Page 25 of Captured By the Scaled Outlaw
I nod, slipping back into my tent. I keep my back turned while I say, “Good night, Lowell.”
“Good night, May,” he replies.
Once I’m in the comfort of my tent, I nearly let out a scream. One day ago, Lowell was about to eat me. Many days ago, I was destined to be killed. But this feeling… this warm feeling pooling between my legs?
Desire for the Lizardfolk who wants to eat me.
Fuck,I think, rubbing my palms into my eye sockets.
Chapter 10
“If you’re tempted to shoot me, my crew expects us back in a few days. They’ll find and kill you no matter where you run off to,” Lowell says, placing Grandma’s crossbow into my eagerly waiting palms.
Elation fills me to the brim upon contact with the familiar wood and metal. My fingers brush over the handle, and I’m pleased to see that it was kept in good shape. The desire to shoot Lowell would spike from 60% to 100% if there were even as much as a scratch.
I peek into the bag of bolts. “You’re letting me keep the Lizardfolk-piercing bolts?” I ask, shocked.
Lowell peers at me from the corner of his eye, terminating the explosive’s wiring to a single detonator. “Out here, we’re allies. If I die, you not only have no way home, but you’d have to face whatever creature or person had the strength to kill me. Ifyoudie…” He stands, waving his hands flippantly. “I suppose I’d be inconvenienced.”
I slip the crossbow sling over my shoulder, the comforting scent of well-worn leather tickling my nose. “You’re such an asshole,” I grumble.
Lowell grins, the corners of his eyes wrinkling. Gazing over the pass, he traces the wires back to their source, double-checking the configuration with scrutiny.
We spent most of the morning securing the Gaia 4 explosives to stress points, climbing up rickety metal construction and scaffoldingthat covers the pass’s entrance. Lowell could only pack a small amount of explosives onto the sandcycle, leaving us with none to spare. We’ll have to abandon our plan if the pass doesn’t crumble, and I’m unsure if I’ll survive the trip back or not.
Lowell hovers a hand over the detonator button. “Are you excited for your first act of eco-terrorism? Or is your little conformist heart in shambles,” he snickers.
Little does he know, I haven’t given myself a moment of peace to process the current events. If I did, my brain might catch up to the reality that if I were caught or found out, I could never work in Nilsan again.
Under duress or not, Kinsley will make sure I pay for my transgression — if anything, just for the sake of it. He enjoys making a spectacle of my failures. Everything I’ve worked for would vanish in an instant. All because of this arrogant lizard.
I shrug, keeping my expression stoic. “I don’t feel anything. I want to get this over with.”
Lowell groans in annoyance. “I was hoping for a tearful plea orsomething.This is a big moment for you.” He gestures toward the pass with grandeur, as is if presenting something of exceptional value. “Your first capital offense: destruction of government property.”
I don’t entertain his gibe, lifting a single brow. “Can we go, already?”
A glimmer in Lowell’s eyes reveals that he wants to keep agitating me, but I’m thankful when he signals for me to put on my hearing protection instead. I obey the instruction, the sounds from the whipping wind and Lowell’s incessant taunting turning to silence once the soft cover slips over my ears.
Using his fingers, Lowell counts down from three, then two, then one.
Before he can reach zero, he pauses. His gaze remains fixed on the ground as he sets the detonator by his feet. Shuffling across the sand,he holds out his arms with fingers flexed.
I remove one end of my hearing protection and shout, “What the hell are you doing?”
Lowell ignores me, continuing to saunter towards the pass. Once he’s halfway across, his claws dig into the sand, pulling up a wiggling animal amidst the swirling grains. Holding it up triumphantly, he jogs towards me with childlike excitement.
“Look! A Sandpit!” Lowell’s eyes light up with wonder, the corners of his mouth raised into a bright smile. “They were hiding around here after all,” he finishes, allowing the snake to lazily trail up his arm. The Sandpit’s tongue shoots out from its mouth, licking the inside of his forearm.
“Sandpits are known to be aggressive, but that must only apply to humans,” I observe, intrigued. I can’t help but grin, the snake exceptionally cute when not coiled and striking like I’m used to seeing.
Lowell nods, stroking the diamond pattern on the back of its head with the pad of his pointer finger. “Yup. Most reptiles are docile around Lizardfolk.” He shoots me a smug look. “Jealous?”
I blush, frowning with a sparkle of laughter in my voice. “Very. I’ve only ever been bitten.”
“Reptiles can’t seem to keep their mouths off you, huh?” he retorts, innuendo heavy in his tone as a single brow lifts.
My blush deepens, and I can’t help but giggle while rolling my eyes. “Don’t be gross,” I say, trying to suppress the fluttering in my chest in a futile effort.
