Page 39 of Dark's Savior

But the problem was, the nillium also didn't have a reason to care about anyone else. Unless it benefited them. Aly thought she had that chance to make Ryziel care but, as much as she could have helped, Ryziel didn't want it. Not from her.

Feeling suddenly anxious and a little down. Aly went straight for the shower, turning on the hot water and making it steam. She took her time cleaning up as she thought about everything that had happened. Trying desperately to think of a way to help her team.

By the time she was done, she thought again about the ship. Maybe she could sneak onboard. Get out of Lethe herself and return home to tell the others so that they could come rescue the team. Or just sneak the team onboard with her somehow.

Unfortunately, she had no way of remembering how to get to the lair, and she was definitely not going to risk the lives of her crew members to go searching around the bottom for it.

Sighing, Aly stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around her. As she dried her hair and started the kettle for tea, a knock sounded at her door.

Frowning, Aly thought it must be Mark, coming to check on her for the night as he had been doing the last few nights since her return.

"Just a minute," she called to him. She searched around for a suit then elected instead to put on her robe. Quickly tying it around her, she went to the door and opened it.

"Sorry, I just got out of the shower and—" she froze as the door slid open and she saw it wasn't Mark checking on her.

Ryziel stood before her, a dark blue shadow surrounded by the dim white lights of the hall behind him.

"Oh," Aly said, standing in the doorway, too shocked to move.

Ryziel's eyes met hers then flicked down her body then quickly looked away, looking anywhere but at her. "I need to talk."

Aly blinked, not sure what to say at first, still stunned that he was actually in front of her. "Okay," she said.

They stood there for a moment as she watched Ryziel's eyes shift down one side of the hall then the other. He glanced back at her. "Can I come in?"

He wanted to talk to her, inside her unit. It took Aly a moment to process that and then another to respond to his request.

"Um, sure, okay." She shifted out of the doorway so that he could pass by her. His bulky, tall frame barely slipped through the door as he stepped inside.

As the door closed behind him, Aly moved over to her kitchen. "I was just going to make some tea," she said as she fumbled around for a second cup. "Would you like some?"

"I'm fine."

Aly looked around and saw Ryziel standing in the middle of her unit, his head almost scraping the ceiling. He glanced around at her things, showing a smidge of interest, especially when his eyes fell on her bed, to the sketchbook lying open in the center.

Aly swept over and picked it up, closing it and setting it down on a shelf nearby. "Would you like to sit?"

Ryziel flicked his eyes once more over the bed, as if contemplating it, then shook his head. "I won't stay long."

"Okay." Instead of having to brush past him to sit on the bed herself, she leaned against her kitchen counter. "So...shoot."

Ryziel looked at her confused. "Shoot?"

"What do you want to talk about?"

He straightened, putting his arms behind his back, and didn't say a word at first. His head turned to gaze out the window, the bright lights from the casters making his pupils shrink to pinpoints. Aly watched him curiously, waiting.

"I...may need your help," he said and winced as if the confession hurt.

Aly crossed her arms. "Is that so?" She tried her best to keep her excitement restrained as much as possible, though she couldn't help the tiny smile forming on her lips.

Ryziel glanced back at her and seemed to notice. He rubbed at his neck, and she could see he was still a bit irritated at the prospect.

"Yes," he said plainly. "I...may be willing to rethink my decision. If your offer still stands."

When he said no more, Aly waited a moment longer before saying, "It does. I can't tell you how—"

"And if I do decide to let you return below and help with rebuilding the ship, you will swear to follow my orders without question," he said. He looked away from her and paced the room. "As long as you are down below, you will not go anywhere without me. You will do your part for however long you are needed then you will return above after. There is no arguing or negotiating, understand?"

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