Page 70 of Rok's Captive
Instead, I set her down and gesture for her to stay low, pressing my hand flat against the rock to emphasize the need for caution. Her brow furrows, but she presses her chin to her chest twice before following my lead as I begin to move.
The shadows are our ally now. Ain is low in the sky, her light dimming and the stone formations casting long, jagged shadows across the dust. I keep to them, my movements slow, my senses alert for any sign of the hunters’ return.
Jus-teen stays close behind me, her footsteps light but clumsy compared to mine. She is untrained, her movements unrefined, but she is quiet. Her instincts are good.
We reach the base of the ridge, where the shadows are deepest, and I pause to scan the terrain ahead. The dust stretches endlessly before us, broken only by the distant rise of another stone formation. It is far, but that is where we are headed. We cannot stay here.
I turn to Jus-teen and incline my head toward the formation in the distance. Her gaze follows, and I can see the exhaustion in her posture. The strain in her movements. She is not built for this.
I will carry her.
I crouch before her, gesturing for her to climb onto my back. She hesitates, her expression uncertain, but then she steps forward, wrapping her arms around my neck as I rise to my full height, securing her legs with my hands.
Her weight is nothing to me, even in my weakened state. She clings to me, her cheek pressed against my shoulder, her breath warm against my neck. Something about the sensation sends a strange flutter through my chest, different from the pain of separation I felt earlier. This is…pleasant.
I move swiftly now, keeping to the shadows before we’re in the open dust, my strides eating up the distance between us and the distant formation. Jus-teen remains silent, her grip firm but not restrictive, trusting me to carry her safely.
But as the journey continues, I can feel Jus-teen’s discomfort in the way she shifts against me, seeking relief even from Ain’s dying gaze. She was not made for the dust, for this harsh, unforgiving landscape.
But I was. And I will be her shield.
We reach the new formation when Ain has almost completed her descent. This structure is different from the one we left—taller, more jagged, with deeper crevices carved by wind and time. Perfect for hiding.
I scan the perimeter, searching for any sign of the hunters or other predators. Nothing. The dust is still.
For now.
Setting Jus-teen down in the shade, I gesture for her to wait as I assess our temporary sanctuary. She does that movement with her head—the quick lowering of her chin that I’ve come to recognize as agreement—before she sinks to the ground, her back against the stone.
The entrance narrows quickly, forcing even smaller Drakav to turn sideways. A natural defense I’ve relied on before. Beyond lies the main chamber with its high ceiling where sound travels strangely, echoing in ways that confuse those unfamiliar with its patterns. Then the passage to the left that leads to the small sleeping chamber, and the one to the right that descends sharply to what I seek.
I move through the familiar passages with practiced silence, confirming nothing has changed since I last took shelter here during the great dust storms two seasons past. No signs of recent visitors. No disturbance of the stone dust that accumulates near the unused chambers. Good.
I make my way to the hidden heart of the formation—a chamber accessible only through a crevice that requires turning one’s body at an awkward angle to pass through. Inside, the air grows noticeably cooler, the temperature dropping to a comfortable chill that will help ease Jus-teen’s discomfort.
And there, in the center of the chamber, is the greatest treasure this formation holds: the sacred pool. Not large—perhaps the span of three bodies across—but deep and clear, the water clean and pure, reflecting the stone ceiling above like a mirror. Fed by underground springs that run beneath the desert, it remains even during the most terrible droughts.
Water. Life. Healing.
The sight fills me with relief. This is what Jus-teen needs most now—cool water to drink and soothe her burning skin. Perhaps its properties will help slow whatever poison has taken hold in her foreign body once more.
I return to Jus-teen quickly, finding her where I left her, though her eyes are closed now, her breathing shallow. When I approach, she startles, then relaxes upon seeing me.
I gesture for her to follow, and she rises slowly, her movements stiff and pained. The journey has taken its toll on her already weakened body.
Without thinking, I sweep her into my arms once more, cradling her against my chest. She makes a small sound of surprise but does not protest. Instead, she rests her head against my shoulder, her eyes drifting closed again.
The passage to the hidden chamber is narrow, requiring me to turn sideways with her in my arms at points, but I navigate it carefully, protecting her from the jagged edges of stone. When we emerge into the chamber, her eyes open, widening at the sight of the water.
“Water,” she whispers.
“Wah-ter,” I mumble, forcing my throat to work. Her gaze flies to mine and she bares her teeth at me in delight. I bare my teeth back. I have made her happy. This is good.
I set her down gently at the edge of the pool, and she reaches out, trailing her fingers through the clear liquid with a reverence I understand all too well. Water is life in the dust. Water is everything.
I crouch beside her, cupping my hands to gather some of the precious liquid, then offer it to her. She looks at me, then at the water in my palms, before leaning forward to drink from my hands. The trust in this simple act sends another of those strange flutters through my chest.
She drinks deeply, her eyes closing in pleasure, and I find myself watching the movement of her throat, the curve of her neck, the way her lashes rest against her cheeks. She is unlike anything I have ever seen before—alien, yes, but also…beautiful, in a way I cannot fully comprehend.
