Page 53 of Cherished By the Alien Outlaw

The trees were huge, easily as large as the ones I'd read about in the Pacific Northwest. He'd told me his brother's clan actually lived inside the trees, that their god resided there as well and took care of them like his stone gods did his clan. If I hadn't seen their work in the mine, I wouldn't believe him. How could I? But I was slowly accepting them into my life. One day, I bet asking them for something would feel as seamless as pushing the button on a microwave. Who needed Earth tech when you could commune with an alien species the Zuldruxians called gods?

I leaned back against my love, savoring the steady beat of his heart against my back. “I can't wait to see it up close.”

The mundreks, sensing an upcoming break, quickened their pace. The forest loomed larger now, a dark mass of every shade of purple imaginable. The trees grew taller and thicker here, their branches reaching out to one another as if in greeting. The air grew cooler and carried the earthy scent of damp soil and crushed leaves.

Even some distance away, I could hear so much more than I had in the desert. The forest was alive with creatures. Birds with iridescent feathers darted above the trees before soaring back down, their songs a cacophony that I swore heralded our arrival. A rustling in the underbrush caught my attention, and a small, furry creature with large, curious eyes peered out at us before scampering away into the thicket.

We were about three hundred yards away when Davon brought his mundrek to an abrupt halt. A snarlripped up his throat as he pulled the sword from the sheath riding his spine.

The stone blade appeared in Firion's hand and when I looked up, his intent gaze remained on the forest.

Looking ahead, my heart froze.

Three Veerenad warriors stood between us and safety, their lips peeled back to snarl and their armor glinting in the sunlight.

Bellowing and lifting their spears, they rushed toward us.

Chapter 28

Firion

Adrenaline coursed through my veins as I leaped off the back of the mundrek, landing squarely on the ground. If only I had more than a simple stone blade in my hand. It would have to be enough. I positioned myself between Talia and the oncoming threat, my body tense and ready for battle.

“Stay on the mundrek,” I told her, my voice steady despite the pounding of my heart. “If you see an opening, ride hard into the forest. Don't stop, and don't look back.”

“Firion, no—”

“I will do everything in my power to keep you safe. Trust me?”

Her choked sob rang out and I heard, rather than saw, her maneuver the mundrek to the side to keep it out of the skirmish. Davon's mundrek sidled over to Talia's, though my friend was already on the ground, the crystal sword in his hands. He watched the Veerenadscome close with a grim expression, and I was grateful I'd be fighting them, not him.

As one of the Veerenads lunged toward me, another took on Davon, the third hanging back but working his way around to the right to flank one of us. He appeared to be ignoring Talia. Good.

I pivoted, narrowly avoiding the thrust of the first Veerenad's spear. With a swift, upward strike, I slashed at his arm, drawing a hiss of pain from his throat. Though smaller than the Veerenad's weapon, my knife was razor-sharp and deadly in my hands.

Davon’s sword clashed with the second Veerenad's spear with a sound that made my teeth vibrate. He moved with fluid grace, his larger size and strength giving him an advantage as he forced his opponent back.

I ducked beneath a swipe from the Veerenad's claws and drove my shoulder into his midsection, knocking him off balance. My knife found its mark, cutting through the scaled armor that protected his torso. He roared in pain, lashing out blindly in an attempt to land a hit.

My muscles coiled as I dodged another attack, my blade slashing through the air with a lethal gouge. The Veerenad's eyes flared with rage, but I wouldn't let up. Every instinct screamed at me to protect Talia, to end this threat quickly and efficiently.

Sweat beaded on my forehead and stung as it dribbled into my eyes, but I didn't dare wipe it away. Instead, I used the momentum of my opponent's wild swings to my advantage, wearing him out while dancing aroundhim with practiced ease. The stone knife felt like an extension of my arm, its edge hungry for another taste of the enemy's blood.

To my right, Davon moved with strength and skill. The crystal sword in his hand sang through the air, deflecting the Veerenad's spear, again and again. Their clashes rang out, echoing in the forest.

A cry overhead made me blink. It sounded like my ryvar, Perrin, but it couldn’t be. I didn't look up but kept my attention on the Veerenad, slicing at his thick hide when I could and deflecting his blows before spinning or tumbling out of his reach.

The third Veerenad made his move, attempting to circle around Davon's flank. But my friend was ready for him, and his sword arced through the air, its crystal surface gleaming in the sunlight. The Veerenad backed away with a snarl.

Enough of this play. With a growl, I lunged, driving my knife deep into the Veerenad's side. He howled, his spear falling to the ground as he stumbled backward, clutching at the wound.

My gaze met Talia's, who watched the fight with terror blazing in her eyes.

“Remember what I said,” I called out. “Run if you have to.”

Davon grunted and landed a powerful blow, his sword cutting through the second Veerenad's spear and biting into his shoulder. The lizard male's roar was cut off when Davon neatly lobbed his head off his body.

The third Veerenad howled out a battle cry and lopedtoward me, his spear lifted. I braced myself to take on this new challenge. But then a shadow passed over us. My ryvar, Perrin, with someone mounted on his back, dove down, his enormous wings folded back to increase his speed. His sharp talons stretched out, ready to snatch up his prey. His powerful hind legs struck the lizard with full force, carrying them both to the ground. The Veerenad snarled and thrashed, but with one snap of his beak, Perrin ended the lizard’s existence. The male’s body went limp.

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