Page 37 of Swipe Right for Stardust

She shook her head stubbornly. “No, I’m fine. We can’t lose our lead.”

“Your well-being is more important than any competition,” I said firmly.

Surprise flickered across her face. “I... I just don’t want to let you down.”

The vulnerability in her voice struck a chord deep within me. I placed a hand on her shoulder, feeling the warmth of her skin through the thin fabric of her suit.

“You could never let me down,” I said softly. “Your determination, your creativity - they continue to impress me at every turn.”

A blush crept across her cheeks, and she ducked her head. “Thanks, Zarnak. That... means a lot.”

We continued our climb, but now I made sure to set a more manageable pace. I tried offering words of encouragement, pointing out interesting geological formations to distract her from the physical strain.

Finally, we reached the uppermost floating rock. The artifact we sought sat atop it, glowing with an otherworldly light.

“Got it!” Vanessa shouted, her face lighting up.

I smiled in return, her enthusiasm infectious. “Indeed we did. Now, let’s secure our prize, shall we?”

I approached the artifact carefully, examining its properties. The rock beneath our feet hummed with energy, and the hair on my arms stood on end.

“Fascinating,” I murmured. “The ionic charge in this area is off the charts.”

Vanessa peered over my shoulder. “So how do we grab it without getting zapped?”

I moved away, suddenly too conscious of how close we were standing. “We’ll need to neutralize the charge first. Here, let me show you.”

Finally, we managed to secure the artifact in our pack. Vanessa gave a whoop of triumph, throwing her arms around me in an impulsive hug. I froze, then slowly returned the embrace, savoring the feeling of her body pressed against mine.

Suddenly, the rock shuddered. Vanessa stumbled, and I instinctively reached out to steady her. The gravity shifted violently, and we were both thrown off balance.

I tightened my grip on Vanessa as we tumbled through the air. I couldn’t let her be hurt. It simply wasn’t possible.

With a monumental effort, I managed to grab onto a nearby floating rock, pulling Vanessa close against me.

We hung there, both breathing heavily. “Are you all right?” I asked, my voice rough.

Vanessa nodded, her face buried against my chest. “Yeah, thanks to you. My hero.”

The teasing lilt in her voice did nothing to calm my racing pulse. I reluctantly loosened my hold on her, allowing her to find her footing on the rock.

“We should... we should plan our descent,” I said, trying to regain my composure.

“We’ll do it just the way we came up,” Vanessa mused. “We just need to find the rhythm.”

I looked at her, impressed by her intuitive grasp of the situation. “Exactly. Your insight continues to surprise me, Vanessa.”

She grinned, a mischievous glint in her eye. “What can I say? I’m full of surprises.”

As we plotted our course down, I relied more and more on Vanessa’s input. Her unconventional approach complemented my methodical analysis perfectly.

“You know,” I said as we made our first leap, “I’m beginning to think we make quite the team.”

Vanessa’s smile was brilliant. “Yeah, we do, don’t we? Now, let’s get off this crazy rock and win this thing.”

The teleportation beam released us, and darkness engulfed us like a thick blanket. I blinked rapidly, trying to adjust to the sudden absence of light. The air was heavy, laden with moisture that clung to my fur. A musty scent filled my nostrils, earthy and ancient.

“Zarnak?” Vanessa’s voice wavered slightly. “I can’t see a thing.”

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