Page 3 of Unleashed

He squatted down and opened his arms. She stepped closer, wrapping her arms around his neck. Orishok slipped a forearm behind her thighs and lifted her off the ground. Nina leaned against him, and he was stricken by how tiny and thin she actually was beneath the rags. Despite his inexperience with humans, her condition seemed unnatural. Whether it had been a result of their inability or their unwillingness, her guardians hadn’t fed her adequately.

Orishok took his spear in his free hand, stood, and started toward Bahmet. As he walked, he couldn’t help but wonder again why Nina’s people hadn’t sought sanctuary in Utopia.

“The men got kicked out for breaking the rules,” Nina said, her expression solemn. “Me, Mama, and Miss Dana were forced to leave with them.”

Though her ability was disconcerting, it wasn’t her fault. Perhaps, with time and guidance, she could learn to control it.

Her gaze sparkled with excitement. “Can you teach me how?” Eyes widening, she ducked her head down. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to listen. Mama didn’t like it either, and she punished me when I did it, but I can’t help it. She could see into people’s minds, too. Bad people made her that way when she was up in the stars.”

“Bad people made Quinn different, too.” Orishok used his spear to brush aside the vegetation, protecting Nina from clawing branches and thorns. “But there are no bad people in Bahmet. I will keep them all away.”

She lifted her face to him again. The hope in her expression made his heartstone pulse. “Can I stay with you?”

“Yes. There is plenty of space, and we have a large amount of food stored.”

“Will Quinn like me?”

The vulnerability in her eyes was staggering; her own people had left her scarred, and that was unforgivable. If he found the humans she’d been living with…

He halted that thought before it went further. He’d need to learn to guard his thoughts, to spare her more exposure to violence and trauma.

“Quinn will like you very much,” he said, “and you will know it is true, because you can see into her heart.”

In time, they emerged from the forest and crossed the patch of grass separating the trees from the barren, rocky path into Bahmet. Orishok had maintained the barrier of death between the woods and the city for many years; it deterred animals and gave would-be visitors pause. But the city itself looked nothing like it had five years ago. He carried Nina into Bahmet without hesitation.

The wall and arch leading into the city, along with many of the structures inside, had been repaired by the stone valos. Though the stone valos had once been amongst the many enemies Orishok and his ilk had been sent to battle by their Creator, Kelsharn, they’d become allies thanks to the friendship between Zoya — the woman who’d mated a pair of stone valos five years ago — and Orishok’s mate, Quinn. In the time since, several more stone valos had been woken by other women seeking mates amongst them, and a number had demonstrated the ability to create gemstones and shape stone like it was clay.

Though Quinn and Orishok were the sole residents, Bahmet had been given new life by Quinn’s presence.

For the first time in centuries, the gardens were full of plants, and green and purple vines clung to the sides of many of the buildings, granting them a new vibrancy. Orishok and Quinn had planted similar vines at the bases of all his people, who remained like statues — dead but not gone — throughout the city. Quinn had said the vines would allow the fallen valos’ return to Sonhadra’s embrace sooner. Orishok was glad for that; they’d all waited so long already.

“Don’t be sad,” Nina said.

“I am sad and happy at the same time,” Orishok replied. “For many, many years I felt nothing at all. This is better. Quinn calls itbittersweet. I think it is a good word.”

She smiled. “Me too.”

They entered the square a little while later, where a massive statue of Kelsharn had once loomed over all visitors. Quinn had knocked that statue down when she first arrived, a fortunate accident that had resulted in her discovery of Orishok’s heartstone and the restoration of his emotions and memories. He’d hauled that hideous statue away, piece by piece, in the years since. Now, Quinn’s sculpture of Orishok stood on the platform in the center of the square, guarding the heartstones of the dead.

Nina tilted her head back to look up at the sculpture. “I like this statue better.”

Orishok’s gaze followed Nina’s; he liked this statue better, too, though it was strange to stare into his own face, which had been depicted with such loving, accurate detail.

He proceeded onto another road that branched off the right side of the square and was soon walking along the outside wall of the gardens. Clusters of vines and flowers hung over the top of the wall as though it were a reservoir overflowing with greenery. He entered the garden at the first archway.

Orishok was satisfied with what he and Quinn had accomplished inside. It wasn’t anything like Kelsharn’s original plans, in which everything was balanced and precise, and every color had its place, but this was truer to life — chaotic, almost random, but lush and full. They’d used seeds and cuttings from the surrounding area to grow dozens of different plants and trees and had even received some seeds from elsewhere on Sonhadra, like the etchi seeds from the plant-like Kahav valos, and the electric and water valos, the Ghian. The etchi fruit reminded Quinn of something calledchocolateandcaramel, and she seemed unable to get enough of it despite its odor.

He walked on one of the many winding paths toward Quinn’s most likely location — the field where she’d taken to growing food. He found her there on her hands and knees, digging root vegetables from the dirt and depositing them in a basket beside her.

Orishok’s heartstone warmed and thrummed like it always did when she was near. The dirt streaking her arms and face made her all the more beautiful to him.

“I have returned, heart of my heart, but not with the bounty I promised,” Orishok said.

Quinn started, dropping the root in her hand and pressing a palm to her chest. “You scared me!” She laughed, dusted her hands off, and pushed herself to her feet. “I didn’t expect you to—” She turned, eyes rounding as they fell on Nina. “Um… Orishok, why are you carrying a little girl?”

He crouched and carefully set the child on her feet. “This is Nina. She needs a place to live.”

Quinn glanced at him before kneeling in front of the girl, a warm smile lifting her lips. “Hi, Nina. Were you out there all alone?”

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