Page 34 of Across the Crimson Sands

“I was born on the Zar’nak colony. My father was a high-ranking military officer, my mother a scientist.” He paused, his expression distant. “I had a normal childhood, I suppose. For a Vinduthi.”

“What was that like?” I asked, genuinely curious.

A ghost of a smile touched his lips. “Rigorous training from a young age. Combat skills, tactical analysis, physical conditioning.”

I nodded, fascinated by this glimpse into his past. “And your family? Do you have any siblings?”

His expression shuttered. “I had a younger sister.”

The past tense hung heavy in the air between us.

So many questions swirled around my tongue, but the pain in his eyes stopped me.

“I’m sorry,” I said softly.

Rokan shrugged, his walls slamming back into place. “It was a long time ago.”

We lapsed into silence again, the weight of unspoken grief settling over us. I searched for something to say, anything to bring back the connection we’d been building.

I realized how close we’d moved towards each other during our conversation. Our shoulders were almost touching, and I could feel the heat radiating from his body. A surge of adrenaline shot through me, hyperaware of his proximity.

Rokan cleared his throat, breaking the spell. “We should get some sleep. Long day tomorrow.”

Reality came crashing back. Tomorrow. When he would turn me over to Gorin and collect his bounty. The warmth I’d been feeling evaporated, replaced by a cold dread in the pit of my stomach.

“Right,” I said, forcing a smile. “Sleep.”

Rokan gathered the remains of our meal and set the tray outside the door. I watched him move around the room, my chest tight with conflicting emotions. Some traitorous part of my mind wanted to beg him not to go through with it, to run away with me instead. But I knew it was pointless. He had a job to do.

As he settled into bed beside me, I turned on my side, facing away from him. I didn’t want him to see the tears threatening to spill from my eyes.

“Goodnight, Arilee,” Rokan said softly.

Darkness tugged at my mind, dragging me under. Rokan’s warmth beside me, our meal’s lingering aroma, and the day’s emotional toll conspired to pull me into oblivion. I clung to consciousness, savoring these final quiet moments before tomorrow changed everything.

My body betrayed me. Limbs turned to lead, thoughts scattered like leaves. I floated in that hazy realm between waking and dreaming. Fleeting images danced through my mind - the endless Crimson Sands, Rokan’s eyes piercing the shadows, Gorin’s icy collar biting my throat.

Just as sleep claimed me, a slight shift jolted me back. The bed dipped, Rokan’s heat vanishing. My eyes cracked open, struggling to focus in the dim room.

Rokan loomed by the bed, his muscular form a dark silhouette against the faint window glow. He moved like a predator, silent and fluid, as he crossed the room.

And then he was gone.

ROKAN

Iflipped out the window, my muscles tensing as I gripped the ledge. The wind whipped around me as I scaled the hotel’s exterior, my fingers finding purchase on minuscule protrusions. Within moments, I hauled myself onto the roof.

The city stretched before me, a sea of neon and shadows, blending into the jungle beyond.

The world tilted suddenly, my vision blurring. I stumbled, gripping the ledge of the roof to steady myself. A wave of nausea hit, familiar and unwelcome.

“Damn it,” I growled.

The poison Arilee had slipped me lingered, a ghost in my system. I’d thought I’d purged it completely, but this dizzy spell proved otherwise. My body fought against the remnants, determined to rid itself of the last traces.

I rubbed my temples, trying to clear the fog. The dizziness faded, leaving only a slight echo of discomfort. Or maybe that was just because I really, really didn’t want to make this call.

In a moment, Davor’s gruff face materialized on the screen of my percomm.

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