Page 22 of Cherished By the Alien Outlaw

“I don’t know. I assume it has properties important to them.” If I could determine what they were, it might aid us in our escape—or not.

We continued working, me filling my buckets faster and helping her with hers.

Before our latest buckets emptied, Talia studied the strange glow pulsating from the crystals. “It's beautiful. Almost like it holds a life of its own.”

“I wonder if it does,” I whispered, stealing a glance toward Brax who stood a distance away, keeping watch over us. Our eyes met, though he didn’t approach us. What was he waiting for? He’d said he had ideas for an escape, and I wanted to hear them.

“Maybe it’s another of your gods. Other alien species, whatever they are. I suppose it hardly matters.” Sweatand dirt coated her face, and fatigue dragged down her features. She was worn out already.

I wanted to carry her to a secure place where she could bathe and rest, but such a place didn’t exist here. We had to get out of the mine before she started giving up or got injured more than she already was.

Me too. If I was hurt, I might not be able to protect her.

Both of us were much too fragile.

Talia’s breath hitched as she resumed swinging the pick, her arm faltering. I caught her as she stumbled sideways.

“Take a break.” Concern laced my voice.

She looked up at me with fierce determination in her eyes, but her clear exhaustion was like a ryvar kick in the belly. The day wasn’t even half over yet, and already, she could barely keep going.

“If I stop, I feel like I’m letting them win,” she said.

“Winning requires energy we don’t have. We’ll mine together, but we will not shatter.” I hated that she felt pressured. It was my duty as her mate to keep her safe; to ensure she thrived, a nearly impossible thing in this wretched place.

“Okay,” she finally said, her gaze holding mine with a hint of gratitude mixed with reluctance. “But just for a few seconds.”

She slumped onto the floor, stretching out her legs and leaning her head back against the stone. Her deep breaths made her shoulders rise and fall. The steady rhythm of her breath stirred something primal withinme, a fierce protectiveness. Our underlying bond was growing stronger, fueled not just by the danger we were in, but by a promise of something more.

Brax had stopped working, and his eyes flickered back and forth, observing the guard standing near the cave entrance and our position some distance away from him.

Stooping down in front of Talia, I rubbed her shoulder, savoring how she leaned into my touch. “We’re going to get out of here. This I swear.”

“Right.” A small smile broke across her weary face. “Together.”

The sooner, the better.

Chapter 11

Talia

Most of the other lizards had stopped working, telling me they'd reached their morning quota. We still had half of our fourth buckets to fill. Actually, I had half of my fourth to fill. Firion had already finished his. He started picking away at the wall, adding crystal to my bucket, soon topping it off.

I didn't like the way the guard scowled in our direction. It made me find the energy I needed to keep whacking away at the stone surrounding a vein of crystal.

My hands stung. My blisters had formed quickly and popped, the liquid making it hard to hold onto my tools. I hadn't stopped except once for a quick break. I couldn't. I lived on the edge of a sharp cliff, and it wouldn't take much for the guards to shove me over the side.

As soon as our four buckets were filled and magically emptied, the guards rounded us up, their voices gruff and commanding. Theyurged us along the rough dirt floor scattered with stones and into a cramped, dimly lit cavern. The space was much too small, with jagged edges and low ceilings. I couldn’t breathe. Waves of panic blazed trails through me again. We squeezed inside, finding spots on the ground along one side. I pinched my eyes closed and grounded myself in my breathing, the only thing I'd discovered that helped. Finally, I could open my eyes again and as long as I kept them trained on the floor or my boots and not the walls closing in around me, I could keep my fear from exploding.

Three guards stomped into the cave, carrying buckets. They went around the room, dropping clumps of rough, unrecognizable food on our laps. It resembled crumbled bread, dark as night and with a texture like sandpaper, plus lumps of what looked like green fungus that shined iridescently in the low bug lights. Another guard handed Firion a jug filled with water, gesturing that he and I were to share it. My stomach grumbled. I'd eat. I'd survive.

I was pitifully weak. Worn out already. But I couldn't give up. I had to keep fighting, if not for myself, then to get out of here to track down my sister.

And, I realized, I wanted to fight because of Firion. He was the only lifeline in this place, but it was more than that. He exuded a quiet strength and in each touch, he showed caring.

It wouldn’t be hard to fall for a guy like him.

Seeing the others stuffing the food into their mouths and the guards already fidgeting by the door, I suspectedthis wouldn't be a long break. I had to pee and would need to find a place to do that. Despite sweating buckets all morning, my body still found a way to fill my bladder.

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