Page 61 of Xefe
Disoriented, I looked around. No one else looked disheveled or terrified by the talking portal. Except maybe Querida, but she looked like that all the time. We were in an enormous room the size of aheli-jethangar. Hundreds of caves lined the wall. Rickety stairs led to each section. The whole place was silent. Eerily quiet. Empty yet heavy withsomething. It felt like a million eyeballs watched us.
“This place is weird.”
“Find a cell to sleep. This is your new home before the next race. You will have days to train. These are your rations.” Sunny pointed to a floating box next to our feet. Had that been with us the entire time? “Food, water, and sleeping mats are included.”
“Do you need our assistance? In finding a dwelling?” Loxo’s red eye swirled for the briefest second. “Perhaps it’s not safe.”
“No!” All of us shouted, even Querida.
“I will take them to my cave. Worry not, brave warrior.” Nheenya smiled and flashed blunt teeth.
I spun around and faced Sunny after he released my cuffs. Hurt slowly replaced the anger, and I whispered, “You’re really going to leave me here?”
He balled his fists and for the first time, met my eye. For a moment, the shortest of my life, I saw emotion swirl in his gaze, a mango whirlpool of movement in his pupilless gaze. “I must.” His deep voice vibrated into my chest. “To keep you safe.”
We were only inches apart.
He took a step back. Then another and another.
Like a fool, I watched. Didn’t move a step until he spun around and was out of sight. The grief pounded with each step. But it taught me a vital lesson. I’d begun to trust Sunny. Had actually thought he was concerned for me. After I’d shared my body and my care with him, he made it clear, yet again, I was not a priority.
For that, he’d pay.
CHAPTER 27
“Come, Hera. Allof you.” Nheenya took my arm and guided me toward the massive mountain wall. We stood face to face with a rope ladder and slats, leading stories above us.
More stairs.
As soon as Nheenya’s hands hit the first rung, aliens appeared out of nowhere. They streamed in like cockroaches when the lights went out. Thousands of them, much more than we’d seen in the arena. Winged creatures, snake-chicks, Aavvee, but only a handful of Greenie’s people. I had a sneaking suspicion the few flashes of green skin were probably our competitors from the prequals.
“Um… We need to leave.Now,” Nieve whispered. “These aliens are looking a little too curious. Are they all female competitors?”
When a group of zombie-looking minors started to circle, Nheenya puffed out her chest and said, “The earthers are protected by the First and his warriors. You saw him and his Second escort us here.”
When they all ignored her, she got up into one of the Aavvee’s faces, and screamed, “Go away!” They eventually lumbered off.
I looked over at Nieve and Querida, understanding passing between us. Nheenya’s warning wouldn’t last long. We’d have to take matters into our own hands soon. Bust some heads until we earned their respect.
Once again: different planet, same problems.
Nheenya dusted off her hands, back to business, calm, as if she hadn’t just screamed out a lung. “Yes, Nieve. These are allof the female competitors and workers. But don’t be surprised if you run into a few males. They always have a way of sneaking in.” She pointed to the right with her head, and it looked like a mini portal, spinning against the wall.
“Is that a portal? A way out of here?” I asked.
“No. Well, maybe? No one has ever returned to say. Never go in there. It is dangerous. Very,verydangerous. There are creatures that are indescribable.” Nheenya shuddered.
The words “no” and “never’ didn’t sit well with me. In fact, they made me want to fling myself through the golden spiral, but I was swaying on my feet with exhaustion.Problem for another day.
“Let’s go. And how the hell do we get this thing to follow us?” Nieve pointed at the floating trunk.
“There is a button. Here. Follow me.” Nheenya guided us. We were all a little shell-shocked as we made our way to the highest level of the honeycomb-shaped space. A good ten stories high. Each cave had a small landing in front that connected the openings in that row.
I made it to the last rung and still couldn’t believe Sunny had left me here. I was a survivor, but at the moment, all I wanted was to return to his grotto. I even missed the face-eating plants. And of course, the ‘best orgasms.’ Now I was stuck with a million aliens in yet another stupid cave. Until I realized… “Nheenya, are there any other humans here?”
“Humans? I don’t understand.”
“Earthers. Anyone else who looks like us?”
