Page 36 of Cherished By the Alien Outlaw

Then he and I could start a new life together.

As we stepped through the opening, sunlight blindedus, something we hadn’t been exposed to for a very long time.

Firion’s boot grazed across a faint line on the ground. For a heartbeat, nothing happened. Then a harsh shriek shattered the silence behind us. The alarm echoed through the passage, slamming into us with a force that left me deafened and disoriented.

“No.” My breathing hitched as the fear I had kept clamped down broke free. I grabbed onto Firion’s arm, and we bolted into the desert. There was no other option. Unless everyone was too busy with the rebellion, they’d send guards. And if they were looking for us, the alarm was telling them where they could find us.

“Let’s go.” Firion’s eyes blazed with resolve, and he tightened his grip on my hand, pulling me forward, his long strides eating up the sand.

Our packs beat against our backs as we surged up a small hill and started skidding down the other side.

Chapter 18

Firion

Sand wasn’t forgiving. My feet sunk into the shifting grains, filling my boots as I struggled to keep going. The steep incline of the dune slowed our momentum, and I tugged Talia forward with every ounce of strength I had, keeping her from slipping back down. Her small hand remained locked in mine. I could let go, but something inside me shouted if I did so, I could lose her in this desolate stretch of desert. The sun beat down on us, heating our bodies quickly, and making our shadows slither out from us in long waves. Such a stark and lonely place, but it could be our salvation.

Talia's breaths came in ragged gasps, each exhale winded and strained already. She was doing her best to keep up with my long strides. I wanted to tell her to slow down, that I’d pace myself to her. But we didn't have that luxury. We had to put as much distance between us and the mine as we could.

The alarm still blared in my ears, a grating soundthat made adrenaline surge through my veins. Yet the further away we got, the more it faded, the harsh cry giving way to the sighing wind blowing across the desert. Our footsteps became the only sound, a muffled rhythm swallowed by the world around us.

Finally, we crested a larger dune, my legs burning from the effort it took to reach the top. I glanced sideways just in time to see Talia stumble forward, and I caught her before she fell, putting my arm around her back to hold her steady.

We paused to catch our breath, our hearts pounding against our ribs. She kept swaying, and I worried she'd topple over if I didn’t support her. She was exhausted, drained already. So was I. But we couldn’t afford to rest for long.

I forced my lungs to pull in the dry air, willing my breathing to slow. The sand below our feet felt endless, stretching out in all directions with no sign of civilization in sight. A Zuldruxian clan lived somewhere in the desert, though they moved in a migratory pattern from one oasis to another. They could be close or far from our location, and there was no way to send them a signal, to beg for help.

At least no one appeared to be following us . . . yet.

My stone knife felt too small, much too inadequate in my hand. I clenched the hilt tighter. I needed more than this. If we were caught, they’d kill me right away or take me back to the mine. The fates only knew what they might do to Talia, but they’d be foolish to put us together again. I’d heard stories of the way Veerenad punishedtheir own people. The guards would show us no mercy, and the mere thought of it sent fear bolting through my veins.

“Here,” Talia whispered, handing me one of the flasks. Her hand shook, but she managed to unscrew the cap and hold it out to me.

“You drink first.”

Without protest, she tipped the flask back and swallowed a few small, controlled sips. I admired this woman so much. She’d worked hard at the mine and held her chin up and her spine tight. She hadn’t broken down, though I’d admire her just as much if she had. Crying and raging brought relief, and we were often stronger once the storm had passed. And now she measured what she drank, knowing we’d have to ration everything.

Sweat soaked both of us already, and the wind wicked it off us fast, sucking it away. We didn’t dare risk losing much.

She swiped the back of her hand across her forehead and shielded her eyes as she looked around. “I wish I was wearing sunglasses when the robocops grabbed me. And carrying a spare pair for you.”

I didn’t know what they were, but the name implied something that might help with the sun. Which was relentless, and slowly moving overhead from our right, telling me we were heading south. I was grateful we wouldn’t have to change course and work our way around the compound to aim in a different direction.

We needed to find a secure location to hide until dark, when we could travel without being seen. It wascooler at night, too, and we’d hold onto our precious fluid longer.

When she handed it to me, I pressed the flask to my lips and drank, the water cool against my dry throat, offering only a touch of relief from the sweltering heat.

I helped her return it to her pack.

“I’ll carry that,” I said, sliding it off her back and hooking it over my shoulder.

“No, I want to do my share.”

“Let me take it for a while.” I hated seeing the exhaustion on her face, knowing that we’d just begun a long, tiring journey and that it would only get worse. “I’ll give it back to you in a bit.”

“I’ll carry yours then too.”

Never.

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