in agreement. “I’ll keep the first watch,” he says.
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Thrax replies at once, his smile robbing the words of any sting. “Zorux and I have eaten and rested. I’ll keep first watch. He’ll keep second. Get some sleep.”
I’m sitting at the mouth of the cave, keeping watch for predators, staring at the moons in the night sky, when I hear Ryanna cry out. “No,” she whimpers. “Please don’t hurt me. I’m sorry. I won’t do it again.”
Unable to bear the note of fear in her voice, I rise at once and make my way to her side, stepping carefully over sleeping bodies. The dark-haired woman is talking in her sleep, her body hunched in distress. “Please,” she begs again. “Don’t…”
My heart aches at her terrified expression. I’ve never seen the woman look as afraid as she does. Gently, I put my hand on her shoulder, trying to shake her awake. “Ryanna,” I whisper. “Nobody will hurt you, little human.”
She cries out, and I wrap my arms around her sleeping body. “You’re safe, aida,” I say soothingly. “You’re having a bad dream.”
Her eyes flicker open. She looks at me hazily, and her body stiffens. In a flash, she reaches under her pillow and pulls out a knife, slashing it in my direction.
Bast.
5
Ryanna:
I’ve just sliced a gash in Zorux’s cheek.
A thin blue line appears on his face, then blood starts to seep under the cut. As I watch, bright blue blood oozes from his face. “I’m so sorry,” I gasp, horrified at what I’ve done.
I was dreaming that Mike had discovered me in the women’s shelter I’d taken refuge in when I’d left him. His hands had been clenched into fists, and he’d taken a step toward me, and in my nightmare, I’d known that he wasn’t going to let me leave there alive. “You’re my wife,” he’d snarled. “You belong to me, and you’re going to pay for forgetting that.”
Zorux is staring at me. I’m hunched into myself, waiting for him to take a swing at me, waiting for him to erupt in anger. He does none of these things. “You sleep with a knife under your pillow,” he says softly. “Why?”
I can’t answer his question. I shrug off my shirt and hand it to him. “For the cut,” I mumble.
He takes it from me, and dabs at his face. I’m wearing a tank-top underneath, and I can feel his eyes rest on my body for an instant. “Are you afraid that one of us might hurt you?”
My eyes fly to his face. “No.” The nightmare has left my skin cold and clammy, but Zorux’s quiet tone soothes me. “Back at home,” I whisper, “Someone close to me tried to hurt me. I feel safer with a weapon.”
“You’re safe here, Ryanna.” His shoulders are broad, and he looks strong, focused and controlled. There’s probably not a thing in the world that would terrify him. “Go back to sleep.”
I shudder at the thought of falling asleep, of reliving my nightmare. “I’ll just stay up for a while.”
He’s crouched at my side. At my words, he lets me go and gets back on his feet. I feel the loss of his touch like a physical blow. “Are you keeping watch?” I ask him, taking care to keep my voice low. I’d prefer if the others don’t wake up. I really don’t want to explain what happened to everyone.
He nods. “You can join me.” He makes his way to the narrow cave opening and sits down. In the faint green light of the moon, I pick
my way past the sleeping bodies and settle next to him. One side of the cave mouth is smooth, and he’s leaning against it. The other side is jagged, so I just sit in the middle, facing outward.
“Sorry about the cut.”
He shrugs. “It’s just a scratch.”
It’s a little deeper than just a scratch. I contemplate apologizing again, but Zorux seems determined to downplay the incident, and I’m quite happy to let him.
I never thought I’d be an abused wife. The first time Mike hit me, I’d been more shocked than angry. Then he begged forgiveness and stopped drinking for two months, and I stayed. I loved my husband. I thought it was a one-time mistake.
Then it got worse, but I couldn’t do anything. I was the biracial woman who lived on the outskirts of Goose Hand, Georgia with my reclusive grandparents. Mike was the sheriff of our small town, an upstanding, well-liked citizen. I began to believe it was my fault. If only I were a better wife. If only the house were cleaner, even though I worked ten-hour shifts at a grocery store in Eastman, almost an hour away.
When I finally picked up courage and left Mike, he swore he’d make me pay. I sleep with a weapon underneath my pillow because it’s the only thing that makes me feel safe, even though I’m on another planet, and my ex-husband has no way of reaching me here. I keep telling myself to stop being terrified. Sometimes, as it did when I shot the Dwals with Beirax’s weapon, it works. Most of the time, it doesn’t.
I’m a fucking mess.
“You’re upset.” Zorux hasn’t taken his eyes off me.
I’m trying not to burst into tears in front of Surly Draekon. “I’m fine.”
“You’re trembling,” he points out.