Page 21 of Found By the Alien Warrior

AURIK

Frustration built within me as I tried to stop the cage on its track, but it kept going. I caught Gornoc pretending to drop the control and giving me a fake apologetic look, clearly under Korga's command.

"Damn him," I muttered, my heart pounding in my chest as I viewed Sonya, her face a picture of wild distress.

I climbed onto the top of the cage, gripping the cable. The friction burned my palms, pain searing through my hands, but I couldn't give up now. Using every ounce of strength I possessed, I managed to lift a portion of the top, bending back the rest with a grunt of exertion.

"Grab my hands!" I shouted down to Sonya, even though my own were slick with blood. "You'll have to jump!"

She attempted to leap up several times, but each time she failed. But then, as if fueled by some hidden reserve of determination, she sprang upwards, her hands meeting mine in a desperate grasp. With a heave, I hauled her out of the cage, our momentum sending us sprawling back onto the ring. Just as we hit the ground, there was a sudden whoosh, and the cage went flying over the edge.

The crowd erupted into shouts. All I could focus on was Sonya, tears streaming down her face as she clung to me. I gathered her, tight, to me as I held her trembling form. "I told you, I wouldn't let you fall."

Hyl'teron approached us, his gaze a mixture of concern and respect. He kicked the chain and cables away from us, ensuring they wouldn't drag us over the edge. I gave him a nod of thanks.

Korga, however, was less than pleased. “Guards.” He pointed to my former opponent. “Get this one out for interfering.”

My blood simmered at Korga's on-the-spot rulemaking. Korga gave a shrug when he looked at me and Sonya.

“Don’t be so glum. You won, and I’m going to show you how nice I can be. I’m granting the two of you the rest of the day to rest."

I took Sonya's hand, her grip trembling but firm, and together we walked away from the madness of the ring back to the ship. As we left, I couldn't help but think that perhaps our fight for survival was only just beginning.

SONYA

My entire body trembled after my ordeal, but as I entered Aurik's room on the ship, a sense of calm began to wash over me. The noise of the crowd and the fighting ring faded away when he closed the door behind us, leaving only the muffled sound of guards stationed outside.

Aurik draped a soft blanket over my shoulders while I sat on his bed pallet. His touch was warm and comforting despite everything we had been through. He then brought me a large platter of steaming hot food, and it occurred to me just how hungry I was. "Eat," he commanded, his voice gentle yet firm.

I eyed the platter, my stomach growling in response. "I can't eat your victory dinner," I protested, even as my mouth watered at the sight of the food.

Aurik shook his head, insistent. "I don't care about the match or the food. You're alive. That's all that matters."

With a sigh, I relented, grabbing a drumstick from some kind of bird. I was so hungry, the specifics of the bird didn’t matter. I tore into it.

His eyes followed my every move, a half-smile playing at the corners of his mouth as he watched me devour the meal. Realizing that I had abandoned my table manners, I slowed down, chewing more carefully and dabbing my mouth with a napkin. "So what part of this galaxy are you from?"

"That's a long story for another time," he replied evasively, though it was clear that he appreciated the question. We both needed something lighter to focus on after the intensity of our recent experiences.

“Well, I’m eating all your food so how else will you keep your mouth busy?”

He salvaged the other drumstick for himself. We shared a laugh as we polished off the big dinner plate. Once we were full, I reminded Aurik that I was still interested in getting my question answered. “You shared your food. I want you to share your background.”

“You’re insatiable.”

I munched on a crispy vegetable while I waited for him to start.

"My home planet is Yron," he said, his voice tinged with both pride and sorrow. "Our culture is centered around our warrior clans who protect the land and their families."

"Is your family looking for you?"

He shook his head. "They don't know my whereabouts. I haven't been home in eleven years."

I set down my napkin. "Not being nosey or anything, but it sounds like you have a lot of respect for your family. Eleven years is a long time to go without seeing them."

Aurik's jaw tightened, and his eyes took on a haunted look. "I don't deserve to go home," he admitted, his voice heavy with regret. “I was adopted into a family. I’m the same age as my brother Vortaris. When we were twenty, as part of our warrior initiation, we had to survive in the woods. Instead of working together, we fought," he explained, his voice thick with self-reproach. "I don't even remember what the argument was about, but it was enough to make us split up. I was faster, so I cleared the woods first. He lagged behind. I went back looking for him."

I sat silent, engaged, while waiting for him to go on.

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