Page 8 of Alien Warlord's Fury

"Nothing." He turned away, moving toward the door. "We must go now if we are to clear the settlement before dawn."

I followed, questions burning on my tongue, but he was right. Time was critical. Whatever secrets Nirako was keeping could wait until we were safely away from the settlement.

We slipped through the shadows between dwellings, avoiding the few Aerie still moving about. The eastern passage was little more than a gap in the defensive wall, partially hidden by dense foliage. Nirako moved through it with practiced ease, his large frame somehow finding spaces I wouldn't have thought possible.

The forest beyond was dark, the canopy blocking most of the moonlight. Nirako paused just inside the treeline, his lifelines dimming to barely visible gold threads beneath his skin. He tilted his head, listening to something I couldn't hear.

"Clear," he whispered. "Stay close. Step where I step."

I bristled at the command but followed his lead. The forest floor was treacherous—roots jutting up at odd angles, patches of ground that looked solid but weren't. Twice I nearly twisted an ankle on hidden holes.

Nirako moved like he was part of the forest itself, each step precise and silent. I tried to mimic his movements, but my human frame lacked his natural grace. After the third time I stumbled, he paused, looking back at me with an unreadable expression.

"Your steps are too heavy. Roll from heel to toe, distribute your weight evenly."

"I'm trying."

"Try harder." He held out his hand. "Or take my guidance."

I stared at his outstretched hand, at the golden lifelines that traced his palm and fingers. Taking it would mean admitting I needed help. Admitting weakness.

A branch snapped somewhere behind us—probably just an animal, but it decided me. I placed my hand in his.

The moment our skin touched, energy surged between us. My markings flared bright silver, his lifelines pulsing gold in response. Heat raced up my arm, not painful but intense, like standing too close to a fire.

His hand tightened around mine, steadying me as the sensation peaked then settled into a warm hum. His tail jerked involuntarily at the intensity of the contact before settling.

"What was that?" I whispered, fighting the urge to pull away.

His eyes had darkened, the irises almost amber in the dim light. "The Nexus recognizes compatible energies."

"Compatible how?"

He released my hand and turned away. "We must keep moving."

I followed, the warmth from his touch lingering in my palm. Whatever had just happened, it felt significant. Important. I flexed my fingers, half-hoping the sensation would fade and half-dreading it might. In that warmth lay a promise I couldn’t yet name, but it steadied the wild rhythm of my heart as surely as any battle plan.

And Nirako clearly didn't want to talk about it.

We traveled in silence for hours, climbing steadily along the ridge line. The forest grew denser, older, the trees twisted into strange shapes by proximity to Nexus energy. Occasionally my markings would flare without warning, responding to something in the environment I couldn't perceive.

Each time, Nirako would pause, watching the silver light dance across my skin with an intensity that made me uncomfortable. Not because it felt threatening, but because it felt... intimate. Like he was seeing parts of me no one else could.

Dawn was breaking when he finally called a halt. We'd reached a small clearing dominated by a massive fallen tree. The trunk had split open, creating a natural shelter.

"We rest here," he said, already inspecting the hollow. "No signs of predators or recent habitation."

I sank down onto a rock, muscles aching from the long climb. "How far have we come?"

"Five miles, perhaps six." He began unpacking items from his bag—a thin sleeping mat, purification crystals for water, a small heat stone for warmth.

"That's all? At this rate we'll never reach them in time."

"We will move faster tomorrow. The terrain improves beyond the ridge." He handed me a water skin. "Drink. You are dehydrated."

I took it, annoyed that he'd noticed before I had. The water was cool and clean, soothing my parched throat.

"Why didn't you tell the council you were coming with me?" I asked.

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