Page 88 of Cosmic Castaway

“What the fuck?” I fell to the ground, knees stinging and palms burning from the impact. Was this an earthquake? A sliding crash sounded, and I jerked.

Rocks slid off the edge of the cliff and crashed into the ground.

“Serlotminden,” I screamed, shoving to my feet. “No!” The shuttle. If it got buried, I’d never be able to dig him and Pookie out.

I started forward but skidded to a stop. A ship. There was a fucking ship. It had landed near where Serlotminden and I’d crashed. Was it the xoi? A different kind of alien? The shuttle was far nicer than those the xoi possessed, but who knew who this ship belonged to.

Fear burned under my skin, locking me in place as memories of being sold and all that came with it flooded my brain. Never again. I didn’t want to live through that again. But Mindy… Someone was here. I had to move. Mindy needed help, and I didn’t care who they were if they could help him. But I was too far away, and my body refused to respond as terror ran rampant through my thoughts, clouding my brain.

Figures were moving in the distance near the ship. They looked bigger than a xoi. Maybe his brothers were here?

“Move,” I ordered myself. If his brothers were here, I needed to go with him. Mindy and I needed to be together. “Move, Bartholomew Reginald.” With a snarl, I got to my feet. I refused to think about anything other than Serlotminden and plowed through the snow as fast as physically possible, but I felt like I was moving through molasses. I never seemed to get closer and the people moved faster and faster. A floating stretcher slid out of the shuttle, Serlotminden’s white hair fluttering in the wind. Pookie was on his chest, arched, but not moving off him, and my heart clenched.

What if they hurt her?

“Wait,” I screamed. “Wait, please!”

One of the people froze and looked around, but he didn’t turn toward me. Even from this distance, I saw his long blue hair, broad frame, and tail. It had to be another drakcol, and even if it wasn’t, I had to go wherever Serlotminden was. We belonged together. No matter what happened.

“Please,” I shouted, charging through the snow; my thighs burned and the cold made me shake. I wasn’t moving fast enough. I kept yelling, but the drakcol boarded the shuttle with Serlotminden.

Light flared from beneath the craft as it rose in the air. A gust knocked me over, sending me into the snow. I stared at the ship as it became smaller and smaller, leaving me behind.

I lay on the snow, unable to process what had happened. Someone had taken Mindy and Pookie, while I was stuck here.

A screech tore the air, and I forced myself to my feet. The winged alien was back. They circled, their movements jerky. I tried to stay calm as I lifted the blaster. The alien veered, and I raced to the shuttle. The door was closed, but I opened it and stepped inside, locking it behind me.

Everything was the exact same as before, but an emptiness hung in the air. I was alone. Serlotminden was gone. Pookie wasgone. I went to the cabin. The tent had been knocked apart. Blood-covered blankets were strewn about.

Tears burned my eyes. He was gone, and I was alone.

Maybe this is what I deserve?

No. I couldn’t think like that. Trying to bury my dark emotions, I took several deep breaths. I needed to focus or I was going to die.Calm down and focus, I ordered myself.One thing at a time.Choose the most important task and move on from there.

I resembled the tent and shoved everything not covered in blood back inside before crawling in. I hugged my knees to my chest as I forced myself to breathe in steady, deep breaths.

Not many water packs or nutrition bars remained. Serlotminden was not here to melt water or hunt. The tasks now fell to me. I could figure it out. It was cold. Even more so without his furnace-like body next to me, but I had to survive. Winter was ending. I’d be fine.

When Mindy got better, he would return for me. Serlotminden would not abandon me, right? He loved me as much as I loved him, right? I swallowed as doubts crawled out of the cracks in my mind. This was the perfect opportunity for him to get rid of me. What if he had been pretending this whole time? Using me?

“No.”

I was being ridiculous. He hadn’t lied or hidden anything. Mindy loved me, and he would come back. If he survived.

I buried my face against my knees, shaking. He had a better chance of living with whoever took him than with me. The xoi would heal Mindy if for no other reason than to ransom him back to his family. Same for another alien race. His brothers loved him and would make sure he received the best care. Serlotminden would be back, and I would be here waiting for him when he arrived.

Voices surrounded me, but none were the calm, smooth one I wanted to hear. I pushed someone away, forcing my eyes open. A familiar face hovered over me and something inside my chest unclenched.

“Pest,” I groaned.

He relaxed, forehead dropping to mine. “Do not ever scare us like this again.”

I patted the bed beside me, but it was empty. “Where is he?”

Another person appeared, one I vaguely knew. A doctor on Dontilvynsan’s ship. “You’ve been hurt, Prince. I need you to stay calm.”

The memories returned with a vengeance. The alien going for Bartholomew. The talons piecing my flesh. The agony. Bartholomew’s broken expression above me.

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