“Not so far.” His warm gaze traveled down my frame, and more heat flooded my veins. Despite worrying my feelings were generated by my fear of this place and the fact that this male was probably the only thing standing between me and something even more horrible than the current situation, my feelings for him were growing. I didn't know what to do about that, so I decided to do nothing. What chance did I have of surviving, let alone falling in love?
“I could teach you,” I said.
“When we're free of this place, I'd love that.”
Another thing to look forward to. We'd escape this nightmare and search for my sister. We'd find her safe. I couldn't believe anything else. The thought of never seeing her again or worse, finding her dead, kept ripping through me. It was all I could do to keep down the meal I'd eaten. It churned in my belly, threatening to come back up.
Nerves, I told myself. A hefty dose of justified fear. And the beginning of mourning the life I used to have but suspected I'd never see again.
My new life was full of changes. No Maggie to pester or sit with me while savoring morning coffee. No job togo to or bills to pay. I couldn't even plan what I'd eat for lunch, let alone what might happen in the next minute.
The only constant here and the only thing I could cling to was Firion. He was the light shining a way through the darkness, and my only guide for whatever might come next. Funny how I knew already that as long as I remained with him, I'd be safe. Security was a fine thread in this place, and I worried it would snap, sending me down into the waiting abyss.
Last night had changed everything; like the first flickers of a flame igniting inside me. Firion had reached out, not just physically but emotionally, and I’d sucked in the feelings he’d generated inside me. In the darkness, I found comfort while wrapped in his arms, plus an unspoken promise of protection. Through the night, his warm hand stroked my back and the soft timbre of his voice as he whispered that he was here for me, that he’d make sure I got out of here safe, reassure me. Whenever our gazes met, something sparked through me.
“Watch,” he said softly, sitting beside me on the bed and placing his palm on the wall. He closed his eyes and hummed. A six-inch, very sharp-appearing stone knife slid from the wall and dropped onto the bed behind him. With a grin, he picked it up and tested its weight. “Perfect.” He was rapidly proving that his stone gods truly did exist.
I should be shocked but after eating a meal that oozed from the wall, I almost expected a circus to appear from there next. Clowns would dance around the room and perform tricks while I’d stare at them blankly.
Okay, I really needed to strap down my worry before it carried me to the edge and tossed me over the side.
He tucked the blade into the back of his pants and stood, making sure his tunic covered it from view. “Armed. Finally.”
Should I ask for a knife? Probably, but I’d slice myself if I tried to carry it like him. If I held it in my hand, the lizards would see it. Questions would be asked, and we’d both be in danger.
I’d have to look for something simpler. A rock, maybe. I could lob it at a lizard’s head if need be.
A door banged down the hall, and the stomps and guttural grunts of many guards echoed around us. Two lizards carrying spears like the one that wounded me stopped outside our cell, unlocking it. The heavy metal door screeched as it swung open, the sound making tension ripple through me. My heart pounded against my ribs.
Firion placed himself between us. I slid off the bed and stepped over to stand beside him, taking in the massive, hulking figures that towered over my Zuldruxian friend. Their green, scaled skin glistened under the lights, and their long snouts spread wide as they hissed at each other in a language I couldn't understand. Dark sleeveless tunics clung to their muscular bodies, and mid-calf pants exposed their clawed feet. A few wore chest armor that appeared to be made out of larger scales that reminded me of what might come from dragons. I hoped there weren’t dragons on this planet.
One of the guards grimaced. Or smiled. I couldn'ttell. While he barked out commands, I held myself stiffly, trying not to cringe from the view of his jagged fangs and the four-inch claws on his hands and bare feet.
“Stay close to me,” Firion whispered as my anxiety flared. The guards exchanged glances, their eyes narrowing as they scrutinized us with an intensity that left no room for doubt—they were assessing us, sizing us up as though we were prey. No, they looked at us as if they were calculating our usefulness. His, and my vulnerability.
A heavy weight settled in my stomach, an uncomfortable knot twisting through my guts. They relished the power they wielded over us.
How long would I survive in a place run by creatures like these?
The lead guard snarled some more.
Firion translated the guard's rough commands quickly, his lips barely moving. “They want us to go with them.”
Following his lead, I stepped out of the cell, my breath hitching as the guards' eyes latched onto me. Their cold, reptilian gazes felt invasive, as if they were trying to peel away my layers and expose every fear and insecurity I fought to keep hidden. I clutched Firion's arm, tethering myself to the feeling of safety he provided.
He turned slightly, his silver hair catching the light as he leaned close to my ear. “We’ll do this together. Trust me and follow my lead.”
I jerked out a nod.
We stepped farther into the hall and stopped toawait new instructions. On either side, guards urged lizard people from other cells. They joined us, waiting while they finished bringing everyone out. Once we'd gathered together in a mass of sweaty bodies, they pushed us to the left of our cell, down the hall. At least six guards marched ahead of us while an equal number took the back. We shuffled through the corridor, the combined anxiety and fear thickening the air like smoke.
At the end of the hall, a guard unlocked a metal door and creaked it wide. They started down a long series of stairs with us following.
The dizzying descent seemed to have no end. I lost count of the number of treds partway down, the metallic echo of my boots bouncing off the cold, damp stone walls, blending with the hissing of the guards behind and in front of us. My heartbeat matched the thud of our feet, each thump a reminder that I was far from home. Would I ever see Earth again? Would I ever step on grass or smell fresh air again or was this it? I worried I’d die here soon.
Finally, we reached the bottom, and a guard swung open another metal door ahead of us. I squeezed Firion's arm as we stepped into an enormous cavern that seemed to swallow us whole. Awe-inspiring and terrifying all at once, the size of it stunned me.
Far above us, strange, luminescent insects skittered across the ceiling, their faint glow blinking, making them flicker like distant stars.