Page 26 of Rook
Would he still have those same golden eyes? Would he still look at her with that mixture of hunger and restraint?
She imagined what it might be like to touch scales instead of skin, to feel the heat of his dragon form beneath her palms. Would his wings unfurl like sails catching wind? What would it feel like to ride on his back, soaring above the treetops, the world spread out beneath them like a patchwork quilt?
It was terrifying and exhilarating, and she wanted it so much it made her chest ache.
"Can we see past this cloaking tech?" she asked, forcing her mind back to the task at hand.
"It's meant to disguise them from scans from my ship. They don't have the funds or generators big enough to visually cloak their camp."
"Oh. Okay. That's good." Probably.
They were up in the middle of nowhere. Sasha only hoped hikers had been staying away. Otherwise, they were making themselves treats for the slavers.
They crept forward, staying low, using the brush for cover. With each step, Rook positioned himself slightly in front of her, his broad shoulders effectively becoming a shield. When a branch snapped under her boot, he froze, arm extended across her chest to hold her back, his body coiled and ready to protect her.
It was sweet, in its way. Sweet and frustrating and a little condescending, like he thought she was made of glass. She'd survived plenty on her own before he came along with his fire and his muscles and his brooding alien nobility.
Still, something warm bloomed in her chest at his instinctual protectiveness. No one had ever treated her as something precious before, something worth shielding.
They reached the edge of the canyon, a wide gash in the earth that dropped away beneath them. Sasha squinted into the darkness, seeing nothing at first. Just more darkness, more trees, the faint glimmer of what might have been water at the bottom. But then she focused harder, letting her eyes adjust, and … there.
Something was off about the shadows at the canyon floor. They weren't quite right, too structured, too solid against the fluid darkness of the forest. As her eyes adjusted, details emerged: the sleek, curved hull of what could only be a spaceship, gleaming faintly under the stars. Around it, artificial lights glowed, revealing a camp setup that looked bizarrely similar to the RV parks she knew so well. Parts of the ship itself seemed to have unfolded, extending outward like pop-outs on a luxury camper, creating additional living space.
"Are they camping outside? Why? They've got a whole ship."
"It's small."
It did not look small.
"And they want to see the sky." There was some wistfulness in his tone.
He'd been camping outside, too. Maybe it wasn't just about keeping his ship hidden.
There was something almost child-like in the way he said it, a glimpse of longing beneath the hard warrior exterior. She wondered what skies he was used to, what stars he called home. What did his planet look like at night? Did dragon lords sit around campfires and tell stories? Did they have s'mores on his planet?
The random thought nearly made her smile, despite everything.
They inched closer to the edge, seeking a better vantage point. Rook's hand found the small of her back, steadying her as they navigated the rocky outcropping. The contact sent warmth spreading across her skin, distractingly pleasant.
Suddenly, Sasha heard a mechanical whirr, and Rook tackled her to the ground.
The impact knocked the wind from her lungs, but she barely noticed the discomfort. Rook's body covered hers completely, his weight pressing her into the dirt and pine needles. One of his hands cradled the back of her head, protecting it even as he'd taken her down.
Rook rolled over and let out a stream of fire that hit the device dead on. It dropped to the ground with a dull thud.
It was about the size of a Roomba, if a Roomba could fly. Now it was just a melting husk of a … something.
"What is that?"
"Surveillance drone," he said. He shot another wave of fire.
"Um … are they going to notice that it's fried to a crisp?"
He looked down at the camp. "Unlikely. But that won't be the only one. If they're flying in a standard formation, we only have a few minutes before the next one comes our way. The humans are down there; they're being held by the ship. They wouldn't let them inside, it's too much of a risk one could get free and sabotage something."
"And you're about to charge in and rescue everyone?" she asked hopefully.
He gave her a soft smile. "We can't tonight."
