VREXUS

VRISHA WARRIORS

OLIVIA RILEY

Vrexus

Vrisha Warriors

Copyright © 2022 Olivia Riley

All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including, but not limited to, photocopying or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing by the author.

This book is a work of fiction. Names, places, locales and events are either a product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, places or events are purely coincidental.

Cover by Olivia Riley

Stock Photos: Depositphoto

Created with Vellum

CONTENTS

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Epilogue

Newsletter

About the Author

CHAPTER ONE

Vrexus

The queen watched him carefully from her seat within the shadowed keep. Her eyes—twin embers of red—seemed to judge him quietly if not harshly as the silence grew around them. She wore a set of grivhide across her chest, the armor shining black in the lamplight, polished and clean. Never having been touched by battle. It was only for show, he knew, just a symbol of her authority and dominance. She sat alone, waiting to see if he would respond or make any sudden move that would give up his true intentions.

"Do we have an understanding, Vrexus?" she said tightly. "About what I ask of you?"

Vrexus watched her as sharply as she did him, his mouth twitching to one side as he bowed his head.

He wondered just how desperate she really was for his help, so he asked, "And I get what I want in return?"

The queen's eyes narrowed. "Yes," she said after a pause. "I will grant you your wish. Rank of predomis." He could tell she was hesitant to agree to the deal. She hid it well, but he saw the apprehension in her eyes, the rigidness in her stance. She knew he never liked to play by the rules. Even now, she didn't trust him.

As she shouldn't. She knew from his past he was chaos walking on two clawed feet. He'd been sentenced and placed in the underkeep more times than he could count. And yet eventually, someone called on his aid, whether as a mercenary, assassin, or even a destroyer. They always did when things were dire.

Now was an especially interesting mission offered, one he couldn't deny agreeing to. He placed his hands behind his back in a warrior's stance and stood tall, waiting to see if she would take it back and send him away.

She feared her decision to let him go, but desperate times called for the most desperate measures. She knew he might change his mind. And if he did, they'd be in trouble.

"None can know," she hissed. "Not even the others of the council. You contact only me. When the time is right."

"And when will that be?" Vrexus said, curious but showing little concern. That bothered her, and he had to keep from showing his fangs in a smile.

"When her exact location is confirmed. You'll not know right away. If Queen Theda didn't give it to you, it means she still doesn't trust you."

Yet, he concluded. Few did, he got that.

"She's playing everything safe, no surprise, but she's called for you which means she too needs help," the queen continued. She leaned forward in her seat, her tail flicking beside her. "And I expect she's offered you something in return?"

"Yes," he said.

"The very same thing? Predomis?"

"Yes."

This troubled the queen, as it should. "Do as I ask, Vrexus, and I will not only give what you seek but...I will allow you to choose your own queen."

Vrexus shifted on his feet, his tail weaving excitedly. "Like yourself?"

It took all her effort not to bare her fangs at him and all his effort not to hiss with laughter in return.

"You know the law," she growled.

"Don't worry, Queen Serxis, I know you are already sworn. I would not offer to you regardless, lest I'd like to suffer all my life as well. But the deal satisfies."

"Remember you must complete the mission in full. We must know for sure you've succeeded."

"I'm aware."

Still, she looked uncertain. He knew she was making a dangerous decision letting him go.

Letting him go to her—the mad queen, whom they suspected he would have sworn allegiance to long ago if he had not been in the underkeep. Even he was unsure what his answer would have been back then. He’d only been free a few short cycles when the mad queen had finally contacted him, but not without Queen Serxis–his watcher upon his release–finding out. And now she was testing him.

"Contact the mad queen and agree to her terms. Do what she asks of you. Don't let yourself be found out no matter the circumstances. Contact me before you go one last time, then again only after you have found her. We will make our move while you make yours."

Vrexus bowed his head, and the queen withdrew into darkness.

The chamber lit up, and the keep to which she had sat was gone, now only a gray, domed-shaped room. Vrexus stalked over to a console nearby and plugged in a set of numbers. The room darkened again as he walked back and stood in the center. This time, a different queen appeared before him. She too wore grivhide only hers was battered and carved with symbols. Wherever she was looked darker, more cave-like than any keep he knew. Her bright, pinkish-red eyes sized him up, and she bared her fangs in a smile.

"Vrexus," she cooed.

Vrexus bowed. "Queen Theda"

"Have you thought of my offer?"

"I have."

"And?"

Vrexus tilted his head back as he studied her. "I am at your command."

The queen's eyes lit up, and she straightened in her seat. "I knew I could depend on you. You are one of our greatest warriors, and the queens could never control you. They could never let you be your true self. But I will give you everything. I will give you worlds, power, anything you desire."

Vrexus didn’t say a word. He didn't trust her either. She was all talk now, but whether she could deliver was what determined his true allegiance. He bowed again as if believing her.

"I have a task that I think only you can deliver on," she began. "My informants have acquired important information about key figures in the alliance. That these alliance members, along with military and political allies, will be joined together in one location outside of Terra Centra. My Blood Guard and I have already confirmed the location and have since hidden ourselves on this world, both in preparation for their arrival and for use of the locals who have special skills that would benefit my cause.”

"Where is this world?" He spoke indifferently but knew she'd likely not give it up so easily.

"You’ll be given the coordinates soon enough," she responded. "You'll first meet with several pack members at a safeplace. You will be sworn into my Blood Guard immediately from there."

"Fine. And my task?"

Her eyes narrowed, and her mouth widened at his urgency. “Your stealth and your assassin skills are known to all, so I suspect this shouldn't be difficult for you. The locals of this planet are unique in their own way and are composed of several tribes. The most advanced of these tribes have created impressive cities which they have walled off for their own protection. The rest of their land is guarded well. The most highly successful tribes have been pressured by the alliance to join them. Now alliance members go to their city to sign the pact and make it official."

Vrexus could guess already what she asked of him. "You want me to assassinate these alliance members."

"No. I want you to abduct them."

Vrexus went still, admittedly surprised. "Abduct them?"

"That's right. You'll break into one of these tribes' cities and take them. Then you'll bring them to me."

Vrexus dipped his head. So that'll be it then. While Queen Serxis tested his loyalty so would Queen Theda. Theda wouldn't give up her hidden keep until he took these people and had them ready to be brought to her. Just as Queen Serxis wouldn't meet her end of the deal unless he successfully found and killed the queen sitting before him.

Such games they played, each counting on him to be their pawn. Neither knowing he might betray both in a single instance if he so chose to.

"You'll head the pack that will bring these members to me," Queen Theda continued. "You'll be given more details once you are sworn in. Then, with your new pack mates, you'll be directed on where to go. Once the alliance members are in your hands, I will command you to my keep."

"I understand."

The queen tipped her head and stroked a set of gems along her neck, her eyes darkening. "Be aware some of these members are human. Try not to kill them, as tempting as it might be." One side of her mouth curled. "Play with them all you want but bring them back alive."

He felt nothing to the statement. Humans meant little to him since he'd never met one face to face as most of his time between the vrisha's alliance had been somewhere far away or at home in the underkeep. But he knew the Blood Guard loathed them and so he decided he must too.

"Prepare yourself. I will send coordinates to the safeplace." Her nails clung to her seat as she bent her head to fix him with a sharp glare. "I hope I can count on you, Vrexus. Do not think I don't know your mind. I know how easily it sways. One wrong move from you, and our bargain is cut. And my guard will break you. Understood?"

Vrexus bowed low this time, almost mockingly. "You have nothing to fear."

Queen Theda watched him carefully for a long moment as if knowing full well she had everything to fear but—like Queen Serxis—was willing to take the risk. "I look forward to seeing you soon. Beside me. I can't deny you'd make a fine predomis, Vrexus. Don't disappoint me."

She disappeared, and again the room went dark. Vrexus stood there as the lights came up before he finally slipped from the room, wondering which of the queens might claim his loyalty.

CHAPTER TWO

Lee

The ship trembled, and Lee caught herself squeezing the arm of her seat in a tight grip. God, she hated flying, and space travel for that matter. Anything that forced her feet from the ground put her in a bad way. Her stomach twisted and her muscles tightened. A small headache was forming at her temples from the sheer anxiety. She looked over at the ship crew who focused on their monitors while every once in a while pressing buttons or flipping switches, none glancing her way.

She turned her head over to the seats beside her and saw the other members sitting peacefully without a worry in the world. A lygin male with a thick mane snored nearby while a senator talked endlessly to a gyda female who listened quietly. She turned and peered behind her to see head members of Grayhart and the governing systems trying to debate with a corax about the proper method of filtering water onto terraformed worlds, and behind them, she caught eyes with a golden male watching her curiously with dark eyes. The nillium didn't sleep or talk to anyone, but he seemed to like studying her which made her uneasy.

These were the members of the alliance who had chosen to go on this trip. Not all of the xolians decided to join, but it didn't matter as long as there were enough witnesses for the signing. The others who hadn't joined them had already made the agreement to have a new race be brought into the alliance.

Lee turned back in her seat and took a deep breath. She still felt uneasy about her decision to go to this new world. She'd hardly even left the governing systems, only making trips to Terra Centra every so often to stay with her sister. She still wondered how the hell anyone had convinced her on this.

The ship trembled again, and she felt her heart do a little flip. She closed her eyes, trying to imagine home when a hand tapped at her shoulder, making her jump.

A crewwoman smiled down at her, then leaned forward. "A call for you," she whispered.

Lee let out a breath, then unattached her seatbelt. She rose and moved with the crewwoman, ignoring the eyes of the nillium as she followed the woman down a corridor to one side. The crewwoman led her into a small room with a seat and monitor. Lee sat down quickly, waiting for the woman to exit. She knew who the call must be from and was antsy to take it.

As soon as she was alone, she took the call. The screen lit up, and she saw herself staring back. Except it wasn’t her. Only a woman who looked eerily like her. Same bright blue-green eyes and red hair. The only difference was the woman in the screen was wearing a light blue dress while Lee wore a dark gray flight suit like everyone else on the ship.

"Hi, sis," Lee said flatly.

"Lee." Elle smiled, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. She wore her hair back in a tight bun, a gold necklace around her neck. She looked formal while Lee probably looked...tired. "How is the flight going?" she asked.

"Great," Lee responded as the ship shook.

"You look a little pale."

"I'm fine."

Elle leaned forward crossing her arms over the desk where she sat. Lee knew this as the 'we need to talk serious business' look. "Lee. I know this is a lot for you..." she started. "But I can't thank you enough for this. You know we will make everything work out for you once you're back home."

"I know."

"How are the others?"

"They're fine. Don't seem too concerned about anything going wrong."

"Good, that's good." She eyed Lee nervously. "And no one has seemed suspicious of anything?"

"I don't think so." Lee was hesitant to mention the nillum who kept watching her, but she had a feeling it wasn't because he suspected anything wrong about her. After all, he'd only met her sister a handful of times. And there was no indication any of the otherkin could figure the difference between human twins. "I'm still worried."

"I know," Elle said.

"If they find out, it could put you in trouble. I still don't know why we can't tell them."

"You know why."

Lee sighed and sat back in her chair. Because it was better for fewer people to know that she was an imposter. The fewer who knew, the less danger it put everyone in, including herself.

The last few years had been rough for the alliance council. Ever since the disaster on Fargis had come to light, more and more attacks started to happen. It was like the mad queen had sought vengeance wherever she could get it. Ships carrying alliance soldiers or even citizens had been blown apart while traveling from one sector to another. Hubs were getting raided, and neutral grounds were becoming unsafe. And more and more alliance members were going missing or found dead. It was a scary time for everyone.

Her sister was meant to go on this trip, not Lee, but a recent attack had put pressure on her to remain behind. She wasn't supposed to do it. It was by alliance law that her position and senate power meant she must see to the signing of this pact. She was, after all, head of alliance treaties involving transportation and trade. Kind of a big deal.

She was too important to be taken alive or killed, but she had a duty to uphold. So they found compromise in Lee. The only one who could take her place.

Only problem was, Lee wasn't a politician by any stretch of the imagination. Sure, she understood it all, as her family came from that sort of line, but she had stuck to business ventures instead. Poorly handled business ventures, but business all the same.

"Fine, I get it," Lee said. "So is this only why you called or…?"

Elle frowned. "No. But I wanted to make sure everything was okay."

Lee shrugged. "The ship hasn't crashed yet or been taken over by blood-thirsty devils, so I'd say it's a start."

"And you remember everything we discussed?"

Lee crossed her arms. "I go to this place, make good with the locals, sign some documents—with your name. Pretend to make a few trade deals that we will discuss at a later time, celebrate, and go home."

"And be polite and remember their customs," Elle reminded.

"Right."

"Thank you, Lee."

Lee's expression softened. "You know I do it for you. Not for Dad or anyone."

"I know." Elle smiled. "You'll do just fine. Remember, most of the luma are a proud but humble race. I doubt you'll have much trouble with them."

"Not with the silver tribe at least."

"No, not with them, but you shouldn't encounter any of the others," she said firmly. "And their city is well guarded. They haven't had any attacks in the last lunar cycle."

"Lunar cycle, got it." Lee remembered learning the lumas' world—called Illdara—had odd daylight hours. They had two huge moons, and the nights lasted longer than the days. And the sun—a dim red orb—was said to only ever hover over the horizon, never rising any higher than the mountains. Something to do with the tilt of Illdara's polar axis.

"Also don't let any of the luma touch your head," Elle said seriously. "Even if they ask."

"Yeah, I definitely won't forget that one." Lee had learned, as humble as some of the luma might be, they carried certain abilities. Abilities never encountered by any other race.

They called it scouring, but Lee knew it was just another term for mind manipulation. They had very mysterious and disturbing ways to effect one's perception and memory, their emotions, and even their thoughts. They could get into your head with just a touch. Grayhart had learned this quickly after their exploration team had discovered the luma at the very beginning. They acted humble, but Lee knew they were just good at looking innocent. She knew she'd have to be careful.

The pact with the luma was an important one. Better to have mind controllers as allies than enemies.

Someone off screen called to Elle, and she waved them off. "I’ve got to go," she said to Lee. "Call me as soon as you can. If anything changes or..."

"I know. It's cool." Lee tried to give her a genuine smile. "I'll see you soon, sis."

As soon as the screen went dark, Lee's smile dropped. The ship trembled again, and she winced. Carefully rising from her seat, she started back for the front of the ship.

She tried to remind herself to be polite and greet the crewmen as they passed each other in the narrow passage. Not her usual bitchface with the occasional nod. She might look the part, but she had to act the part too, which was more difficult. Thankfully, there was nothing physical to give her away. Her hair was cut the same length as Elle’s, and they'd made her dye it back to her more natural color, no longer the dark purple it had been before. It was Elle's mannerisms she had to worry about. Thankfully, she had years of experience to know her sister well enough and learn some of her tics. Remembering to mimic them was what she needed to focus on. Innocent but confident. Polite but firm, modest but not shy or quiet, graceful and beautiful and charming—but not so much that she came off arrogant. Friendly but not flirty, slightly seductive but not slutty. In the governing systems, her sister was everything they saw in a woman with power.

It worked in Elle's favor, but it was hard for Lee at times to not lose face. She and her sister were so different despite looking so alike. If there was such a thing as a good and evil twin, she knew which one her family named her. She didn't like playing by the rules. And that pissed them off.

A family of politicians, and she said "no thanks" to the whole idea. Instead she'd worked several odd jobs until she started a business with her friend and eventual partner Reese. She thought her parents would be proud that she started a trade business seeing as they dealt in trade through the allied systems. But they didn't much care for the types of product she and Reese allowed on their ships. It was true at times they cared more about the demand of an item and a little less about the legality. Alien products banned from the governing systems, including bluum, which some didn't see as medicine so much as a potent drug. Everyone had their opinion. But it didn't stop the legal troubles once they were found out.

Now Reese was gone—disappeared at the first sign of trouble—and she got a nice get out of jail free card from her parents. All fees and records washed away as long as she agreed to help her sister.

She would have done it anyway. She loved her sister. Elle was the only one in the family who didn't look at her like she was a big mistake.

But she couldn't deny—even if it hadn't been for her sister—the deal was too sweet to pass up.

Lee snuck back to her seat just as the ship began to slow. As she quickly flung her seatbelt back over, her eyes were glued to the wide window before her where a planet was coming into view. It was large, bigger than earth or Terra Centra, and darker by far. The blues where she suspected water to be were a deep navy, and the land was colored with rocky reds, ghostly silvers, and midnight blacks. Clouds swirled in clusters in some areas while other places were washed in purple and green light that shimmered across the atmosphere.

“What’s going on there?” Lee pointed to the lights.

“Auroras,” Samual, one of Grayhart’s head officials, explained. “We’re told the planet gets a lot of them due to solar flares.”

"Don't those mess with electrical currents or something?" Lee asked, watching them nervously.

"Yes, some do, but we shouldn't worry. They are mild at best so shouldn't affect the ship."

Easy for you to say, Lee thought as the ship began to float closer to the planet where she could now see glittering lights along the surface.

Once the ship hit the atmosphere, Lee was glued to her seat, her eyes shut, counting down the minutes until the ship would stop moving. The shaking grew worse. She had to catch her breath every second, her heart pounding in her ears, her stomach flipping every time the ship dipped lower.

What might have felt like hours took only a few minutes, and soon they were falling past the clouds and into a dimly lit city. A black city, Lee noted, where the towers looked carved out of onyx and deep marble. Among them were vast gardens with intricately cut paths. The whole of the city was closed off by an impressively tall and lengthy wall that circled the perimeter and where armored figures walked, looking over the edge down into a dark, twisted forest which seemed to claw up the wall to every side.

Lee took a moment to stare down in fascination at the mystique of the city—to the natural glow of buildings and the mirrored pools that reminded her of a place from some far-away fantasy—before she was shaken back into reality and the ship made its last dip down to the earth below.

CHAPTER THREE

Lee

If the city was impressive from the sky, it was equally breathtaking from the ground, where Lee was very happy to now be. She stood against a large balcony overlooking several public gardens where luma strolled in their dark and silky clothes that looked similar to robes or kimonos. The luma were a fascinating race both physically and intellectually. They were very slender and insanely tall, taller even than the nillium who was the tallest of her group by more than a couple feet. They had pale gray skin and large black eyes with white—nearly silver—hair which they tied back in intricate braids. They looked like elves, pointed ears and all, but they had one distinct feature that made them look almost insect-like. A pair of fuzzy antennae just above their brows that were like the kind seen on moths.

The more she studied them, she could see their skin was also fuzzy, like velvet. For some reason it had made her shiver the first time she'd noticed when she had met with the overseer of the city.

The luma were a matriarchal society by nature, and therefore, the heads of state were a lot like the queens of the vrisha, as Lee had once learned, though they called themselves overseers not queens. Some of the lesser tribes, as they called them, were run by a mated pair together but always the elder women were seen as overseers. Only the most barbaric tribes didn't run that way. But the silver tribe—those of the city—were by far the most advanced of their kind and therefore ran things as the ancient cities once had.

Lee stared around her as if it were the first time she had ever stepped foot in a city. She took in everything, from the towers at every end to the shorter, wider buildings between them that were connected either by path or by bridge. Most had dark-glassed pyramids at their tops where light shone through. Narrow rivers also webbed through the gardens and under streets while black trees with white hanging leaves grew in rows along various points beside the paths.

The sun had set, so the lanterns were lit, along with large orbs made of colored crystal or glass which sat along pathways. The whole city was lit up with soft colors, not the harsh kind Lee was used to in the governing cities. The place was beautiful and surreal, like a fevered dream. It smelled like something flowery too, the odor calming her.

They had spent what little daylight had been left after their landing being shown around by the overseer. The silver tribe had a lot of pride in their homes and structures and Lee—like the others—couldn't help being impressed. Small ships that resembled giant mechanical insects took the luma to the farther reaches of their territory where smaller cities and towns could be found. The silver tribe's kingdom extended well beyond the city, passing some leagues away. And they guarded their land furiously from the other lesser tribes which threatened their borders. Not all tribes were their enemies, she learned, but those looking to break into their territory were. And not all luma were alike. The silver tribe looked the same, with their pale skin and silvery hair, but there were others, she was told, with dark blue or even green skin along with darker hair or lighter eyes. They were unique just like her kind.

After the tour, they took Lee and the others to the capital which the luma called the sanctum. There, they gathered together and signed the pact. It didn't take long, just a few signatures made using special tablets. They touched heads as was luma custom, then shook hands or bowed as was alliance custom, and the deal was set. After that, it was time to celebrate, and the luma had already prepared everything—food, entertainment, the works.

Lee started to relax, now that everything was through and no one had suspected a thing. Once the party was over, she'd be on the next flight home in the morning. But for now, she was happy to do a little mingling. Illdara was pretty if a little dark, and the luma seemed nice. They'd probably make a good addition to the alliance. Being in a good mood made it easier for her to act as her sister. She smiled more and talked, even asked questions and kept her usual bitey attitude to herself. The luma were very philosophical but also logical and debative. They contemplated everything and liked deep conversations. The only thing that really bothered Lee was that they weren't very expressive. She wasn't sure if that was by choice or just a physical trait. They blinked at her every so often or their little feeler antennas twitched, but that was the most she'd seen, and according to Samual, that was showing a lot.

As the party went on behind her, Lee noticed a pair of luma children run down a path from below the balcony where she stood. The large moons were ascending over them, giving off more light, and Lee stared up at them as if hypnotized.

"Breathtaking, isn't it?"

Lee looked over to find Alice, one of the alliance seat representatives, smiling back at her. She wore a dark-green dress which complemented her olive skin. Lee had chosen a sunset-orange dress which turned into a deep red down her legs then a purple at her feet. There were little gems along the v-neck collar and the back. It was a little bold for Elle, but Lee made the excuse that she would want to make an impression.

"Yeah. I've never seen anything like it," Lee responded.

Alice laughed. "None of us have." She gave Lee a curious look, and Lee forced herself to look away, pretending to still be studying the landscape. Thankfully, Alice and Elle rarely saw each other, only ever catching up at alliance meetings. They were friends from a distance, so Lee shouldn't have to worry about Alice becoming suspicious. Unless she made stupid remarks.

Alice turned to one of the luma servers and took a dark glass in each hand from their tray. "Have you tried this? They say it comes from a rare flower and is very...potent."

Lee took it without hesitation. She sniffed it and caught a spicy sweet aroma. "Do you think it will make us sick?"

"Nathan says no."

Nathan was another of the Grayhart officials. It was likely he and other Grayhart scientists had already tried everything the luma had to offer. They wouldn't allow someone like Lee or Alice to be the first in case it poisoned them.

Lee lifted her glass. “Bottoms up then.” Alice gave her another funny look, and Lee drank down the whole glass to try and quiet her nerves.

Alice laughed again as she took a small taste from her own. "I think you are supposed to sip that, Elle."

She was probably right. The liquid went down thick and sickly sweet, then turned into a little trail of fire down her throat. Lee coughed, her expression twisting. She set the glass on the rail and licked her lips several times, her face heating up and her chest burning.

"You all right?"

Lee nodded, coughing a little more and trying to compose herself. Alice patted her lightly on the shoulder.

"You know, you've seemed a little off ever since we got on the ship," Alice commented. "A little, you know...jittery."

Lee licked her lips and swallowed a couple times before saying, "Just wanted to be sure everything went smoothly."

Alice sighed and leaned against the rail. "Make sense." She looked around, then leaned in closer to Lee. "There's something about this place. I can't really explain. It's beautiful but...creepy. The luma are nice, but I don't know, they seem like they are always hiding something."

Lee totally understood what she meant. The city was stunning, but there was an eerie sort of undertone to it all. In fact, it wasn't just the city but the world itself. Everything felt alive...and ready to bite. The trees in the garden she had noticed when they passed were filled with large thorns as long as her pinky. The plants seemed to move at the corner of her eye, twisting and reaching for them. And when they had crossed a bridge over one of the rivers, she had caught several large, spiny creatures looking up with sightless eyes. Their wide mouths gaped open to reveal long fangs. Even the luma, who looked almost ethereal in appearance, seemed to have hidden brutal features. Long, sharp fingers and small, sharp teeth, revealed only when they talked because they didn't smile. Yes, Lee could definitely agree there was a deadly layer to the beauty of this place, and she wondered if the silver city–as it was called–only masked what the wilds beyond didn't.

As for the luma hiding something, she could guess that already. They were mind manipulators. If they didn’t want her and the others to see something, it wouldn’t be hard.

"Yeah, I know what you mean. I wonder what it's like outside the city," Lee said, her eyes drifting over to the wall some ways off. "I don't think they'll give us a tour out there, you think?"

"You wouldn't enjoy it much," came a low, inhuman voice.

Lee looked over and saw a luma male, older by the look of him as his hair was more gray then white and his antennae were more worn, with only tufts of fuzz. He joined them at the rail and bowed his head.

"Myron. Third in sight to the overseer," he said in Luman, which her translator chip made easy to understand.

Third in sight meant his ranking, Lee had learned, in relation to that of the matriarch. So he was one of their officials.

"Elle," she said, bowing. "And this is Alice."

Myron studied them unblinking for a moment before turning back to the cityscape. "The wilds of Illdara are a dangerous place." He twisted around and gestured over into the room beyond, to which the balcony was connected. There, some of her group stood next to a gilded cage, staring and whispering. Inside the cage, a creature stalked back and forth. It looked like a hairless panther with a bony face and pupilless eyes. Its spiny tail whipped around, hitting the sides of the cage, and from its mouth it dripped a thick black liquid. "That is a Pryxin," Myron said. "Its venom will leave you in such agony you'll take your own life in a matter of minutes. And there," he gestured to another cage where a large, horned bird with four beady red eyes sat, "is a Kykni. It will stab you and eat your innards while you’re still alive."

Lee almost whispered the word "Brutal" but then saw Alice's expression and quickly choked the word down. Elle would definitely not say something like that so instead Lee said, "Wow, that's awful."

"Yes," Myron agreed. "Beautiful creatures. But deadly. Illdara can be a harsh world if one does not know its secrets and respect its wild nature. Even the plants can't be trusted." Myron's antennae twitched as if amused.

"That explains why the forest looks like it’s trying to eat the city from the outside," Lee said, half joking, remembering how she saw the twisting vines reaching up the walls.

"They have been known to break a wall or two in the past," Myron said, seriously.

"Wow," Alice whispered before taking another sip of her drink.

A sudden flash of red light went off somewhere far in the distance, exposing the vast blackness of jungle beyond the walls. Fire erupted in a swirling inferno in one spot just a little way beyond the south gate. A few gasped in surprise, and Lee heard shouts in the distance.

And the earth just spontaneously combusts? This place really is a death trap, Lee thought, watching black smoke rise into the night.

"Excuse me, Elle, Myron," Alice said urgently as she slipped away to talk with the overseer.

"What was that?" Lee asked Myron, still beside her.

Myron didn't look like he heard her at first, and she was about to ask again when he turned his head to her, his black eyes staring, his antennae curling at the ends. "I don't know..." He seemed sincere, and though it was hard to tell, she suspected he was even a little frightened.

"Are we...under attack?"

He blinked. "None of the tribes would dare. None would use fire. It is wicked to use fire. Against our most ancient laws."

"But it's not natural for this to happen, is it?"

"No." Myron looked back at the flames, and his antennae actually trembled. "No," he whispered. "It must be her...that witch."

Lee had to take a minute to make sure she heard him right. "I'm sorry, did you say witch?"

Myron seemed to hunch over himself as he stared at the flames, the light reflecting in his dark eyes. "There is an evil out there. Something we have never encountered before. We have only heard other tribes speak of the witch who steals luma and burns towns in her wake. She and her demons stalk the night jungles of Illdara."

Lee stared back at him, shocked at what he was saying. He was talking like such things as witches and demons were actually real. But Lee knew that wasn't possible.

"She wants this world, I can feel it. We all can," Myron continued, the life seeming to drain from him.

"Is she a rogue tribe overseer or something?"

Myron looked at her, offended. "No. No, she's a demon too. An awful monster. Only she and her ilk control fire. Because fire doesn't burn them."

She could see he was actually serious. And he was afraid. Something was killing them, hunting them in their own home. "Why didn't anyone mention this to us?" Lee asked, her gaze turning to her alliance team who were now all huddled around the overseer.

"We didn't want to frighten you away. This witch has only arisen recently, in the last few lunar cycles. We had hoped once the pact was made, we could ask for your aid in stopping this evil. Forgive me, it was something we had planned to discuss in time."

Dozens of luma guards were rushing for the fire, riding on their insect-like ships as they used what looked like powdered dust to take out the flames. Lee watched, feeling her heart begin to thump a little harder in her chest. "Myron, you don't think...does this witch know about us coming here?"

Myron was silent, and when she looked over, she could see he was staring at her. "She has only ever targeted the luma," he said. "And she has remained hidden for some time somewhere we cannot find. There is no possibility she could know you were coming. I would not worry for yourself or your people. Her terror has been set only on us luma."

She wished his words were comforting, but she still felt a pang of unease.

They continued to watch as the fire was put out and a patrol of luma guards took over the south gate. Eventually, a luma captain joined the party and informed them that the fire was destroyed for good.

"An accident," he said. "A mechanical fire to one of our shield generators. A rare occurrence admittedly, but not impossible."

The tribe leaders seemed relieved at this news and encouraged Lee and her group to continue to celebrate. By now, Lee was starting to feel the effects of the drink Alice had offered her. But even as her thoughts seemed to scatter and she started seeing colors floating above her head, she still couldn't stop thinking about what Myron had told her.

She saw Nathan talking with Samual and another alliance chairman, Mikia, by one of the caged animals nearby, each wearing tailored gray suits with the Grayhart symbol on the left shoulder and an alliance symbol on the right. Carefully, she made her way over to them.

"Can I speak with you?" she asked them, trying not to slur her words. Nathan gave her an odd look, one side of his mouth turning up in a smirk.

"You all right, Elle? You look a little flushed,” he said, his storm-gray eyes dropping down to her chest, then back up to her face.

"I'm fine. Listen, did any of the luma ever mention to you about some kind of witch?"

They all went quiet. Mikia brought the glass he was holding to his lips as he glanced over at Nathan.

Nathan's smirk dropped. "Where did you hear that?"

"Myron of the third sight told me."

Nathan's gaze drifted over the other two before returning back to her. He didn't say anything at first, but his expression told her enough.

Lee shook her head. "How long has Grayhart known?"

"Nothing is confirmed yet. There was just talk. The luma wanted to worry about the pact and leave Illdara matters to later," Nathan explained.

"Sure. Until the problem comes knocking at the door," Lee said, gesturing to the smoke still rising in the distance."

"They said that was an accident."

"Maybe this one, but the night is long. There are several members of the alliance here. We have a right to know about any sort of threats, even if we aren't the target. Maybe we should have brought soldiers."

This time, Samual laughed. "And look hostile to the natives? They might not understand whether we bring protection for them or for us."

Lee crossed her arms, then quickly dropped them, knitting her fingers together in front of her, then tilting her head back. If it were just her, she would be tearing them a new one for keeping information like this from the others and not planning a better meeting. They still could have brought some kind of protection—even Grayhart had their own team of security—not come as they were in order to keep a facade of peace that made them vulnerable.

But she wasn't Lee—not to them. She was Elle. And Elle wouldn't snap or let her emotions get the better of her.

She took a deep breath, holding her composure, then said, "I think we need to discuss this seriously with everyone, including the overseer."

"We will," Nathan said. "In time. There is a lot going on in Illdara that you or some of the others don't know. It's a complex world like any other. The tribes are always striving for peace, but many have been at war with each other for centuries if not longer. The threat is likely no different than the rest and—if the luma wish for our aid—then we will handle it when we can. Now that the pact is settled, we'll start discussing ways to help in the next few weeks."

"Weeks?" Lee couldn't believe it. "But according to Myron, there are luma dying and disappearing now as we speak. Why not gather the others and get something started tomorrow? At the very least, talk it over with the rest of the alliance tonight and...and..." Lee found she could hardly finish her sentence. The room was starting to spin, the bright lights getting more intense.

Nathan grabbed her shoulder to steady her. "You all right, Elle?"

"Looks like she sampled a little too much of the luma's golden wine," Samual said, laughing under his breath.

"I'm...I'm fine. I just need a moment." Her body was starting to grow warm. Her eyes skimmed over the room and saw a doorway leading out to a spiral stairway. "I just...need a moment." She turned from them and started out of the room, weaving through a few groups mingling at its center.

As the drink took hold of her senses, it was hard for her to know what was real and what wasn’t. As she made for the stairs and started down them, she thought she felt the earth tremble under her feet. As she made it to the bottom, she thought she caught shadows rushing down the arched passages nearby. Above the white spiraling stair, she saw the silver vines of a chandelier shaking back and forth.

Damn, what was in that drink?

Confusion took hold as she turned down one passage and stepped through an arched glass doorway into an inner courtyard with a small garden. The colors in her head heightened as she stumbled and sank onto a bench beside a fountain. She closed her eyes, waiting for the spinning to stop, letting her body sink forward, her head nearly between her legs.

There was a noise, very quiet, no more than a shuffle, and the light of the lanterns was blotted out by something above her. Slowly, Lee looked up and caught a figure looking down at her. She blinked a few times and saw the shimmer of the figure’s golden skin and the shape of a pair of rod-like horns along their skull. She blinked again and realized it was the nillium.

Quickly, she straightened, realizing she looked foolish and un-Elle-like, then regretted it as another dizzy spell took her. She groaned, then cleared her throat, noticing her mouth was dry. "Hello," she managed to say. "Hello...um...." Damn, she'd forgotten his name.

The nillium came around and sat beside her on the bench. "Azeon," he said. She noticed something in his hand, and he offered it out to her. It was a smooth, black cup.

"Oh, no, no more for me. I've clearly done myself in with that stuff," Lee said, almost pushing the cup away.

"It's water," he corrected. "I noticed you looked unwell."

Lee turned her gaze to the cup, then back up to him. His bronze-colored eyes caught hers, and she could tell he was sincere. She took the cup from him and smiled.

"Thank you." She brought the cup to her lips and took a small sip and was relieved to taste water. She took a more generous swig before setting the cup down between them. "The luma know how to make a strong drink, I'll give them that." Her eyes drifted over him, taking in his uniform, which was as black as his hair, and the golden engravings along the collar and cuffs, almost the same color as his skin. He wasn't bad looking, she could admit. For an alien. And though his stare had creeped her out back on the ship, he didn't give off any more bad vibes. And why should he? He was an alliance representative for the nillium. They weren't like they’d used to be back before they'd come to Terra Centra.

"I didn't try it, but I believe you." He seemed to shift, looking around the garden. He was quiet for a moment before he said, "I overheard what you and the Grayhart men were talking about." He turned back to her. "And I agree with you."

Lee gazed back at him, stunned. "I'm glad someone does."

"If we can tell the others, we could vote to take action much sooner. We could have ships here in only days instead of weeks."

"You think so?"

He nodded once. "I don't see why we couldn't."

Lee gazed up at the night sky where colors and shapes still floated around, but at least she was feeling less dizzy. "Myron said the witch wasn't like a luma. She was something else. A monster with demons that did her bidding." Her hands curled on her lap as she felt her heart skip a beat. "And they play with fire. Something about that really didn't sit right with me. I don't think they are really what he says."

"What do you think they are?" Azeon asked.

She looked back at him nervously. Before she could say a word, a flash of white brightened the night sky.

Lightning?

"Was that real or am I still just hallucinating?" Lee asked.

Azeon gazed upward where the flash went off, his eyes narrowed as if searching.

"Something feels off," he said in a quiet voice. He rose, then glanced down at her. "Wait here. I'm going to...investigate."

Lee watched him stalk off, not thinking anything in the slightest. Maybe a storm was just coming over the wall. She sat alone for a moment, then a sudden shiver trailed down her spine. She looked around her but saw no one, yet she too felt something wasn't right.

CHAPTER FOUR

Vrexus

Breaking into the city had been a child's game. The luma, so secure in their stronghold, made it clear they had built the wall for strategic attacks by armies from the other tribes. They didn't think about those who could scale the walls as easily as any tree or rock and sneak past with hardly a warning.

Once he ordered for the first distraction, Vrexus had watched the luma rush for the south gate, leaving other points in the wall practically unguarded. It was laughable really, and he knew just by studying them that the silver tribe, though able to use technology and build empires, were not an aggressive, war-driven tribe. They expected their advancements to keep them safe enough, and their arrogance showed they didn't expect anyone to come stalking into their city so easily as he and his pack of three had.

Few saw them. And those who did were snuffed out quickly, hardly having time to take a breath to call out to their guardmates before they were lying on the ground, with Vrexus and the others stepping over them like they were nothing more than sacks of meat in pretty—but impractical—suits of armor. It didn't take long to find their prey. His scout, Xeda, had snuck inside earlier to find their target, locating them within one of the dark, smooth structures near the center of the city. Like shadows, they wove their way atop buildings and down passages. Any who would be unlucky to notice them wouldn't live to tell a soul. The ancient ones—and the dark of night—were on their side, and none so much as caught the slip of their spiny tails. They worked quickly and silently. As another distraction triggered some distance away, they broke into the central building and started for those near its highest point.

Vrexus stilled in the shadows as he spied his targets mixed together with the leaders of the silver tribe and their heads of security. He had been told they would be of different races, and he could see plainly now their contrast to the luma. As he stood on a pane of glass from the roof above, he studied them like a scientist studies animals in the wild.

It wouldn't be difficult to take out the luma. They carried blades and some two-handed weapons but no shooters which made taking them out even easier. The hard part was yet to come. He had been told there would be twelve members in all, but as he looked down, he only saw ten. Gathering and herding the members out of the city would be the most difficult. If he had been given more pack members, the task might go more smoothly, but Queen Theda had only charged him with what he had now. Xeda was close beside him while the other two of his pack–Reyth and Syrus–were stalking below, near the balcony, waiting on his signal.

He could see Xeda was itching to go, his tail weaving behind him, one bright orange eye and one deep red staring down at the inevitable bloodbath the luma would endure. But Vrexus made him wait.

When the overseer finally left the room, taking several of her guards with her for the night, Vrexus made his signal, and they moved. They rushed across the roof, then leapt down to the balcony below.

There was confusion in the eyes of the alliance, but the luma knew right away the pack were intruders. They called out something to the alliance, then took up their weapons.

Vrexus bared his fangs at them, giving the luma a wicked grin. They backed away, terror growing in their eyes. They cried something in their language, then attacked.

Vrexus dodged their blows with ease. With his scyth in hand, he smashed the hilt of his blade in the face of one, making them fall, then sliced through the armor of another. His pack took out the rest, the attack ending so quickly the alliance didn't even make it out of the room.

Too stunned and horrified to move, they backed themselves into a corner. The lygin gave out a pitiful roar, the corax showed off its sharp teeth, and the skra hissed at them while the humans remained cowering, a few whimpering, one even soiling themselves.

Vrexus didn't hesitate as he moved toward them. He looked them over one at a time, taking in the scent of them, metallic fear stinging his nose, then turned to his team. "Start moving them out. I will catch up."

"Where are you going?" Xeda asked, his eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"There are two missing. I'm going to find them."

He didn't wait for them to obey. He started for one doorway that led to a stair. He halted for a moment as a scent caught him. Not a luma scent. It was distinct, even sweet. He stalked down the stairs and followed the trail of the scent, knowing where it would lead. He turned down a passage then past a crystal doorway into a garden center. The scent was more powerful here, and when he scanned across, he caught sight of the human sitting near the edge of a pool. His eyes narrowed. Staying in the shadows, he crept around to one side, keeping their back to him.

Judging by what he could see, it was a human female. He'd been shown what they looked like, and the females were usually smaller in build and had curvier figures but not always. Her hair was longer too, falling a little past her shoulders, which was usually another sign, so he assumed female.

She'd be easy to carry, even if she put up a fight. Vrexus watched her for a moment longer, curiosity somehow breaking through his focus, but it didn't last. He made for her, ready to grab her and throw her over his shoulder when something or someone broke through the door opposite and snarled at him.

The woman jumped up, and Vrexus halted as a large, golden-skinned alien put themself between the human and him. The human squawked something at the alien before seeing Vrexus standing there, and she let out a shrill little cry, backing up farther behind the golden male.

Vrexus flicked his tail in annoyance as the alien growled at him. He recognized it now as a nillium. He was told they were supposed to be formidable foes, and that only excited Vrexus even more. He'd gladly take a good fight before hauling away the woman.

The nillium hissed something to the human, and she nodded her head, her eyes wide with fright as she backed away toward the nearby door. Vrexus watched her, uncaring that the nillium put himself between them. He'd get to her, in time.

When she bolted through the door and ran off, Vrexus brought his gaze back to the nillium. The nillium said something to him, but he didn't understand. It didn't matter anyway. Formidable or no, he'd knock the male out and have him dragged off quickly.

Vrexus paced, waiting for the alien to attack first. He'd let him draw first blood, just to save his pride. The nillium growled one last time, knowing he couldn't stop this fight. He roared and lunged.

CHAPTER FIVE

Lee

It was really hard to run in a dress. Lee cursed as she almost tripped on her skirt for the dozenth time while racing down another passage, pausing only a second to bundle it up in her hands so it didn't slow her down. She tried to catch sight of a luma guard or run into someone, anyone. She called for help, shouting that they were under attack, but no one was nearby to hear her.

She turned down several hallways and passed through another courtyard before eventually coming out the other side of the maze-like building and onto a path leading to a bridge. She didn't stop, trying to put as much distance as she could between her and the monster behind her. There were no other thoughts except the instinctual need to run and hide.

When she did finally run into someone—a young luma couple—she stopped to catch her breath.

"Where is the head of security?" she gasped.

The luma looked at her, confused and concerned. "You mean the guard captain?" one said, draped in a long blue robe.

Lee nodded, unable to speak.

"It is hard to say. He might be with our overseer, or he might be checking the gates. Or he is in the guardhouse."

"Where is that? The guard house?" Lee looked around her wildly in a panic. She trusted that Azeon was more than capable of fighting, but she couldn't know if there were other attackers stalking the grounds. The alliance members may be in danger as she spoke.

"It is to the north," said the other luma, wearing deep red with flowers on their sleeves. They pointed to a building with a tall tower some distance away, past another bridge or two and a set of smaller buildings stacked together. She thanked them and told them to hide, rushing for the tower before the couple could answer her.

She flew across the first bridge, passing a market square. When she got to the second much longer and more narrow bridge, she heard screams in the distance. When she whirled around, she saw the first ball of flame burst into the sky, blowing out the glass on one building, its roof collapsing.

Fires started growing in a trail along a set of structures until the night glowed red and embers fell from above.

Lee watched in horror, standing frozen on the bridge, when shouts nearby snapped her back into focus. She turned and ran across a set of waterfalls under her, the roar of the water canceling out any other noise. She passed by the small stack of buildings in a blur, the guardhouse and its tower closing in. Between the buildings and the guardhouse was a park dotted with several tall trees, their vines tangled together like nets. Halting at the edge of a tree-lined path to catch her breath, she saw more luma running past, most fleeing from the fire. Those rushing toward the flames wore silver and black armor with glowing staves in hand.

She thought to call out to them when she heard something snap nearby. Gasping, she flew around but saw nothing in the dark. Heart feeling like it might rip out of her chest, she backed off the paved walkway and headed for the trees. Quickly, she crept around and hid behind one thick trunk, her back against it. She waited several seconds before daring to peek around.

The path, lit by lanterns above, was empty, but she didn't risk leaving her spot. She waited until eventually she heard the soft thumps of feet. She inched farther into the shadows, holding her breath, then saw a figure burst onto the path.

It was a luma boy who looked no younger than a teenager. He looked around him, then disappeared down the path, hardly stopping.

Lee exhaled slowly. She looked around her and saw the park was now silent. Empty. She craned her neck around to check the path when it began to rain.

The luma couldn't control the weather from what she was told. But they’d mentioned the towers and taller buildings had outlets for shooting water high into the atmosphere like massive sprinklers. They used it to keep their gardens watered and, in this case, to put out bigger fires.

Lee closed her eyes, letting the rain consume her. The trees gave little shelter from above, being more vines than anything, so in a matter of seconds, she was drenched. She leaned against the tree and took deep breaths before she decided to step out of the safety of the trees.

Just as she did, a large figure appeared on the path, stopping right where she had just been only moments before. Lee choked down a cry, clamping a hand over her mouth before stepping back behind the tree.

The vrisha stood there, as still as a twisted statue. From their black silhouette, she could see their sleek horns curving at their points. She could also see the outline of spikes that ran down their back all the way down to the spiny tail that curled at their feet. Their eyes glowed like a set of ruby gems, staring across the path, their head tilted back as if smelling the air. They carried a sharp, black blade in one hand, blood and water dripping from the point.

Lee's body trembled at the sight of the alien. She'd only ever seen a vrisha once, back when she was visiting her sister at an alliance conference. The vrisha had creeped her out back then but at least she had been comforted by the fact that the particular vrisha was on their side. They had been one of the representatives for the race when alliance matters brought all otherkin and humans together.

But she knew this vrisha wasn't one of the friendly ones. Myron's warnings came back to her as she watched the vrisha like a terrified rabbit. Demons, monsters...devils. It was what she'd feared but didn't want to believe was possible. They had somehow tracked the alliance down. The Blood Guard and their queen were here. And they had come for them.

The vrisha stood there for a moment before he silently made his way down the path, passing by her.

She couldn't go that way now. Lee twisted around and—looking back only briefly—tip-toed past the trees, starting at a jog, then changing into an all-out sprint as she raced deeper into the park. Her dress caught on one of the plants and ripped, but she didn't take time to stop. She broke out of the park on the east end and made for a different building, which looked almost like a temple or museum, with dark, thick pillars set in rows, protecting the front like giants. She moved up a set of stairs and entered through an open doorway, sliding first into a long antechamber then into a round, glass room where a shimmering image of Illdara floated and revolved at the center. She didn't take time to study the other objects in the room, some that were clearly mechanical in nature, passing through to a stairway beyond that weaved around a giant luma statue.

She slowed way down on the stair, afraid she might collapse, her lungs burning and her calves nearly cramping. Midway up, she had to stop altogether, her heart pounding in her ears.

There had to be somewhere she could hide. He might not find her now if she'd gotten far enough away. If she could hide and stay hidden long enough, the luma might be able to fight back and drive them off. Or the vrisha would give up his search for her. She slumped down on the stairs and thought about crawling up it like a baby. She was so tired she didn't know if she could even move that much. Still, she forced herself onto her knees, forcing her legs to move.

When she made the mistake of looking back down on the landing, she let out a short little scream. The vrisha was at the bottom, looking up at her with bright red eyes encased in a bottomless black, his shiny black fangs curled along his bottom lip like a snake. She scrambled up the stairs, and the vrisha followed, deliberately slow as if she'd already been caught.

But Lee wasn't giving up that easily. She pushed her legs to climb the rest of the way and flew down a short passage that took her into a room. There she stopped and nearly cried out in relief.

"Please...help! Right...behind me!" was the most she could get out to the guards who were stationed within the room, protecting some of the luma artifacts inside.

Without hesitation, they unsheathed their blades and moved toward the door. Lee went the opposite way and slipped past a set of wide open doors onto a terrace. There two other guards waited. As they saw her, they didn't need to be told something was wrong. They took up their staves as Lee collapsed by the rail of the terrace.

She hardly heard the cries of the men and the sounds of something breaking from inside. Her breath came in gulps, her vision blurring, and for a moment, she thought she was going to be severely sick. There was nowhere more for her to go. If the guards couldn't take the alien, then there was no hope. She couldn't run any more even if there was an exit, and the vrisha wasn't going to stop.

She watched in frozen shock as the vrisha stepped out onto the terrace, with hardly a scratch on him. By the light of the building, she could see him better, a nightmare in the flesh. His skin—vermillion in color—was carved with black designs and symbols along his chest and arms. He wore some kind of leather armor and scaly leggings that blended closely to his own rough skin. His eyes, like glowing red jewels, looked over the pair of guards with little concern.

It didn't take much for him to expel the guards as if they were no more than insects. Lee should have known they'd be no match. If the vrisha could get past Azeon, then what chance did the luma have? Still, she whimpered in disbelief as she watched them each drop, one of the broken staves clattering near her feet.

The vrisha moved toward her, and by some last desperate act, Lee grabbed the broken stave and pointed the sharp end at the alien.

"Don't come near me." Her voice shook just like her hand holding the weapon.

The vrisha looked unimpressed by her last defense, but there was glint of amusement in his gaze as he paced before her.

"Xi ishara ka na mas et nish," he hissed.

Her translator wasn't set to understand the vrishan tongue. "I don't know what the hell that means. But If you come near me, I'll stab you." She made a stabbing motion with the stave. "Understand that, asshole?"

The virsha watched her hand move up and down, and his expression twisted into something awful. His mouth widened, and she saw the sharp teeth as a guttural sound escaped his throat.

It took her a moment to realize he was laughing. He was laughing at her.

He lunged for her, and Lee threw the stave at him before climbing over the rail behind her. Better to die, to fall to her death, than be taken by him.

But he moved too quickly. He grabbed her, tearing her dress even more with his sharp claws, and pulled her off the ledge. Lee screamed, still with terror but also with rage. She kicked at him and slapped, but it hardly fazed him. As soon as he pulled her to him and flung her over his shoulder, her vision swam, and she went limp. As he twisted around, holding her tightly to him, she could do nothing but watch helplessly as he took her from the terrace and away into the night.

CHAPTER SIX

Vrexus

He moved through the dark with ease. Few saw him, and if they did, they didn't try to stop him. The woman, now slumped over his shoulder, didn't fight either. She lay quiet save a few groans whenever he was forced to jump a wall or hedge. She was light and easy to carry, no more than a sack of wet clothes. The only more difficult task was scaling the high, rain-soaked wall surrounding the city with only one hand. The others wouldn't have the same issue since they would take the members through one of the guard tunnels leading out into the jungle, found by Xeda while scouting. The bombs had been a good distraction, calling on many of the guards to protect the capitol and their overseer, leaving many tunnels and gateways sparse of soldiers.

Once over the top, he took his time climbing down from the high wall, very sure if he fell or dropped the woman, she could likely die. She seemed more fragile with her soft skin and small frame. At one point, she seemed to rise from her shocked, limp state enough to cling to him as they traveled down, her little nails digging into his skin.

He almost felt sorry for her. She trembled all the way down, and the stink of fear clogged his nose. He couldn't blame her. It was amusing to watch her try to fight him at the start, if one could even call that a fight. He found he liked that she had even tried. He'd been told that humans were funny like that. They were like pinctas, snappy, yippy little animals that thought they were bigger and more intimidating than they looked. Though humans were more odd looking. They had no armored skin or horns to protect them, just furry brows and heads. Strange, expressive mouths and beady eyes. And everything was so round. Even their teeth were round. Yes, maybe he did feel sorry for them.

He hopped down from the wall, landing in a pile of vines and leaves, then bounded into the jungle. The moons' light hardly penetrated the earth from within as every living thing seemed to meld together like one large entity. The trees twisted around another, vines and branches entangled together to a point that it was hard to say where one began and one ended.

Even in such a dense, maze-like wilderness, he was certain of where he was going. Just outside the walled city, they had chosen a gathering place if they were separated. They would meet before they moved onward to the safepoint.

"Poot mi dwn," the woman said near his ear. She started to struggle in his grip.

He didn't understand what she was saying, so he ignored her.

"Poot mi dwn!" she snapped again.

"I don't know what that means, human, but if you don't stop struggling, I'll have to knock you out."

He thought she understood enough since she stopped in her struggles. She remained quiet for a time, and he thought nothing of it until she jerked suddenly and twisted in his hold, pounding on his back like a wild animal, shrieking like one too.

"Halp! Halp!" she screamed.

He kept his pace despite her sad attempts to stop him or to tear herself from him by using the hanging vines from the trees. She clawed at his back and tried to kick, but it was futile. Her screams were becoming a nuisance, however, and he didn't care to have someone or something hear them. He stopped and slid her to the ground. He tore off one of the thick vines from a tree in his path, then dragged her back by her ankle as she tried to crawl away. He forced the vine in her mouth, wrapping it around her head twice and tying the ends. It muffled the screams at least. He tied her hands too behind her back so she couldn't rip the vine from her mouth, then he flung her back over his shoulder.

He picked up speed, checking the sky and forest around him for signs of movement. Eventually, the luma would catch on that the attack wasn't targeting them. They would send their ships out to start looking around.

Several spans through the jungle and up the side of a low hill, he made it to the gathering spot, a wide crevice at the top surrounded by rock. The others were already there. He could see the alliance members huddled around each other as they sat on the ground with his pack surrounding them. When he got closer, he saw Xeda near the nillium who was also tied and placed against the side of a rock. After Vrexus had defeated the alien, Xeda had come to check on him, leaving Reyth and Syrus alone to deal with the others. He’d decided Xeda could haul the nillium away while he went for the woman. A fair punishment for going against his orders. He was surprised that the scout was able to carry the nillium out as the male was large. Xeda had certainly proved his strength.

Vrexus strolled into the site and stopped beside the nillium, placing the woman next to him.

"Took you long enough," Xeda said beside him. "Did the little mouse give you a good chase?"

Vrexus turned and looked around at the others. They were wet and ashen in color, a few with water streaming from their eyes. The corax had its mouth half open, as if waiting for one of them to stretch their arm out so he could take a bite. The lygin was snarling and hissing, its fur on end. The gyda and skra were the most quiet of the bunch. They were all accounted for save that a few had bruises and one was unconscious. "What's the damage?" he asked.

"Had to get physical with a few to keep them in place," Reyth said. "Some tried to flee but didn't get far. The unconscious one just fainted when I touched them." Reyth shrugged. "He's alive but had a fright, I assume."

Vrexus nodded. "They'll live, that's what matters. Let's get moving."

"Please...give us a moment to rest," came a voice behind him in off-sounding vrishan.

Vrexus turned and saw one of the human men looking over at him, his gray eyes wide with fear. He slowly rose to his feet to stand above the others.

Vrexus went over to him and got uncomfortably close. "Did you just say something?"

"That one has some kind of translator," Syrus explained. "It's made to understand and speak vrishan."

"That so?" Vrexus looked at the human with narrowed eyes.

The human nodded. "Grayhart standard is to have all translators equipped for any language not already understood or used within the alliance," he explained shakily. "My three colleagues can understand. The others, however, have not had theirs set to such a standard."

Vrexus looked back over at the woman, who fixed him with a fiery glare. He turned back to the man. "Can the others be set?"

The human looked at him, shocked. "I could likely do so."

"You want to have them yapping at us, desecrating our language?" Xeda said, annoyed.

"It will make them obey us easier if they understand us."

Xeda snorted. "I doubt that."

"They'll understand our threats. Then maybe we won't have to deal them out every time they stray." He tilted his head at the man, who could barely keep his gaze.

"I can do it," he said.

"Then do it quickly," Vrexus commanded.

He watched as the human man went to each of the other members and, using some sort of device on his wrist which he called a wristpad, he synched the translators up and fixed them to use vrishan. One by one, Vrexus tested them, forcing each member to speak. When he got to the feisty woman, he crouched down beside her and tore the vine from her mouth.

"Speak," he ordered.

She clamped her mouth together, her jaw set. Her eyes burned into his, defiant. He took hold of her jaw and tilted her head up.

"You understand what I've asked? Or are you just being disobedient?"

She didn't say a word. Vrexus gestured to have one of the humans—another male he guessed—brought over. He placed the tip of his tail against their stomach and waited. The woman—Fire-eyes, he decided to call her—gazed up with uncontrolled panic. She looked back at Vrexus with a piercing, hateful glare.

"I understand, you bastard," she whispered.

He stared back at her for a long moment. Her eyes were nice. They were so bright and full of their own fire. He found it hard to look away from them.

He dropped her jaw and his tail from the man's stomach. "That wasn't so hard, was it?"

She started to say more, but he quickly placed the vine back over her mouth. She bit into it, growling. He almost laughed.

He moved to the nillium next, who watched him closely. "You won’t get away with this,” he said, speaking before being asked to. “Others will come."

"I have no doubt of it. But then it will be too late." Vrexus righted himself. "Bring over the Grayhart man."

Reyth pushed the gray-eyed man over, and Vrexus took hold of his arm, making the man wince. "The translators. Do they need this wristpad in order to work?"

The man looked down at his arm. "No, there is a program to set them to specific languages. They only sync for this purpose. You don't need—"

That was all he needed to know. Vrexus snapped the wristpad off the man's wrist and crushed it under his feet. He knew they would have ways of communicating through it, knowing their sly technology. There'd be no calls to their ship or to anyone. "Check the others. Take their wristpads if they have them or any other communicators. Destroy them."

His pack did as he asked and anything that might lead them to call for help was extinguished.

"It's time to move,” he ordered. “The safepoint is several spans away, and the luma will soon be on our heels."

* * *

The humans were slow. Excruciatingly so. They stumbled along, nearly tripping over themselves, clearly not able to see in the dark. At least the xolians could keep up and weren't completely blind, some having the ability to see as well as the vrisha. But the humans were like fledglings, dependent on the pack to lead them, whining like infants too. Many times, Vrexus had to stop so that they could catch up or wait for them to get back up on their feet after a fall. Eventually, as the land became rockier and steeper, he was forced to have them carried. Reyth, Syrus, and Xeda took one each, and he even made the xolians carry the others, the lygin and corax carrying two of the men (including the one who had been unconscious) and the skra one of the females. The nillium he didn't yet trust and so kept his hands tied behind his back, but that unfortunately left others with no choice but to remain stumbling along behind.

He carried Fire-eyes, her hands still tied, as he didn't trust her still either. She hadn't fought him since they left the gathering spot nor had she tried to flee, but from her earlier struggles, he knew she might try running at any given opportunity. She was determined, he'd give her that, but her bravery and determination in defying him were useless. Her silence told him she realized that fighting him might just be an incredibly stupid idea after all. She and the others knew nothing of their fate, and he and his pack could slit their throats in a single stroke if he wished for it. Still, he wouldn't put it past her to try something.

The others obeyed almost without hesitation. They were scared, too scared to disobey. They understood what kind of situation they were in and what the cost would be if they didn't do what they were told. They grumbled and cried, but they kept their eyes down. The xolians hardly said a word. They kept their defenses up, but they followed without complaint. They knew they were too far gone into the wilds now, and if Vrexus and his pack didn't kill them, the jungle would.

A fine mist started to penetrate the jungle, heat rising as they went. He understood now why Queen Theda might consider overtaking such a world. It was warm, even in the night, and he could imagine it getting even hotter in the day. The heat gave him energy, driving him along even if he had to wait patiently for the others to follow.

When they came to the top of one hill, he had them stop only briefly so that he could determine their location. Below, they could see the shine of the city through the trees. They still weren't far enough away for the luma to not find them. Every so often, he heard the buzzing of their ships some distance away and knew they'd started their search. Thankfully, the jungle was too thick for them to land, but he wouldn’t doubt they had other means of tracing the group.

Before the humans got too comfortable, he continued on, deeper still into the forest. Not long after setting off again, Vrexus noticed more movement within the trees and in the distance. There were howls and cries and the occasional snapping in the dark. The forest seemed to move everywhere as if it were a living, breathing entity.

This didn't disturb him too much, and his pack didn't slow or seem concerned, but they were alert. Watching carefully, their footfalls growing quieter, making the humans’ walking seem even louder, every step they took making Vrexus wince. He’d be shocked if they weren't the loudest, most unsubtle beings in the jungle.

Before he could turn around and threaten to cut their feet off if they didn't move quieter, there was a cry behind him that didn't sound like the ones coming from the animals in the dark. This one sounded in distress.

As he turned, he saw a human scream as another was being dragged off by something unseen.

Vrexus went into action, setting Fire-eyes on her feet. As he barked for Xeda to follow him, leaving Reyth and Syrus to stay with the group, the human who had screamed was snatched up as well, a thick, dark green tentacle-like vine grabbing their arm and yanking them up into the trees. Unsheathing his scyth blade, Vrexus dashed for the one dragged on the ground while Xeda went for the one in the trees. Breaking through the brush, he found the first human being pulled along by another tentacle. As he rushed for them, he saw the tentacle was attached to a monstrous, bulb-like plant, spread open at the middle with a set of sharp green teeth. Vrexus leapt and hacked the tentacle in half before grabbing the human, the tentacle twisting away. He picked up the crying human and returned to the others.

It hadn't taken him a second to disappear before there was chaos. Reyth had the humans and a few xolians huddled around each other, snapping and baring his teeth at them. Syrus was fighting with the lygin and the nillium—who had somehow gotten untied—trying to stop them from getting past him. Xeda had the other human over his shoulder, blood seeping from the human's head.

"Enough! On your knees!" Vrexus roared to the remaining xolians attempting to flee or fight. The humans cowered, and the lygin seemed to jolt, then hissed before backing off. He returned to kneel before the others. The nillium stood his ground, baring his own teeth back at Syrus.

Vrexus dropped the human beside the others, and with scyth in hand, he made for the nillium.

"Do I need to bring you down again, nillium, to get you to heel?" he hissed.

"You won't be able to so easily the second time, vrisha," he spat.

Vrexus brought up his arm, ready to drive the hilt of his blade into the nillium's face, when Fire-eyes placed herself between them.

"Stop! Now isn't the time to fight. We're clearly not safe here, and some of us are hurt!" She was looking at Vrexus, her eyes blazing with anger. She was shaking, her face pale, but her eyes made her look fearless.

He was annoyed to see that someone had untied her too, but she had a point. They weren't safe, and there weren't enough vrisha to protect the group from the dangers of the jungle. He didn't have time to fight or to argue.

"On your feet, all of you. Keep together. If a single one of you moves out of the group, you'll regret it. I may need to keep you alive, but a hand or eye won't be missed. Do I make myself clear?" He narrowed his eyes on the nillium even as the others quietly agreed. The nillium stepped back with the others.

As he passed by him, he glanced down at Fire-eyes. She said nothing, but he was impressed that she kept her gaze locked with his. He got dangerously close, his face near to hers.

"And I better not hear a word from you, not a scream or anything, or I'll have your tongue, understand?"

Her mouth twisted. But she didn't say a word.

He backed away, forcing his eyes from her to look over the group. Xeda still carried the bleeding human, who was moaning. The one Vrexus had saved was still on the ground clutching at his leg. By the elders, these humans were more fragile than limari eggs.

He ordered Reyth to carry the one with an injured leg and Syrus to keep to the back of the group, making sure none strayed as he took up the lead.

CHAPTER SEVEN

Lee

To say she was miserable was an understatement. The jungle was hot and steamy, so keeping dry was nearly impossible. She was still damp from the city rain, her dress torn down one leg, and the skirt-ends now a muddy purple. The slips-on shoes she wore underneath were coming apart, and it was a wonder she hadn't lost them entirely. They squished as she walked, with mud and water slipping between her toes.

She followed silently along with the others, her eyes burning a hole in the vrisha leader's back. There was a flurry of curses stuck in her head that she would love to shout at him but knew it was better to say nothing. She already may have given herself away to the others by being a little too pissed off and showing it. She needed to keep calm and think, not let her anger get out of control.

Plus, she didn't think the big alien was joking when he said he'd cut her tongue out.

So, she followed along with the others, her legs cramping, her throat dry, and fear gripping her tight, knowing they were being led to a very bad fate. Myron's warnings told her enough about who was awaiting them somewhere in the wilds of Illdara. Not a witch but a queen.

She didn't know much about the mad queen, but she knew the evil bitch hated humans and, whatever plan she had for them, it wasn't going to end with leaving the planet alive. She wished she could think of any way to slow the vrisha down, to distract them. Maybe some of the xolians—like Azeon—could at least get away. Could find help. They clearly wanted the group alive, so she and the others didn't have to worry about getting killed if they were caught running. It was the other threat the virsha made that kept them compliant.

A soft moan startled Lee from her thoughts. She glanced to one side and saw Alice hunched over, her arms crossed over her chest, her dress also torn and dirtied, her hair a tangled nest on her head. She looked sickly, her expression twisting like she was going to throw up. Lee closed the distance between them and gripped Alice's arm. It was cold.

"Hey, you okay?" Lee said in a hushed voice, knowing Alice wasn't okay but wanting her to talk.

Alice fixed her with a smile, but it wasn't very convincing. "I'm all right. Not injured or anything. Just feeling a little nauseous. And dizzy."

"Yeah, me too, the dizzy part I mean." She was still having affects from the drink, though they weren't nearly as bad as before. Every so often, she had to steady herself as a wave of vertigo hit her. Thankfully, it only lasted a second or two.

"This is pretty crazy, huh?" Alice whispered, her eyes nervously glancing around at the vrisha.

"Crazy is definitely one word for it." Lee rose her eyes again to the vrisha leader. She watched his spiny tail weave behind him, the tip sharp as a blade. She glanced at the other vrisha and caught one snapping their teeth at the corax who strayed too far outside the group. The leader was the bigger of the four vrisha she could see, with the second being the vrisha carrying Mikia with his injured leg. That vrisha had two different colored eyes, one bright orange, the other deep garnet. The other two looked nearly identical, with scarlet-red skin, only the one at the back—when she dared turn to peer at him—had shorter horns and was bulkier. They all had strange tattoos on their bare torsos and arms, all of black designs as if someone had taken a laserblade to their skin and burned them on.

"Where do you think they are taking us?" Alice asked.

Lee was hesitant to tell her. But better for her to be prepared for the worst than to remain ignorant. "I think they're taking us to see the mad queen. They're part of the Blood Guard."

A small gasp escaped Alice, her dark eyes growing wide. "She's here?"

Lee nodded. "I heard warnings from the luma about an evil witch and her demons. With the vrisha here, it's not hard to put the two together."

"And we weren't told this before we arrived?" she nearly cried. The vrisha to her right looked over and bared their fangs, quieting them for a long moment.

"Grayhart knew, but they didn't suspect it was the queen, so they didn't think it was a threat to us," Lee whispered a few minutes later. "I had a bad feeling about it but didn't honestly believe it until I saw the vrisha with my own eyes."

"What the hell were they thinking? And it was their idea to keep security onboard the ship. All for what? To look unthreatening?"

"At least we know those on the ship suspect something by now. They definitely would have seen the fires," Lee assured. "They'll know we're gone, and they will send for help."

Alice turned her head to fix Lee with a weary gaze. "But how long do we have?"

Lee didn't have an answer. Judging by how the vrisha kept them moving, driving them through the jungle with limited breaks, it was plain to see they wanted to get them quickly to whatever destination they had planned. They never stopped to survey their surroundings which meant they likely knew where they were going. They were taking them straight to the viper's lair.

And if that secret place was close by, it'd be less than a day before any chance at being rescued was gone for good. The luma or the alliance could scour the jungles all they wanted, but if the group was taken into caverns or some other hidden place, they'd never be found.

Lee didn't want to think about where that would put them next. The queen clearly wanted them for a reason, so death wouldn't come fast.

"Kyle looks bad," Alice whispered. Lee looked around to the man the creepy-eyed vrisha was carrying. His head was still bleeding on one side, dampening his curly hair, and his skin was ashen. "If we could just stop and check him out..."

Lee's gaze fell from Kyle over to the others, and she could see he wasn't the only one in bad shape. A few looked like they could barely walk. She guessed they were just as tired and as thirsty as she was.

The vrisha didn't seem to notice or really care. They pushed them onwards, up inclines and through thick underbrush. They hardly said a word or looked in their direction unless someone slipped too far from the group. Only the creepy-eyed vrisha complained a few times that the "filthy human" was bleeding all over him.

Only when the first person fell and struggled to get back up did the vrisha leader finally decide they could stop for a short moment to gather themselves.

Lee had been watching silently till then, knowing a few wouldn't make it at this rate if they didn't find water and shelter to sleep even a few hours. She sat by the side of a rock, studying the vrisha who were talking together nearby, her gaze falling to their leader. Her hands clenched around her skirt, squeezing out the excess water still clinging to the fabric.

Before she lost her nerve, she slowly rose and carefully stepped around the others, approaching the vrisha. They didn't seem to notice her at first until she made a little sound to get their attention. They went quiet and each turned their eyes to her, the leader fixing her with a suspicious glare.

He stepped closer to her, and it took all her will not to step back, admittedly intimidated by his height and the heat that radiated from him. He was like a fleshy furnace in this heat. She could even see the steam coming off his back from the harsh moonlight above, rising along his neck and curling around his horns. It was almost mesmerizing to watch.

The virsha tilted his head. "You got something to say?"

She glared back at him, attempting to appear unafraid even though her heart was hammering in her chest. "Yes. Do I have your permission to speak?" She risked sounding snide, but she didn’t think he caught the tone in her voice.

His mouth widened, and she caught the tips of his black fangs poking out from his upper lip. Her heart jumped at the sight. Shit, maybe he had noticed.

"Speak," he said.

She let out a slow breath, keeping her eyes on him even if she could see the others in her periphery. "I know our lives are of little concern to you." She waited to see if he'd agree with that remark, and when he said nothing, she continued. "But if you are ordered to keep us alive—even barely—you should know you'll fail before the sun rises."

He lifted his head back as he regarded her. "You think so little of your own kind that they can't walk a few spans in the dark?" he said in a low hiss.

"Without water, on no sleep, in a jungle full of things that are trying to eat them? Yes." She gestured then to Kyle, who had been dropped by a tree, and Alice, who was currently trying to stop the blood seeping from his forehead. "Two are already injured, the others are on the brink of collapse. Who knows what else might try to kill us. We need time to recover, or you'll be carrying us the rest of the way, and you don't have enough arms to carry us all. If something attacks, then what will you do?"

A growl came from her right, making her jump. “You telling us we don’t have this under control, human?" the creepy-eyed vrisha spat. He moved for her as if ready to drag her back to the group, but to her surprise, the leader put out his arm to stop him.

"Sadly, she has a point. Humans are far weaker than I anticipated." He bared his teeth in a sort of creepy grin, making Lee shiver. "We'll have to find a place for the rest of the night, preferably enclosed, with water nearby. You think you can find such a place, Xeda?”

The creepy-eyed vrisha glared at her, then turned to the leader. "We're still too far from the safepoint."

"We'll make double time, then, in the morning." His eyes drifted from hers to the one called Xeda. "Go."

Xeda hissed but did as commanded. He turned and slipped away, his tail swinging angrily behind him.

The leader turned back to her. Lee almost opened her mouth to say "thank you" of all things, as if he deserved it, when she grew very still, blood draining from her face as she felt something sharp slither up her back side. The leader's tail.

He slid her closer, close enough she could smell a faint scent coming off him, almost like spiced coffee. Her breath caught in her lungs as she felt the tip of his tail like a knife at her back. It slid across her ribs, then down to her hips.

"You speak for the group then? Do you consider yourself their leader?" he asked, as if curious.

Lee hardly shook her head. "No," she whispered, her voice almost cracking. "But they're too afraid to speak since you threatened them."

His mouth widened. "I threatened you too. Yet you come to speak to me regardless."

She swallowed. "Their lives are more important than my fear."

"How brave." His tail grazed along her lower abdomen. "You humans might be cowering and weak, but you're not all boring at least." He seemed to watch her closely, as if looking for a reaction, but she refused to give it. Still, a fire sparked in his gaze. He was playing with her.

Lee kept her ground, even as his tail curled along her stomach and brushed across her heart. A soft rumble started in him, like a low laugh. "I'll let you speak for them," he said. "If the others wish to remain silent."

"I don't," said a low voice behind her. Azeon.

The leader looked up to stare behind her. His tail finally dropped. She heard a rustling and knew she didn't have to look around to see that Azeon had gotten on his feet.

"Leave her alone, vrisha," he almost growled.

The vrisha's face twisted. "Or what? You'll maul me to death? Can't do much else with your arms tied can you?"

"Touch her again and you'll see what I'm capable of."

That got a real laugh out of him. "I think I already have an idea of what you're capable of, nillium. And it wasn't much."

Azeon snarled. Lee whirled around in time to see him take a step toward them. She shook her head at him, and he stopped.

"Don't bother, Azeon," she said. "He's only trying to piss you off." She turned back to the leader. "He isn't worth it."

The vrisha glared down at her, the fire in his eyes brightening. She thought he might strike her for even saying anything, but to her relief, he only grew still, as if possibly stunned by her bold remark. Then he laughed once more.

She had nothing more to say to him, so she turned and went to sit back with the others, who watched her with almost awe-like regard. Heat returned to her face as she ignored their stares. Even for Elle, her response had been a bit much.

"Elle, you okay?" Samual asked as she sat back down.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Only just a little rattled, she thought. But it did feel good to know that—even with her fear—she could stand up to the devilish bastard, if she was angry enough.

Some time later, Xeda returned, having found a place for them to shelter for the night. Groaning, they forced themselves on their feet to follow. At that point, Lee could hardly keep her eyes open as she stumbled along with the others.

The cave they came to had a narrow, angled opening and led down a small incline into dark, smooth rock. Carefully, they went one at a time. It was nearly pitch-black inside without the moons' light except for a small sliver above. Lee heard the small trickle of water, and when she entered into the impressively large chamber within, she saw a small glowing pool to one side with a short spout of water coming from a crack in the rock.

There was a collective sigh of relief at the sight, and each took turns to drink from the pool before settling to one wall beside the entrance.

"Don't get too comfortable," the leader called as he walked past them. "We leave at first light."

Lee almost gritted her teeth. Was he serious? They'd been walking almost all night. The sun would be coming up soon. That gave them only a few hours tops.

The others looked too exhausted to complain. Half were already lying down and falling asleep. If she were smart, she'd do the same and just be thankful they were getting anything at all. But she was a glutton for humiliation, it seemed, because she was off the ground and striding for the vrisha before she could even think straight.

"Hey!" she called because she didn't know the leader’s name. He stopped and looked around at her, his face giving off the impression that he was shocked she had the audacity to call for him. She stood a few feet away, not caring to have his tail slithering over her again. "Listen, we can't leave at first light. That only gives us a few hours tops before we have to move again. Humans need at least six hours of rest. Otherwise, there's really no point."

The vrisha stared at her, and for moment, she thought he was going to turn around and just ignore her, which would have been better than him stepping closer and getting in her face again. But that’s exactly what he did.

"Do you think I care? I'm not here to make you comfortable," he said. "I'm here to get you to the safepoint. That's my mission."

"But it would be easier if we had the energy to walk. And to..." She lost her words in the heat of his gaze.

"True or no, I'm not a fool. You won't be stalling me. We get to the safepoint, that's all. And if I have to carry you or snap at your back to get you to run, so be it."

"I'm not...trying to stall anything," she explained. "I'm just trying to keep the others alive."

"I'm confident they'll survive." He started to turn away, leaving the conversation there. But she wasn't finished, and the heat of anger was burning up in her. She quickly got in front of him before he could walk away.

"I know you're taking us to her, your mad queen," she snapped. "Just know whatever she wants from us, she won't get it. And neither will you. We'll die before we give away anything. And if she expects the alliance to make a trade, she'll be sorely disappointed. You're just wasting your time." Lee stepped past him to return to the group. She tensed, thinking he might try to pull her back but was relieved when she made it to the safety of the circle.

Azeon met her gaze, and he nodded to her as she came to sit by him. Even if he was tied, she felt a little safer near him. She said nothing as she laid down by his side. She tried to ignore the vrisha as they stepped around and over them, one settling down by the entrance of the cave to keep watch while the rest stayed by the pool.

For a while, she just lay there, trying to calm down enough to find any measure of sleep. Before she closed her eyes, she turned over and curled up into herself. She glanced over one last time, making sure the vrisha were far enough away from them, then froze as she caught the leader watching her. Her heart seemed to stop as his eyes narrowed in on her. She didn’t know vrisha expression well enough, but she knew a murderous glare when she saw one.

CHAPTER EIGHT

Lee

As promised, they were forced up on their feet as soon as light broke from the entrance of the cave. They were allowed another drink of water from the pool before they were made to trek out into the steamy jungle beyond the cave. The sun, though low in the sky, was a red ball of fire that made the day grow hot even early on, the shade of the trees and darkness of the jungle overall giving little relief from the heat.

The vrisha appeared not only indifferent to the heat but seemed to relish in it. She'd heard stories of their homeworld and how it was always hot all year round. Out of bitterness, she wished the silver city had been located in the mountains or the tundra just so that the vrisha could suffer even a little.

And just as she predicted, the little sleep they were given made them slow and sluggish, the vrisha snapping at them more and more to move quicker. It was futile though, as navigating the jungle even by day made their journey no less easy.

At one point in their journey, Lee heard the buzzing of ships overhead. They were far off, yet everyone had stopped and looked up. Through the trees, they waited to hear the buzzing grow closer or to see a shadow pass overhead, but it never did. Even with their advanced technology, the luma couldn't find them through the vast, thick jungle which their ships had nowhere to land in.

After the ships passed, they moved on. They climbed up steep rock sides and along twisting roots. They came upon several Illdaran animals, some harmless, others not so much. But something about the vrisha kept most of them at a distance, perhaps the scent of them alone scared most off. Those that were still willing to come too close for their liking, the vrisha exterminated quickly. Lee saw many strange things as they walked, from scaly, two-horned birds to snake-like plants that crawled along the trees. A pack of what looked like raptors with quills along their backs passed close by but veered away when they saw the vrisha. At a distance, Lee thought she saw a large appendage like a spider's move up one side of a large tree. She shuddered and moved closer to the others after that.

When they came to a bridge set along a deep ravine, things took a turn for the worse. The bridge was hanging on by a thread as something massive must have nearly cut it loose from the rock to which it was tied. Lee could see the giant claw marks scaling up one side. They were forced to go down the hill and across the marsh below. It was murky and stank something awful. By the time they'd crossed halfway, they were deep in mud. Then it began to rain.

The vrisha steered them on regardless, and by the time they'd made it to the other side, they were practically crawling.

Still, the vrisha got them back on their feet and onward, and some were forced to be carried again despite their humiliation. The xolians were doing far better, though they looked just as miserable.

They had obeyed and followed despite everything. Up until they came to the edge of a waterhole connected to a small stream.

"I can't do this," Samual said. He was the first to fall outside the group. He made for the stream and plunged into it without hesitation. As if spurred on by his actions, a few others did the same, desperate for the water and willing to risk the vrishas' wrath. Lee stood by with the rest who eyed the vrisha to see what they would do. The one called Xeda marched over and started dragging them out while the other two snapped at them to get back in line.

Lee looked over at the leader, who only watched, his tail flicking to one side as if it was of no concern to him.

“Please, we are filthy, and the mud is starting to itch," Samual protested, cowering against Xeda's hold.

"Think I care?" Xeda hissed. "You'll know far worse if you don't get back."

The others argued and begged until finally a low growl cut them silent.

"Enough," said the leader. "Xeda, release him."

Xeda bared his teeth in annoyance but did as told. The leader stepped closer and looked over each of them. "Let them clean." He said something low to Xeda that she didn't catch, and the vrisha seemed to relax.

"They are filthy and stink," Xeda said, kicking Samual away. "I can agree on that."

They let them go to the water, watching closely at first. Lee dropped into the cool stream and dunked all the way under. She helped wash mud from the others that seemed to stick to them like glue, then attempted to clean what was left of her dress but found it futile.

The vrisha let them bathe for longer than she expected. They had settled down under a tree nearby and seemed distracted by something else between them. They weren't worried about the group trying to flee. How far could they possibly get before they were caught, anyway?

While they bathed, the corax—Trezir, she’d learned was his name—had found low-hanging fruit nearby. Nathan had identified it as safe to eat as the luma had offered some of the plum-looking fruit to him once. As they dried on the side of the stream, they ate the plums, wondering if it was their last meal.

After Lee ate her fill, she found herself studying the vrisha. Especially their leader. He hadn't said a word to her or anyone throughout their day journey—not that she cared—but she'd caught him watching her again when she'd woken up in the morning and eyeing her so often when looking back to make sure they followed. She remembered his murderous gaze the other night and wondered just how bad she had made herself a target. She might have just made herself the first victim to be served up to the queen.

Trying to put that thought aside, now it was her turn to watch them. They crouched between each other and were playing with what looked like a set of small bones, probably found in the jungle somewhere, whatever was left of some poor animal's carcass. After a while, she realized they were playing some sort of game. One of them would throw a piece of bone into the air, and each would have to grab as many of the other bones lying together before the first piece hit the ground. Whoever had the least number of bones lost until they were all out and one winner remained with the most grabbed. It was simple, even a little archaic, but easy enough anyone could play. She watched them go through a few rounds before she got the courage to stand up and approach them.

"I'd like to play," she said, standing over them.

Xeda and the two other vrisha laughed while the leader eyed her curiously.

“To think your pebble-sized brain could even comprehend what we’re doing,” Xeda said. “Either way, why would we bother with a lesserkin? It wouldn’t be a fair game.”

“I’d like to try anyway,” Lee said, ignoring his remarks.

“Go keep to your own, human,” the bulkier vrisha hissed.

“See, you're making Syrus angry. We've been annoyed by your presence long enough." Xeda took up a piece of bone.

Lee stood there, refusing to move. The lankier vrisha then stood, and she could see he was about to snap at her when the leader motioned to him.

“Sit, Reyth,” he ordered. He looked back at her, amused. “Let her play.”

Xeda bared his teeth. “What? Are you so bored by our game you need to involve one of them?”

“I’m curious.”

Xeda leered at him, then snorted. "Anything will entertain you, Vrexus." He sneered, setting the bones down. "Have fun. I don't care to be near them if I can help it." He got up and went to keep watch over the others from a distance.

Lee took his spot, kneeling down between them, realizing now she knew their names, including the leader's, not that it mattered.

Vrexus took up what looked like a small animal tooth. "I'll toss."

They played two rounds, each she lost first. The third round, she lost second and only because Reyth had gotten distracted by a beetle that had crawled up his arm. By the fourth and fifth, she could see they were slowing on purpose to see just how easy it was to still beat her.

"Your reflexes are worse than a fledgling straight out of their mother's slit," Syrus laughed.

Lee clenched her jaw but refused to quit. "I want to go again."

"What's your game?" Reyth said, eyes narrowed. "You think you're trying to prove something? If you thought you could beat us, then you should have learned by now you're no match."

"Fine. If you're so much better than me, then let’s make it more challenging. Give me an advantage."

Vrexus peered at her, his eyes still sparkling with that cat-like amusement. "Give her some of the pieces."

They gave her five pieces of bone to start. The sixth round she came in last again, but then at the seventh, she was able to place second.

"Luck," Reyth said.

At the eighth, she placed third, then second again on the ninth.

"The little human is learning, even if she has her advantage," Syrus stated after the last match.

Lee turned over her pieces in her hand. "I want to make a bet now," she said carefully. "If I place anything above last on this next round...you'll let the group stay here for the rest of the day and night."

They looked at her, surprised. Then they laughed.

"You honestly expect us to make that bet with you? And allow you the advantage?" Reyth scoffed. "The arrogance in these humans is too big for their own good," he said to Vrexus.

Vrexus, however, watched her carefully, and she kept her eyes on him. He clicked his claws against the ground as if thinking, then said, "A bet. Take away one of your pieces, and I'll consider it."

She did so, tossing what looked like a toe into the pile. Vrexus lifted his head.

"I'll make that bet," he said. "You don't place last, and I'll let us stay."

"You can't be serious," Reyth growled softly. "We could get caught by the luma if we remain out here. We can't afford to waste any more time than we already have. You know that she's just trying to stall us."

"I know." Vrexus' mouth tightened. "I'm still willing to take the bet."

Lee let out a slow breath. She leaned down, readying herself.

"But if you are the first to lose," Vrexus added, "then I get your life."

Lee stilled. She stared back at him, wide-eyed, and could see he was deadly serious. So that was it then. He really did intend to kill her.

“She’s the queen’s,” Syrus hissed low. “You want to piss her off?”

Vrexus didn’t look at him, only at Lee. “I’ll convince her.”

Syrus bared his teeth but didn’t argue, as if he knew Vrexus could be persuasive. He must be the queen’s favorite.

Lee didn’t move. So it was her life on the line in hopes of giving the others one more day and a sliver of a chance that they might be found. She’d never considered herself much of a martyr, but clearly, things changed. She licked her lips and swallowed, then slowly nodded her head. "All right."

"I'll even give you two chances. I trust that's fair, don't you think?" he said as he fixed her with another of his wicked grins, his fangs nearly curling around his bottom lip. She wondered if he'd use them to take her life or if it would be his tail or claws.

No. She couldn't think like that. Like she'd already lost.

She watched as Vrexus spread the pieces out amongst them, then took up the tooth. "Ready?"

He threw it up, and Lee went for the bones as fast as she could, picking up sand with them. When they revealed their hands, her heart dropped.

"One last chance," Vrexus said.

Lee crouched lower, placing her hand firmly on the ground. Heart racing, she waited, ready to strike as soon as the tooth left his hand.

It became very apparent that there were others watching nearby. She hadn't noticed at first—too focused on the game—but some of those from the group must have overheard them and, out of curiosity, came over to see what they were doing. She looked over and saw Alice beside Samual, standing a few feet away. Near to them, Azeon watched silently, his eyes blazing.

"You don't have to do this, Elle," Alice said in a small voice, glancing at the vrisha nervously.

But she did. She couldn't back out now. Vrexus' face showed nothing, but his eyes told her everything. He put out his hand, then, with a flick of his wrist, tossed the tooth in the air.

Lee struck faster than she had before, snatching up bones in one swoop. She was sure she had more than them this time. Her heart leapt at the thought. She could feel more in her palm than before, and with the ones they had given her as an advantage, she was more than sure she hadn't come in last. Blood pounding in her ears, the adrenaline made her giddy, and she couldn’t help cracking a smirk.

"I've got it," she said.

"Do you?" Vrexus replied.

Feeling confident, she put out her hand and counted twelve including the other pieces given to her. The others looked at her pile then at each other and revealed their hands.

Lee's smile began to fade as she counted until she was no longer smiling at all, and her heart sank into her stomach. They each had twenty or more.

"Looks like you lose." Vrexus tossed his down on the ground.

Lee was frozen in place, her fist curled around the bones, feeling the sharper ends cutting into her skin. Just like that then. She was going to die sooner than the others at least.

The idea numbed her so much she almost didn't hear the others begin to protest.

"I—it's not a fair game. Her hands are clearly much smaller than yours,” she heard Alice complain.

“She was already given more pieces of bone to make up for that,” Vrexus said, rising. The other vrisha rose with him.

“Get back, all of you," Reyth ordered. The group stepped away. All except Azeon.

"I'll rematch you," he said in a low, angry voice. "Then we will see what's fair."

"No. What's done is done," Vrexus said. "Her life is mine."

"Then I'll take her place."

"No."

Azeon growled. "I'll kill you if you touch her."

Vrexus let out a short laugh. "I doubt that."

Azeon came forward, and the vrisha stepped in his way, blocking him.

Lee finally came to her senses and slowly rose from the ground. "Are you going to kill me here then?"

Vrexus didn't say a word. He took out the black blade from the hilt at his waist, then gestured for her to come to him.

Lee hesitated. She took a step near him, then another. She could feel panic welling up in her. She refused to cry or freak out or beg. She'd die with dignity as she knew Elle would.

Elle. The thought of her sister almost had her in tears. At least it was her and not her sister here.

Unable to stop her trembling, she reached where Vrexus stood and stopped a hand's length in front of him. Even if she could keep herself from breaking down, she couldn't bring herself to meet his eyes. All she could do was stare at the blade dangling in his hand. Would he make it quick, or would he take his time?

"Give me your arm."

Her eyes shot up to his face. "What?"

His upper lip curled. "Your arm."

She blinked, then held out her arm. He grabbed hold just below her elbow and tugged her forward. "Hold still."

She tensed up, wondering what kind of sick end she was going to meet now. Was he seriously going to cut her arms off first?

He flipped his blade, gripping it with the point downward, then, without warning, she felt the tip of the blade cut quickly across her skin, making her gasp at the sudden sharp pain. Before she could think to jerk away, he was already finished. He brought the blade away.

Lee looked down and saw, just a little below her shoulder, a very small, shallow cut in the shape of a styled V.

A bead of blood started to trickle down her arm from the V's point. Shocked and confused, she opened her mouth to form words when he leaned down and flicked out his dark tongue, licking away the blood, brushing over the cut.

There was a groan of disgust and horror from the group and a snarl from Azeon, who was now being held back by the other vrisha.

Lee let out a startled hiss of breath, her heart leaping, heat rising up her neck into her face. This time, she tore her arm out of his grip. "What the hell is your problem?" she snapped.

"It will have to do for now. But a better mark will need to be placed."

"Like hell it will!" she cried. "I thought you were taking my life, not branding me!"

He grinned that wicked grin. "I said your life would be mine. I never said I was going to take it here and now."

"I...I don't understand." She gripped her arm. "What else are you going to do with it then?"

He tipped his head in what she could only assume was a sort of shrug. "I'll come to think of that later." His eyes darkened in a way that worried her. "But it is mine. Mine to keep and mine alone to take."

Xeda laughed nearby. "Queen Theda said you could play with them, Vrexus, but I don't think she meant to this extent. I can't wait to see her strike your hide for this."

Vrexus sheathed his weapon. "We'll see. For now, it's time we left. The sun is sinking."

CHAPTER NINE

Vrexus

They were finally making good time, now that the humans had eaten and rested, giving them an ounce of energy to pick up the pace. They were almost out of the silver tribe's territory and beyond the major part of the jungle. More light—still dim but enough to see by—was beginning to slip through the thick growth of trees. The undergrowth was beginning to thin, making walking through the forest much easier. Even with the time lost from human necessity, they were making up for it as Vrexus and his pack pushed the group to walk faster and even at times run, carrying those who still couldn't keep up. The rare times they made stops, he'd go on ahead to check for any detours they might be forced to make and was pleased to find the way clear. In the day, there seemed to be fewer animals roaming. He only caught the scent of a few, and he hardly saw any movement through the trees.

When he returned from scouting ahead, his eyes always drifted over to Fire-eyes first, who—since their little game—had been keeping close to the nillium, as if she thought he had any chance of protecting her. It was cute, especially when her eyes would meet Vrexus', and she'd fix him with that angry glare. He'd trace her body to make sure there were no injuries, his examination always stopping on the little cut he had made on her arm, satisfied to see it was already healing nicely. It was good a vrisha's saliva could quickly take care of that sort of injury. Otherwise, he wouldn't have risked making the mark lest it become infected.

He wasn't sure why he’d done it. In the heat of the moment, when he could see her desperation to save her people, he'd grown deeply curious as to how far she was willing to go. It had surprised him that she had agreed on betting her life, since he had expected her to back out. But when she hadn't, at that point, there was no turning back. At least in his mind. Perhaps he could have let the bet go—let her go—but some part of him deep down didn’t want to, which really wasn’t like him.

He had no intention of killing her. Of course, he couldn't if he wanted to see his mission through to the end and keep his hide clear of the queen's wrath.

What he'd say to Queen Theda, he had no idea. But he would convince her the bet was fair and the human's life was in his hands. Assuming the queen didn't try to kill her anyway, he really had no plan on what to do with the little human next. Really, he had no idea...

He watched her for longer than he meant to, noticing her soft red hair brush against her neck from a small breeze. Sometimes, when the light caught it in its red rays, it almost looked like fire. She had a sort of fire in her that nearly hypnotized him, like a xinili deathmoth to a flame.

It was too bad he wouldn't get to appreciate the sight more once they were in Queen Theda's lair.

Forcing his focus back on the mission, he drove the group onward. He had seen a landmark in the distance from the top of a hill. A giant, curved rock with a wide hole cut straight through like an archway, surrounded by a rocky valley with little waterfalls. They were close now.

With the ease of traveling downhill, and from being used to the pack's presence, the group was much more talkative than usual. They spoke in hushed, excited whispers behind him. Some of which he caught.

"What makes you think we can possibly negotiate with them? They've shown no signs of being persuaded," said one of the males.

"There's nothing we can offer them, trust me," replied another. "Remember the attack on LB-34? It was said the team killed by the Blood Guard had tried to offer them credits, positions of power, weapons. Literally anything they could want. The fucking planet even. They didn't budge. They only answer to that mad queen."

"We could still try," came a familiar feminine voice.

One laughed. "You tried your little stunt already, and look where that got you. Now you’re what? A vrisha's pet?"

"Fuck you, Samual."

"Christ, Elle, what's gotten into you?” replied a deeper male voice. “You've hardly been yourself at all these past couple of days. What could have possessed you to make that stupid bet?"

"Sorry, Nathan, I guess I'm just a little rattled. I'm just trying to find ways to help our situation. Since everyone else seems to think it's futile."

"It is futile," said the one called Nathan. "We're as good as dead. If the luma or our own ship couldn't find us by now, there's no chance they will."

"You can't say that."

"And the vrisha were playing with you. They weren't going to let you win. If what you say is true, and they are taking us to their queen, then there's no hope."

"...then maybe we should just kill ourselves now. Throw ourselves off the cliff," said Fire-eyes after a long pause.

Vrexus almost halted in his tracks. Better to stop that kind of thinking now. No way he was going to let her—or any of them—even try it. He turned and growled back at them.

"No more talking. If I hear another word, I will keep to my promise and take your tongues." He looked over at Fire-eyes, stilling her with a death glare to make sure she was too afraid to inspire such thoughts. "Especially from you. Remember who gets your life."

That quieted her for the remainder of the time. Still, he watched her carefully, making sure she was close. He thought about tying her to him, but they were already coming upon the valley, and he no longer wanted to stop.

They passed through the valley as quickly as possible and came upon the giant archway in the rock. There were large, leathery-winged creatures hanging from above as he led them underneath. Thankfully, the creatures never swooped down or attacked. The sun was beginning to set, the light fading fast, and the animals would begin to wake.

As they passed through to the other side, the sky turned a dark shade of crimson. With the little light left, he could still see around the open glen. A jagged rock on one side curved nearly over the entirety of the field like a giant clawed hand. The forest opposite hugged the area in a half circle, the treeline stretching all the way around the right of the glen to the back. Vrexus stopped as he saw, hidden underneath the shadow of one rocky claw, the shape of their ship. They'd made it at last.

He and his pack started forward only to realize the group hadn't moved with them. He stopped and turned back to see them gaping at the ship.

"Holy shit," the one called Samual said.

"Keep moving," Vrexus ordered.

Hesitantly, they started forward. He could see the shock still on their faces. They clearly hadn't expected to be taken aboard a vrisha vessel.

Fire-eyes stopped beside him, giving him an odd look. "I thought you were taking us to the queen?"

"I am," he assured. "But she is far from here."

Her brow furrowed, which he could only gather meant she didn't understand.

"She would not have her haven so close to the silver tribe's territory," he explained. "Even if we happen to be on the very edge of it. She wouldn't risk their ships finding her."

Her eyes widened. "She's in one of the less advanced tribal territories."

It wasn't a question, which meant she understood. "Somewhere within them, yes." He didn't know exactly where, of course. Queen Theda had kept to her word that she would not reveal it to them until all of the alliance members were at the safepoint. Within the ship.

Fire-eyes didn't move. "I can’t make you change your mind, can I?" Her striking eyes kept him in place, filled less with an angry fire and more with cold disappointment. Her mouth tightened in displeasure, her body tensing. "Please. Don't do this."

He stared back at her, and a strange feeling grew in him. Seeing the desperation in her, he felt sorry for her. He felt...

It didn't matter. What was one human to him? Was he seriously letting a human sway his judgment? No. What was done was done. Once they were on board, he'd make his decision. He'd choose his loyalty, and he'd get his way. As he always did. One human wasn't going to change that. How could they?

He didn't move or speak. Eventually, her eyes unlatched from his and dropped to the ground as she nodded her head. She let out a little noise that might have been a laugh.

"I hate you. Not that you care. Not that you know what you're taking from us or care about that either." Her eyes returned to his, and the raging fire had sparked anew. "You don't care, but I want you to know."

She slunk away, and he still found it hard to move at first. Slowly, he did, taking one step, then another until he was striding for the ship again. Yes, he shouldn't care. Now, suddenly, he was annoyed. But that didn't matter either. It was time to go.

Xeda dropped the human he had been carrying and was first to enter the ship, starting up the controls. The group waited outside the entrance, hesitant to go inside.

Before Reyth could snap at their backs to get them to move, a shadow passed over the glen. It was only for a second, and Vrexus had only gotten a glimpse of what it had been, but that was enough to have him unsheathe his weapon and rush for the ship.

"Get them on board now!" he shouted.

From one end of the glen, dozens of luma burst from the jungle and started for them. He had expected they would have found them sooner, but it seemed they had come only just in time.

Too late, if he had any say. And he would. He turned and charged for them.

They met him head on, leaping up in hopes of catching him off guard. But he wasn't some low-end warrior. He dodged their attacks with ease before striking one down with a single blow. Their armor was thick and hard to penetrate, but that didn't stop him. Soon, Syrus was by his side. He could only assume Xeda and Reyth were guarding the group and the ship.

The luma fought them on every side, trying to hit them with their staves and long blades only with little luck. Despite that, there were many more than he had expected. Growing impatient, Vrexus swung around and started taking them out with both the dagger in his hand and the one at the tip of his tail. One stave was able to catch him on the thigh, cutting his kelva pants and leaving a shallow cut underneath. Another got him on the side of his hip. Syrus too took a few hits, but that was all the luma could manage. Vrexus slammed his fist into the side of one luma soldier's face and sent him falling before jumping on another and biting him in the shoulder before sending him flying.

By then, those who were still standing called to one another, and they began to retreat. Vrexus didn't hesitate. He made for the ship.

"We need to leave. Now!" he commanded. More would be coming until there might be a whole army waiting for them. He saw some of the group had tried to flee in the chaos, but Reyth was bringing them back together and pushing the rest onto the ship. "Check the group," Vrexus said to Reyth as he and Syrus got to the ship entrance. "Make sure they are all on board."

They climbed aboard, and Vrexus went to the front, making sure Xeda was ready for take-off.

"Let's go."

The ship roared to life, then hovered over the ground. The ship began to rise when Vrexus heard someone shouting from the back.

"Stop! We can't leave!"

Choking down a growl of annoyance, Vrexus started for the back of the ship, ready to tell the group to sit and be quiet when he saw Reyth meet him at the passage door, looking enraged.

"One is missing," he hissed.

Vrexus stilled. He shoved past Reyth and went for the group. But in his mind, he already knew who it was. Who it had to be.

When he searched wildly around them, his fears—and rage—were correct. Fire-eyes was gone.

A growl finally ripped from him, and he raced back for the front of the ship.

"Keep the ship low," he told Xeda in a venomous tone. Xeda didn't question him, knowing something was amiss. Face close to the window, Vrexus searched the span of the glen and along the treeline until he finally caught sight of someone running, making for the jungle.

Fire-eyes rushed for the trees. She looked back over her shoulder one last time at the ship—at him—before slipping into the jungle and disappearing out of sight.

CHAPTER TEN

Lee

She couldn't believe she'd actually gotten away. Plowing through the underbrush, she hardly paid attention to her surroundings. She just wanted to get as far from the ship as possible, but she had no idea where she was going. She could only hope that one of the luma would find her or she'd run into them as she raced through the jungle. Too bad if she heard a ship she couldn't stop to see if it was the silver tribe's. She was still within the thick jungle, so landing nearby or chasing her from above would be impossible.

When the luma had attacked, there had only been a brief opening when the vrisha had gotten distracted and she could make a break for it. She had to decide quickly—to stay with the others or risk fleeing in hopes of finding help. She took the risk.

She didn't like being separated from the others. Not one bit. But if she could find her way to a village or luma ship, she could get back to the city and request aid.

But the farther she got, the more she wondered if she had made the right decision. Because if the vrisha took them to the queen without her, it might still be hard to find them again.

Unfortunately, it was the only chance she got and therefore the only chance they might have.

Sliding down a small rock hill, Lee didn't dare look back, afraid if she did, she would see him right behind her. Vrexus had seen her escaping, and she had no doubt he was already coming for her.

And there was nowhere to hide, she knew, no other option but to run. He'd hunt her down until she couldn't run anymore but sure as hell she'd run until her legs gave out.

Heart hammering in her chest, Lee tried not to think about what he'd do to her if he caught her. She shivered at the possibilities running through her mind as swiftly as her feet took her through the forest.

Don't think about it, Lee. Don't. Just run. Keeping running and—

Something moved to her right, making her jump, a scream almost ripping from her throat. But it wasn't Vrexus. It was something larger and maybe just as terrifying. A giant centipede-like creature with eight beady eyes and pinchers the size of her arms. She leapt away as it moved up the side of the thick tree, then she backed away a step, only for her feet to hit something behind her, almost making her trip. She glanced down and saw the centipede's back end.

A whimper escaped her lips, and she dashed forward. She hobbled past a patch of long grass and started to climb another low rise, grabbing on to the roots of trees. She heard the sounds of rustling behind her with a low hiss, and she froze. Fuck, he'd found her already.

Slowly, she turned her head, ready to meet the pissed-off red eyes of the vrisha. Instead, she caught the gaze of eight beady eyes.

The centipede opened its pincers, and this time, Lee couldn't contain her scream. She scrambled for the top of the rise only to find another of its kind waiting for her.

The centipede craned its body forward, its pincers snapping, feelers reaching out to her. Lee lost her grip and fell on her back, a dull pain stabbing through her hip. Out of instinct, she shielded her face with her arms as the centipede came down on her.

She heard a sharp cracking sound followed by a gurgled whine and felt the beast's legs on her first, then the body before it slowly started to slide off her.

She opened her eyes and found the creature lying next to her, a stave in the back of its head. She stared at it, confused, when a shadow passed by her.

A luma stepped over her, then on to the centipede and pulled the sharp end of the stave out. Lee propped up on her elbows in time to see another luma approach with a third up on the rise, pulling his blade out of the other centipede.

They'd found her. The luma had found her. She almost sighed with relief until she saw that they didn't wear the armor of the silver tribe. And their skin was more blue-gray, with red antennae.

Even as she realized they weren't the silver tribe, she took the hand of one who offered, allowing her to get back on her feet.

"You come from the silver city?" the one who'd offered his hand asked. He and the others wore a thick strip of black chain-metal between their thighs, connected to a belt tied to their waist. They also wore the strangest armor over their arms and legs. It looked like it was made and carved from the crystal-like rocks she'd seen in the silver city.

She gaped at them, then nodded her head. "Yes, I'm from there. Me and my group were there when we were...abducted."

One tilted his head. "Abducted?"

"Yes. Listen, the vrisha are here. You probably don't know about them, but they are a threat to your home and existence. We need to gather as many as we can so we can find their queen." They looked at her, confused, so she added, "Some on Illdara call her a witch. And her warriors, demons."

"I have heard of them," one said to his comrades. His hair was the longest, pulled back in a tail. "Whispers of her."

"Yes. She is real. Please," Lee begged. "Help me."

They'd hardly glanced at each other before one started moving away. "Follow," he said.

Lee exhaled in relief. "Thank you."

She followed them through the jungle, relieved at coming across the luma even if they weren't of the silver tribe. She went eagerly on, thinking about what she was going to tell those in the city and back at the ship.

The sun's light was nearly gone now, and night was fast approaching. Eventually, the jungle began to slowly fade away into rough grass and large towering boulders with a cluster of trees here and there. There were massive herd animals grazing nearby, but she couldn't see them very well in the dark. The luma had kept silent for most of the trip and kept their answers short the few times she’d tried to question them.

"Your village isn't much farther?"

"No," said the long-haired one leading the way.

"And you have ships?"

They didn't answer. Lee turned her head to look back at one of them trailing behind her, his stave lowered though pointed in her direction. She turned back and frowned.

She saw their village in the distance by the light of several fires. There was one large, rounded building made of black stone at the center, atop a small hill. It was surrounded by several smaller stone-laid hubs that she could only guess were homes. A wall—not nearly as tall or as impressive as the silver city's–enclosed the village in a wide oval. At the gate, Lee waited as the leader talked to someone within. She couldn't see much through the engraved gate's door until it slowly opened for them.

They slipped inside, and Lee passed through with them. She hoped they'd take her straight to their overseer or whoever might be in charge. They didn't slow or stop as they started for the rising path toward the central building beyond. Lee stayed close by them, but her eyes drifted to those around the smaller buildings. There were other luma watching from the shadows of doorways and windows, many wearing robes similar to those in the silver city only here they wore hoods that hid their faces. They silently watched her as she walked by, and she felt goosebumps rise up her arms.

Lee looked back once and saw the luma at the gate closing the gate and locking it. She knew it wouldn't stop Vrexus from getting inside, but maybe he wouldn't find her after all. She turned toward the main building, and the luma were opening the door to invite her inside.

It was cooler within, if only a little. The marbled floors reminded her of those in the silver city only here they weren't as polished. They used fire for light, set in bowls hanging from above by black chains. Red and gray banners hung on the walls and at the end of the room sat a crescent table. By the table were several luma in the same sort of get-up as the ones who’d brought her. Only one wore a robe as white as snow, their hood thrown back. Lee gathered it had to be the overseer. The luma woman had the graying hair and worn look that reminded Lee of Myron.

"What have you brought us?" the overseer asked.

"They come from the silver city, Donia. One of those from the outerworlds with that alliance."

Lee hadn't told them anything about that, but clearly word must have gotten around.

Donia studied her with a curious gaze. "And you found them in the jungle, did you?" She came around the table to step closer. "How fortunate."

Odd way to put it, Lee thought. "I was taken from the city," she explained. "There are a group of invaders here on your world. They've hurt your kind. And they've stolen mine. I was able to get away, but I need your help to get back to the city."

"She speaks of the witch in the east and her demons," the long-haired luma said.

The overseer seemed to hum. "Yes, I've heard of her. Some would even join her."

That was the first time Lee had heard of that. Her eyes grew wide, and she looked over them nervously.

The overseer laughed. "Not us. Come join." Her antennae twitched as she offered for Lee to sit at the table.

Lee glanced at it and saw cups and bowls and plant life, dried out and crushed as if they had been mixing herbs. "I really just need a ship to get back to the city. It's urgent we leave as soon as we can because—"

"No ships here," said one of the males. A muscular one with blue-black hair stretched tight, making his forehead look bigger than it was.

Lee stared back at him in shock but then remembered not all the tribes had the same advancements as the silver tribe. "Sorry, what is your tribe?"

"We are of the duskfire."

She couldn't remember if that one was currently on friendly terms with the silver tribe or not and if they made trades. Damn, she should have studied Elle's notes on Illdara politics better. "All right, can you get me to the city any other way?"

"Why don't you sit, tell us about your people?" Donia said.

Lee gave her a confused frown, wondering if her translator was malfunctioning. "I would, but we really need to talk about getting me to the city. There's a threat out there and—"

"We will see to your safety and what we can do for you. Leeyr," she called to the long-haired luma. "Gather the rest of our men. Have them guard the sanctum. While we figure out this strange predicament, come sit with us," she urged Lee.

Lee had a feeling she wasn't going to get them to comply much unless she did as the overseer asked. Hesitantly, she passed by her and went to sit at the table, taking a chair at one end.

"Now," the overseer took her seat next to Lee. There was something strange about her face the more Lee watched her. Her lips curled almost in a smile, her eyes—though dark like all lumas—had a weird glimmer to them and were wider. She seemed much more enthusiastic compared to the others, who all reluctantly took seats beside her, save for the dark-haired one, who decided to stand behind Lee. "Tell me about you and your people and what happened."

Lee decided to indulge her, even if inside she wanted to scream that they didn’t have time for this. She told the overseer what she knew while the woman gestured for one of the men to pour her a drink and offer it to her. Lee took it but didn’t drink.

“How fascinating. You must be tired and a little shaken up. Lleeum, bring her some food,” the overseer commanded to one of her men.

“Oh, you don’t have to—" Lee started, but Donia quieted her with a hand.

“Please, it will take some time to discuss how to best aid you since we have no ships.”

Lee couldn’t understand how they could be in the middle of the wilderness without transportation. They had to have some form of contact with other tribes. “Do you have some sort of communicator?” she asked. “Something that can signal to the city? Maybe we could call, and they could come get me."

Donia waved her hand dismissively even as the smile on her lips remained. "Afraid not."

Lee wasn't sure if that meant they had no communication with the city or they weren't going to let her use it. "I'm really not hungry. I'd just like to get to the city." It was a lie that she wasn't hungry, but she didn't want what they had to offer.

"Please at least drink something. You must be thirsty, and our water is fresh."

She was thirsty. Really thirsty. She looked down at the cup, then back at Donia.

Donia laughed, then poured herself a drink as well. She took a long swig and put her cup down. "It's not dirty. We have filtration, even if we aren't as technologically inclined as the silver tribe."

Lee hesitated, then took a small sip from her cup. The cool water hit her lips, and it took all her will not to chug it down. It didn't taste funny at least. She took another longer swallow, then set the cup down.

The overseer seemed to watch her for a long moment, then said, "How about some new clothes? And a bath? I bet that will make you feel much better?"

Lee thought about that one. An actual bath would be nice, and her dress was looking pretty bare. Before she could answer, however, the door to the sanctum opened, and several men marched through.

"Donia, there is a visitor at the gate to see you. He claims you have something of his."

Lee felt the blood drain from her face. He'd found her already. She knew he must have been close behind her, but she had no idea he'd be this close.

"Is that so?" Donia glanced at Lee, and her lips curled a little more. "Well, send him through, so we can discuss this matter."

Lee nearly leaped from her seat. "You don't want to do that."

Donia raised her hand gently to quiet her. "No fear. We are well-equipped to handle threats to our village."

"You don't understand. He's—"

"Do you see that weapon?" Donia gestured to the dark blade held in one of the luma guard's hands. "It's not like those they use in the city. The silver tribe may have their technology, but they lack in other ways. They are so arrogant that they think their combat skills are enough to defeat any hostile force. We know it's better to have more than that, a sort of advantage." The luma guard took out his blade as if signaled by Donia and approached, holding it out for Lee to see.

There was a fine golden sheen along the sharp end, she noticed, that looked almost like they had painted it with honey. She studied it, confused at first, then the realization hit her.

"Poisoned?"

Donia nodded. "A shallow cut from that will paralyze a foe for the rest of their lives. Anything deeper and the pain is like being burned alive, while unable to move."

It was impressive, but..."If you can cut him at all," Lee warned. "He's not like me or you."

"We shall see." Donia rose from her seat, and several of the men unsheathed their weapons while taking positions. The door opened, and Lee froze as Vrexus walked into the room.

He didn't even look concerned by the many men with their weapons pointed at him. In fact, he didn't look at them at all. His eyes were on her and only her. They cut into her like his blade had cut her many hours ago. He appeared indifferent save for the heat of his gaze, making her shiver. He stopped a few feet from the table as Donia came around to meet him.

"So, you are the creature that the rumors are about," Donia started. Lee couldn't believe how composed she seemed despite Vrexus' terrifying physique. Even the men had shifted uncertainly on their feet at the sight of him. "You are quite something. I'm told you are a deep threat to the luma. I can see how that might be. And now you've come claiming this human is yours."

Vrexus still had his eyes on Lee, barely acknowledging the overseer before him. Lee tensed up, waiting to see if he would have the balls to try to take her right in front of them, even with the danger of their poisoned blades. He hadn't even unsheathed his own. The arrogant son of a bitch. She wondered if she was going to see a fight right here and witness whether their weapons could cut through his thick skin or even the armor he wore.

Nervous as she was, she forced herself to meet his eyes. His own narrowed, and his mouth widened, as if he really was contemplating leaping over the table for her. After a moment, his gaze finally drifted downward to the mark on her shoulder, then over to the overseer.

"That would be correct," he finally said. "And I'll be taking her with me now. Thank you for finding her." He took a step, and the men raised their weapons, moving toward him.

"I think we have some confusion," Donia replied, knitting her fingers together, as if in prayer. "See, from what the human has told me, I'd say she disagrees. She comes to us seeking to return to the city. Where she claims you stole her from."

Vrexus didn't look at Lee as she burned holes into him. He stood tall, his fangs slipping from his upper lip as if to smile. "That is true," he said in a hushed tone. Lee noticed he sounded different to her ears, and she realized he had one of her people's translators slipped about his neck. That explained how he could even communicate with the luma. He must have taken it from one of the others before coming for her.

"I see." Donia watched him closely. "Then you understand why we have an issue."

"I stole her, yes. But this woman is bound to me now. You will hand her over, or I will have to kill you."

Lee turned her gaze to the overseer to see her reaction. Donia's smile remained, and she showed no signs of concern. "Bound to you? Why should she be bound only because you stole her?" she asked, ignoring his threat. "That doesn't make her yours."

Vrexus' expression twisted into something sinister. "Not by that alone, but she is bound to me regardless. If you don't want to see this place painted in luma blood, you only have to let me take her now without any trouble."

"Your threats are useless here, Sharp-one. Besides, I have no reason to give her to you." Donia turned to Lee. "And it's not for us to decide, is it?"

Lee shifted her gaze from Donia to Vrexus and back.

"Do you still wish to stay with us, human? Or would you go with him?"

Was she seriously asking her? The answer was obvious.

Lee shook her head. "I want to go to the city. I'm staying here."

"There you have it then." Donia faced Vrexus. "She's made her decision."

Vrexus didn't move. His tail flicked behind him. Lee clenched her jaw, her hands grasping her legs tight. She shouldn't have said that. He was going to attack. She'd just killed them all.

Vrexus bowed his head, a shadow passing over his face. He glanced at one of the weapons pointed at him, his nostrils flaring. "I'll give you a night to change your mind. My one time being reasonable. I'll be waiting for her at the gate." His gaze met Lee's and locked in place. "If she isn't there before tomorrow's light, I'll be returning. I'll expect her to be untouched till then. If I find so much as a single hair gone from her head, I'll cut off your hands." He looked her over, then turned for the door.

She stared back at him, disgusted. Before he made it outside, Lee leaped from her seat. "You lost, Vrexus," she called, anger and triumph burning through her. "You can forget me ever leaving this place with you. I won't go back. I'm going to get to the city and call on every alliance ship near us, and they are going to come and kick your sorry ass and your queen’s, and we will save the others. So, forget waiting or coming back. My answer will always be no."

She expected him to turn on her, maybe to hiss or growl in rage. But he didn't. He didn't even turn his head so much as to look at her. He only stilled for a moment to listen, then slowly walked out the door and out of sight.

Her heart was pounding and her blood roared in her ears, but damn did it feel good to say that to him and watch him walk away. She released a slow breath, then flopped back in her chair. Feeling victorious, she grabbed her cup and took a long drink of water.

Donia watched her drink as she took her seat opposite. "I think you've made the right decision. He was beastly. Hopefully, he will take your word and not return."

Lee nearly smacked her cup down. "I doubt it but here's hoping."

"We will deal with him either way," Donia assured. "Now. We will draw you a bath and have you nicely settled."

She couldn't say no to a bath, but she really couldn't wait around now that Vrexus was just outside the village. "Getting cleaned up would be great, thank you," she said. "But in case he does come back, I should leave tonight. That way, I'm out of here before he knows it. You could sneak me out. I hate to go back on foot, but if it's no problem to you, maybe one of your best soldiers can direct me to the city or to the closest town with ships. That way...that way we can...get to help...to..." Suddenly, she didn't feel so good. It was like that damn golden wine all over again except far worse. "You can take me...back." Her arms felt tingly, and her head swam. She reached for her cup, thinking maybe she had somehow accidentally drunk from the wrong one, but as her fingers brushed over it, the cup tipped and rolled off the table with a clang. The contents that spilled out were clear. "What…"

"Ah, that would be the brunach setting in. A potent herb. Comes from the same plant as the poison on our blades," Donia mentioned. "Not nearly as deadly but it has a kick."

Lee tried to stand and found that she couldn't. "What the...fuck."

"You can thank Eiros beside you for that little slip." Donia's smile became twisted. The room seemed to move on its own, the colors of the fire becoming more brilliant than she'd ever seen before. The lumas’ eyes, so dark now, seemed to be endless pits of deep space that she could fall into if she got too close. A scream rose in her throat as they swarmed her, and she found she could no longer raise her arms. She could hardly sit in her chair as she began to slide off, and the men caught her.

"It's all in our best interest," Donia continued. "Leeyr, take out the demon. Make it quick, then bring his body. I wish I could have him alive but so be it. I want to examine them both. I'm sure they have many secrets that will come spilling out when I'm through."

Lee couldn't fight. She could hardly keep her eyes open as they dragged her from the table and toward a door to one side. She could only let out a soft whimper of rage and terror as they swept her out of the main chamber to an unseen room beyond.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Lee

She'd expected them to drag her to a cell or on to some surgeon's table straight out of a horror film, opening her up to examine her insides. What she hadn't expected was to find herself actually in a tub, being cleaned by a pair of hooded luma while Donia and her men watched. They'd watched the servants undress her and put her in the water too, and Lee couldn't so much as lift a hand to smack them away. Donia now sat nearby, talking about how the silver tribe were a bunch of elitist bastards and the silver city would fall someday, she would count on it.

"They kicked all of us out, you know," she said matter-of-factly, reclining back in her seat as if having a casual conversation with a friend. "They didn't agree with my decision-making as a second in sight to the overseer. I saw things they wouldn't believe in my dreams. But they didn't like my vision for the city." Her antennae curled, and she seemed to sigh. "It's tragic. If only they knew the depths one could go in scouring minds, the primal darkness in us all left untapped."

Lee could imagine. Right now, she could see it clear as day. She glared back at the crazy bitch of a woman with as much hate as she could process. She'd have a lot to say to her if she could, but she could no longer speak, only make a series of mumbling whimpers in her throat.

"I went too far, they said," she ranted. "But I disagree. I unlocked something. They just didn't like what I found. It's no matter now. I just want to see how you tick. And the demon too. Now, I'm just curious. Will you have the same instincts we do? The same fears? Wants?"

Lee really wished she could shut her up permanently. She could see it entertained her to talk and force Lee to listen. The servants scrubbed her hard and poured buckets of water over her head, making her sputter.

"Maybe after, I'll give you back to the city if they ask. If there is anything left to give."

Fuck you, Lee screamed in her head. So much for thinking the luma were a docile race. It was the silver tribe, not the species as a whole.

Donia rose from her seat. She dropped a hand in the tub, cupping some of the water and letting it spill over her hand. "We'll have a nice meal until my men grab your monster outside the gate. Then we will do a little digging." Her slender finger traced down the side of Lee’s temple. “How exciting it will be.”

She turned and left the room, taking some of her men with her. Eiros—the muscular one with dark hair—stayed behind.

Lee turned her glare to him as the servants poured the rest of the water on her, then lifted her from the bath.

They had thrown away what had been left of her dress and—once dried off—put her in a two-piece black and blue set with silver trimming. The top was cropped at the bottom, and the sleeves hung off her shoulders. The pants—what she could make of them—were airy and clung at her ankles. The fabric was almost sheer but also silky soft.

After they'd maneuvered her body into the set, they placed thin black sandals on her feet and a veil over her head, almost like the hoods they wore themselves. It nearly covered her eyes.

When they were through, they sat her upright, and Eiros approached. He crouched before her as he examined her. She couldn't even flinch away as his hand came up and gripped her throat, lifting her head.

"Donia might get her mind, but I refuse to see such a specimen thrown back to the city," he said to the servants. His eyes drifted down her body and stopped on Vrexus' mark still exposed just above the sleeve. "She'll no longer be bound to that thing outside. She'll be ours."

Panic rose up as she watched him take out a small, curved knife that looked like a raptor’s claw. He lifted it, and she couldn't even flinch away. All she could do was wait for the pain.

She felt a sharp burning as he slashed across her skin, nearly scraping away Vrexus' mark, cutting the skin deep. A cry ripped up her throat but guttered out. As her eyes stung from the pain, he swiftly grabbed a lock of her hair and sliced the piece in half, wrapping the strand in his fingers.

"Clean up the wound," he commanded. "Once Donia has broken her, bring her body to my room first."

Disgust and terror filled her. Like hell, she'd let him have her. But what could she do to stop him?

He hid away his little knife and her lock of hair in a pouch at his side, then turned for the door, expecting the servants to finish prepping her. She nearly blacked out several times from the pain as they fixed her wound, then gathered her up. She had to stay awake. She didn't want to wake up to Donia scouring her thoughts, scattering them to pieces. Or find herself in that asshole's bed.

They dragged her back to the main room, and all she could think was that she had somehow found herself in a worse position than before, and she would gladly take dealing with Vrexus' murderous stare and casual threats over this. This nightmare. At least she wouldn't be alone. If she hadn't run, she would be with the others. They might die by the mad queen's hand, but death was better than this.

They sat her in a chair, and, to keep her from slouching or sliding off, they tied her tightly to it, wrapping a thick black rope around her upper half. Donia sat to her left, talking with another robed male, while Eiros stood behind her like before. A servant came to sit on the other side of her, a bowl and a spoon in her hands. She moved something around in the bowl, then brought what looked like broth to Lee's lips. Most of it spilled down her chin, but some of it made it into her mouth, the taste bitter and salty, making her want to gag.

"I think it will be unbelievably easy," Donia said. "They aren't trained to withhold our prying. They have built no barriers around their minds. Why should they?”

“The human maybe not, but remember scouring into one not like us still has its risks. They might not have a shield, but they could have other defenses,” argued the robed male. “The demon could certainly have other defenses that could harm you.”

Donia waved him off. “I’m not worried.” Donia turned to Lee and smiled. “But you’ve made me curious now. I want to see just how easy it is. Just a little peek.”

The servant moved away as Donia placed herself closer to Lee and brought her hand up. Gently, she placed her fingers along Lee's temple, her skin cool to the touch.

At first, there was nothing but that cool hand, then Lee started to feel a strange tingling that quickly turned to a burning sensation against her head. She blinked once, then twice, and suddenly, the room melted away, and there was darkness. Memories began to resurface, flashing by like lightening—her and Elle in their backyard playing kings and queens, Reese making love to her in the backroom of a ship, a brawl at a station bar, her mother shouting at her in the kitchen, Lee's bruised face in the school mirror. Memories swept by like a storm, and she saw Donia in each of them, forcing herself into every single one. A dull screaming grew louder until it was deafening, and when she thought she might lose her mind, everything went black again, and the chamber returned, coming into focus.

The scream was still caught in Lee's throat as Donia lifted her fingers. Lee's head throbbed, a headache already beginning to form.

"See," Donia said after a pause. "As easy as I had expected. We could learn a lot, I think, from her. And that was barely tapping the surface."

She still couldn't move, but internally, Lee was shaking. Another whimper slipped from her, and she could feel her eyes stinging with the threat of tears. The scouring had been more violating than she could have ever imagined. Elle had warned her of it but never to this extent.

The robed male hummed as he studied her. "Easy to scour means she will be easy to break. I'd be careful if I were you, or you won't get much from her if you go too deep too quickly."

"I'm not worried," Donia said again, with that twisted smile. Her eyes were alight with maddening excitement, her hand reaching up for her again, as if she couldn't stop herself.

Through the quiet, Lee could hear screams in the distance, and she wondered if she was already going mad, if she was hearing them in her head, her mind crying out at the violation Donia was once more going to enact on her. But then the sounds of crashing and shouting rose up with the screams, and they no longer seemed to come from inside her head but from outside the room itself. They grew louder as if mass crowds of people were scrambling and panicking just outside the door.

Donia stilled, her hand midair. She turned to watch the door, her antennae twitching. "What—"

The door flew open, and a large shadow—silhouetted against giant fires growing outside behind them—stood at the doorway. The shadow stood for a moment at the opening, then stepped inside.

Vrexus appeared, and he looked more menacing than the first time Lee had laid eyes on him. His glowing red eyes targeted Donia, his leer so sharp and violent Lee thought she caught the woman wince. He didn't speak as he approached the table, his lips tight, revealing the tips of his fangs.

Eiros came around, blade in hand, while the remaining guards in the room took up their staves. This didn't stop Vrexus from reaching them. Lee noticed several things dangling from his hand. Before she realized what they were, he threw the objects on the table.

Four luma heads—one she recognized as Leeyrs’—rolled across the surface, knocking over cups and bowls.

Donia jerked away, a soft hiss escaping her.

"I gather there was some confusion when we talked," Vrexus said. "Clearly, you didn't understand my command. I said bring the woman. Not your soldiers."

Donia glanced at the heads, then back at him. "There was no confusion," she said softly.

"I see." Vrexus' mouth grew wider, showing off more of his teeth. His eyes were dark with murderous intent. "Then we have nothing more to discuss. I'll be taking the woman and be on my—" He stilled as his gaze drifted over to Lee.

She couldn't move, but she hoped her eyes told him how frightened she was and how desperate. Crazy as it was, she was glad he'd come back. He was the only one now who could get her out of this hellhole, even if it annoyed her to admit it.

His gaze fell down to her shoulder, and his face twisted into something more awful than before. A low sound rose in his throat, not a growl like she had expected, but a laugh.

"What's so funny?" Donia asked, now starting to sound nervous.

He closed his eyes as he continued to laugh, dragging a hand over his brow and up to one horn, gripping it. He dropped his hand, then turned his eyes back to Donia. "I'm going to have a lot of fun tearing your soldiers apart and redecorating this room with their insides. That's what's so funny."

Donia grew very still next to Lee, her smile hardly visible on her thin lips. "You won't—"

"Oh, I will," Vrexus cut her off. "You see the heads I've brought you. Tell me you can stop me now." He took a step closer, and Donia's men circled him. "And after, I'll cut your fingers off and make you eat them." He was smiling now, a vicious grin that looked almost psychotic.

Donia's hands curled into fists on her lap, but Lee could see they were shaking. “Kill him,” she said in a quiet, frightened voice. “Kill him now.”

Donia’s men aimed their staves at him and started to move in. They were either too slow or too hesitant because Vrexus dodged each of their attacks. Lee watched as he threw one against a wall, then sliced another open with his tail. He ripped and tore into them like dolls. One smashed to the floor, his skull cracking in two.

As they fought, Donia rose from her seat, and Eiros came at Lee with his blade. She tried to shake her head as his blade came down. Her body tensed up, ready for pain. But his blade missed her by a fraction as Vrexus stabbed the point of his tail right through Eiros’ ribs and dragged him back. He took hold of the luma male and chomped down on his throat like a shark, spraying black blood everywhere, painting the walls.

Donia took hold of Lee's chair as if to drag her back but ended up tipping her over instead. Lee hit the floor with a thud as Donia started to bolt away.

Lee's eyes were stuck on the ceiling as she saw Vrexus step around her, going for Donia next. Lee didn't see what he did to her, but she heard it. Donia's shrill screams ricocheted around the room until there was nothing but silence and a soft crowing cry of pain. He'd kept her alive, Lee realized, but she could imagine the state the woman was in.

Lee didn't know how to feel. She had imagined throwing a few sharp objects at Donia and the others herself for what they did but she hadn't imagined anything to this...intensity. This was carnal savagery at its finest.

Vrexus came back and stood above her. He crouched down and took out his own blade, and Lee couldn't help flinching internally as he came down and sliced away the ropes tying her to the chair. Then he grabbed her arms and lifted her up, only to find she couldn't stand.

She could see in his eyes he knew something wasn't right. From the corner of her vision, she could see several servants peeking around a doorway at him. Vrexus saw them too.

"What did you do to her?" he hissed at them.

The servants cowered.

"Nothing. It was Donia," one of them said softly. "We were forced to help her."

"Then I'm forcing you to help me," Vrexus replied. "Fix her."

One brave luma stepped out from the doorway. "We cannot. But in time, the brunach poison will eventually flush out of her. She is not luma, so we have no way of knowing how it will affect her after."

"W—we could help the poison pass quicker," another servant answered. "And then see..."

Vrexus peered back down at her, and all she could do was look back up at him with half-closed eyes. He lifted her again, much more carefully than before.

"If you betray me in any way," Vrexus said, placing her over his shoulder. "Or she dies by your treatment, I will burn the rest of your village to the ground. Do we have an understanding?"

They did. Lee watched the room spin as Vrexus followed the servants outside. She closed her eyes to the warm breeze and the scent of smoke and felt a sudden, intense urge to fall asleep.

* * *

She must have slept after all because one moment she was over Vrexus' shoulder and the next, she was in some dark place lying on top of a soft mat. Her memory began to jump start, and she realized this wasn't the first time she'd woken up. She must've awoken and went back to sleep several times because she remembered moments—hazy, like dreams but real nonetheless—of others entering whatever dark room she was in. She remembered being given water, then some sort of herbal tea that made her throw up. She remembered hearing the servants pleading for Vrexus to not tear down their village after, promising him that she needed to empty her stomach in order to better flush away the poison Donia's man had slipped her. She remembered being placed on her side in case she threw up again, just breathing in and out. As she lay hardly moving, she’d stare up at a pair of red eyes that always seemed to be there in the room watching her. They were there every time she'd wake up and would remain every time she went back to sleep. She wanted to say something to those eyes, but only a mumble ever passed through her lips.

This time, however, the eyes weren't there, and for some reason, she felt her heart sink a little. Why it should matter, she didn't know. She just didn't like waking up alone. She peered through the dark and could see a cup by her head. Unthinking, she went to reach for it only to find her arm wouldn't move.

Frustrated, she tried again, gritting her teeth. No, she was not going to be stuck like this. She refused. She pushed herself, pain starting to move up her arm, then she gasped as she saw her fingers twitch.

She pushed again, pain shooting up her arm again, until she was able to barely lift one finger. It exhausted her to do so, but relief washed over her at the hope that she might be regaining her body.

She kept attempting to move for what felt like hours, taking small breaks before trying again to reach her arm out and grab the cup. Eventually, she successfully lifted her whole hand, but after, she was so tired she fell back asleep almost instantly.

Dreams came and went, but she hardly remembered them. She thought she felt someone brushing a hand over her forehead at one point but never saw who it was. When she woke up again, this time there was a sliver of light falling into her room from the door. She blinked at it and tried to lift her head.

A small gasp escaped her when she found she was able to move her arm, slowly rising it over her head. Her body ached still from the effort, but it brought tears of relief to her eyes. She reached for the cup, almost knocking it over. Carefully, she grasped it, then tried to drag it to her.

Unfortunately, she still couldn't lift her head all the way, but she was so thirsty she'd pour the damn thing over her head if she could get some of the liquid into her mouth. She pulled the cup to her and was frustrated when some of it splashed out the sides. She tried to lift the cup from the ground but it was too much yet for her.

Baby steps, Lee. You’re making progress at least.

Still, she couldn't stop feeling the frustration of being so helpless. She was beginning to not feel sorry at all for what Vrexus had done to Donia and her men. For what they had done to her.

Her cup nearly spilled over, and she almost cried out when something moved by the wall. Her breath caught in her lungs as a shadow moved toward her and took the cup. She stilled, watching as Vrexus crouched down next to her. She had somehow missed him there in the dark. Had he been there the whole time?

He didn't say a word as he lifted her up into a sitting position, then placed himself behind her so that she rested against his chest. The touch was jarring at first and completely unexpected. But she didn't protest. It was nice not to be lying down anymore at least.

Silently, he brought the cup up to her lips, and she felt the cool water slip into her mouth, and it was so heavenly a groan rose in her throat. She drank greedily until Vrexus brought the cup away so she could take a breath then let her have some more. When the cup was empty, he placed it down beside them.

"Th...ank...you," Lee was able to whisper.

Vrexus didn't reply. She caught his tail by her feet flicking to one side. She watched it as if mesmerized. He was so warm behind her, his skin so rough but smooth.

They remained that way for a long while. She didn't try to squirm away from him though she was still mad at him. Blamed him for all of this. If he hadn't abducted her and the others, she wouldn't have had to flee and be caught by the duskfire tribe who were clearly not friendly. She wouldn't be fighting to regain her body or had her mind invaded by that crazy bitch.

But a part of her—even if she didn't like to admit it—knew it had been her decision to run off and put herself in danger. And if it hadn't been for Vrexus, she would still be stuck with Donia, trapped. He’d come for her because he needed to bring her back to the others, but he had saved her in the process.

It almost made her want to hate him more.

She felt his chest rise a little, only every so often, but it was good to know he breathed. It made him more human-like to her somehow. Knowing he had to breath, eat, sleep like everyone else. He wasn’t some unearthly being completely different from her, even if he looked it.

Finally, after a long silence, Vrexus moved, placing her back on the mat.

"We need to leave soon," he said in a low voice. And that was all. But something in his tone made her feel like there was more to his words than just the obvious fact.

He left her in the room, and she lay there staring back at the door. At least she would be with the others again. At least she wouldn't be alone.

CHAPTER TWELVE

Vrexus

He stalked the village, or at least what was left of it. Most of the tribe had fled after he'd taken out their best warriors and forced his way back inside. Torches that had been thrown at him were nothing more than smoking ash. All the fires were out now, and the village was quiet. Only a few of the luma remained, and they were very keen on serving his every need. Most did it out of fear, but a few had actually thanked him.

"Donia had taken over and had changed everything," one said to him with their head bowed, their eyes cast to the ground. "She was an outcast of the city. Many decided to follow her, but a few from the old tribe knew she was no good. Now we can rebuild."

He was told Donia had fled with the others into the outlands, but they had abandoned her completely. What luma could survive the wilds without hands? She was as good as dead.

Vrexus hadn't asked nor had he cared. He didn't care what they did after as long as they didn't follow him. He only cared about one thing.

The luma bowed to him as he passed and lifted their hands to their brows in a luma salute. They thought him some kind of savior or leader, but he was far from it. He'd killed the others not to liberate the tribe but because that woman and her ghouls had stolen from him. He would have spared them if they had just given his human back. But they had touched her when he had warned them not to, and that was unforgivable. He had said he would enjoy killing them and a part of him did. But he was also annoyed. It had been tedious work, and he had lost so much time. And even more so now with Fire-eyes being injured. If he had known they had nearly broken her, he would have slowed their deaths considerably.

But what was done was done. At least Fire-eyes was moving. He'd watched her, mostly guarding her, still not trusting the others, and his annoyance had grown to silent but deadly malice. He almost killed those who had helped Donia out of fear and who were now doing the same for him because they were cowards, and they were partly responsible for what happened. But he stayed his hand, only he made sure they knew he was pissed. They cringed before him and offered him gifts and praise and apologies. Some even offered their full servitude, talking about making him their next overseer. He ignored them all. The only time he ever spoke was when ordering them to take care of Fire-eyes. They’d fill her water cup, change out her mat, wash her when needed, and make her food in case she got hungry. They made so much food they packaged most of it up and offered him a traveling bag along with a canister of water. He took it and kept it by the hut where Fire-eyes slept.

They would go soon, he knew. Even if he had to carry her the whole way, he would. Time was running thin. The others were waiting for him. They couldn't remain at the safepoint, which had been compromised. If luma hadn’t been sighted around the jungle and its outskirts, he would have had his pack wait in their ship nearby, but with the silver tribe closing in, it had been too large a risk. So, they’d made a new plan. Queen Theda had spoken of a tribe that was allied to her which none of the other tribes knew. The nightburn tribe which lived in the mountain regions to the west. They would meet in their city, then leave together to the queen's haven.

Vrexus walked on to the gate but didn't pass through it. He stared at the broken door, one side unconnected and set against the wall. He could have just leapt over, but after those warriors had attacked him, he’d seen red, and he kicked his way inside without a thought. He knew if they were out to kill him, then Fire-eyes was in danger. For a moment, he even thought he might find her already dead, and that fear had driven him faster.

He walked along the wall, mainly trying to calm his still fired-up nerves. He could still taste the bitter blood in his mouth from the luma men. Those who had stayed behind had offered him water for a bath, their nervous gaze drifting over his black coated body. He took the water gladly and had washed off most of the blood, but it didn't make the luma feel any less nervous around him after. He was growing weary of their company, another reason he wanted to leave before nightfall.

A luma stopped in his path, making him halt. He bared his teeth at them to move but they did not, so he asked, "What do you want?"

The luma kept his head low. "Sorry to disturb you, Great-one. It is the human."

Vrexus tensed. He'd told them to inform him if anything changed in her behavior. He didn't wait for the luma to tell him what was wrong. He started for the hut, weaving through the homes until he came to one of the few not damaged by fire. The luma were gathered by the door and he barked at them to get back.

He marched into the hut, then froze as he saw two of the servants crouched beside the mat where Fire-eyes was convulsing.

"What did you do?" he said with such venom that the luma recoiled in terror.

"It was not us," one said, raising their hands in defense. "We only came to fill her water and she started to tremble."

He forced them away and kneeled by the mat, placing a hand on Fire-eyes’ shoulder. Her eyes were closed and she was curled over in a ball, her muscles tight.

"Have her bite on this," another said, offering him a stick. "Make sure she doesn't bite her tongue."

He took it and as carefully as possible, pried Fire-eyes' mouth open to place the stick between her teeth. She bit down hard, the wood crunching.

"This is a good sign", a robed male spoke from the doorway. "It means the poison is passing and her nervous system is taking back control. It is not without pain, sadly, but she will have her limbs back, I'm sure of it."

Vrexus growled. He stood and turned on the male, grabbing his robe and dragging him close. "You do not speak. You are partly to blame for this. Don't act like you've done anything to make her better." He shoved the male away. The coward had the audacity to speak in his presence. Vrexus had found the sniveling insect hidden inside the central building trying to make contact with one of their communicators. Vrexus had destroyed the signal before it could be made, and he'd made the male piss himself with fright. The servants had begged him not to kill him, saying he was one of their last elders. He could have cared less until the male claimed he had a better remedy for Fire-eyes’ injury and could take away some of the pain. It was debatable whether his medicine helped or not, only he boasted it was why she was able to move at all.

"Get out," Vrexus commanded. They didn't hesitate. They left him alone as he waited for Fire-eyes to calm. After a time, she did and seemed to sleep, and he stayed to watch her once more.

The sun was starting to set and he knew they couldn't wait any longer. It was a miracle in itself that no one had come when the fires blazed and the smoke rose in the sky, but he wasn't taking any more chances. Eventually someone—maybe the silver tribe or another—would come, and as much as he liked to think he could take out a full camp of luma, he wasn't that arrogant. The villagers were also starting to whisper and talk among themselves and it was only a matter of time before they decided to betray him and go looking for help. He had to leave.

Vrexus rose and exited the hub. Just outside the door, he picked up the traveler's bag and flung it over one shoulder. He dipped back inside and, taking the stick out of her mouth, carefully picked Fire-eyes up. He placed her over his shoulder, making sure she was secure and none of his spines were digging into her, then he left the hut and started for the gate.

The others watched him go without a word. They knew if they followed him, he'd snap at them, so they remained where they were. He didn't look back as he passed through the gate and headed into the wilderness beyond.

* * *

He got as far away from the village as he could before the light left the sky. The fields and wild grass turned rocky underneath him, then eventually grew into towering trees so high he couldn't see their tops. He didn't stop right away once night fell. He sensed they were being followed, not by one individual thing but several. He caught their scent in the plains and saw their yellow eyes in the dark beyond the grass. It was a pack of some sort, some beasts with spiny fur and wet, padded noses. Thankfully, they stayed far enough away to not warrant him to stop and challenge them. They must have smelled him too, the pheromones he released that told them to stay far away.

But he knew it wouldn't keep them back for long. He suspected there had been many things in the jungle that had kept away when it had been him and his own pack, their predatory scent overpowering anything else in a several span radius. But now it was just him, and that meant some much bolder animals—especially those in numbers—would be willing to take the risk if it meant a meal. He wasn't too worried, but he wasn't completely oblivious either. He knew he would need to find a good place to hide. He wasn't concerned for himself in any way. It was what he carried. If his pack mates thought she was as slow or weak as a fledgling, now she was as vulnerable. If he didn't know better, he would think he was carrying a sack of meat over his shoulder. He didn't expect her to move, not yet.

She did start to make more noise, little muffling groans and soft whispers he didn't quite catch. That was progress, at least.

He didn't slow for some time, watching the moons pass over, waiting to see if the scent of those beasts started to fade off. They had a ways to go before they got into the nightburn territory and near to their city, but he gathered he could make good distance if they made few stops.

He heard Fire-eyes murmur softly behind him and he thought nothing of it until her voice grew a little louder and she repeated herself again.

"Vrex..."

She was trying to say his name.

He slowed to a halt, then slid her off his shoulder, keeping his arms wrapped around her so she didn't fall. Her head was tilted up at him and he could see her skin was flushed.

"I...need to stop. I'm...feeling lightheaded," she whispered.

It was just as well. He could tell her they needed to keep going, but he feared another convulsion if they did. If they had to stop, better to find a place now.

He searched around, then saw up a low hill one of the giant trees leaning against a large rock side. Part of its roots were out of the ground and growing along the rock face. It looked almost like it was trying to slowly climb its way to the top.

Vrexus lifted Fire-eyes back on to his shoulder, then moved up the hill. When he came to the tree, he could see past its roots. Underneath was a small space between the tree and the rock wall. The roots served almost as a sort of barrier on their own, and he could clearly see down the hill for any creatures that might trying crawling their way up. He slipped through the thick growths and into the space that would serve as a den. There was even a pile of leaves from vines growing along the rock. He pulled some more down and made a little nest, then slid Fire-eyes down onto the soft pile. He set her against the rock, letting her watch him as he placed the bag down and opened it, rummaging through until he found the canister.

He crouched beside her and, untwisting the can, he brought it to her lips. She drank what he offered, her trembling hands lifting slowly to clutch at his hand holding the canister.

She pulled her face away and he set the can aside. She tried to pull off a headpiece the luma had adorned her with—some kind of veil—but she only slipped it more down her face, struggling to get it off entirely. He heard her groan and curse in frustration, and he almost laughed. He reached out and pulled it off for her, throwing it outside the den. Unthinking, he brushed the hair away from her face, placing the long strands back behind her ears and shoulders, noticing with frustration that one particular strand was shorter than the rest and wouldn't stay put.

She didn't say a word as he fussed with it. His gaze caught hers, and he saw her eyes wide with confusion. He gave up on the strand and went to lay her on her side when she stopped him.

"I'm not...ready to sleep yet."

He didn't force her. He went and sat himself opposite, against the side of the tree. They sat in silence for a moment as he studied her, making sure there was nothing amiss. "Are you hungry?" he asked after a while.

She shook her head, and he gathered that meant no. She fixed him with an odd look, that spark alighting in her gaze.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"I don't...get you," she said.

He tilted his head. "Get me?"

"Are you fucking with me?"

That was a strange question that he didn't know how to answer.

"I ran from you..." she said after a pause. "I made you come after me, leaving the others. You killed a lot of people and nearly destroyed a village to get to me. And you looked like you wanted to kill me too in the process. Now you’re..."

She didn't appear to know how to finish that sentence, so he did it for her. "Being nice?"

She nodded her head, and he gathered that meant yes.

His eyes narrowed. "Did you expect me to drag you from that place as you are now? Break a limb or two out of punishment for fleeing?"

She actually looked at him like that was exactly what she was thinking. "Are you going to?"

His mouth twisted and a soft laugh escaped him. She didn't much like that. "Would it serve any purpose but to have you hate me more?"

She didn't argue that.

"If you don't think I'm pissed about it, guess again," he hissed. "But I've put it behind me for now. I'm not going to break you, but I can make you pay for it in some way later, how's that?"

She didn't much like that either. "You're psychotic. What you did to those people..."

He clicked his tongue. "Don't try to guilt trip me. It won't work. Not after I had to save your hide from them." He leaned forward. "And don't act like you aren't grateful I did."

"I'm not grateful about how you went about it. You slaughtered them. It was grotesque, unnecessary."

He bared his teeth with a smile. "I disagree. They wanted to mess with me, so I served them what I promised I would if they did. I told them what would happen if they touched you—"

"You didn't have to take it that far."

"I guess I should have just let them attack me, hope they didn't stab me with whatever they had dosed their weapons in, and hope it didn't kill me. But then, if I did, I wouldn't be a true vrisha. Because that's how we fight. We don't hold back. We destroy whatever challenges us. We don't show mercy to those who give none in return."

She went quiet, but he could see she was still bothered by his actions.

"Maybe my kind just knows you don’t have to take it that far to effectively deal with a problem," she said in a low voice.

"Maybe that is why your kind is so weak."

She made a sound of frustration. "That kind of thinking explains why you are one of them."

"One of who?"

"The mad queen's puppet," she snapped.

"Am I supposed to understand what that is?"

"Her slave, her goon who does whatever he's told."

He snorted. "Then I'm not her puppet. Everything I do is for myself."

"But you hate my kind enough to work for her," Fire-eyes mumbled. "I might be grateful to be out of the situation I was in, but I'm no happier being here with you. You're no better than Donia and her men. You hurt others to get what you want. You're a bad guy too."

He didn't have to answer that. He wasn't about to explain himself to her. "You know nothing about me," he whispered.

"You're right, I don't. But I know enough that you can't be trusted, ever. Because your actions speak more than words. And your actions tell me you don't care about anyone but yourself."

There was a flash of light above that penetrated the dark, and they both looked up in surprise. He feared for a moment it was a luma ship, but he heard no sound above and realized it was no more than lightning. Heat lightning at that, as there was no thunder that followed after.

When he looked back, he caught Fire-eyes’ glare, the blaze within almost burning through him. She let herself fall back on the leaves to lie on her side. "At least I know you'll get me back to my people. That, I can count on."

* * *

He didn't sleep. Not that he needed to. He could go many days without it. He waited instead for the right time to leave. The night was long and they would need to go before dawn. He kept watch, hearing the howling noises of the pack that had followed them, catching their scent on the wind. He saw their eyes down the hill looking back at him and he kept his blade out, waiting to see if they would dare come running up to meet him. They got close a few times but backed away when he hissed at them.

Fire-eyes slept on and off, but she hardly spoke to him again. She was still angry. Angry at him and her situation. He gathered it annoyed her greatly to be so dependent on him, and he couldn't blame her. Whenever she asked for a drink or his help in some other way, he could see the frustration in her gaze.

Strangely, his anger for her had faded, even at her running away. He had been pissed then, but he got her back, and that was all that mattered now. She really had succeeded in delaying him, and for that, he had to give her credit. It was rare anyone could stall him like this. He knew she was trouble, but it didn't enrage him like it should, it only impressed him. She impressed him, and that really threw him off his game.

Eventually he rose, deciding they had rested long enough. As much as it must have pained her, she didn't protest as he picked her up and carried her once more over his shoulder.

As light broke in the distance, he traveled out of the giant forest and onto another set of plains with rocky hills between them. Long-necked creatures with slender horns grazed some ways off and small winged animals sat in the few thin trees scattered about the plains. They made several stops whenever they found decent shade. The heat didn't bother him one bit, but it seemed to affect Fire-eyes.

When the sun was low, they took another rest underneath a large, twisting tree. They discovered she could sit up on her own, her control slowly returning. She could also hold the canister by herself and take long drinks from it.

"How far away are they?" she asked after her last sip. She sat on a rock a few feet opposite him, setting the canister by her feet.

He gathered she meant her people and his pack. "Some spans to the west," he answered. "We will know when we come to a set of black mountains."

Her eyes narrowed. "How do you know this?"

"We scanned for the city from a map on the ship and I memorized the landmarks."

Her eyes widened. "A city?"

"Controlled by the nightburn tribe. They are allied with the queen."

She blew out a breath. "I shouldn't be surprised. But why there? Why not closer?"

"As you've witnessed, we don't know what other tribes roam this territory and could attack, and we don't want to be seen. The more we are seen, the more of a trail we leave for the silver tribe or the alliance to follow. The city must be close to the queen's own haven, and if she says we can trust the tribe to keep us hidden, then it's where the others will wait until we meet them."

She appeared to understand as she nodded her head. "So, you don't actually know where the queen is?"

His mouth tightened. "No. But I will. She is taking every precaution not to be found. But she is here."

Fire-eyes leaned forward, bowing her head, letting her hair spill over her shoulders. "I can't believe I'm going to see her. No one has ever seen her. They just hear about her. And the stories of her Blood Guard." She hid her face in her hands and whispered, "I'm not supposed to even be here."

"Why is that?" Vrexus asked, curious what she meant.

She looked up at him as if startled. "I just mean they could have chosen another alliance member instead of me...that's all."

He tilted his head at her, noticing her skin growing flushed again. She looked down at the bag beside him and pointed to it. "Got anything to eat? I think I could handle some food now."

He took out one of the packed meats the villagers had made and was about to get up and hand it to her.

"Wait..." she said, putting up her hand. "I want to come to you."

Something about those words made him grip the pack of meat harder. "All right," he said softly.

She placed her hands firmly on the rock, then started to push herself up. She fell back twice before she was able to fully stand on her feet. She wobbled, then took one step and another before her knee gave out and she went falling.

Vrexus moved in a flash, dropping the meat before catching her. Her face planted into his chest as he lifted her back into a standing position. She gripped his arms tight and looked up at him in shock.

"Plant your feet wider," he said before she could open her mouth to protest. She blinked, then did as he asked, shuffling her feet into a wider position. "Good, now bend your knees a little."

She bent them. He placed his hands under her elbows for support and took a slow step backward.

She followed with him, using him as leverage, letting him walk her to the rock. He loosened his grip but kept close so she could try on her own. When she made the last few steps to the rock, she stood there and let out a breath of air. She peered up at him and her lips curled. "Thanks."

That smile made him feel odd. He scratched at his chest, wondering at its unfamiliarity.

"Now you won't have to carry me."

He dropped his hand. "Don't get ahead of yourself. You still walk like a fledgling."

She sat back on the rock. "Is that how the vrisha learn to walk?"

He picked up the meat from the ground. "When they first drop out of their mothers, sure."

"It's funny."

He gave her the meat and watched as she unwrapped it from its thin package. "Not as funny as you humans stumbling along on your twig legs."

She laughed at that, and he felt that odd feeling again. "They are not twigs."

He sat back on the rock she had previously rested on. "It's a wonder you can get anywhere on them at all. It was painful getting you and the others through that jungle, believe me."

She frowned and took a bite of the seared meat, chewing slowly. Her eyes fell to the ground as she swallowed. "Why did you do it?"

He tipped his head. "Do what?"

Her eyes flitted up and caught his. "Why did you side with her? And don't say it's because you hate us so much. It has to be more than that."

He leaned forward, resting his arms on his knees. He could see that unwavering flame in her again, that spark of anger. "I did it...because she will give me something in return."

Her brow furrowed. "What's that?"

He didn't have to answer. He didn't need to tell her. What did it matter to her, anyway? "What I've always deserved," he said. "And what was stolen from me." He left it at that. He rose from the rock. The sun was nearly set, but he wasn't ready to stop for the night, not yet. "Time to go."

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Lee

She was really done with being carried. Her body was sore, especially her lower ribs and hips which dug into his shoulder. Her back ached something awful, the pain settling in her shoulders and neck. Thankfully, she'd gained back all of her motor functions, but she still had trouble walking. And if she couldn't walk properly, Vrexus refused to let her follow him instead.

"I'd rather have molten lava poured down my throat than be forced to walk with you at a slug’s pace," he said after she requested again to not be carried.

A little overdramatic, but she couldn't expect him to say otherwise. Fortunately, now that she could move again, her walk was quickly recovering as well. Every time they stopped, she walked around a little, and she knew she was getting faster.

Still, it wasn't enough for Vrexus, and once she was done resting, she was flung over his shoulder again, forced to endure another journey with a sore back. As they walked through small rows of trees, she noticed they had long thorns. For a brief moment, she thought about snapping one off and stabbing him with it. She knew it probably wouldn't do a whole lot of damage considering how thick his skin was, but her bitterness made her think it might be worth it anyway if it meant getting out of his grip and making a break for it. Then she remembered there was nowhere to go. Because, after the incident with the duskfire tribe, she wasn't going to risk another attempt at making contact with anyone. Not if it meant the possibility of enduring another moment of what Donia had done to her.

And if a tribe didn't find her, something else might. She would be eaten alive out there if not for Vrexus. She needed him now for her own survival, and she hated that she did.

Eventually, she grew so tired she complained she needed a longer rest. She could see it annoyed him how much her kind needed rest compared to his own, but he didn't force her onwards once she asked. On the plains, there wasn't much for shelter, so he took her up one of the rocky mounds where he could at least see from below if anything tried to attack. As Illdara's moons rose across the sky, Lee walked along the flatter top of the mound, stretching her legs and doing a few lunges.

"Tomorrow, I'm walking," she said as she plopped down against a rock. "And you aren't stopping me."

He let out a hiss of laughter. "As if you could stop me from stopping you." He eyed her curiously. He always watched her as she did her exercises. "We'll see," he said. "If you can keep up with me."

Great. On his long-ass legs, that wouldn't exactly be easy. She took out one of the packed meats from the bag and unwrapped it. "Were you always this much of a pain in the ass?" She said it before she really thought it over and looked up at him to gauge his reaction.

His mouth tightened to expose his fangs, and she gathered it was his weird way of smiling. "Yes."

"I knew it," she mumbled. She tore off a piece of meat. "I feel sorry for your mother."

His smile dropped, and she thought she might have hit a nerve. He looked out over the plains where the moons' light cast dim shadows of the trees and rocks.

"I suppose I would have too if I had known her," he said after a long moment. "But I gave plenty of pain to the rest who looked after me. Just as they gave it back in return."

She looked at him, confused, but he didn’t elaborate. She ate a few pieces of meat, then picked at the rest. "I was a pain to my parents as well," she said. "I think I was just trying to get attention. They loved my sister. Maybe if they had given me the same love as her, I would have been better off. A little love can go a long way." When she looked up, she caught him studying her. Somehow, his gaze made her feel warm, and she had to look away. "Too bad I'll never get to tell them I love them now."

His tail flicked up, then curled. "You think I'm leading you to your death?"

"Aren't you?"

"You forget already who your life belongs to?"

"Oh, on the contrary," she said, gesturing to her shoulder. "I remember exactly. Once the queen has her way with me, maybe you'll put me out of my misery."

He didn't respond to that, and she took it as a maybe.

"What does she plan to do with us, anyway?” she asked.

He didn't seem to want to respond to that either, and she thought he wouldn't. After a long silence, he said, "I don't know."

She gaped at him. "You don't know?"

"That's right."

"You don't know where she is, and you don’t know what she plans to do. Great.”

“I was told to bring you to her, and that is all," he explained. "That's all I needed to know."

"So, you're actually a bounty hunter." She tore at another piece of meat. "You're getting paid."

"No, I'm a commander of the Blood Guard."

She admitted that surprised her. She didn't realize he had rank. "And yet she gave you so little information. A little odd, don't you think?" she said.

"Not to me."

"Right, because you do whatever she asks. Like a good puppet soldier does." She didn't know why she was trying to get a rile out of him, but she could see it wasn't working because he merely laughed.

"You're cute when you're bitter."

"I'm not."

"You are." He leaned forward where he sat. "You're mad that your little ploy to get away didn't work nor did your attempt to stall us from getting to the ship. You've failed in your endeavors, and it's no surprise because you won't succeed in stopping me. Now you think you can anger me and make me kill you out of spite, but you will fail there too."

She wasn't exactly trying to get him to kill her, but she did want to make him angry. Because he didn't deserve to be this smug.

"I won't stop trying to save the others. No matter how many times I fail, and no matter what you do." She got up and walked away from him, no longer caring to have this conversation. She sat down on a rock several feet away, turning her back to him and watching the plains below.

* * *

She woke up to something brushing against her leg. She looked around and saw Vrexus' tail sweeping past her.

"Time to go."

She sighed and slowly sat up. The sky in the distance was red from the early glow of dawn. She took the canister he offered and drank her fill before giving it back. Before he swung the bag over his shoulder, she started down the mound without him, determined not to be carried.

She got all the way down to the bottom and even a little ways across the plains before she felt something hook around her waist and tug her back. Vrexus pulled her to him with his tail, making her stop.

"What? I'm walking," she said, swatting his tail away.

"Determined to meet your end so quickly?"

She gave him an odd look, and he grunted before dropping the bag from his shoulder. She watched as he started to untie the black armor he wore across his shoulders and arms. He took one off, then placed it on her shoulder.

"What...?"

"I'm being reasonable," he said. "You want to walk so bad, and I would rather not hear about it for the rest of the trip." He tied the armor to her as snugly as possible, then started on the other shoulder. "You're going to slow me down, and you're also going to be more vulnerable." He tied the last piece to her, then fixed them firmly. "I'll let you walk but you better keep up."

He picked up the bag, then started walking away. She stood there stunned for a moment, then began to follow.

They traveled past the plains until the wild grass started growing longer and greener and the ground became soft with moss. Trees became darker in color and more twisting than ever. It astounded her how diverse Illdara was in such short distances. Before, they were in what she would have considered the savanna. Now, they were in the marshes. She had to be more careful with every step so she didn't accidentally fall into a mud pit. Her thin shoes were already soaked from the few times she was forced to walk in puddles of swamp water. She missed the plains already.

She started to think the armor he gave her—grivhide, he called it—hadn't been necessary. Nothing had attacked on the plains, even when they saw packs of animals in the distance. If anything, the armor had just become a weight she had to bear. Until they reached the swamps, she didn't think there could possibly be anything there that would harm her, but boy was she wrong. Large insects the size of birds called that place home. They landed on her a few times, and she didn't think anything of it until she saw their long stingers. One had attempted to sting her but couldn't penetrate the grivhide. She swatted it away quickly, only for another to come and make the same attempt. She must have made some noise because Vrexus came around and grabbed the bug right off her and squashed it in his hands.

"Stay close behind me," he said after, and she did. Whenever a swarm came, he squashed those that dared to land on her or hover too close. He'd killed a few other creatures too that had come out of the bog like large, grotesque lizards which had tried to bite her. Any living thing that got too close to her was putting its life at risk.

She walked, staring at Vrexus' back most of the time, thinking about how much he didn't make sense. Bad guys weren't this protective of their victims. She knew he needed her alive for the queen's sake, but he was going the extra mile to ensure she didn't get a scratch on her. She remembered how he had threatened the group back when they traveled through the jungle. He had been willing to let them lose a limb as long as it got them to where he wanted them. Now he made sure nothing else could even touch her limb without his permission. He acted indifferent, but he was taking great measures to kill anything and everything that might be the littlest threat to her.

She let it go, even if it bothered her a little. She didn't think she would get very far trying to convince him he didn't need to take such measures for her sake. When they found dry land, they would stop, and he would make sure she had enough water and plenty to eat before they moved on.

For most of the journey they walked in silence, but as the walking became monotonous, her mind began to race, and as her mind raced, she started thinking more and more about him and his queen and her grand scheme for everything.

"I'm just trying to understand her motives," Lee explained after asking Vrexus what the queen's goal was in the end and him looking back at her, wondering why she asked. "She clearly didn't like the virsha siding with the alliance, so is she just trying to take down the alliance, or is she trying to make her own queendom, or what?"

"Perhaps both," Vrexus said.

"But she can't honestly think that's possible with so many factions against her. We're talking humans, xolians, and her own kind. And she only has you, her Blood Guard. No one else is siding with her."

"That you know of."

Lee thought about that. "That's true," she admitted. She remembered the whole incident on Fargis with the prisoners. That attempt at an army had failed for the mad queen, but she easily could have tried to convince others to join her side. Lee glared at his back for a moment. She also remembered the Blood Guard was on Fargis too. And the rumor was one of them had sided with the alliance. "I heard there are those who left her too..." Lee said. "Others who sided against her in the end. One of them chose a human over her."

She waited to see if he would turn around in disgust or maybe rage. He had to know about it. She could imagine the Blood Guard's reaction to such a story and how it must have ignited their fury. When he didn't say a word, she continued, "Some say that's why she's started attacking ships and posts even more. It must be really embarrassing to have one of your guards choose a human over you, their own kind." Still he said nothing. He didn't even turn his head to look at her. "But you know what I think? I think it's even crazier that a human chose to be with one of the Blood Guard, a murderous psychopathic monster."

He slowed down a little, but he didn't turn to face her. "You think that of all vrisha?" he said in a low voice.

She almost stopped as she considered that. "No..." she said after a pause. "No, not all."

"You don't mind the idea of interspecies mating then?"

That did make her stop. "I never said otherwise."

That got him to stop and face her. "You don't think vrisha and humans mating is obscene, unnatural?"

"It is unnatural, sure but...this is a different galaxy than it once was. Beings of equal intelligence are going to mix eventually. It seems inevitable."

His expression changed, but it was hard for her to read. He scratched at his chest. "Equal intelligence," he scoffed. "Those vrisha must have had rocks for brains if they decided to mix with one of you."

Her lips thinned into a fine line. "Guess you’re right. Those humans were pretty stupid. What an awful idea. Who would want to be with a scaly son of a bitch who has knives for fingers and skin that can cut you with a single touch? I would rather hug a cactus."

Vrexus' hiss of laughter only made her more annoyed. He started to walk again and so did she.

"And who would want a scaleless sack of flesh with skin as easy to peel as fruit? That’s a wonder. I would rather lie with a bag of sand.”

Lee was about to throw some other jab back at him when Vrexus started moving toward a large, swamp-filled body of water. He entered without even pausing first to gauge the depth. At his height, the water came to his hips, so for her, it meant it would almost be to her chest.

Lee stilled at the edge of the water, looking down into its murky depths. It looked like she would have to swim if she wanted to keep up. She was going to be even more miserably filthy after. Her pants and shirt were already smeared with mud from when she had accidentally slipped earlier, and her ankles were wet from when she miss-stepped into one of the puddles. But she couldn't do anything about it now.

She knelt down and was about to sink one foot into the water when something moved just a few feet ahead, making the water ripple. Lee gasped and jerked away. She watched for a moment and saw the water move again, the shadow of something long like an eel or a snake weaved its way through the water, its small spines resurfacing like the fins of a shark. The more she studied the water, the more ripples and spiny fins she saw. They had to be at least six feet or more in length and as thick as her forearms.

She stood by the edge, uncertain now about entering the water. She peered up and saw Vrexus was still moving forward as if nothing was amiss, as if he expected her to be right behind him. She wondered how long it would take him to realize she wasn't. She looked around her, knowing there was nowhere else for her to turn. She let him get halfway out before she knew she was going to have to call to him, even when it irked her to do so.

"Vrexus," she called softly, embarrassed.

Vrexus looked back around, then stilled when he saw her. "What are you doing?"

She crossed her arms and looked down into the water.

Vrexus stared at her as if he didn't understand. Then, when it seemed he did, he started to laugh. "This is fresh. The poor little human is afraid of water?"

"Screw you." She shuffled on her feet. "There's something in the water that I'm concerned about."

He examined the water around him, and there was nothing, until one of the creatures came up and tried to sink its teeth into his arm with a mouth like a suction cup full of razors. It barely broke his skin, and he tore it off with little effort, flinging it aside.

"With skin like fruit, I don't think it's a good idea for me to swim in there," she said. "We'll have to go around."

"Not likely." He moved back for her, whacking away the eels with his tail. When he got back to the edge, he put out his arm. "Come."

He wasn't serious. "I can't."

"I'm going to carry you."

Ah, that made more sense. She let out a breath, not wanting to be on his shoulder again, but better than being in the water.

She went to place her hand on his shoulder when, unexpectedly, he grabbed her waist and pulled her to him, wrapping one arm around her back while hooking the other behind her knees. She grew tense as he cradled her close before swinging back around and moving on again across the swamp.

He didn't say a word as he waded through the water, and neither did she. She glanced up at him a few times but couldn't read anything in his face, his gaze always straight ahead.

He carried her through the marsh until he stepped on dry earth. He set her down and she followed on till they left the swamplands and entered a valley with jagged outcrops. The insects were gone, but now there were large birds that circled them as they passed. Watching them from high above. Thunder boomed in the distance somewhere not too far away.

She didn’t have to worry about getting clean as the storm came in quickly from one direction, and in a matter of minutes, she was being drenched in a torrent of rain. Vrexus didn’t appear phased, but eventually, she asked him to stop as she was soaked to the bone and was starting to freeze. He found them a dry place underneath a massive rock, reminding her of the mouth of a whale. For the first time, Vrexus allowed for a fire since the smoke would be impossible to see through the storm. Except, actually starting one was nearly impossible. It took even Vrexus a moment to get one going using dried grass underneath the rock as kindling, but eventually it went out, and he deemed it was too wet for it. She squeezed out as much of the excess water as she could, but she was still damp and therefore, still cold. Even with the grivhide giving her some warmth, she trembled.

They ate some of the meat as they watched the storm. When they were done, Lee crouched closer to Vrexus and swept out a space in the dirt. "I found something while I was looking for kindling," she said before dropping a series of small bones onto the dirt.

Vrexus glanced down at them curiously, then back up at her before blowing out a hiss of laughter.

"What? Afraid to play me again?"

"Not in the slightest. But what will you bet on now? There isn't much else for you to gamble that can be more important than your life."

Lee pursed her lips as she moved the pieces around. "No betting yet. I just want to play. It will distract me from the cold."

They played several games, all of which Vrexus won. Afterwards, he gave her several advantages and still he won all games except for one. And she was pretty sure that he had let her have the game on purpose.

"Your problem is you strike at the wrong moment, and you have bad form when you do," Vrexus said when she finally decided to give up. "You strike stretching out your arm more than needed, keeping your fingers spread out instead of closed and curled. Strike like a serpent, and don't be afraid if our hands collide."

Easy for him to say. She might break her hand on his, considering how quick and powerfully he moved. But that was part of her problem. Her fear slowed her.

He showed her how he moved and how he shot his hand out and closed his fingers on the bones at the same time before snapping back. It reminded her of a snake just like he said.

“It’s how we learned as fledglings to become quick and fearless in our strikes before we started fighting each other,” he explained. “You have the fear that you’ll get scratched or hit in the process, but once you learn to overcome that fear and harden to the pain, you become more confident in your ability to attack."

They played again now that she felt a little more sure of what it took to win. They played until she won one game for real, but in return, she bruised her hand badly on his. Her hand throbbed, but she smiled knowing now it wasn't impossible to beat them at their own game.

"You're learning, that's good," he said.

"Maybe if we practice enough before seeing the queen, I could get good enough to beat her."

For the first time, she saw his eyes widen with shock. "You're serious?"

"Why not? I'll challenge her, and if I win, she has to let us go."

He burst out laughing. He laughed so hard he fell back on the ground and covered his arm over his face.

"It's not that funny. I'm honestly serious."

"I know, and that's what makes it more funny. Your arrogance is astounding." He laughed some more until he sat back up to face her.

"You're saying it's not possible."

"No, I'm saying it's stupid. Why would the queen challenge you in the first place? And to a child's game of all things. She would slit your throat just for mentioning it because she would think you were making fun of her."

"I got you to make a bet. Maybe she's so arrogant herself she'll take one too. She won't know I even know how to play. She'll think of making me look like an idiot so she can do something awful to me, only to be taken by surprise when I beat her."

He shook his head, looking exasperated. "She won't keep her promise. You should know this. The only thing you'll do is piss her off even more, and she'll likely murder you in the process. You're too desperate to save your own, you're letting stupid ideas go to your head."

Lee threw the rest of the bones on the ground. "So, you can't challenge her."

"You can. Just not at a game like this," he stated. "The only real way to challenge a queen is to fight her. And kill her."

Great. And there was no chance at that. Not for her. In fact, the only one out of the group with any possible chance would be Azeon.

Lee drew up her knees to her chest, hugging them. She watched the rain fall from the ends of the rock, then said, "If she was killed, what would you do?"

She could see him looking at her from the corner of her eye. For a moment, she didn't think he was going to answer until he said, "I would go home."

She turned to look at him and couldn't tell if he was serious. "Your people would let you go back? They wouldn't throw you in some vrisha prison?"

"Already been there and no."

"Why not?"

He appeared to think it over. "I'm useful."

Lee snorted. "Yeah, really useful at kidnapping for sure."

He tipped his head in a shrug. "Maybe that. And other reasons."

Their eyes locked, and she could see he wasn’t kidding. "A mercenary?" she asked curiously.

"Yes."

She turned back to the rain, nodding her head. "Was that why you also went to prison?"

"No."

"Then why?"

"I don't always like to play by their rules."

By 'their,' she gathered he meant the vrisha. Which explained why he was siding with the mad queen.

"And if the queen wins, you'll be commanding her forces to destroy every alliance base you can find, I imagine."

"Possibly."

She shook her head. "Maybe I'll challenge her anyway. If I'm going to die, I might as well go swinging."

"Who said you are going to die?"

She frowned at him. "She's not going to let me live. You know this."

"And you know that she doesn't get to take your life."

Lee threw up her hands. "Fine, then I guess I'll challenge you instead. I better start practicing now." She got up and searched around until she found a jagged piece of rock with an asymmetrical point. She held it firmly in her hand, then went over near the rock side. She took a stance and started stabbing and slashing at the rock, pretending it was him. She heard his laugh behind her.

"You might want to stop while you're ahead," he said, still laughing. "You'll only humiliate yourself before you realize you're already dead."

She threw a few curses at him under her breath, then hit the rock harder, taking her anger out until she left marks on the wall.

She felt something brush her shoulder and whirled around, rock raised in her hand. Vrexus stood there and she lowered her arm.

"If you want even a chance at challenging a vrisha, or anyone for that matter, you aren't going to get far on your own." He grabbed her arm and took the rock from her, then replaced it with his own blade.

Lee stared at it, the hilt thick in her hand, the blade heavier than she expected.

"Hold it at an angle in front of you." He lifted her elbow and positioned her like he wanted. "Now fix your stance like me." He kicked at her legs to make her widen her stance, then stood by her side. "Now bring your hand back and strike downward."

She did as he said, but she must have not done it exactly as he asked because he came around behind her, pressing close to her while reaching around to take hold of each of her arms. He moved her weaponed hand like he wanted her to, pulling back, then slashing downward. Then he brought it back again, this time slashing across the middle. "Only faster. Strike like how I showed you with the game. Instead of with your hand, you use the blade. Understand?"

She nodded. Her throat went dry as she felt his heat against her back, felt the strength in his hands that gripped her firmly. An image of them in the same position but on the ground flashed in her head and a soft gasp escaped her. She pulled away from him, heat building up her back and neck. She turned to him, but he didn't appear to think anything was wrong because he continued, "Now try it again, this time at me."

She stood there, unable to move.

"Did you break? I said come at me."

She lunged at him, trying to remember to strike like he asked. He dodged easily away. “Again," he said.

She attacked again and again until she was panting for breath, her arm beginning to ache. She missed him each time, but she didn't actually expect to hit him. He moved so smoothly, so quickly, she could hardly keep up with him anyway. Her body moved as commanded, but her mind was only partially present, still trying to swat away that image, to forget the heat of him that she still felt at her back.

Get it together, Lee. He abducted you, for fuck's sake, and he isn't even human. He's a monster inside and out. Where is your head at? You're losing it.

She moved and swung the blade one last time. Her muscles burned, forcing her to drop the weapon.

Vrexus stepped over and took the blade back. "It's a start at least." He sheathed the weapon. "But you have a lot to learn."

"Why are you showing me?" she asked, curious.

"It wouldn't be much of a challenge if you didn't at least have some advantage, don't you think?" She saw the amusement now in his eyes. "And I find it entertaining."

Playing with me again. But she couldn't deny that, like the bone game, it was better for her to have some sort of advantage than none at all.

* * *

The storm had passed but night had arrived, so Vrexus let her rest instead of moving on. She curled up beside the rock for warmth, Vrexus' heat already gone. He sat himself closer to the lip of the rock to watch outside and she wondered if he ever slept at all.

She did sleep eventually, and when she did, she dreamed. She was in her mother's garden, she could hear Elle laughing and their dog, Saddie, barking nearby but she couldn't see them. She was playing on the grass with her little figurine soldiers, trying to grab them all at once. There was a large shadow stalking along the bushes nearby, but she couldn't see what it was. She got up from her game and looked around for her sister when suddenly the garden was gone and so was the sunlight above. She was in a cold, barren place, alone. Underneath her feet was dark ice and, beneath it, the shapes of giant monsters floated just below the surface. She started to cry because they scared her, and she was so alone and so cold. The ice froze her feet, then her legs, and she couldn't move. The beasts cried below her, and she could do nothing but watch the ice crack beneath her feet.

The dream faded out, but the cold remained. It seeped into her core, numbing her. She was like ice until she felt something hot against her back, as if someone had thrown an electric blanket over her. She heard herself sigh with relief, the heat enveloping her, washing away the chill, melting the ice.

Slowly, she came to, her eyes fluttering open. She peered out through the dark and noticed Vrexus was missing. She stared at the spot where he had been sitting before, half-asleep and half-confused as to why he was no longer there. Then she noticed the weight across her arms and the movement against her back, and she realized where he had gone.

Her heart did a little flip. "What...are you doing?" she slurred.

He said nothing for a long time, and she wondered if he hadn't heard or if he was asleep himself. Then his arm moved an inch and his chest rose. "You were shaking."

It took her a moment to process that answer as she was still coming to. "Shaking?"

"And crying in your sleep. Your mouth was turning blue. It concerned me."

Her brow furrowed. That was odd for him to say. He was concerned for her. For some reason, those words drew her focus more than the fact that he’d just told her she was possibly going into hypothermia. Even now, she could still feel the cold lingering in her bones, her skin tingling like it might burn.

He stirred a little behind her. She could feel his legs crossed with hers, trying to keep her lower half warm as well. "I knew the heat affected you but didn't consider the cold. You really are fragile to the elements aren't you, Fire-eyes?"

She blinked, curious about the name but deciding not to ask. "It must be my sad, fruit-like skin," she whispered.

His chest rumbled behind her. "Yes."

He started to move, and she tensed. "What are you doing?"

"Getting off you."

"Why?" Her face heated as the question slipped.

He stilled. "I imagine it doesn't exactly please you to find me on top of you. Seeing as I'm a monstrous son of a bitch, as you put it."

He had a point. But damn if his heat wasn't putting life back into her. She would rather have him at her back than face the cold again.

She exhaled, chewing at her lip, then said, "Stay."

He took a moment, as if considering whether he should, then slowly, he moved back into place, his arm bringing her closer. Her heart did another little flip and hammered in her chest, but she forced her thoughts away, all her feelings, and focused only on the heat, on his heat surrounding her. And somehow, she was able to fall back asleep.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Vrexus

They had lost a lot of time. The others were probably wondering where the hell he was and why he hadn't made it to the city yet. Admittedly, he could have been there by now if he had pushed it. Fire-eyes refused to be carried now that she could walk, and for whatever reason, he allowed her as long as she kept up with his pace, which she did. Still, it was a slower pace than he cared to admit, and after the night of the storm, he had allowed her to sleep longer than usual.

If he thought he was being too gentle with his demands on her, perhaps he was. He could have carried her regardless of how much she complained, forcing them to travel all through the night and day if he so chose. It didn't occur to him that maybe he was prolonging their journey, though why he did was still uncertain to him. Maybe knowing the others were safely waiting in the city relieved his urgency a little. But only a little.

It also could be that he was distracted. Whenever they stopped, Fire-eyes would start talking about something that inevitably led to an argument between them. The debate might become heated, and before he knew it, a half hour had passed, and he had to forcibly end the conversation to get them moving again. Sometimes they found flowing water and Fire-eyes wanted to clean which inevitably led to him watching her for longer than he should. The way she flipped her hair and arched her back or moved her hands to gently brush through her fiery locks would demand his attention, and before he knew it, he was staring. He would catch himself as if in a trance, scratching at his chest, then snap out of it, only to find another half hour had gone. Annoyed, he would push her onward, faster, to make up for lost time.

"Vrexus, slow down," she called behind him. "I'm practically running here."

"If you didn't have small twig legs, maybe you wouldn't have to."

He heard her fling some curse at him, and he couldn't help but smile even if he was close to throwing her over his shoulder again.

Eventually, he did have to slow, not only because she was growing tired as she easily did but because he had caught the familiar scent of luma nearby. They weren't to the mountains yet, so it had to be a different tribe. And any tribe that wasn't the nightburn was considered a threat.

He didn't see them until he reached the top of one hill and noticed the tribe out in the distance, riding on top of some large, furry animal with three horns along the bridge of its nose. They were far enough away that they didn't see him. He and Fire-eyes were close to entering another dense forest, so he snuck her down the hill, watching carefully as they went.

When they broke into the moss-covered woods, he figured they would pass by the tribe without issue. He was wrong. He smelled them again before he saw them. They came out from behind the thick trees, their green-tinged skin covered in dark paint, their feelers dark green like a pair of leaves. Their clothes were covered in moss for what he suspected was meant to be camouflage, and they wore masks made of the skulls of animals to hide their faces. There were seven in total, and they circled him cautiously while eyeing Fire-eyes curiously. Their curved weapons–made from the horns and bones of animals–were pointed at him.

"Where are you going, demon?" one said.

Vrexus didn't answer. He drew his blade and made for the luma. He wasn't expecting a fight today, but he could always use the practice. The men, so sure of themselves at first, were instantly on the defense as he knocked one out in one full swing. They backed away, now looking uncertain and nervous, but that didn't stop him. They fled from him as he broke their weapons and his instinct to hunt kicked in, so he hunted. It was only when he heard a yelp behind him that he stopped dead in his tracks and turned back.

One of the luma had gotten past him and was dragging Fire-eyes off by her hair. A sudden violent rage filled him, shocking in its intensity.

She's mine.

The thought passed through him like a storm, and he didn't have time to consider it as he started for the luma. The luma tried to pull her away faster, but she struggled in his grip. He must have seen Vrexus' murderous gaze because, as Vrexus gained on him, the luma dropped her and started to run. He could have let the tribesmen go, but he was still feeling pissed that one of them had snuck by him and tried to take her. He went to chase after the luma when Fire-eyes called to him.

"Don't! Just let him go."

He slowed, then stopped, his tail weaving angrily.

"Please, Vrexus," she pleaded. She was begging him not to take the luma's life even after what they did. And for some reason, he was letting the little bastard go.

He watched the luma disappear out of sight, then returned to Fire-eyes. He helped her up and looked her over, turning her around and checking her for any signs of injury.

"I'm fine," she assured.

He dropped his hands and slipped past her, moving onward before he changed his mind about going after the luma. "Let's go before they return."

They walked on, Fire-eyes close beside him now. "It was good that you let him go," she said after a while.

"No, it wasn't. The luma will go running off with the others to tell the rest of his tribe we’re out here. We are going to be chased now."

With that threat now hanging over them, Vrexus pushed them on faster, and Fire-eyes didn't complain about it this time. They didn't stop for a long while, until the lumas’ scent was gone for good and he was certain they were far enough away.

* * *

He was still on edge even after they found a place he deemed safe, a small clearing hidden among low-hanging trees. He wasn't worried about the luma attacking again—he'd kill them if they tried—but more annoyed that he had been seen at all, that Fire-eyes had no natural defenses. She seemed to agree. She too didn't like being dragged off so easily. She asked for his blade, even when he could see she was tired from running. He allowed her to practice with it, watching her carefully as she moved and struck. He showed her other attacks and let her practice those too, but still he could see she was too slow, overthinking every move. Opponents didn't just stand there waiting to be attacked. It was life or death, not a game.

It occurred to him that humans didn't grow up learning to fight like vrisha and therefore rarely knew or understood what it truly meant to fight for their life. She hadn't fought him when he first went after her, she had fled. When he caught her, she hadn't fought then either, she had struggled. Humans might fight humans but against more powerful enemies, they were no more than prey.

He didn't like that she struggled. He could see the fierce drive in her. The possibilities were there. Not endless but far more than few. He could mold her into a fierce warrior, but it would take breaking her down before building her up to do so. And she wouldn't be the same after.

He sat silently against a nearby tree as she repeated her strikes. When she started to tire, she approached and offered him back his blade.

"See, not so hard," she said with a smile. "I actually think I'm getting faster." He didn't laugh, and he didn't take back his blade. She lowered her arm, her smile dropping. "What's wrong?"

He rose, realizing she would never understand unless he showed her. "Take up your stance," he ordered. She did, planting her feet wide and raising his blade like he taught her. "Good," he said. "Now hit me."

She hesitated. Then she lunged for his chest, and he side-stepped away with little thought.

"Again, faster," he demanded.

She struck again, but once more, he caught her hesitation even in a split second.

Therein lay her second problem.

"You’re hesitating," he said.

She paused. "I'm not."

"You are. You're afraid to hit me."

She let out a hiss of breath. "I'm not."

"You're afraid to hit me because you don't actually want to hurt me."

She dropped her arm, looking shocked by his accusation. "Th-that's not true."

He circled her. "If you truly hate me like you claim to, then there shouldn't be any thought behind your attack. But you can't bring yourself to harm, not me or anyone, and that is your weakness."

She brought up his weapon, pointing it at him. "I can rectify that."

"Then show me."

She lunged for him again, slashing and stabbing several times, all of which missed.

"Still hesitating."

She gritted her teeth. "You're just too fast."

"It doesn't matter. Even if an opponent was equal in speed, you wouldn't win. Because your anger, your fear, your desperate need to be the victor, is only surface deep. You're too scared to hurt. If you want to win a fight, never be afraid to take pain or inflict it."

She jumped at him, and this time, he dodged, then tripped her up with his tail, sending her to the ground.

"If you want to win, you can't be afraid to take a life or to die."

She rolled on to her back, blade still in hand. She shuffled away and quickly got to her feet as he started for her.

"So, do you want to win?"

She gripped his blade tight. "Yes."

"Then don't hesitate." He came for her. She kept her ground, but he saw the fear grow in her eyes. She backed away but kept his blade chest high, ready for him. That was the desperation she needed, to know her life was in danger, that she would do everything in her power to keep it. He swung his tail out at her, barely missing her stomach. He wasn't looking to badly hurt her, just scare her enough to fight back with everything she had.

Fire-eyes gasped as the end of his tail came a hair’s length away from cutting her. Keeping her body facing his, she tried to circle him. He swung his tail out again, and this time, she lashed out, his blade striking against his tail, sending splatters of blood on the ground. He whipped it around, then lunged for her, expecting her to stab at him. She brought her blade up but only in the defensive position which was her undoing. He caught her wrist and flung her around, causing her to stumble, then ultimately fall back. Before she could get up this time, he grabbed her by the ankle and pulled her to him, making her yell out, her weaponed arm swinging at him. He caught her hand again and swept her up. She tried to pull from his grip, but it was useless. She was so intent on freeing her arm that he took that moment to take hold of her waist, twist her around, and back her up against a tree, pinning her there.

She lost her grip on the blade as he pressed his body fully into her, the sharp end falling and piercing the earth beside him. She let out a sharp intake of breath as he shoved his knee between her legs, forcing her to cling to his waist as he drove her upward until her face was nearly level to his. She tried to smack at him, and he took hold of her wrists in one hand, pinning them above her head.

"How sad," he hissed softly. "The poor little human is stuck. Whatever will she do?" His face got close to hers. He bared his fangs, hearing her heart start to patter faster. "There's the fear, the desperate need to survive." He lifted his free hand, letting his sharp fingers slide across her throat, then down to her collarbone. He pressed at the skin, almost breaking it, hearing her inhale between her teeth. Her skin warmed under his touch, and he felt her tremble a little beneath him. "That is what you must feel. That adrenaline. That anger. You’re about to be eaten alive. What will you do?" He let his talon run across her ribs, hearing the thin fabric tear. "Will you give up, or will you fight. Tell me"—he let his hand fall down to her thigh—"what will you do?"

There, in her eyes, the fire ignited. She clenched her jaw, as if she were about to scream, then, without hesitation, she pushed her body against his and bent her head forward, then clamped her little teeth down hard on his neck, biting him.

He could tell she was biting down hard, trying to break the skin. Only his skin was too rough to be broken by her unsharp teeth. Still, he let out a hiss of breath, his body tensing so hard his muscles started to cramp. He let go of her wrists and pulled away, freeing her, letting her slide down the tree to stand back on her feet. He backed away from her, nostrils flaring, eyes wide.

Her lips were red, not from his blood but from her own as her mouth must have scraped over one of his sharp scales. She glared at him with a savage sort of ferocity, wiping away the beads of blood.

He stared at her, unable to look away. In that moment, a darker fire engulfed him from within. The odd feeling in his chest became as sharp as a knife digging into him.

So, she had succeeded in inflicting pain.

He took a step toward her, and immediately, she stepped away. She turned her back to him and started to walk the other direction, distancing herself.

He could have followed her, but he didn’t. He watched her go instead, making sure she didn’t leave his line of sight. He picked up his blade from the ground and sheathed it, then stood there for a long moment, letting the waves of fire rip through him, letting the knife cut deep and relishing in the pain.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Lee

She walked in silence, cutting through the foliage and ferns, keeping track of where her feet stepped so she didn't miss a single vine or stone on the ground, watching in case one of them moved or turned out to be something else entirely.

For once, she took the lead, even though she didn't know where she was going. She just kept moving. Vrexus, who had slowed considerably to stalk a few feet behind, never stopped her or told her to go another direction, so she took it as a sign she was going the way he wanted. She didn't dare look back at him, but she knew his eyes were only on her. She didn't want to meet his gaze because she was afraid of what she might see. Afraid of what he might read in her expression that she didn't want to show. Afraid to catch that look still in his eyes after she’d bitten him. A look that didn't read to her as hostile but had certainly been as intense.

He hadn't looked like he’d wanted to murder her, that was for sure. He’d looked...hungry for her. Insane as that had to be.

She wrapped her arms around her, feeling a rush of heat at the thought. Her mind kept slipping back to the moment he'd pinned her to the tree, his hard body pressed against hers, his thigh shoved between her legs, his grip unbreakable on her wrists. She'd felt fear, sure, but that hadn't been all she felt and, even now, she was still reeling from the effects. It was sort of like an adrenaline rush. She'd been with her share of rough, dominant men, but they'd all still been human. The kind of power Vrexus showed her was on a whole other level. It was feral, beyond threatening.

And it sparked something dangerous in her.

Her mind was fighting the possibility she felt anything, but her body was screaming for more. She could still feel her blood throbbing in her legs and neck, the silent roar in her ears. She could feel beads of sweat falling down the arch of her back and, between her legs, she felt that pulsing ache. She could even feel the wet heat against her thighs. That only made her feel hotter. Hot with shame and embarrassment that he could make her feel this way.

And she knew if she looked back, he would see something was up. Hell, he might be able to smell her arousal even now. The thought alone drove her faster to distance herself. Not in fear of what he might do but of what she might let him do.

Because that was unacceptable. He was her captor, for fuck's sake. He was an enemy of the alliance. He was also alien, so who knew if they could even connect that way. It's not like anyone had ever asked the women who got with vrisha before whether it was possible.

But it must be possible. Or the vrisha made up for it in some way. Not all those women could have been asexual. They'd have urges too.

Now she was curious when she shouldn't be. And that made her want to start running.

A fine mist began to settle on the ground, eventually turning into a thick sheet of fog up to her ankles, making it hard to see where she was going. Still, she didn't slow. She stumbled a few times over unseen roots and rocks until she heard Vrexus call to her.

She ignored him at first until he called to her again, using a name she'd heard him speak a few times now but hadn't thought about correcting him.

"Fire-eyes, stop."

She didn't stop. "My name isn't Fire-eyes."

"I don't care, I just need you to quit walking."

"Too bad."

She heard him growl behind her. Before she knew it, he was grabbing her arm and yanking her back.

"What the hell?" she snapped.

"You want to go to your death? Look." He dipped his head in the direction she was walking.

Lee looked back, and the fog seemed to be moving down a steep hill. She wouldn't have seen it and would have fallen.

"You didn't see, did you? What's your hurry? Look at me, Fire-eyes."

She tugged her arm away from his grip. "Stop calling me that, my name is—" She choked down her own name, then said, "Elle. My name is Elle, not Fire-eyes."

She wouldn't look at him, and he remained still beside her. She could feel his heat even now, at her back. When she didn't move, he passed by her, taking the lead.

Before he went down the hill, he straightened out his tail before her. "Follow where I step, and keep hold of my tail for balance."

She wanted to tell him she didn't need his help going down a damn hill. She followed behind, not holding on to him at first. But when she almost slipped and fell, she grabbed his tail to keep herself from breaking her neck on a set of rocks. Annoyed, she kept a firm grip on him until they made it to the bottom.

"Great, thanks," she said and started off again without stopping.

"I'll ask again, what's your hurry?" he asked, now at her side.

"I just want to get this over with, don't you? You were so keen to get us all out of the jungle, wouldn't even let us have a break. Now, suddenly, you want to take your time. You make no sense."

"We will get there when we get there. You getting there alive and uninjured is more important than getting there quickly."

"Oh, give me a break." This time, she did stop to face him, her heart skipping as their eyes finally met. She shoved her thoughts and feelings aside to confront him. "Like you couldn't carry me or make me go faster while still keeping me from falling down a cliff. Maybe I just want to get back to the others where it's really safe. Because being around you is more dangerous than anything else on this whole planet."

"Is that so?" His eyes alighted at that, as if she'd complimented him instead of insulted him.

"Yeah. It is. And the others are just waiting around for their fate to be settled while I'm trudging around the wilds with you. Who knows how your pack has been playing with them all this time. Probably so bored they have nothing better to do. It's just prolonging their suffering at this point, and it's therefore not fair to them. So, right now, I just want to get back and—are you listening?"

Vrexus had torn his gaze away from her and had his head up, as if sniffing the air. He turned his head to look behind them, then turned another direction.

Lee threw up her hands, feeling it was no use arguing with him. "Forget it. You don't care, obviously. But I'm not stopping now." She went to turn and walk away when she saw a shadow fly past her to her left. She froze and looked around, hearing rustling and snapping of branches close by. "What was—"

Vrexus shouted, then she felt herself being thrown to one side, landing on her knees. She twisted around and saw Vrexus fighting against a large beast that almost looked like a dinosaur. It stood on its hind legs and had stubby arms like a raptor. The only difference was it had wiry fur like a boar and several thick tusks along its mouth. Vrexus had taken hold of these tusks to keep the animal from charging him.

Lee rose to her feet and looked around for anything she might use as a weapon, thinking to help scare the creature off, when she heard the sound of heavy footsteps behind her. She whirled around and saw another of the tusked animals charging her. She cried out and tried to jump out of the way but wasn't quick enough. The animal hit her side, making her fly back against a tree. Somehow, she landed on something soft but had no time to consider what it was as she saw the weird beast turning to attack again. She put up her hands, as if to defend herself, waiting for the impact, when the creature halted and reared up, snorting in front of her. It backed away and, in that moment, she heard a loud roar as Vrexus got onto the back of the first beast and sliced its skin open. It reared up too, then bolted, causing Vrexus to leap off it from behind.

Both animals fled into the darkening forest, leaving them alone again. The fog had thinned out from their attack, allowing her to see some of the ground below her. Her hand touched something soft underneath her and she grabbed it, curious what it was.

In her hand looked to be some spongy fungus. From its pores, a thick, honey-colored sap dripped onto her hands. She realized it was all over her and that she had somehow managed to fall into a cluster of these mushrooms that grew against the tree. She groaned in disgust, trying to wipe the sap from her hands before climbing to her feet.

"Great," she murmured. "Not like I can ever stay clean in this place."

Vrexus came to her side. "Are you hurt?"

She shook her head. "Just my pride." He looked at her funny, and she laughed quietly. "Yeah, I'm fine. Let's just go. Hopefully, there's water nearby."

He dipped his head, then continued onward while she followed uncomfortably behind, the sap clinging to her clothes and growing cold against her skin.

They didn't get far up another hill when the sap began to feel like ice against her skin and itchy too. She gritted her teeth, trying not to scratch, looking around for a pond or stream, anything to clean herself off.

By the time they reached the top, the sap had become painful, no longer like ice but burning. She looked around desperately for water, then nearly keeled over from the pain.

"Vrexus," she said nervously.

He turned just in time to see her nearly fall to her knees, crying out, trying to wipe the sap from her. He caught her, but she hardly noticed, her skin growing numb.

"I need to get it off. Oh god, it burns!" A scream nearly ripped from her throat.

Vrexus didn't hesitate. He picked her up and started racing down the hill.

She was in so much pain she could hardly see, her vision blurring from tears, and she could no longer speak, only yelp and shriek in pain, her body writhing in his arms.

It seemed like hours before she finally heard the splash of water as Vrexus plunged into whatever pond he’d found before setting her down. The cool water brought little relief at first and, in a panic, she tried to peel her clothes off, but her hands were shaking so badly from the fiery pain she could hardly even do that. She looked to Vrexus in a panic, and he started to quickly untie the armor from her arms and shoulders, practically ripping them off. He helped her peel off her shirt, then almost tore her pants while pulling them down her legs. She let him take her clothes and throw them near the shore to be cleaned later. She dunked in the cool water, scrubbing at her skin until it was red. When that didn't seem to do much, she allowed Vrexus to help clean off what he could, scraping the sap from her back, his rough hands doing a better job than her own.

The burning was finally starting to lessen, leaving her body tingling. Vrexus gave her space to wash off what was left, until she was no longer a shaking, whimpering mess.

He sat with his back against a tree by the shore, watching her while she remained in the water, sitting in a shallower part of the pool with her knees to her chest, the water lapping at her shoulders. They were quiet for a long while, Lee listening to the sounds around her, the soft chirping of some animal nearby, the low rumble of what must be a water fall in the distance that was left unseen. She looked around finally to see they had stopped at a small waterhole in between two streams where one was flowing out from a cave nearby and the other was flowing on past the thick trees. Tendrils of fog played along the water, and the sun's light was fading, nothing but a red sliver in the distance.

When she'd studied the landscape in every detail she could find, her eyes finally drifted over to Vrexus, as if pulled to him. Their eyes locked, and they stared at each other, unable or unwilling to look away.

Now that she wasn't in any immediate danger, she saw a shadow pass over his gaze, and it made her shiver. Heat blossomed in her stomach, rising up her neck and face. He'd seen a whole lot of her now. More than she would have dared to show most, and she could imagine what he was thinking.

She let her fingers drift over the top of the water, dangerous thoughts returning to her mind as well. She flicked water at him, and he only flicked his tail in response.

"I hate this place," she said, breaking the silence.

Vrexus didn't reply right away, his mouth twitching to one side. "I'm rather fond of it myself."

He would be.

"It reminds me of my home if only a little," he continued. "Though it's not as warm."

"Is your home as dangerous?" she asked, now curious.

He laughed quietly and reclined back against the tree. "Much more so."

She nodded, expecting as much. "Tell me about it."

He looked back at her curiously. "What do you want to know?"

"Everything."

He seemed to think it over before answering. He told her about the towering pirosiths that stalked the red plains and could topple a small haven with their spiky tails given the chance. And the desert serpents that swam among the sands like in the sea. He told her about the fire isles and the lava pits deep in the mountains where colorful gems could be found. And he told her about the giant armored sleethons and the tentacled monsters called gris that could kill a vrisha in a single instant.

She listened in silence, admittedly fascinated. She watched his eyes light up as he talked about his home. She could tell he was really fond of it.

As he was in the middle of describing to her some kind of large insect that would make one hallucinate if eaten, she unclasped her knees from her chest and slowly rose out of the water.

He went silent, his pupils dilating as she stood before him. His eyes drifted down her naked body, and therein she saw that look, the one she had caught after biting him. It was as she’d feared.

Still, her heart flipped seeing that hungry glance, and she almost panicked when her skin started to feel hot again. But it wasn't the sap this time, as it had already dissolved off her.

"Your world sounds...scary," she said after a pause.

"It is," he said in a deadly quiet tone. His eyes locked on a spot between her hips and ribs. "You lied to me."

Her brow furrowed. She glanced down, following his gaze, and saw two gash marks, one below her ribs and another below her hip. She stared at the quickly bruising skin and the long scrapes that were just barely bleeding from shallow tears in the flesh. The tusked animal that had attacked them before must have done more damage than she thought. She had been so shocked by the attack and by the sap quickly turning painful she hadn’t noticed.

“It only hurt for a moment when the animal nicked my side. I didn’t realize I got hit that bad. Must have opened the wound more when I started cleaning the sap off.” She brushed her fingers along the bruised skin, beads of blood staining her fingertips.

Vrexus moved and she froze. He stepped into the water, treading towards her, his tail leaving ripples behind him. He stopped just a hand-width in front of her, but she didn't dare back away. She was tempted to close the distance between them—too tempted—and that made her grow even more still. If she did that, it would be the end. She felt like she was standing on the edge of a cliff and down below was a boiling sea. If she jumped, she would be engulfed and broken apart.

She stared at his chest, unable to look at him again, afraid of what she would see. But he tipped her head back with his finger under her chin, forcing her to meet his gaze.

His fangs slipped from his upper lip, and he looked down at her, frustrated. "What are you doing to me?" he said in low, hushed tone.

She frowned in confusion at his words. She licked her lips, then said, "I don't know what you mean."

"No," he hissed. "I think you do."

She stared at him, closing her eyes, then opening them slowly. "Does it upset you?" she said in a whisper. "That I'm not trying to do anything at all." She closed her hand around his wrist, letting her fingers brush along his scales. His nostrils flared, and his hand moved from her chin downward, his talons tracing over her throat. His eyes widened with excitement,, and she knew he wanted to take her here, where no one could see, no one would know. Her throat tightened, pulse fluttering. She could let him. No one would have to know. It would be their little secret.

No one would have to know...

He slipped his hand from her throat only to glide his sharp fingers down between her breasts to her stomach. When he got lower, he grazed along her hip, along the scrape there, a dull pain catching as he slid his finger across, wiping away the blood that had begun to pool. Lee let out a little hiss of breath as he lapped the blood from his fingers. A low growl rumbled in his chest, and before she could say a word, he was lowering himself down to kneel before her, the water meeting his thighs.

"Let me fix this," he said, tracing again over the wound. She felt his breath against her thighs and her mouth went dry, her pulse quickening.

"Go on," she breathed.

She knew what he would do. She'd caught on that he could heal a cut quickly by cleaning it with his tongue, almost like a cat. She'd learned this after the cut he had given her had healed faster than normal after he'd licked it.

Even still, as she felt his tongue brush over her, a small gasp slipped between her teeth, and she nearly grabbed at him, wanting to pull his mouth to her center. She kept her composure even as he cleaned her wound.

She felt the ache of wanting him to touch her, anywhere and everywhere. And as much as she wanted it, she refused to give in, to jump. She could see in him, however, that he was ready to take the leap, wanting to so badly. But he was waiting on her.

"How bad does it hurt?" he asked.

She peered down at him. Bad, real, bad, she thought. "Only a little," she said aloud, knowing now he meant the scrape. "And you?" she asked.

He glanced up at her, confused. "Me?" As if he didn't realize. His hands, gripping her hips, slipped down her thighs.

"Whatever I'm doing to you, does it hurt?"

He grew still, as if he didn't want to admit it.

She took hold of his hands, pressing them closer to her skin. "Does it?"

A low rumble, maybe a growl or a groan, she wasn't sure, caught in his throat. "Yes," he said, so softly she almost didn't hear him.

"Maybe...I can fix that."

Some emotion passed over his gaze, something much more than mere excitement. "Yes," he said almost a little too quickly.

"Tell me how."

His gaze fell down to where his mouth was almost level. "Let me taste you. I've been dying to know."

She swallowed hard. He'd been dying? For how long?

It didn't matter. Not at that moment. "All right," she said, her voice almost cracking.

She thought she caught him inhale sharply. He looked nervous, as if not expecting her to say yes and now uncertain if he should.

He hesitated only a moment longer before he lowered his mouth down to her center. She felt his hot breath on her and tensed, her muscles aching. When his tongue slid against her, trailing a slick heat up her slit, she almost fell to her knees. Afraid she might actually crumble, she took hold of his horns for balance. Her body began to shake as he slipped his tongue deeper, growing more urgent, like he had been starved. A shrill moan tore up her throat, but she didn't allow it to escape from her lips.

"How does it feel?" she said in a trembling voice.

He groaned against her in response, and she shuddered at the vibrations.

"How does it feel to know you want me this bad?" she repeated. "That you wanted the taste of a human?"

He breathed in, his talons nearly tearing into her skin where they gripped her. "It kills me," he growled against her.

She let out a whimper as he slid his tongue along her once more, the throbbing turning unbearable.

But before she could lose herself completely, allowing him to claim that part of her, she pulled at his horns, forcing his mouth away. She tugged out of his grip and backed away.

"Good," she said. As wicked as it felt, she was still angry at everything he'd done, at everything he was doing to her.

And now he could feel the agony too.

She left him on his hands and knees and slipped past him, picking up her clothes, going off to wash them in silence. Feeling for the first time like she had some measure of control.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Vrexus

His insides were being ripped apart. At least that's what it felt like. He couldn't remember the last time he'd been in heat, but it was never like this. The dark fire was consuming him, and at times, he felt like a beast waiting to pounce. It took all his self-control not to do something irrational or idiotic like go off to hunt—to kill something—leaving Fire-eyes alone. Or tear every plant and break every tree that got in his way.

He wanted to touch her again and taste her, but she had closed herself to him now. She wouldn't even look at him. She'd made him vulnerable, then had torn him down, as impossible as it seemed. It was embarrassing.

Still, as unbelievably vexed as he was, he wanted her, soft skin and all. And the more he realized this, the more on edge he became. This wasn't supposed to happen. He was stronger than this.

He decided not to push it further and sharpened his focus back on the mission. She'd done a good job at delaying him, that was for damn sure, but no longer. He took the lead again and pushed onward, tearing through the forest, his pheromones secreting from him at such a rate he expected animals from several spans away to piss themselves in terror. He was a walking bomb, ready to be set off, and anything that tried to stop him would be cut down without a single thought.

They had to be close to the black mountains now, he was sure. Yet the forest seemed endless. The fog that had swum around their ankles had now risen and turned into a thick mist. It didn't deter him in the slightest, but he was forced to slow for Fire-eyes who would lose her way easily if not careful. He was very close to picking her up and carrying her again, but he feared touching her would only serve to make the heat worse, and he only wanted it to go away so that he could be normal again, so he could concentrate on getting them to their destination by tomorrow if at all possible. He firmly believed once he got her to the nightburn city, he would be able to rid himself of these feelings. He'd be back with his pack, and he’d realize how crazy it had all been. Because he felt like he was going a little insane if he hadn’t been already. There were times he would laugh softly to himself, thinking how he never expected such a strange situation to happen to him. To have a human affect him this much. It would appall the others if they knew, but they wouldn't ever find out. He would make sure of that.

When they came to the top of another hill, he stopped briefly, noticing this time there was a cliff several feet away, and if they weren't careful, they could easily fall down it to their death. He started turning to the left, to follow the cliff to one side. The forest had opened up, and the mist was creeping down the cliffside where below he could see the tops of trees. He looked up and realized it was likely clear from the top of those they walked by as well.

Feeling the sense of urgency returning, he wanted to know just how far away they were. He walked a little farther until he found the largest and tallest tree he could find, then stopped and, for the first time since they left the pool, he turned to Fire-eyes.

"Wait here," he said in a rigid voice, finding it hard even now to look at her.

"Where are you going?" she asked. He saw the nervous glance in her eyes and for some reason, it made him feel better to know she was worried about being alone without him.

"I'm going to scout for the mountains. Don't move from this spot. I will be back." Before she could open her mouth to reply, he dropped the travel bag by her feet and started to climb. He sank his claws into the tree’s flesh and made his way effortlessly up to the top.

When he reached the highest point he could go, he kept hold of one thick branch, then turned his head in the direction they had been originally walking.

Above the mist, the sky was a clear sea-green. He could see more of the forest below which fell into more grassland and outcroppings to his far left. Beyond them, not far in the distance, he saw the mountains, black as night. There, the city lay hidden. They were closer than he had thought. They could be there by tomorrow morning if they didn't make any more stops and only rested for a few hours.

Then they would be back with the others and the deal would be set. And he would make his final decision on which queen to choose.

His mind drifted to Fire-eyes. He would have to make sure, if he chose to side with Queen Theda, that Fire-eyes wasn't to be harmed. He could imagine they would laugh at him and call her his pet, but he didn't really care. He also realized that if Fire-eyes hated him now, she would despise him even more after. If he chose to aid Queen Serxis instead, she'd probably still hate him but maybe less so. It was hard to say.

He thought about it for longer than he meant to as he stared out at the mountains, and a small part of him started to question what he really wanted at all. He’d thought he had known, but the past few days had now made him uncertain.

His gaze fell down to where Fire-eyes would be waiting below. He couldn't see her currently through the leaves, but he gathered she was still there. He should get back to her so that they could leave. Still, he found it hard to move, thoughts turning in his head about...everything, then nothing, then only one thing above all. He would make his decision when he got to the city. For now, he only needed to worry about getting there.

Finally, he started to climb down, falling back into the mist below. It looked like it had grown thicker since he'd climbed up the tree, which was annoying. It was like the whole planet was trying to slow him down. But come hell or storm, he was getting to that damn city, so help him.

When he got to a certain height, he dropped down, expecting to hear Fire-eyes yelp in surprise. There was silence instead, and he thought she must not have seen him. Then he turned around and realized he didn't see her.

He tensed and saw the bag still on the ground but not her with it. She wasn't around the other side of the tree either. She was gone.

Rage and fear mixed together into a lethal combination as he searched wildly around and saw no trace of her. She hadn't fled him again, he was sure of it. He caught a scent in the air—hers—along with another. Luma.

A deep, violent growl grew in his throat. That was it. He was going to kill them for sure. And nothing was going to stop him.

He picked up the bag and rushed head on back down the hill, following the scent, hunting down whoever dared to take her again, letting the red rage consume him. Letting the monster take hold.

He wouldn't let them get away.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Lee

The fire crackled, spitting embers in the air. Lee watched the flames as she leaned forward, her hands clasped in front of her. She sat against a fallen tree, hardly moving or making a sound though she contemplated several times whether she should scream.

But really, the luma were making enough noise to wake the dead, so she hadn't bothered. She watched them through the fire as they sat across from her, drinking some bitter smelling drink, laughing and talking, ignoring her for the most part though at times they tried to include her in the conversation, but she only remained silent. They looked very much like the same luma she and Vrexus had come across the last time, with the bone armor and leafy clothing and green-tinged skin. The same who she had pleaded with Vrexus to let go.

They must have been following for some time, from a distance or downwind, so Vrexus hadn't noticed. They had learned to be more stealthy this time, taking advantage of the moment when Vrexus wasn't by her side to protect her. She hadn't even gotten a chance to call out to him. The luma had snuck up behind and put a cloth over her face that smelled so bad it made her eyes sting, and she was out in an instant. When she came to, she had found herself lying beside the fire.

She had no idea where they had taken her. As far as she could see, there were no other lights besides the flames, so therefore, they weren't near a town or city but somewhere outside the forest as, through the dark, she saw few trees, only wildgrass. Judging by the fact that she had woken up with the sunlight gone, she could guess they had carried her a pretty good distance away from where they had found her. Far enough away from Vrexus that they didn't seem too concerned with how loud they were, though that might be the drink screwing with their logic as well.

Since she’d sat up to stare at the fire, they hadn't touched her, and she wasn’t in any pain, which was a good sign. She'd only been awake for about a half hour or so and they'd hardly looked at her since. She did grab a few snippets of their conversation which, unsurprisingly, had been about her, mainly about what to do with her.

"We could try selling her to the ashhands or the brightstorms. They'd make a good offer. I'll bet," one said after taking a long drink from his canteen.

"Or the crimson tribe," said another.

One snorted. "They'd just eat her at the next festival. What a waste."

There were five of them total gathered around the fire with a few more she saw putting up tents nearby or grabbing firewood. She counted at least eleven altogether. Possibly more lingering somewhere in the dark. Every once in a while, they'd peer over at the fire, and she'd see their eyes shining like a thin layer of oil on the surface of dark water.

"Why not take her home and keep her ourselves?" suggested another, one of the few she would catch staring if she ever glanced up. "She could be useful."

Another spat at the ground. "Don't be stupid. You know what she is. One of the outworlders coming to make that pact with the elites. If anything, she's a hostage. We could probably get anything we wanted from the silvers or their allies in exchange for her."

The others appeared to agree this was a good point. Lee couldn't help agreeing as well, but still she didn't voice her thoughts because she knew there was no point.

They could argue all night about what to do with her, but it wouldn't matter. Because Vrexus was coming for her, and he'd get to her before any of them could make a decision.

Her gaze fell over each of them and though they didn't deserve it, she knew she had to warn them. Once Vrexus came, there would be no fight. There would only be a slaughter, and they wouldn't even see it coming. The fact that some of them must have seen who she had been with and had decided to take her anyway told her they didn't understand just how dangerous Vrexus was. They had gotten away the first time, but they wouldn't again.

One of the men caught her eye, and she tensed at his glare. He seemed to study her for a moment. Then, to her absolute surprise, he came over with a canteen in his hand and sat down beside her. He offered her the canteen, but she only shook her head at him.

"You must be thirsty," he said. "It's water."

She glanced at his hand holding the canteen, then turned back to the fire. No way she was going to trust it was just water. He waited to see if she would take it, then he set it beside her.

"My name is Krio." He waited to see if she would respond to that, then continued with, "You're scared. I get it. But we won't harm you. Well, if you run away, we might, but nothing extreme."

Wow, wasn't that nice. She frowned down at the fire, pretending to ignore him, but he didn't get the hint to leave. He just sat silently beside her.

"You probably think we're barbarians, but we’re really just desperate. Our leader will do anything to get us a safer, better home. Selling you could help fortify our village, give us more advanced tech, give us equal ground with the elites who keep us down. Really, it's nothing personal."

She glanced back at him, curious why he was telling her this. She could tell he was younger than the others with short hair tied in a knot behind his head and fewer bones covering him compared to the rest. He must be new to their little scouting team and still learning.

She shook her head at him, almost feeling sorry. "If you value your lives at all, you will let me go."

He looked at her, a little shocked. "We can't."

"You can," she said. "And you should. If you don't...I can't stop him."

He tipped his head at her. "Who?"

"The one who I was with before. You don't know what you’re dealing with, trust me.”

“That demon?” His eyes widened. “I had heard of him from the others, but I never saw him. Does he claim you as his own?"

She couldn't help smirking at that. "Sort of, yes." And wasn't that the insane truth? Putting it into words made it sound beyond surreal. In a weird, messed up way, she was bound to Vrexus. Not just any alien but a vrisha. She leaned closer to show the luma she was dead serious. "And he will come for me. I promise you. And I can't keep him from hurting you to get to me, do you understand?"

The man's antennae twitched. "We will fight if we have to."

Lee closed her eyes, trying to keep her composure. "There is no fight. None. You will be killed. Please, believe me. I'm warning you. if you don't let me go, he will stop at nothing to get to me. And I'm willing to bet he is beyond anything you have ever faced. I'm not trying to trick you into letting me go, I'm trying to save your life."

If he looked concerned, she couldn't tell, but he didn't make a move to call to the others or leave her to warn them. "There are many of us and we don't surrender. We will kill this demon." He placed a hand on her arm as if to comfort. "I'll fight and free you from him." His eyes seemed to light up. "And just think. If we kill him, we can sell his body too."

It was idiotic egotism talking, she knew, but she was an idiot herself to think they would listen. Still, it was almost sweet that he was willing to fight for her even if it was incredibly stupid. And now she felt sorry for him, even when she probably shouldn't. She looked around again at the others and could see there were other younger luma like the young man sitting next to her, and there were even a couple of women who looked more like caretakers than hunters. They were desperate people who weren't exactly good but so far not really evil either. And they didn't have to die.

Krio sat with her a little longer before eventually slinking off somewhere else. Lee continued to watch the fire as the night dragged on. Eventually, it grew warm. Too warm even for a fire. Above them and in the distance, a storm seemed to brew, but it produced no rain, only endless amounts of lightning that lit the sky. She watched that too, then took a slow breath and closed her eyes, resting her head in her hands.

Vrexus was coming, and when he was through with the luma, she imagined all niceties between them would be gone for good. She'd certainly severed any softer feelings he might have had for her after her little stunt back at the pool. Thinking about that moment again made her tense up, made her breath catch in her lungs. She remembered the feel of him against her and how shockingly fast she had responded. Too quickly for any sound-minded person. The intensity too had shocked her. Her body had betrayed her in every way, opening up to him with such ease it was almost embarrassing. She still didn't know how she had managed to pull herself away from him. Somehow her bitter anger had still won out in the end but by a very thin margin. And afterwards...she'd regretted it. Not only could she feel the heat but see the silent storm raging in Vrexus afterwards. It swept through her as well. She ached the whole time they walked, wanting to pull him back to her and have him continue what he’d started. It was so wrong but felt too right, and that terrified her. Even thinking about it now made her ache again for his touch, and she had to clamp her legs together to try to calm her nerves while taking deep breaths to make her heart stop racing.

No, that was the first and last time, she was sure. If not because she couldn't let it happen again, then because he'd be in a rage, and they'd be back to him swinging her over his shoulder and smashing his way through the wilds to get to the mountains. And not a single word would be said.

All she could do now was wait.

* * *

The lightning never settled across the sky, only growing faster, brighter. She was as restless as the night. At one point, she was no longer able to sit and started to pace by the fire. A few of the men told her to sit down, but she didn't listen. When they asked her what was wrong, she told them.

"You're all in danger. He's coming. You need to let me go."

She repeated this over and over, and they wouldn't listen. Not about the letting her go part at least. Eventually, her restlessness must have rubbed off on them because they started to carry their weapons around, and several took to watching and guarding the camp.

But she knew it wasn't enough. She tried to get them to leave at the very least. To pack up the camp and go in hope she might give them a few more hours, but they only laughed, unwilling to take her seriously.

When she got combative and tried to pull one of their tents down, they threatened to tie her up, and she was forced to stop. She stood now a few feet from the fire, looking out at the forest’s edge not so very far away, waiting for a shadow to appear.

She smelled him before she saw him. That strange coffee-like odor that she'd recognized from him in days past swept into the camp with the breeze. The others must have caught on too because she heard a few shouts and saw the men raise their weapons, standing near the edge of the camp, looking tense.

In a flash of lightning, she saw him break from the forest. He didn't rush at them but stalked slowly toward them, his own weapon already in hand. The way the lightning caught him as he moved was eerily beautiful but also terrifying. He was ready for the kill, a predator tracking its prey.

She looked back at the men and saw Krio with them. They were going to die. Even if she shouldn't care, she did. But not for the reasons she would have ever guessed. It wasn't the luma she didn't want to see slaughtered. It was having to witness Vrexus do the deed. Just so he could get her back. She didn't want to see him do it even if it was in his nature. Not when he could have her without the carnage.

She took a step forward, and one of the men blocked her way.

"Let me go to him," she said.

The luma brought up his stave. "No."

Gritting her teeth, she stepped away. Screw this then.

She turned and bolted, running across the camp. The men were so busy watching Vrexus they almost missed her. They shouted in her direction, and a few went after her while the rest stayed behind to slow Vrexus down.

He wasn't going to be slowed down, she knew, so she ran as fast as her legs could carry her, running across an open field. She could hear the lumas’ footsteps behind her, and she could only hope Vrexus left the camp untouched in order to follow her.

The men were gaining on her, but before they could reach out and grab her, she heard one yelp in surprise from behind. Another let out a piercing shriek before being silenced. She slowed to look back, then slid to a halt as she saw Vrexus had already caught up to meet them. Two of the men were already down, and he had another by the throat. Krio.

"Stop! Vrexus, don't!" She whirled around to face him and put up her hands.

Vrexus stilled, not yet letting go of Krio, who was struggling in his grip, his eyes wide with terror.

Slowly, she approached, hoping Vrexus could see the desperate plea in her eyes. She could hardly see his eyes in the darkness save when the lightning flashed, and then she caught the glint in his gaze that made her shiver. He didn't say a word, and she didn't expect him to. She stopped an arm’s length from him, glancing down to Krio before back up to him.

"I'm right here," she said softly. "Take me and leave him."

Vrexus didn't move. He wore his fury like a second skin. His grip tightened on Krio, making him whimper.

Lee put out her hand and stepped closer. She placed her hand on his chest. "Please, Vrexus. Take me out of here. Just leave them and let's go." She slipped her hands upward until she was cupping his face, tracing her fingers along his jawline.

She heard a thud next to them and knew Vrexus had let Krio go. At the corner of her eye, she saw the man crawl back as far as he could get. But she didn't dare look away. She was getting to Vrexus, making him lose his focus on the luma and see only her.

She stood on her toes and pulled him down to her, her lips close to his. "Take me..." She kissed him slowly, hoping she wasn't committing some heinous vrisha offense, then pulled back. "Away."

It appeared to be working because he sheathed his weapon, then slipped his arms around her, pressing her close to him. He let her kiss him a few times more before he picked her up and started to carry her away.

Past his shoulder, Lee saw Krio still on the ground, his mouth open in shock and the others standing close by but not following. They didn't give chase. They knew now not to.

* * *

He carried her on in silence past the field and back into the forest. She didn't know where he was going, if he was planning to stop at all, but she didn't ask. She clung to him, her nails digging into his scales, and he never said a word. He climbed up a hill and into a small clearing that dipped into the earth, hidden by several large rocks on one side and trees surrounding the rest. The trees’ roots were out of the ground and entangled in one another, as if embracing each other, stuck together for all time, some trying to reach for the other trees along the rock, to pull them down, their moss-covered branches and vines melded together and growing upward.

She heard water nearby and saw some trickling out from between the rocks where a small pool lay connected to a thin stream leading back down the hill.

It was here that Vrexus finally set her down. He planted her on her feet but didn't readily release her. She let his heat seep into her, closing her eyes. He broke from her before she was prepared, and she turned to find him taking off his armor, then his scaly pants and blade holster.

Heat rose up her neck and face as he stood before her naked. She didn't let her eyes drop from his even if she wanted to look at all of him. She expected him to close the distance between them, but instead, he turned for the pool and dropped down. She realized he was cleaning himself, cleaning off dirt and maybe even blood. She watched him unashamedly as he bathed until he rose from the pool and stood dripping before her. He looked down at her, and she thought she actually heard a low growl or a purr in his throat. He moved, getting closer, circling around her, and she felt his tail brush against the back of her thighs.

He still didn't speak but the way he moved, brushing his tail against her, his sharp fingers trailing across her back, it felt seductive. He came up to press behind her and tugged her shirt sleeve down with one claw to graze his teeth against her shoulder. She inhaled sharply as his mouth moved along her shoulder and up her throat, brushing her hair aside. His teeth grazed against her ear, and she almost moaned.

She didn't stop him when he reached for the ends of her shirt and lifted it from her or when he slipped her pants down. She slid out of them along with her shoes, and he swept them aside with his tail.

"Tell me," he said, in a low voice. His hand trailed around her ribs, then up to her breasts, his talons grazing over them. "Are you going to play nice this time?" He nipped at her neck. "Or are you going to make us both suffer? Deny that you want what I have to give?"

She tried to keep from trembling, but it was futile. "What I shouldn't want..."

His hand fell from her breasts down to her stomach. "Yes. What neither of us should." She felt his tail sliding along her thigh. "But I no longer care. Tell me you don't either. Tell me..."

She was on the edge of a cliff again, and he was waiting for her to jump with him. She swallowed and licked her lips, then whispered the words he was so desperate to hear.

A hiss of breath escaped him, a gasp or sigh, she wasn't sure. He took hold of her waist and spun her around to face him. Then his hands slid to her thighs, brushing his fingers against her skin before picking her up, forcing her to wrap her legs around his chest.

He carried her away from the small pool and set her down against a group of thick roots tangled together, having her clutch at those to each side of her for balance.

She looked at him both with curiosity and apprehension as he bent down before her with a wicked look.

"You left me wanting more," he said, his eyes darkening. "I need more."

She gripped at the roots tight, her heart hammering in her chest. When his head lowered between her thighs and his tongue grazed over her center again, it was like they were right back to where they had left off in the pool. She felt her body spasm, her head thrown back. He tasted her until she nearly collapsed on top of him, her legs shaking, a scream tearing up her throat.

When she lifted her head to look back at him, she saw him looking at her with what could only be concern.

"I hadn't imagined this to be painful," he said.

She looked at him, confused, then understood. "Not the bad kind of pain. A really, really good kind."

His eyes lit up with that. He rose to stand above her. This time she glanced down between his legs and saw...nothing.

So, it must be he could only use his tongue which she could see working for some women. But she couldn't help being disappointed. How could she pleasure him? Then she became confused. How did vrisha mate?

She opened her mouth to ask him since that seemed the logical thing to do, but whatever was about to come out of her mouth was stifled when she saw the v-shaped slit between his legs open and his cock slide out, large, red, and slick already with some natural oil, curving upward a little at the head. As alien as it was, there was no doubt it was possible for him to work it inside her, and the mere thought of that left her sweating.

Another sort of growl or purr rumbled in his chest as he cautiously took a step toward her. She tensed in response, gripping the roots harder. He brought her legs up around his stomach, hooking them across his back, then lifted his tail.

He stilled for a moment, as if bracing himself. His cock grazed against her center before she felt him dip inside, sliding inch by excruciating inch. She arched her back, breath catching in her lungs. He lowered his head nearly to hers, his teeth bared, hands gripping her waist. He didn’t move at first, and she allowed herself a moment to watch him, watch the steam roll off his back. Watch as he lifted his head a little, his tongue sliding out again to glide across her breast, making her shiver.

He thrusted once, and that was enough to make him quicken his pace. A low, wild growl grew in his throat while she had to clamp her mouth shut to keep the obscenely loud moans from escaping, letting every living thing know where they were.

She'd closed her eyes, and the next time she opened them, he'd moved her up from the roots and pinned her to the tree that bore them, keeping hold of her while thrusting with an animal-like ferocity. The sleek power of him engulfed her, turned her to liquid. She felt the pulsating heat inside her, but he had hardly slowed his pace, and she was left clinging to him, scratching at his back as if she too had gone feral, feeling his scales cutting into her hands. She'd jumped with him, and now she was being burned alive, but what she thought would hurt felt all too good.

Another scream tore past her lips, and she heard Vrexus snarl before he crushed himself against her, his heat filling her. He stilled, and for once she could feel his heart beating a little faster than normal.

"Was that too a good kind of pain?" he asked after a moment.

She let out a shaky breath. "Yes."

He slowly slipped from her, keeping his arms around her while lowering himself so that his face was nearly level with her. "Good." His mouth widened in that sly sort of smile as his hand reached up and cupped her jaw, his thumb grazing her lips. “Because I don’t want to stop.”

The way he looked at her made her heart flip twice over. She didn't allow herself to wonder about it. She didn't want to think anything unless it was what she was feeling right in that moment. The night was still young, and she could see he wasn't finished with her, not in the slightest. And she wasn't done with him either. In the dark, with nothing but the lightning and the song of insects off in the distance, no one was around to stop them from sinking. She let any thoughts of the future—and reality—wait till morning.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Lee

The light of the red sun cut through the trees, casting an orange glow over everything. Already, the day was beginning to grow hot. Strange birds sang nearby, and blue insects fluttered along the leaves above. Lee had watched them in a half-sleep daze as they slowly moved from one tree to the next like tiny ships traveling between ports. There was little noise other than the birds and the trickle of water, a peaceful sort of quiet. She caught the scent of coffee, thinking it would be really sweet to have a cup right about then while she watched the sun rise.

But there were no cups of coffee. She wasn't lying in a bedroom in the city, she was on the forest floor with an alien at her back, whose breath tickled the nape of her neck.

For the first time since being taken from the silver city, Vrexus hadn't woken her before the dawn. She had instead been woken up by him stirring against her, his arm over her and leg tangled around her own. He jerked behind her, his arm and legs twitching in his sleep. While he was clearly caught in a dream, Lee hardly moved as she grew more awake and aware of where she was.

She had about five minutes of peace with no thoughts troubling her before the memory of last night began to resurface. Not a single detail escaped her after, as if her mind was forcing her to recollect every moment. She felt her face burn up and her mouth grow drier than a desert as she recalled every touch, every taste, every feeling. With the rising temperature combined with Vrexus' heat at her back and her body burning up from the memory, she felt like she was on fire.

Cautiously, she pulled herself away from his embrace to sit up. She crept over to the small pool Vrexus had used to bathe in and splashed some of the water on her face and neck. She looked around for her clothes and spotted them on the ground nearby. She washed some of the dirt off before putting them back on, then she eyed the water, her mouth still dry, wondering if it was safe to drink. She hadn't seen the travel pack with Vrexus last night and assumed he had left it behind when he'd gone looking for her.

Funny enough, in the middle of that thought, she glanced over at Vrexus where he lay and was surprised when she saw near him the pack hidden underneath a set of roots. He must have found this place while coming for her and deemed it a safepoint, setting the pack aside. She crawled over to it, trying not to wake him, pulling out the bag from under the tree and opening it. The canteen was nestled inside along with a few of the meat wraps the duskfire tribe had prepared them. They only had maybe a couple days’ worth. She grabbed the canteen and took a few sips, noticing it too was getting low.

She wondered how many more days they had and if Vrexus would have to start hunting. She imagined it wouldn't be difficult at all for him to catch something. She envisioned him crouching in a field, creeping up on some grazing animal of the kind they'd seen off in the distance. Him leaping up with claws extended and teeth bared, tearing into flesh, breaking bone.

Teeth and talons...grazing on her skin, biting, teasing.

Last night flooded back in, and goose bumps spread along her skin, making her shiver. She took another sip of water before setting the canteen aside, then she grabbed one of the wrapped meats, wondering if she’d be able to stomach it. She was hot again, not just from arousal though, she realized, but from a much more unpleasant feeling. Guilt.

Not just guilt even, but shame.

You always had questionable taste in men, Lee, but this by far wins the 'you need therapy' award.

She wanted to laugh at the thought, but it didn't make the guilt any better, and it wasn't really a joking matter. She closed her eyes and rubbed at her temples, a small headache forming. She felt sore all over too, and she didn't need to think why. It was hard for her to come to terms with what she'd done, and even now, her body still betrayed her, wanting more.

How he could affect her like this both astounded and frustrated her. She never thought she had a thing for the nonhuman type, but clearly she was way wrong. It had to be the danger, the fierceness that made her lose control.

Sleeping with the enemy is probably your worst stunt yet. No wonder your family is embarrassed by you.

That thought made her feel even worse. She unwrapped the meat and took a bite but could hardly swallow. She tossed it back in the bag with a sigh. She took a moment to find a place nearby to relieve herself, then, when she returned, she crouched down beside Vrexus, watching as he slept. She almost reached out and placed her hand on him to wake him but then decided not to. Instead, she peered over and saw the strap that carried his blade. She went and picked it up and carefully unsheathed the weapon from its holster. The blade was made of some sleek, dark metal which gave off a dim shine when she held it in the light. There were tiny markings along the sides from the tip to the handle, what she gathered to be vrishan. She examined one side with her finger, curious what they might mean, then realized they looked familiar. They looked a lot like the markings Vrexus wore on his skin.

She wondered why that would be and came to one disturbing theory. He was the weapon of the queen. She marked him and the others as hers, that was why. Like the blade, she used them to kill and destroy. She was evil, and it hurt to think Vrexus was hers to control.

But he had chosen to be, hadn't he? Yet he was defying the queen even now. He didn't make sense to her at all or why he did what he did. And now she was caught up in the vrisha's scheme, more now than the others. If the queen found out about them, Lee couldn't believe even Vrexus would be able to protect her from the queen's wrath. And wouldn't he be punished too? He risked everything just be with her.

Or maybe he didn't. Maybe it was all just a game. If it didn't really mean anything, would they care? If after everything, he brought her to the queen, would he throw Lee to her without a single thought? He claimed her life for his. Which meant he could give it away. And maybe that was exactly what he planned to do.

That thought hurt her more than she would ever admit. If he was playing with her and she let him, maybe she deserved her fate.

Her hand tightened around the hilt of the blade. She remembered the look he gave her last night after they had slept together the first time, a look that maybe she read way too much into but, at the time, had made her stomach flip. It could have meant nothing, but it scared her regardless.

A shadow swept over her, making her grow still. She felt Vrexus come up behind and her breath caught in her lungs. He had moved so silently she hadn't even noticed. He leaned down, his chest pressing against her back. His arms came around, one going to her waist, the other taking hold of the hand that held his blade. His mouth crept over neck and shoulder, his breath tickling her skin. "A rare thing to find you awake before me," he said. She felt his teeth as he bit her gently, his fangs nearly breaking the skin.

She tensed, pulse already beginning to race. Her body's response to his every touch was immediate. She wanted to sink into him, rest her head on his shoulder, but she stopped herself. Instead, she remained still as he pressed her closer and nuzzled the arch of throat. She licked her lips and swallowed as his hand on her waist moved along her ribs and settled just below her breasts.

"I was going to practice," she whispered, hoping he didn't notice her voice cracking at the end. He moved her weaponed hand with his, bringing the blade closer. Against the light, she saw again the symbols that were carved into its side. "What do they mean? The markings," she asked.

"They are ancient symbols of strength, power, and fearless resolve, even in the face of death." He turned the blade, so the light refracted from hilt to point. "Not all vrisha use scyths as they are called. It is a personal preference. They are supposed to bring higher chances of victory to those who wield them. And one must go through extensive tests to earn them."

Lee smirked. "So, like a good luck charm.”

He didn’t argue that. “The weapons are said to be unbreakable. They are made from the tails of our fallen, encased in a special metal that some say not even fire from the sun can destroy. If you were to place it against any flame, it would glow red." He tipped the blade so that it was now pointed toward the sky. "I'll show you one day."

Lee's smirk faded. He said it so casually, as if he expected nothing to change even after...

She let him take the blade from her. He placed it back in its holster before putting back what little clothes he had. He wanted her to wear his armor again, but she didn't, so he didn't press. When he secured the last shoulder plate, he grabbed the pack and carried it over one shoulder.

"It's getting late," he said. She knew he wanted to get going before the sun was too far above the horizon. She waited to follow him out of the safety of the clearing but instead of heading away, he stepped closer to her and lifted his arm. He brushed a lock of her hair away from her face, then let his fingers drift along her cheek. "There won't be many stops left. Maybe one more night now that we're close to the mountains." He leaned down and kissed her throat before whispering against her skin, "And we could continue what we started.”

She didn't know how he did it, but he said it with such a seductive tone it gave her shivers. She felt his tail brush against her before he stepped back, fixing her with a wicked grin before turning away. She didn't say a word, only because she didn't know what to say. Still fighting with what she was feeling and what she should stop before this fire between them grew out of control, she followed him in silence.

* * *

They arrived at the mountains just before midday. They weren't the largest Lee had ever seen, but they were impressive in their own way, just tall enough to show a dusting of snow at their highest points, an intense contrast to the rocky underside that was as dark as deep space. The forest quickly disappeared and turned into hilly, open fields as they traveled along a narrow valley found passing between two peaks. She was relieved to know they wouldn't have to climb. There was even a small luma-made path that at times led underneath huge arches of rock. They encountered few animals and no actual luma despite the clear trail, making for a less tense journey than before. Not that it stopped a growing sense of dread from eating at her with every step they took. The closer they got, the more she felt the urge to start running, sometimes forward and other times backwards. The sooner they got to the city, the sooner she could see the others and know they were okay. But it also would bring them closer to their end.

Only a few times on their trip did she consider begging Vrexus to take her back to the silver city. To change his mind and let her get help. After last night, after everything, she almost thought she might be able to convince him. But the awful idea that he might say no even still would confirm her worst fears. Whatever he might feel, whatever was happening between them, it wasn't enough to stop him. Because he was still under the queen's control. And Lee might as well be his dirty little secret. One wild night or two, getting a taste of the human experience, wasn't enough to sway him. And that made her feel worse for giving in to him.

Vrexus didn't notice her unusual quiet as he led the way. If anything, he seemed carefree and as energetic as a puppy. He leapt over rocks and ran up ahead to make sure it was safe before she walked the path. His tail weaved back and forth behind him. Every so often, he would look back at her with such a playful expression she almost felt sorry she could hardly smile back at him in return. He was getting everything he wanted. She'd been unable to resist him, and she was losing her will to fight him any longer. Leave it to her to somehow make things worse. If she had been stronger, she could have gone on hating him. And everything would have been easier that way. She wouldn't feel like she was breaking apart.

While they moved across the valley, Lee tried to test his patience a little, her last attempt at resistance. But no matter how many times she asked to stop or to slow down, it didn't seem to faze him. He knew as well as she that they were too close to stop now.

As the sun began to set and the light began to fade, Lee noticed more and more the odd shape of several rocks as they passed. Instead of jagged and asymmetrical like the rest, they were smooth cut, standing upright in rows instead of piles. The closer she got, she noticed they had markings etched along their surface. What looked like some kind of language. The farther along they went, the larger the rocks became, and the markings turned into murals, depicting luma in several dozen settings. Among the murals were ruins of buildings so broken apart she could see inside each. Pillars standing without a roof or walls, half crumbled, showing what could only have been temples to unknown luma gods.

There were even statues, made not from the natural stone around them but from what looked like dark crystals similar to those she'd seen in the silver city. Lee found herself stopping to look up at one that showed an extremely tall and slender luma woman, dressed in robes with two large halos over her back. She had some kind of flower in one hand, its thorns wrapped around her wrist, and in the other a translucent ball much like the lanterns Lee had seen in the city.

She stared at it for so long, Vrexus had to come back for her. "She's beautiful. I wonder who she was," she said, as Vrexus stood beside her. She could see him studying the statue from the corner of her eye.

"Beautiful..."

She gazed at the statue a second longer before turning to find him watching her instead. He took hold of her hand and gently pulled her away. They walked by another set of statues, some missing limbs or heads, then passed another set of murals on lone standing walls. She expected him to take her on and leave the ruins behind until they came to the edge, near a large fallen pillar, and he stopped. "It's getting dark..." He looked back at her. "We could rest a little while before continuing on."

She arched a brow at him. "Rest?"

His mouth widened in a playful smile. "Among other things."

She glanced around her at the broken structures before turning back to him. "Here?"

He moved on her, backing her into the fallen pillar, his hands on either side of the stone as he pressed his hips against hers. "I can't think of a better place." He lifted the ends of her shirt with the tip of his finger while he leaned down, and she felt the tip of his tongue graze just below her ear. She closed her eyes, letting him in again, her body reacting as quickly as before. He ground against her, and a moan caught in her throat.

She wasn't even thinking, just feeling again, ready to let him take what he wanted, the temptation to let go overpowering everything else. She tilted her head to let him nip across her throat, her hands gripping tight at his arms, nails digging into his skin. His hands crept passed her shirt, and when she felt his sharp fingers move across her breasts to knead them, she thought she might lose it.

No, not yet.

"Maybe we wait a moment," she breathed as his face became buried in her neck. He stilled, then lifted his head to look at her.

"Are you, all right?" He stared at her, concerned, his eyes flitting over her as if to make sure she wasn't injured in some way.

She wasn't all right. She was being torn between what was right and what she wanted. "I...I don't know."

Now he looked worried. "What's wrong?"

She shook her head, her mind racing. "When you won that bet and asked for my life, why did you do that?" She didn't know why she was asking now, she just needed to say something before she said what was really on her mind.

He seemed surprised. He lifted his hand to gently grip the back of her neck. "Because I wanted it," he said, with utter honesty. "I wanted some piece of you."

She frowned at him, trying to understand. "And if not that, then what?"

His eyes lit up as they flitted down to her throat. "Whatever I could get, your pretty hair or soft skin." He smiled, and she knew he was messing with her. "Your heart."

She tensed at that, studying him seriously. "Why?" she whispered.

His eyes met hers, the smile gone. She waited for an answer, and he seemed reluctant to give it. But he didn't need to say a word. She saw it in his eyes, the same look from the night before.

She leaned up and kissed him, and he lifted her a little off her feet as he drew her closer. He flicked his tongue against her lips and ground into her again, and she could feel him growing hard, impatient to take her like the last time. She started to let go again, but before she lost herself, she took hold of his face with both hands and broke the kiss to force him to look at her a final time.

She was going to tell him. She was going to beg him. If he wanted her so badly, then he would let her and the others go. He wouldn't allow them to go to the queen. He would take her back to the silver city.

She let her hands fall down to his shoulders, gripping them. "Vrexus." Her throat tightened, almost making it difficult to speak. "Please..."

He stared down at her, his pupils shrinking, nostrils flaring, his expression unreadable. Before she could finish her sentence, it was like watching him suddenly shut himself off from her. She hadn't even said anything yet. Did he guess what she was going to say?

He released her, setting her on her feet and backing away, no longer touching her. "I didn't think you would come looking for us.” He turned and peered over to a stone monolith nearby. "Xeda."

Confused, she followed his gaze and saw Xeda standing in the shadow of the tall rock a few yards away. He stepped out from shadows and glared at them both.

"We wondered where you were. We expected you sooner." He made no indication that he had seen anything between them, though his eyes lingered on them both suspiciously. "I figured I would scout out how far you might be." He took another step towards them, his tail flicking behind him. "I take it you must have gotten," he looked over at her, "distracted."

Vrexus watched him for a moment, then he stepped away from Lee, not glancing in her direction. He tilted his head in a shrug, smiling smugly. "I admit it got boring. The woman entertained me. She also caused me quite a bit of headache."

She knew what he was doing. She pretended to look afraid and angry, so Xeda didn't suspect more than he already did.

The creepy-eyed vrisha snorted. "I'll bet. So did the others. A few had to be put to heel."

Lee's stomach turned at the thought. "What did you do?"

He bared his teeth at her. "They're not dead, but they'll wish they were soon enough." He turned back to Vrexus. "And there's more. After you went hunting for her, we came across our own set of problems."

"Tell me." Vrexus began to walk. Lee didn't move at first until he turned and peered back at her, silently asking her to follow. She didn't see any more of the Vrexus from before. He had hidden that part of himself now.

Because no one could know what he'd done.

The thought made her heart sink, but she knew he must also be doing it to protect her. He had to be. She followed reluctantly, knowing if she didn't, she'd be back over his shoulder.

Back to the beginning.

They left the ruins as the sun sank away, and she felt now was the time for her to finally come back to reality. To forget what had happened between them. She had stopped fighting, but he hadn't stopped in his mission. And she felt like an utter fool for believing he would.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Vrexus

He stayed close to Xeda, always making sure he was between the warrior and Fire-eyes. She called herself Elle, but he still felt a soft spot for the nickname and referred to it only now in his head. They didn't speak to each other, and he didn't dare touch her lest Xeda see more than he should. He wasn't ready to reveal he'd claimed Fire-eyes for himself because he knew it would make her a target and would put a lot of unnecessary heat on him from the others. He still expected her to be under his care no matter what, but he didn't need to reveal his intentions until he'd completed his task and fulfilled orders.

Xeda didn't say a word about anything he might have seen between them which, to Vrexus, meant he hadn't seen much of anything, and that was good. Xeda was always the most outspoken and blunt of the group, so if he had caught them in an intimate moment, Vrexus wouldn't hear the end of it.

While they walked, nearing the end of the mountains, Xeda told him about the problems they'd come across while he was gone. When flying the ship to the nightburn city, another luma attack occurred. They were able to take the luma ships down, but in the process, the luma had found a way to pierce the side of the ship, damaging part of the engine and electrical shields. Within the same time period, a solar storm hit. What should be no concern at all became instead a bigger issue since the shields were broken, thus damaging even more of the controls. Miraculously, they put the ship into emergency mode and were forced to fly low and at half the speed. They eventually made it to the nightburn where Reyth and Syrus had been working on repairs. Xeda swore they were almost done but still needed one more night in the city to run tests. For all they knew, the queen could be half a world away, and if they couldn't fly the ship higher than the tops of trees or faster than a seaship, then it was going to be a much longer, more frustrating journey.

Vrexus agreed he would rather wait a few more days in the city than attempt to fly a half-broken ship. But even he was growing on edge. He had been stalled for far longer than expected.

Once they finally made it to the end of the mountains, he saw beyond the valley, down a wide hill, a vast emptiness, part plains and part desert, with nothing but a weaving river in the distance. Along the river, Vrexus caught the lights of the city. The buildings were dark in structure and wider, with only a set of towers along the surrounding wall. It was more closely packed together than the silver city, but he could see by the energy used for lighting the paths and the walls that the nightburn were a more advanced tribe than those he had come across on their journey here. But unlike the other elite tribes, the nightburn were aiding Queen Theda, or so he was told. He was curious as to how she had persuaded them but would be cautious of their motives regardless.

As they stood ready to make their way down the rocky hillside toward the city, Fire-eyes came up beside him. She didn't look at him as she stared down at the city below. While Xeda was starting to make his way down, focusing on leaping from one rock to the next, Vrexus tried to sneak a comforting touch. But as soon as his tail brushed against her, Fire-eyes moved away. She started to climb down, carefully making her way across without a word to him. He could sense the tension in her growing. That fiery resolve returning.

He watched her, annoyed now that Xeda had found them so soon. Wishing he had the chance to bury himself in her again before making it to the city, where many eyes would now be on them.

Crossing the dry fields after was easy. Still, Xeda complained they were too slow, and he should carry Fire-eyes, which Vrexus refused.

"I've carried her long enough. She can walk on her own," was all he was willing to say. He caught Fire-eyes’ glance, and she seemed to appreciate it. When they reached the gate, the luma guarding it didn't hesitate to open it for them. As the doors swung inward, they entered into the narrow streets with homes stacked on either side, made of dark stone like the mountains behind them. Colorful banners flapped above them and red lanterns lit their way. Xeda took the lead, knowing his way along the path which would take them to the city's capital. The luma watched them pass in the shadow of their doorways. They didn't seem to appreciate their presence like he expected. They cowered from them just like the villagers he’d encountered before.

He ignored them anyway, keeping an eye on Fire-eyes behind him to make sure none of the city-dwellers tried to grab her. Thankfully, it didn't take long to make it to the city's center, where the overseer's sanctum was barricaded by its own small set of gates. They passed through just as easily and entered into a large, open space surrounded by a low wall where, to one side, sat their ship.

"This way," Xeda called. He started for one of the buildings that stretched across one side, where luma in dark robes walked along a path beside a row of pillars. Beyond the path was a doorway. They followed Xeda inside, stepping into a long, arched room with a high roof. Furniture had been pushed to the walls, including a long table at the very back. In the middle, on soft mats, the rest of the alliance members sat.

When they entered, the group lifted their heads. Once they spotted Fire-eyes behind him, they cried out in excitement. A few of them stood up, and one of the women came rushing forward. Fire-eyes brushed beside him to meet the woman. They embraced, the dark-haired woman’s eyes beginning to water. Xeda hissed at the others to sit down. They all did except for one. The nillium. When the dark-haired woman had released Fire-eyes from her hold, the nillium took a step forward, ready to take Fire-eyes into his arms. Vrexus moved to block him, a growl choking in his throat. He was stopped, however, by the glare Fire-eyes gave him. She embraced the nillium, and it took nearly all of Vrexus' will not to pull her away. He especially didn't like how the nillium nuzzled her hair. He kept his hands behind his back so as not to lash out, though they were itching for a fight. He would have if not for Fire-eyes stopping him with that one look which told him she would hate him if he did.

The nillium released her and brought her over to the others. They touched her arms and patted her back, as if welcoming a friend home. Vrexus noticed a few had injuries, one had his arm wrapped in a sling while others had been bandaged up, likely by the luma. The nillium had several smatterings of bruises on his face and long slashes on his arms. Vrexus had a feeling he had been one of those Xeda mentioned about needing to be put to heel. He imagined the golden beast had fought to get free, so he could go after Fire-eyes. He could tell there was some affection there. He had noticed it before. He was able to ignore it then but no longer. He stalked around the group as they made space for Fire-eyes to sit before pelting her with questions.

"Where did you go?" one asked.

"How did you escape?" asked another.

"Did he hurt you?" asked the nillium, glaring over at him. Vrexus nearly flashed his teeth at him when Xeda tapped his arm.

"They are safe here," he said. "You should come see the ship."

He was reluctant to leave. To have Fire-eyes out of his sight. He watched her for a second longer as she answered them, forgetting he was there. He scratched at his chest, another kind of ache beginning to fester there, before turning away.

As they headed back for the ship, they were met by a pair of luma elders. They bowed their heads at him, but he caught a whiff of fear and apprehension. They didn't appear happy that he and his pack were here.

"Where is your overseer?" Vrexus asked.

"Not here, Great-one," said one elder, hardly able to keep his gaze.

"Why not?"

They seemed surprised, as if he should know. "She is with your queen."

Interesting. He didn't stop to wonder about it. "Who is in charge of the city?"

"We both are, currently," the elder said. Unlike the other tribes, these luma had a tinge of blue to their skin and black feelers. Their eyes were milkier in color, unlike the tribes before whose eyes were jet black. "I am second in sight, and he is third." He motioned to the one beside him.

"Take care that nothing happens to those inside your sanctum," Vrexus said.

They bowed again. "We will do what we can."

He passed by them and headed for the ship. Inside, he found Reyth and Syrus, one working at the controls, another in the engine's hatch. They stopped what they were doing to greet him.

"A few more repairs are needed," Reyth explained. "Then a few tests." He threw one of his tools aside. "If we had a few dirra with us, we would be gone as soon as you arrived but our skills are lacking. We’re fighters, not mechanics.”

“I’m confident you can make it happen.” Vrexus slipped over to the control panel, specifically the call system. “Are we still able to make and receive transmissions?”

“Not a problem,” Syrus said.

Good. That was what really mattered.

“I spoke to the queen,” Xeda said, beside him. "She said as soon as the ship is ready, she will send her coordinates."

"And no signs of the silver tribe?" Vrexus said.

"We lost them after the last attack," Syrus answered. "They were disposed of before they could see what direction we had gone. There was a small storm that helped hide us from sight for a while before we finally reached the city.”

“And yet we leave our ship out in the open like this?” Maybe in the dark it didn’t matter, but come morning, anyone could see it from up high.

"The elders were contacted by the silver tribe, and we watched as they told them they hadn't seen our ship," Xeda explained. "They won't be coming this way. And all ships that are not the nightburns’ are prohibited from flying over or around the city and will be shot down immediately, save for ours."

It was good enough for him then. They were close now, and the sooner they repaired the ship, the sooner they would know where the queen was.

"I'm going back to the others," Vrexus said, turning for the door. "Report to me when it's done." He exited the ship and noticed Xeda following behind him.

"So, are you going to tell me what happened?" he asked as they stepped off the landing.

Vrexus didn't look back at him as he crossed the yard. "Do you really want to know?"

"I'm curious how much torture it was for you to be alone with one of them. Maybe it will make me feel better after having to deal with all the others by myself."

"Reyth and Syrus didn't help you?"

"They were busy with the ship. I was forced to play caretaker."

"It must have pained you."

"Far worse than you, from what I saw."

Vrexus stopped. He let Xeda get around him, blocking his way to the building. Vrexus' eyes narrowed on him. "And what do you think you saw?"

Xeda flicked his tail, tilting his head. "You didn't look too annoyed to have her around you, that was for certain. In fact, I'd say you looked the opposite. Tell me she didn't make you soft, did she?"

Vrexus’ face twisted. "You don't know what you're talking about."

"I've heard the stories about those who get a taste for human and not in the eating them for a snack kind of way," Xeda said.

Vrexus circled him, his mouth twitching. "And what if I have? What are you going to do about it? You think I can't finish what I started here?"

"Not if you've let one of them get to you. The queen will have your hide. You already crossed a line saying you'll have the human's life when we both know it belongs to the queen." Xeda started to circle him as well, and Vrexus could see in his stance he was ready for a fight.

"It was a fair bet. And whatever I do with the human is none of the queen's concern."

Xeda bared his teeth. "You'll never convince her of that. You really have let that female get to your head. You, of all, I thought was stronger than that. I can't wait to see her strip you of your title and your skin."

Vrexus laughed, pretending it didn't affect him. "Don't be so sure, Xeda. You underestimate me."

"Do I?" His eyes narrowed, likely contemplating whether to test him on that. His gaze drifted over Vrexus' shoulder to the building.

"Yes. And nothing in your mud-filled brain is true about me and her, so let it go. She was and is a plaything and nothing more. If the queen would allow me a pet, what harm does it cause you? If you’re jealous take one for yourself."

Xeda studied him for a moment, attempting to see through his lie, one Vrexus could fully admit to. If Xeda knew his true feelings, he might try to harm her out of spite.

When he gave nothing away, Xeda snorted and took a step back, relaxing his stance. Vrexus took that as a sign they were done talking about it for now, though he suspected Xeda wouldn't let it go so easily. He turned and made for the building, feeling the warrior's glare at his back.

* * *

The nightburn elders kept to their word, placing guards to watch the alliance members when Vrexus and the others couldn't. They also kept them well fed and had offered them rooms to sleep when they had first arrived. Xeda had refused at the time, wanting to keep them together, so they remained in the central room, sleeping on the soft mats.

Vrexus let them remain, agreeing it was better they weren't separated. But a part of him would have considered the rooms if it meant getting Fire-eyes alone. Since reuniting with her group, she'd been keen to stay close by them. Whenever he would check on them, he'd find them sometimes spread around the room but always Fire-eyes was near to one or another, never on her own.

It wasn't like he expected her to greet him. But he hoped to catch her gaze. Even on their first night, he was itching to pull her from the group and find a den somewhere, impatient to continue what they’d started in the ruins.

He watched them sleep—watched her sleep, rather—for a time before returning to deal with the ship. At daybreak, he checked on them again and found the luma setting out food. Some of the group were just waking, while others spoke softly to each other. He caught Fire-eyes lying on the mat nearby. She opened her eyes, then sat up. She peered around, as if searching for someone, then stopped when she noticed him near the doorway. Her face turned a shade of pink, her eyes burning into him as he stared back at her. He understood what that look meant now, and it made him grow tense, producing an almost painful heat between his thighs. He was on edge for the remainder of the day, trying to force his concentration elsewhere. He helped his pack run tests on the ship and fix a few other lingering issues. Hours passed and still the heat gnawed at him. The others could see he was irritable but couldn't guess why.

A little past midday, the elders asked to allow the alliance members outside as they claimed the group was growing restless. Vrexus allowed it, learning Xeda had kept them mostly inside while he was in charge. Those who could scale the walls had their hands tied while the rest—the humans mostly—were free to roam within the yard without being bound.

As he checked around the hull of the ship for any hidden damage, he spotted Fire-eyes walking nearby with the nillium. They were alone as they strolled along one wall, talking low enough for him not to hear. He stilled as he saw them, feeling like someone or something had stung him in the center of his chest. She looked up at the nillium without fear or resentment, as if he were a close friend. Maybe they were. He had no way of knowing what their relationship had been before he'd taken her. It also occurred to him that they may have even been courting each other before he had stepped in. The nillium certainly showed interest in her, the way his eyes lingered on her when she wasn't looking.

A possessive instinct almost made him step out from the ship to meet them. He should make it clear to the nillium now who had already claimed her. Xeda could go eat sand for all he cared, as could the others if they overheard and had a problem with it.

But he couldn't seem to move even as they drew closer. His instinct told him to make his claim known, but his less feral, more logical side told him to wait to reveal anything till the mission was done. She was still vulnerable and would be even more so if he announced his claim on her. Xeda had already proved he'd cause him trouble, and he couldn't watch her every second. He knew his pack would think her a distraction. And she was. And distractions had to be dealt with.

Which meant he'd have to kill them to protect her. It was a mess he couldn't afford to make, not when they were so close.

He let them go, even if it tore him apart to do it. They started to make for the building again, then stopped, Fire-eyes turning to face the nillium fully. She tilted her head up to him, meeting his eyes. He must have said something she liked because she smiled, then laughed.

The sting in his chest turned into a piercing pain, like being stabbed with a blade. He didn't know why at first until he realized it was because he'd never seen her look at him that way. She'd never smiled or laughed like that toward him.

And how could you have expected her to, you idiot? his inner voice snapped. You abducted her and scared her. Did you expect her to be grateful?

He didn't much care for the voice's blunt honesty, but he couldn't ignore how right it was. Still, a storm began to stir in him. He watched them go, unclasping his fists, forcing his tail to stop weaving angrily. Now he was even more tense. Anger and hunger for his woman turned his insides.

He worked on the ship till the sun began to set. One test came back a failure, meaning they had to rework what they thought had been fixed. He too began to wish the queen had given them a crewman, but she hadn't, so they would have to work with what they could. When night fell, he let the others continue working while he went to check on the group, finding them in the center room in the middle of dinner. They grew silent as he walked past them. Without thinking, he stopped and stood close to where Fire-eyes sat by the dark-haired woman. She didn't seem to notice him at first until her friend whispered in her ear. She went rigid and slowly let her eyes drift up to him. He thought about saying something, anything, when he felt a presence behind him. He twisted around and saw the elders. Beside them were three luma women, one dressed significantly better than the rest, her robes threaded with jewels.

"Forgive me, Great-one if we disturb you," said the second in sight. "This is one of the overseer's sisters and two cousins."

They bowed, and the jeweled woman approached him first. "I am Ilonna. The others are Lusa and Nesma."

He looked between them, confused. "What do you want?"

The elders glanced at each other, but Ilonna only smiled. "The nightburn tribe reveres you greatly. Queen Theda has been very...persuasive. She knows how difficult this journey has been, and so do we. She understands one’s need for entertainment and for those who can be of service to the great vrisha."

He stared at her, hoping she wasn't implying what he was thinking.

"The queen wishes to gift you," the third in sight continued when he stood there without a word. "We offer these great ladies to be in your personal service and thank you for your mercy."

His lip twitched. llonna stepped closer, holding her smile, even when he could smell her fear, nearly choking him, and see the silent terror in her eyes. She reached a hand and touched his arm as casually as possible, even if he was the only one to feel it tremble. "We will serve you in all things," she said, with a steady voice. "Whatever you desire."

She must have seen the rage in his eyes because she quickly let her hand fall from him, a small whimper escaping her. Vrexus glanced downward and saw the group looking anywhere but at him. Only Fire-eyes dared meet his gaze, but she too quickly looked away, her face going pink yet again.

He swept by the woman without a thought. They let him pass as he marched out of the room and into the yard.

Reyth and Syrus were talking with Xeda outside. Xeda turned as he approached and was about to speak when Vrexus grabbed him by the throat and hauled him up, smashing him against the side of the ship. Reyth and Syrus looked ready to interfere when Vrexus snarled at them to get back. They did as he commanded, leaving them alone.

"What did you say to her?" Vrexus hissed. "To the queen, what did you tell her?"

Xeda bared his teeth at him, looking just as ready to kill. "Just what you told me. You wanted a human for a pet. And just as I predicted, she refused." He started to laugh, and Vrexus tightened his grip around his throat, almost crushing. “But she didn’t want to upset her precious future predomis, so she offered up the luma instead. Whatever sway you thought you had on the queen, you were wrong. The humans and the alliance are hers for the taking. Including your little human."

Vrexus bared his teeth, a growl tearing up his throat. He thought about killing Xeda right there when a far better idea came to him. He released the warrior and backed away.

"Then I guess there's no convincing her," he said, almost indifferently. But there were other, better ways to get what he wanted.

He left Xeda without a second glance and climbed back into the ship, ready to spend the rest of the night fixing it if he had to, until the tests were successful.

* * *

"A fight has broken out between the members," Reyth said, appearing at the door of the ship. Vrexus turned his focus away from the controls—what he felt like he'd been staring at for hours—to look over at him.

"Which ones?" he asked, his body going rigid, ready to bolt out of the ship if someone had harmed Fire-eyes.

Reth looked at him funny as if to say 'does it matter?'. "A few males. A female did get involved. Syrus is trying to stifle it now."

He leapt from the seat and moved out of the ship, going straight toward the building opposite.

He could hear shouts and cries coming from the doorway. When he entered, he found Syrus attempting to remove one male from the brawl in the center. He immediately searched for Fire-eyes and found her back against one wall with her dark-haired friend beside her, the nillium shielding them both. Xeda was there as well, but he didn't move to stop the fight, he only watched near another door, his eyes alight with amusement.

Vrexus would have found it amusing several days ago perhaps, but he was still on edge —especially seeing Fire-eyes being protected by that golden bastard—and after his fight with Xeda, he was near to tearing someone limb from limb. One guttural roar from his mouth had the group nearly jumping out of their skin, stopping the fight immediately in its tracks.

"Get out, the lot of you," he hissed. He turned to his packmates. "Xeda, Syrus, separate and watch them."

They did as ordered, and the group started to file out without protest. Fire-eyes lingered behind the rest. Before she could exit with the others, he caught the back of her collar and pulled her to him. Her dark-haired friend who'd been beside her turned on him.

"It wasn't her! She didn't do anything, it was—"

"Go," he commanded.

The woman looked to Fire-eyes, who nodded her head. "It's all right. I'll be okay, go on."

The woman was hesitant. She glanced back at him with a sneer. "You're just a bully." She turned and left, leaving them alone.

Vrexus grasped the back of her neck and led her to a door to one side. She didn't protest or struggle as he brought her into a dimly lit hallway.

"It really wasn't me this time," she said softly as they walked. "If anything, I tried to calm them down, but there was no stopping the brawl. They had a right to be mad. They're scared and desperate..."

He listened as he peered through each doorway they came across. When he found an empty room, he steered her inside. He shut the door with his tail and brought her farther in, near a long, glossy table. The room appeared to be some sort of workroom, with tools and storage shelves and little else.

"... and Samual made a mistake and lost his composure. You can't blame them for getting upset—are you even listening?"

He wiped away what items were left on the table, then positioned her at its edge. She looked up at him, confused at first, then her eyes widened in realization.

"Someone might see," she said, flushed.

"I don't care," he answered. He tugged her pants off, nearly tearing them down her legs, then bent her forward, over the tabletop. A small noise between a whimper and a moan escaped her, and it made him shudder. He untied his own clothes and let them slide down enough to expose his scaly sheath. As soon as he was free, his cock slid out, hard and painful. Gritting his teeth, he pinned her hips, locking his arms on either side. Then, without hesitation, he pressed himself against her backside and slipped inside her, feeling her incredible warmth engulfing him.

A violent hiss escaped between his teeth and quickly turned into a groan. Fire-eyes arched her back, crying out from the invasion, her hands clawing at the table. He moved on her, slow at first, sliding out, then slamming back to bury himself farther. Her moans grew louder with each thrust. He could hear her heart racing as if it were his own, could feel her body tensing against him. He didn't change his pace even if she writhed under him, moving her hips in hopes he'd move faster. He leaned forward and bit her shoulder, tasting her sweet, soft flesh, feeling her shiver against his mouth.

"They'll notice we're gone," she said, breathless. "We...we shouldn't."

He released her shoulder. "Would you have me stop now?"

She didn't say no, she only trembled beneath him. He grazed his mouth against the shell of her ear. "Tell me you've ached for this like I have." He slid from her even slower. "Do you know how I suffered, watching you and not being able to take you every second? Having to see you with that nillium." He growled, slamming back in. She gasped, throwing her head back. He thought he heard her whisper something, but he didn't catch it.

"What?" he asked, feeling close to losing it.

"Please..." She tried to move her hips.

He kept her in place. "Then tell me," he said. "Tell me the truth." He would take it, even if it broke him.

She seemed to struggle with the words, as if it were hard for her to admit them. "I've ached for this too..." she said, so soft he almost didn't hear her. He closed his eyes, his chest swelling.

He moved faster, leaning forward till his chest pressed against her back, his teeth on her throat nearly breaking the skin. He felt her tighten and shatter under him, her mouth clamped shut to stifle a scream. A snarl tore from his throat as he spilled into her, his claws digging deep gashes into the tabletop. He saw stars for a mere second and dropped his weight, just enough not to crush her, letting the high consume him for however long it took. Wave upon wave hit him, and he rode them just as she did her own.

As he calmed down and caught his breath, his mind began to clear. She had confessed a second time to wanting him, and that made him want to roar with joy. He brought his arms around her, hugging her to him, burying his face in her hair.

He held her there, feeling the rise and fall of her body underneath him, the tiny pattering of her heart. He would have held her like that for the rest of the night, but he knew in the end someone really would come looking, and they really shouldn't be caught. When she started to move, to push him off, he forced his body up and carefully unlatched himself from her.

As she straightened, he moved back, pulling up and fixing his clothes before moving for the door. He opened it enough to peer out, shielding Fire-eyes with his body. When a luma servant walked by, he nearly scared them to death.

“Find a clean rag and bring it to me,” he ordered. The luma rushed off, and he shut the door, turning back to her. She was facing him, covering herself with some thin sheet of silky material she must have found on one of the shelves. She leaned against the table's edge, staring at him, her face still flushed.

He moved for her, placing his hands on either side of the table while he nuzzled the curve of her neck.

"I don't expect us to find many chances to be alone after this," he said against her shoulder.

"You mean after taking us to your queen."

He rose his head to lock eyes with hers. She looked upset. She pushed him away with her hand, and he hardly budged. "Or you could stop this now," she continued. "You could take us back to the silver city as soon as the ship is ready."

He fixed her with a sorry expression. "I can't do that."

"Why?"

He straightened, peering down at her. "Besides my packmates stopping me from doing so..."

"You could fight them."

"I can't," he said. "I need to get to the queen." He took hold of her arms to keep her from turning from him in disgust. "Nothing will happen to you."

She shook his hands off. "You can't seriously promise that. And what about the others? Are they just going to suffer while you attempt to protect me? Do you expect me to be okay with that? To watch them be tortured or to die? Get real, Vrexus," she snapped. "This was always about you. About what you wanted. If it weren't for whatever this is between us, you wouldn't even care."

He didn't know what to say. He wanted to tell her that wasn't true, but he couldn't be sure. In the beginning, it had always been about the mission and nothing else. But Fire-eyes had complicated things. She had won in not only stalling him but shaking his resolve and warping his ideals and his desires. She had placed herself at the forefront of everything, and he knew if it were even possible for him to take her back to the silver city, he was sure he would never see her again. If his packmates didn't kill him first, the luma would or at least imprison him. She would return wherever she had come from, worlds away, with no contact between them. And he couldn't bear that.

Now that he knew Queen Theda wouldn't let him have her either, he only saw one other option, and it was now his one and only goal. But to complete it, to have a chance of her being by his side, they had to go to the queen.

"I do care now," he said. "All this will end soon."

"End with us," she said. He stilled as he watched her carefully.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"I mean I can't do this anymore," she said. "I should never have given in. Even now, the guilt is ripping at me." She glared at him, her face twisting. "What we have should never be. Because you are...are a bad person. And you can't make this right. I don't even know if you want to."

Her eyes began to water, and he knew it was an emotional thing. She was hurt.

To reveal anything and compromise the mission now could be disastrous. If the queen found a way to get information from her...

He almost thought 'to hell with it,' but he feared putting her in more danger. Before he got a chance to decide, the door opened, and two luma were standing there, the servant with a rag in his hand and one of the luma elders. They gasped, staring at them.

"Your rag," the servant said, holding it out uncertainly. Vrexus took it and offered it to Fire-eyes, who snatched it away. Vrexus blocked their sight as she cleaned herself and put her clothes back on.

"Great-one..." the elder started, trying to look him in the eye and nowhere else. "I've been sent to tell you that the ship is ready. The others are preparing to leave."

Great timing, as always. He knew he should be relieved, but instead, he was irritated. If only they had more time.

He wanted to tell the luma to give him and Fire-eyes a minute longer, but Fire-eyes was already sweeping past him.

He thought to catch her, but he knew it would only upset her more. He passed by the luma without another word to follow behind her.

When they made it outside, Reyth and Syrus were already directing the group onto the ship. Fire-eyes glanced at him one last time, pleading silently. There was nothing now he could say. The look she gave him was like a blade to the heart. She turned her back on him and placed herself with the others.

Vrexus stood there for a moment, watching her go. His hands curled into fists, and the heat of his need returned. He took a step, then started for the ship. He slipped by the others to enter inside, finding Xeda at the controls.

"I've got it from here," Vrexus told him.

Xeda gave him a sly, suspicious sort of look but didn't protest. He rose from the seat and let Vrexus take his place at the helm, leaving to check on the others and make sure everything was secure.

Vrexus sat there for a moment thinking about that last moment between him and Fire-eyes. He hadn't said anything, hadn't been able to comfort her. He admitted even he didn't know what they were flying into. But he knew she and the others weren't going to their deaths. If the queen wanted them dead, she would have asked him to kill them in the city. She wanted them alive, which meant she had plans for them. It seemed a little dramatic for her to only want to torture them, but he couldn't be sure. Either way, she wouldn't have much time to do so if he could help it.

He reached over and pressed on the call system, then tapped along the dash until a screen jumped out before him, spreading across the window. He sent out his signal and waited for it to be received. When it went through, Queen Theda appeared.

"Vrexus," she cooed. "Took you longer than I expected. Are you finally ready to come to me?"

"Yes," he said. "The members are all here, and the ship is ready."

"Good. I'll send my coordinates now. I expect you to be here by tonight. No more delays." She disappeared, the screen going black, then dissolving until it was only the window again before him.

His hands tightened on the steering controls. Oh, there would be no delays. He was coming for her.

He might not have been able to tell Fire-eyes everything he had wanted. But he would prove it to her in time. And she would see what he planned to do was now all for her.

Making sure none of the pack were watching, he slipped in another message to Queen Serxis and sent her the coordinates Queen Theda had just sent to him. It would take some time for Queen Serxis to gather warriors and have them reach the hidden haven. He would have to bide his time until they did. And after...after, he would get everything he wanted and more.

CHAPTER TWENTY

Lee

They huddled close together, hardly saying a word. The lights of the ship were dimmed down to a deep red, the only sound that of the soft hum coming from below. The ship trembled every so often, the only indication they were moving at all since there were no windows in the room. They were moving fast though, she knew. She could imagine the landmarks they passed over in such a short span of time. Places that would have taken them days to walk now only took minutes.

While Vrexus piloted the ship and Xeda took to watching him, the other two sat quietly nearby to guard them, their evil silhouettes blocking most of their sight of the lone window at the very front. It was dark out anyway, nothing to see but a sheet of grayish mist and the black of night.

A few in the group whispered to each other, soft words of comfort, trying to hold on to that last bit of hope. Even she could feel the fear engulfing them like a heavy sheet. The moment had come for them to meet the mad queen. And they knew how their fate must end.

Lee, stuck at the back wall of the ship, huddled close to herself, knees to her chest, her hair hiding her face. She couldn't describe the feelings raging in her, but none of them were pleasant. She felt like it was all her fault even though it wasn't. She'd let herself become vulnerable, thinking Vrexus might change, thinking he would save her—save them—not doom them all. How could she have been so stupid? She wanted to scream, to hit the wall. She wanted to fling herself past the vrisha guarding them and fight Vrexus, making him lose control of the ship, letting it crash and burn with all of them inside. It would be a better death, wouldn't it? Better than being given over to the enemy. Then her shame and heartbreak could burn away too. No one would ever learn of her secret at least. Her weakness to a wicked alien.

She must have made a soft noise of anguish because she felt a large body shift close to her, then the warmth of an arm wrapping around her. She looked up and saw Azeon beside her, looking down at her with his sharp eyes.

He tried to smile at her in a half attempt to comfort, and she felt sorry she couldn't return the favor.

"Hard to believe we were on a different ship only some several days ago," he said quietly. "A one-day trip, one night of celebrating. Then we were meant to go home.”

She knew he was just talking to distract her, but she didn't mind. She listened intently, watching the others.

"I know there's nothing about this that is good," he continued. "I regret that I couldn't have done more. I wish I had been stronger."

She closed her eyes, then opened them slowly. She was sure they all wished that. She knew it was how she felt as well.

"I also regret that I couldn't protect the others...couldn't have protected you better," he said.

She turned her head to look up at him. She knew he had a soft spot for her and she was sorry she couldn't feel the same. He was a good man, and he deserved better.

"But at least I got these moments with you. And I will cherish them." His eyes turned downward, and she could almost see the pain there. “Like I did those times before, no matter how small. The talks, the meetings, the parties, all of it.” His arm tightened around her. “I’m glad to be near you now, Elle.”

She stiffened in his hold. She’d been playing the role of her sister for so long she hadn’t even realized. He was in love with Elle. He’d known her from other alliance gatherings, and he must have had feelings for her for a while. It explained why he had kept close.

Now that she knew, she felt even more sorry for him. A part of her thought she should tell him the truth, but maybe it was nicer for him to die believing she really was her sister. To give at least that last moment of happiness.

His gaze turned back to her. “But it’s not like my kind to give up as I’m sure it isn’t for yours. I don’t want this to be it. Not for you. I’m happy to die honorably. And maybe with this last chance…I can die knowing you'll be safe."

She frowned up at him. "What are you saying?"

He turned his head to watch the others, as if afraid to look at her. "When we land, I'm going to challenge the queen. I'm the only one here strong enough to. I will ensure that if I win, you and the others get to go free."

She gaped at him, knowing he was serious but thinking him crazy all the same.

"No," she said in a low voice. "Azeon, you don't have to—"

"But I want to," he said, looking back at her. "For you. I'm going to fight her."

She could see there was no getting through to him. But it didn't have to be this way.

The ship trembled then started to slow and she could feel in the pit of her stomach that they were descending. From the bit of window that she could see, she caught sparks flying across the pane. A soft orange glow was radiating from the ground, as if they really were dropping into hell itself. The ship slowed to a crawl, then landed with hardly a jolt. From the ground, she saw fire. Fire everywhere.

The doors opened, and the vrisha immediately began snapping for them to rise. A wave of heat hit her as she stood, almost choking her. They started to lead them out, and for a panicked second, she thought they were going to be walking on the fiery earth. From the ramp, she could see, however, a landing yard and a path. As she stepped on to the stone, her sandals didn't melt, and her feet didn't burn.

The group waited beside the ship for the vrisha pack to power the vessel down and take them onward. Around the ship were endless black and red fields of rock with little pits of fire and steam billowing into the air. They looked around in awe, until they saw what lay ahead of them and froze.

Lee thought she was looking at a set of ancient ruins, but in reality, it was a decaying city. A crumbling set of buildings against a dark mountainside. But that wasn't what made her grow still like the others. It was what engulfed the city and part of the mountain entirely.

"It looks covered in invasive plants," Alice said, beside her.

"It looks like the same kind of species we saw in the jungle and around the silver city," someone mumbled behind her.

The dark vines wrapped around the stone, bursting from windows, doorways, and cracks. Even from where they stood, Lee saw a few move along the roofs of lengthy structures, curling in on themselves.

They cringed away, but Reyth and Syrus—now out of the ship—snapped at them to start moving. Xeda shoved a few foward while Vrexus stalked between them to take the lead. His eyes caught hers as he passed, and her heart leapt. She glanced away, refusing to look at him.

The group followed reluctantly. They passed through a narrow archway where vines dangled from above. The dark purple and violet stems seemed to reach out to them as they walked by.

Inside the city, it was hard to make out which building was what as the vines had covered nearly everything, connecting to each other from one structure to the next. It seemed impossible for the plants to be growing in such an environment, yet somehow, they were thriving.

Eventually, the group came to a set of wide stairs leading to what once must have been the city's sanctum. They climbed, and when they reached the top, they could see out across the valley of fire. The heat of the fires blew up in a gust of wind.

At the door, two vrisha stood guard. When Vrexus approached, they moved, pushing the door aside, allowing them to enter.

The inside looked almost identical to the outside, the monstrous plants spread across every wall and ceiling. Lanterns that once hung above were now tangled in the web of vines, their light flickering, almost swallowed up by the darkness the plants created.

The darkness made many cower back, but the vrisha pushed them on. They let the dark passage swallow them, the shadows making the plants look like they slithered and coiled like snakes along the walls. A few jumped or shrieked when the vines touched them, attempting to curl around their legs.

Lee, who stuck close to the back, saw a flicker of light at the end. As they passed through the last set of vines hanging over the doorway like a curtain, they entered into the central chamber.

The first thing she noticed was the other vrisha. They were everywhere, standing near the walls or by the numerous doorways. They reminded her of wasps in their hive. And like insects, they hung close to their queen, who was seated at the back of the room.

The queen would have been the center of everyone's attention if not for what lay just behind her. The giant mouth of a large, carnivorous-looking plant, shaped like a flower hung just above where she sat. From its mouth, bioluminous sap trickled down its leaves and dripped onto the ground.

The queen sat, cool and collected, unphased by the horrifying flower drooling above her which, Lee now realized, was the main source of the plants around them, its roots and stems given the chance to corrupt every part of the city.

As they were all gathered into the room, the last thing Lee noticed was the luma. They sat close to the queen with their heads bowed. They looked just like the nightburn tribe, with milky eyes and bluish skin. Many, she noticed, were young, mostly children. The few who were older kept close to them. One luma in particular, wearing black and silver robes, stood beside the queen. She couldn't be sure, but Lee guessed she was the overseer of the nightburn, absent from their city.

Vrexus moved to the center as his pack pushed her and the others closer, bringing them into the little light that came from the lanterns high above. The queen watched him closely, her head held high in a smug fashion. She wore gems of red around her neck and gold chains in her long slender horns. She also had on a set of armor like the kind Vrexus and his pack wore. Lee could admit she was intimidating. If Lee didn't hate the red bitch so much already, she might have been impressed.

"Vrexus," she purred, her pinkish-red eyes studying him intimately. "You finally made it. I was beginning to think you weren't up to the task after all, it took you so long."

Vrexus bowed his head. It made Lee feel sick to watch him, knowing everything they'd done and yet he still gave himself to the mad queen. If the queen knew what they shared, Lee could imagine her rage. But Lee was sure Vrexus would take it to his grave. That thought made her heart sink like lead, making her feel even more sick. She wanted to turn away in disgust and despair, but she couldn't stop watching.

"There were delays that couldn't be foreseen," he said. "But I'm here now."

"That you are." Her fangs slipped from her upper lip, as if to smile. "You proved yourself well enough." She leaned forward, her tail flicking to one side. "The deal is set then. Once I finish with these lesserkin, I'll make you my predomis." She gestured to the pack to bring Lee and the others forward. "And I think now is a perfect time to extract what I need from them."

Lee was led into the center and pushed down to her knees along with the rest. A few cried out, begging to not be killed. Samual stood, struggling in the grip Reyth had on him.

"Please, I will tell you anything you want to know," he shouted in desperation. "I've got secrets about the alliance. Travel routes, Grayhart labs. I'll tell you anything you want to know. I'll work for you, get you anything you need. Just...fuck, please don't kill me!"

The queen hissed with laughter as Reyth shoved him back down. "Oh, you will tell me everything, make no mistake. But I won't need your loyalty to do it."

"Torturing us won't get you answers," Nathan snapped. "We'll die before we tell you anything."

"No. Neither will I need to resort to that." The queen rose from her seat and looked to the nightburn overseer. The overseer then looked to the children who each rose and nervously made their way over to them. "The luma will scour your minds for the information I require," the queen explained. "Once I have what I seek, you won't be of any more use."

Lee watched the small luma girl come up beside her. She looked just as frightened as Lee felt. All of the nightburn looked reluctant to follow the queen's orders. One boy reached out to touch the head of a member who swiped at him in anger. The boy backed away with a cry and started to run when a vrisha caught him, gripping him by the neck.

The overseer took a step forward, and the queen halted her. "Remember, Linora, what I'll do to them if they disobey." The queen gestured to her soldier who began to tighten his grip on the boy, his tail coming up to touch at the boy's neck.

The overseer trembled. "It's all right, Imar."

The boy struggled in the vrisha's grip, and he released him. Head bowed, the boy returned to stand just out of the member's reach.

The vrisha began to take hold of those who wouldn't stay put or tried to attack the children who reached out to touch them. Before they could get a hold of Azeon, he rose up and took a step toward the queen. A few soldiers immediately went to block him.

"I challenge you," he said. "Fight me, and if I win, they get to go free."

The queen stared at him and once more started to laugh. "You do look like you could be fun in a fight." She turned to Vrexus. "Tell me he challenged you too, Vrexus. I can see the bruises on him."

Vrexus glanced at her, then back to Azeon. "Yes, we've fought. He might be worthy now to challenge you. I think you'd enjoy it, at least for the short time that it lasts."

Azeon snarled. Two vrisha had to keep him from lunging. "You might be surprised what I have hiding inside me the angrier I get." Lee watched as he turned almost bestial before her eyes. She'd never seen him like that. The vrisha struggled to keep him in place.

The queen watched Azeon curiously. "I may accept your challenge...after I'm through with you."

"Let him have a chance to win back his honor first," Vrexus said suddenly, placing himself near to her. "Let me fight him for you instead, here and now. The others can wait. I've been itching for a fight."

The queen looked at him, annoyed. "I've waited long enough. Would you delay this yet again?"

Vrexus shrugged. "They are here, aren't they? You can take from them at any time. And if he wins, you'll know he's worth a challenge."

The queen played with a set of gems around her neck as if thinking. "No," she said after a moment. "I want this done. You can challenge him after if you want to so badly."

For a mere second, Lee thought she caught a flare of agitation in Vrexus' expression, but it was gone quickly. His tail weaved impatiently if not angrily as he stepped away from the queen and paced nearby. More than once, his gaze fell on Lee, and he looked ready to pounce. She didn't have much time to contemplate his odd behavior as the queen barked for the luma to do as she commanded. The little nightburn girl inched closer, her shaky hand reaching out.

"You know what I seek," the queen said. "Scour until you find everything I need."

The girl's tiny fingers brushed at Lee's head. Lee took a deep breath and closed her eyes, her body tensing, remembering the last time her mind had been scoured and how unpleasant it had been. The girl's fingers pressed against her forehead and Lee felt a tingling sensation. She tried to hold on to one thought, but it slipped away like sand through her fingers. The tingling turned to burning before she was ripped from reality, her vision swirling until she was no longer in the room with the others but back in some memory.

She was in her and Reese's old office at the shipyard. It felt almost real. Unlike before when she was just flashing from one memory to the next, this one stayed. She could even move on her own this time. She turned and walked out of the room to see her company's two ships parked outside, a few mechanics doing maintenance. She turned her head to the right and saw the little girl standing nearby.

"I'm sorry," she said in a quiet, eerie voice that echoed in Lee's head. "I didn't want to do it, but she'll hurt my brothers and sisters if I don't."

Lee knew she meant the queen. "So, you’re her hostage too?"

The girl nodded, picking at the sleeves of her dark green robes nervously. "She stole us and our overseer from the city and forced us to help her."

"What does she want? What is she looking for?" Lee asked.

The girl pointed to Lee's ships. "She wants secrets. Of your alliance. She wants the ships that carry powerful energy for making awful weapons. Weapons that can burn whole worlds. She wants the trade routes for these ships, so she can find them. And take everything she needs and destroy everything she doesn't."

Lee felt her blood turn cold. She knew who had that sort of information, but she wasn't here. Because Lee had taken her place.

"She's going to be sorely disappointed," Lee said. "Because she won't find those secrets in my head or possibly any of the others’."

The girl looked alarmed. "Why?"

Lee looked back at her ships. "Because my sister is the head official of trade and transport for the alliance. And I took her place to keep her safe. She never told me the location of those routes or where the ships are held. You won't find anything here."

She glanced back to see the girl looking disappointed herself. "I want to believe you but..."

Lee turned and closed the distance between them. "It's okay. Go ahead and search and see for yourself."

The girl seemed hesitant at first. "I'll try to not hurt you."

Lee nodded, and the girl started to fade away, as did the scene around her. Memories flashed by one after another just like before, and Lee didn't fight, letting them pass by like a storm. When the girl had gone through every memory that included her sister, along with the last call they had together, she knew the truth. Lee blinked and found herself back on Illdara, only she was just outside the decaying city where they were all being held. She blinked again, and she was back inside the main chamber, only she was alone except for the monstrous plant that hung from above.

She looked around and saw the girl beside her.

"You were right," she said. "You really are an imposter." She seemed to be shaking. "The queen will kill you if she finds out."

"I know," Lee said.

"I—I don't know what I can tell her. She expects me to find something. If I don't, she will..."

Lee knelt down beside the girl. "Tell her the truth. And I will confirm it. I won't let you or the others get hurt. I did this for my sister. I will take what's coming."

The girl dropped her head, appearing sad. "But you'll die."

"That was the plan anyway, once she got what she wanted." She smirked at the girl trying to comfort her. "But maybe my golden friend will win his fight."

"She is very strong." The girl's head tipped back as she peered around the room. "But there might be one way to win." She gestured to the plant, and Lee followed her gaze.

"What is that thing?" she asked.

"We call it Illundi. The plant that endures. It is both a curse and blessing to luma. If not controlled, it can destroy cities like it did here. But its nectar is made into tea which we drink. It gives us the ability to scour. And some use the sap to make energy for ships. It is sacred to some. The queen plans to use it for some bad reason."

Lee expected as much. "It's the same plant we saw near the silver city and the jungle."

"It takes over and is hard to stop its spread. Its vines can hold up a whole temple if given the chance. If it feels threatened, it will attack."

Like it had attacked them in the jungle. Lee rose, thinking she knew now what the girl was getting at.

"What happens if you kill the head of the plant?" she asked.

The girl looked at her again, alarmed. "It will shrivel up, then break apart. But if the vines die, the sanctum could fall apart."

That would be bad, but there might be a way to use Illundi to their advantage.

Lee started to thank her for the information when she felt something sharp brush against her back. She saw the girl gasp in surprise. When Lee looked around, she caught the shadow of a vrisha moving around her.

"I'm going to bring you back now," she said. "They are growing impatient."

"What's your name?"

"Silbia," she said.

"Silbia, I'll keep this between us."

She seemed to relax, and when Lee blinked again, she was back in the real world. She felt a little disoriented and queasy but nowhere as bad as she did when Donia had scoured her mind.

Unfortunately, not everyone looked like they had been handled as gently as she had. A few had their heads against the ground, moaning, while others were getting sick.

She noticed also several of the vrisha were fighting, Vrexus among them.

"Get back in line," the queen hissed. "What's the meaning of this, Vrexus?"

Vrexus came stalking around as he broke from the group of warriors. "Just keeping some in their place," he growled, glaring at Xeda who had a cut over one eye. Xeda sneered back at him.

Lee looked around and saw Alice nearby, clutching at her stomach and eyeing her with concern. Some of the others were looking over at her as well, confused.

"What happened?" she mouthed to Alice.

Alice glanced at Xeda, then back to her, then said in low voice, "He touched you, and the leader attacked him."

She felt heat crawl up her back and her neck. The others drew their attention away from her to shake off the ill effects of their minds being scoured. Lee looked back at the vrisha and caught Xeda flashing his fangs, saying something to Vrexus she couldn't hear.

"Enough," said the queen. She got between them. She glared at Xeda, who backed away, then turned to Vrexus. She then said something to Vrexus Lee also didn’t catch. He went very still, then slowly backed away as well. "Now, tell me." She turned to the nightburn. "Who has what I need?"

The children went quiet, glancing at each other. The overseer looked to each of them, and one by one they started telling the queen what they'd found. Alliance meetings, base locations, labs, connecting worlds, and all other manner of confidential information were blurted out for everyone to hear.

"Good. All good, but who has the trade routes? One of them has it," the queen snapped. "I need specific ships and what they carry. Or better, where they are held."

The children looked back at the overseer, uncertain.

"It's all right. Tell her," she said gently.

"I saw ships carrying specimens to outerworlds," blurted one. "From his mind." He pointed to Samual. "They were doing experiments on them and extracting parts."

Samual's face went red, his gaze sticking to the ground.

"Interesting. And there was no other cargo?" the queen asked. The boy shook his head. The queen began to pace around them, growing impatient.

"Someone has it. Search again."

Lee knew they wouldn't find anything, and the others were turning ashen.

"What about you, Silbia?" the overseer asked. Silbia picked at her robe as she stood beside Lee. She glanced over her shoulder at her, and Lee nodded her head. She turned back to the queen.

"I'm sorry...this one had nothing."

The queen slowly stepped over. "Nothing? No memories of any ships, you mean?"

Silbia dipped her head, growing quiet.

"Come, girl, speak."

"Nothing...about the ships."

The queen's tail weaved like an angry cat. "Then we have to search them again. Search them until you do find something."

"Queen Theda, if they search too long or too deep, it could break their minds," the overseer warned.

"Do I look like I care? I only want the information. They are worthless to me otherwise. Now do it."

Unable to argue with her any more, the overseer nodded to the children, and they reluctantly returned to each member's side. Silbia looked down at Lee, frightened. Before she could place her hand on Lee's head, Lee rose.

"I know what you're looking for," Lee called to the queen. "And no one here has it."

The room grew silent as Queen Theda turned to her. "Don't have it?"

"That's right."

The queen moved toward her, and Lee caught Vrexus doing the same, watching them with a tunneled focus as sharp as his blade.

"And why should I believe you?" Queen Theda said. "I could make this fledgling search your brain until you're nothing but a pile of drooling meat on the floor. So, I wouldn't bother lying to me."

"I'm not. Because the secrets you’re trying to find aren't in my head or anyone else's. They are in my sister's."

The queen glared at her, and seconds later, Lee heard a few of her group gasp as they came to the realization.

"Oh, my god. Lee," Alice whispered.

The queen's eyes narrowed. "So, you are a fake then?"

"You guessed it. I switched with my sister to keep her safe from you and your soldiers. She's head of trade, and Silbia is telling the truth. I know nothing. No alliance secrets, nothing. So, there's no point."

From the corner of her eye, she noticed the others sitting up and a few standing, some cursing, shocked at not seeing the truth. All eyes were on her, but Lee's were only on the queen.

"I see," the queen said in a hushed tone. "How unfortunate. If that is true, then we are finished here."

Before Lee could open her mouth to reply, the queen shot her arm out and grabbed Lee by the throat. The second before her grip tightened to crush Lee's windpipe, the queen shrieked out in pain and released her.

Confused, Lee stumbled back, and the queen whirled around. Vrexus stood behind her, his claws dripping dark blood. Lee saw the gash mark on the queen's lower back as she turned from her.

"You," Queen Theda hissed. The other vrisha rushed to aid her, and she put out her hands to stop them. "Stay back," she growled. "This is between us." She lowered her arms. "You protect this one? Against me? Let me guess—she is the little pet Xeda warned me about."

Vrexus moved, flexing his claws. His mouth widened until his fangs slipped from his upper lip. "Not my pet. Much more, I'm afraid. Which puts you in a lot more danger from me. So, I wouldn't touch her again."

"Traitor," she growled. They circled each other, tense, like vipers ready to strike.

"I was hoping to stall this a little longer," Vrexus said. "But her life is mine. She is mine, and I won't let you take her."

"Isitari," she spat like a curse. "You are mad. Xeda told me of your idiotic bet. You honestly thought I would let you keep her? Forget our deal then." She bared her teeth in a feral grin. "I'll kill you, then her, and because I'm generous, I'll throw you both in the same pit to rot together. How nice is that?"

"You won't get the chance." Vrexus grinned back. "Because I'll slaughter every single vrisha here and take your skull as a trophy. Another queen waits for me to send it her way."

"I should have known I couldn't trust you," she snarled. Her tail whipped round, almost hitting one of the Grayhart men. "Playing with them is one thing. But choosing a human over your own kind, it's disgusting." She looked ready to lunge at him, then stopped, her smile growing wider. "I have a better idea. How about I kill her in front of you? That will be a fine lesson learned. Then I'll keep you tied up for the rest of your days and let the others use you as they like. That sounds much more satisfying."

Vrexus unsheathed his blade. The vrisha crept closer, looking every bit terrifying while the alliance party stumbled to their feet, most of them trying to move away, to back themselves against the walls. Even the luma looked ready to bolt, the children rushing over to the overseer as they also tried to distance themselves. Only Lee stood unmoving, too shocked to even make a sound.

Time stood still for a single moment as she waited to see what Vrexus would do. The vrisha were ready to kill, waiting on the queen's command.

The queen's eyes turned into red slits of rage. "Immobilize him," she ordered. She backed away as the warriors drew in. Lee blinked and missed the first attack, but it set off the rest until the room became a flurry of red and black. The violent roars that broke from them grew deafening in her ears.

Lee was too slow to act, and one vrisha broke from the fray to come at her. Xeda.

He leapt for her, and she put out her arms in defense, waiting to feel the slice of his talons. Instead, she watched as he was pulled back by his tail as Vrexus jumped on him from behind, somehow able to break away from the others. His fangs tore into his shoulder, and Xeda let out a bark of pain. He bucked Vrexus off, and he and the others came for Vrexus again, attacking on all sides.

"No!" Lee cried out. She backed into something solid and found Azeon there. He grabbed her shoulders and placed her behind him. Before she could stop him, he rushed for the pack, tackling several of them, adding gold to the red.

"Lee!" someone shouted.

Lee saw Alice pointing behind her. She whirled around and saw the queen moving away from the others, making for her.

Oh, shit.

She searched the room and saw on one wall a narrow alcove, now almost entirely blocked with vines making a living wall from floor to ceiling. She pushed her legs to move and rushed for the alcove. She caught a small opening on one side and forced her way through, pushing the vines apart, finding them hard to move. As she was able to bury herself a little ways past the wall of vines, the queen came charging. She immediately started slashing at the plant, ripping Illundi apart. Lee was stuck with nowhere to go, pushing herself as far back as she could until she hit the stone wall behind her. She curled into herself, trying to make it harder for the queen to reach her. The queen slashed at the roots, growling furiously, digging her way through. She swiped at her, catching some of Lee’s hair in her talons, tearing it from her scalp. Lee cried out, then kicked at her wildly, trying to keep her back. The queen caught her ankle and pulled so furiously she dislocated her knee. Lee screamed. She tried to grab at the vines, but the queen pulled again, forcing her out of the alcove. As she slid onto the floor, the queen opened her jaw wide. She went for her throat only to rear back as one of Illundi's vines struck out at her like a snake and wrapped itself around her crown of horns. Before Queen Theda could rip them off, more came down and caught her hands, then her legs.

The queen shrieked with fury as the plant took hold of her, and she struggled against it, biting and snapping. As she fought, Lee scrambled away.

She started to get back on her feet, limping her way back to the others, when the ground trembled underneath her, and she fell to her knees, the pain searing up her thigh.

There was a low hum coming from above. The room trembled again, and Lee looked up in time to see a long crack forming along the roof. She turned her attention to Vrexus, who was still fighting furiously against the others, several gashes marring his skin. Azeon was there too, surprisingly holding his own. The others of her group were still on the far side of the room, now huddled together with the luma. She crawled for them when a set of vrisha appeared in the doorway. Panic filled her chest, thinking more of Queen's Theda's warriors had come to aid her. They stopped and looked down at her, and she stared up at them. Something was different. When she realized they weren't marked like the others, she knew.

They slipped into the room and rushed for the Blood Guard. Together, they leapt into the throng, and the fight changed into a battle between sides—the Blood Guard and the vrisha of the alliance.

Lee wanted to jump up and shout for joy when a piece of stone fell above, landing right beside her. She looked up and saw some of Illundi's vines moving away from places where it held the building together, defending itself from those who harmed it from below. In the process, more chunks of roof and debris fell. She continued to crawl away when a noise behind her made her look back. The queen was breaking out of Illundi's hold.

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

Vrexus

He swung out his arm, his blade slicing into the side of one warrior before he kicked them away. He didn't hesitate, didn't stop in his attack, knowing he couldn't lose, not when his woman needed him to stay alive if she were to survive herself.

Another warrior lunged at him and he dodged, swinging around to whip his tail across their back. He was about to sink his claws into another when he noticed the other vrisha, unmarked by the mad queen, breaking into the fight, and he knew his message to Queen Serxis had been successful. New energy surged into him, but instead of cutting through the pack of Blood Guard, he searched for Fire-eyes, needing to get to her, knowing she was in danger. When he saw the alliance members and the luma near one wall and didn't see her there with them, raw fear overtook him for the first time in a long time.

He leapt out of the way of a wrestling pair when he noticed the queen. She was breaking out of some hold the large plant had on her, and her sights were set on someone crawling along the ground.

Fire-eyes.

Fury along with the fear drove him forward, forcing his way through the others, determined to get to her.

As he broke from the mass of bodies, another blocked his way just before he could reach the queen.

Xeda.

"Get out of my way," Vrexus hissed.

"Not a chance, traitor. You'll have to get through me."

So be it. He tackled him, driving him back against a wall. The warrior lashed out, his talons digging into Vrexus’ side, but Vrexus refused to let him go. With one arm keeping him in place, Vrexus pulled him off the wall, then slammed him back into it. The vines along the wall started to move, wrapping themselves around Xeda and reaching for Vrexus. Using his blade, Vrexus cut at them, and in response, Xeda bit into his arm. Vrexus ripped his arm away with a growl, then sank his blade in Xeda's side. The warrior yelped with pain and went to strike back when the vines overtook him. Vrexus pulled away before they could take him too. He backed off as Xeda struggled, roaring and snarling with rage.

Vrexus didn't stay to finish him. He swept around in time to see the queen wrench away the plant's last hold on her and charge for Fire-eyes. The queen drew back her tail, ready to pierce the sharp end straight into Fire-eyes’ head. Vrexus rushed for her and leapt. As the queen's tail shot down, he blocked her way, and her tail caught the side of his leg instead.

The spiny end cut through his thigh, sliding through muscle. Searing pain rushed through his nerves, but he hardly let it affect him. He grabbed hold of her tail before she could pull it out and, with one swift drop of his blade, he sliced the end clean off.

Queen Theda roared. The roar turned into a high-pitched scream as she came at him, claws spread, mouth open, ready to kill. Vrexus pulled out the sharp end of her tail from his leg and wielded it like he did his blade. She sprang up, swiping a hand across his face. She grazed the flesh as he slid back, scales flying. She jumped again in an attempt to overtake him, and Vrexus let her. He fell back, and as she came down on him, he sent his blade and her tail straight through her throat. Her head twisted, and she went limp. He kicked her off him, pulling out the weapons as he did. Her body fell one way and her head another, rolling several feet away.

Slowly, he rose, dropping his blade but keeping her tail. It would make a fitting replacement for his old scyth. He walked over and picked up her head by one horn. He lifted it up for the others to see and roared his victory.

The Blood Guard saw, and those who still fought stopped. In their eyes, he could see the fight was done.

Before he could drop his arm, pieces of stone fell from above as the plant's roots moved toward the ground. A set of vines curled around one vrisha and pulled them toward the center flower hanging above. The vrisha acted, cutting and hacking until one climbed up and stabbed the plant straight in the mouth with their tail. The flower shrank into itself, its vines releasing the vrisha and shriveling up.

Several cries rose around him as the room began to crumble before his eyes.

He dropped the head and whirled around, going straight for Fire-eyes. He didn't stop to think about the others inside, not yet. She shouted something to him, but he hardly heard a word. He quickly sheathed the queen's tail, picked her up, and crushed her to his chest before breaking for the door as fast as his legs could go.

Dust and debris fell on his head and shoulders as he rushed out into the open. He bounded down the steps, then ran until they were clear of the building. He set her down and placed her by a broken statue in an open yard before turning away. He took a step toward the building, ready to bark orders at the alliance vrisha who had followed behind him—some of whom had dragged a few of the Blood Guard out with them—when he felt himself being pulled back.

"No, Vrexus!" Fire-eyes cried, her face twisted with fear, her hands on his arm in a deathgrip. "You can't go back now, it's too late!"

He gently tried to uncurl her hands off him, but she only grabbed at him again. He turned fully to face her, wiping away dust from her face before cupping it in his hand. "I have to," he said. "I have to get the others."

She shook her head at him, as if that would stop him, her eyes full of confusion. "Why?" she whispered.

"Because if I don't, you'll never forgive me. And I need you with me, always." He pulled away, turning from her, leaving her to the protection of the statue. He called to the unmarked vrisha, and they brought their attention to him. "Those not keeping watch of the Blood Guard, come with me. There are others still inside."

They didn't argue. He and five others rushed back into the building. Vrexus saw most alliance members now huddling under a half-fallen pillar. Blood Guard who hadn't been captured must have fled. Only those of the alliance remained. He ordered the vrisha to carry or lead out any they could while he searched for others still hiding. He found luma too and brought them with the rest.

He carried a pair out and placed them a distance away before returning and finding another. The building was starting to lean, and he knew at any moment it might collapse. But he had to get them all. Even the luma.

When he went back for what he knew would have to be the last time, he saw one leaning against a far wall, their hand on a wound at their ribs, blood dripping from several gashes on their arms. It was the nillium.

Vrexus stood beside him, and the nillium turned his head up to look at him.

"I did what I could. Tell her...I'm sorry."

Vrexus snorted. "Tell her yourself." He leaned down and pulled the nillium up on his feet, supporting his weight as they walked for the door. The nillium didn't protest as he tried to pick up his feet and run but was only able to limp. Vrexus pulled him onward as piles of stone fell behind them, blinding them with dust.

With the sliver of light that he could see, Vrexus focused on it and didn't stop. He pushed the nillium faster as he heard more stone crumbling apart behind them.

They broke through to the outside as the roof collapsed in on itself. He took the nillium to where the others were and set him aside, knowing the wounds looked deep but certain the male would live.

As the dust settled, he saw Fire-eyes still by the statue, waiting for him. He went to her. Their eyes locked and he went to reach for her, to pull her to him and hold her, knowing he'd won, when another building fell nearby, causing some of the alliance members to cry out in panic.

"The city is collapsing," said a vrisha behind him. "We should leave."

He stared down at Fire-eyes and the look she gave him was as fierce as ever. Full of emotion he didn't have time to understand. He picked her up, cradling her close, and turned for the city gates. "Then gather the others," he said. "It's time to go."

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

Vrexus

He watched Fire-eyes from where he stood by the window, watched her chest rise and fall in a steady rhythm as she lay on the bed. The queen's haven and the luma's world was far behind them now. The alliance ship had come not long after Queen Serxis’ warriors arrived. After the fight, the warriors returned the luma to their city while he flew Fire-eyes and the others onward to meet the alliance far above, their ship waiting for them on the edge of the world's atmosphere.

He wished he had a moment to speak with her alone, but there had yet to be a chance. He realized she had been hurt—her leg dislocated with scratches and bruises marring her skin. He wanted to kill the queen all over again for inflicting most of them, and he wanted to strike his own hide for not being able to stop her quicker.

But Fire-eyes was alive, and the queen was dead, that's what mattered. It could have gone far worse, he realized, if Queen Serxis’ warriors hadn't come in time or at all. But he was still confident he would have finished the job even if it killed him. As long as Fire-eyes was safe.

He had taken her to the medical bay as soon as they had connected with the alliance ship. The healers, once seeing them, hadn't hesitated. They took her and the others who'd gotten injured and went to work. He watched from the side as they fixed her leg and cleaned her up, silently thinking about what came next.

He knew they needed to talk, if she would let him. He still hadn't been able to decipher her feelings, if she was still mad at him or not. There had been no time to explain between leaving the decaying city and entering the alliance ship.

Right now, she rested with the others. Though he had chosen his path and won, unease still ate at him, remembering their last time alone together and how, even after everything they’d shared, she might still hate him.

Could he blame her? Probably not. Still, he needed to know if that was true or if forgiveness was possible.

But he would let her rest first, let her have the time she needed to recover. In the meantime, there was another matter that had to be settled.

He watched her for a few seconds longer before slipping away. He turned from the medical bay and headed down toward the dock, where his ship had been stationed with the other vrisha ship that had recently returned from the nightburn city. The alliance vessel was large enough to fit several small ships and several thousand members aboard. One might get lost, but he made sure to memorize his way from anywhere on the ship to the medical bay. Workers cleared the way for him, many gaping at him, mostly frightened but partly fascinated. He didn't bother to acknowledge them. He had one purpose still, only one thing left on his mind.

He snuck into the dock and onto his ship. As soon as the doors closed, he immediately moved to the front and tapped on the dash. He sent out a call and waited for the sender to reply. After a few moments, the window disappeared, the screen took its place, and Queen Serxis appeared before him.

"Vrexus," she greeted with little emotion.

He greeted her back in a similar fashion. "It's done. Queen Theda is dead."

"So I heard," She tipped her head back as she studied him. "My warriors have already given me the news. I must admit I am relieved but also a little surprised. I wondered if you might switch your loyalties in the end."

"In the beginning, I had wondered myself," he said. "But things changed."

"I'd be curious to know what made you change your mind. But I know now it doesn't matter. You did as I asked. I assume you’re calling about what we agreed to."

"Yes," he said.

"I've already been in council with the other queens. I've admitted to our arrangement. I will have to take some punishments seeing as I kept this from the others. But they agree to allow you the rank of predomis for your efforts."

Vrexus knew as much, yet it was still pleasing to hear.

"When you return to Tryth," the queen continued, "you'll be allowed to have your pick of queens. I can include the names of those who will already be sworn in the next season if you so desire."

"That won't be necessary. I've already chosen someone."

She stared at him, shocked and maybe even a little worried. "Who?"

"One of the alliance members."

The look she gave would have made him laugh, but he wanted her to take him seriously. "An alliance member," she repeated. "As in an otherkin?"

"That's right."

She seemed hesitant to ask. "A human?"

He bowed his head.

"By Rikasha, I should have known you wouldn't make this a simple arrangement."

He smiled. "I never much like keeping things simple."

She growled in annoyance. "And this member, she has agreed to be your mate? After everything?"

He couldn't answer, not at first. His eyes fell to the dash. "No. Not...officially."

"You cannot force one to be your queen," she made obvious. "If she doesn't agree..."

"I know," he said.

"Then I will tell the others of your choice. We will discuss if she is worthy of such a title."

His eyes shot back up to her. "She is worthy. She dealt with me for several days, and she stood up to Queen Theda."

Queen Serxis’ eyes widened. "She challenged the mad queen?"

"No, but she held her own against her. And she made my task frustratingly difficult in the beginning in order to save the others. She stood up to me. She is fierce and brave and deserving."

"I see." The queen appeared to think it over. "I will tell this to the others and convince them to allow her the title. But understand if you want her as your queen, she must agree to have you first, Vrexus. Otherwise, you must choose another."

His body tensed at the thought. "If she doesn't agree, then I will have no queen. I've chosen. And no one else can replace her."

"Difficult as always. I hope it works for you," she said, sympathetic. "I expect the next time we speak will be when you finally return home. With your new mate or alone."

She disappeared and he sat there for some time after in the darkened ship. He had been given what he desired, but it meant little to him now if he lost the one thing that mattered. He couldn't be a predomis without his queen. He would rather go back to being a nobody, an outcast, than choose someone else. Because it would all mean nothing without her.

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

Lee

She woke up to the sound of a soft humming and the light of a soft lamp above her. The first thing she wondered was what ship she must be on. Was she still on the vrisha's? Or was she on her own? Had she fallen asleep and it had all been a dream?

Her eyes fluttered and she turned her head to see a reflection of herself wearing a light gray uniform with an alliance patch on the left arm, smiling down at her.

She stared, blinking back. "Elle?" she said softly.

Elle's smile widened as she blinked back tears. "Yeah, it's me." She took Lee's hand in hers, squeezing it gently. Lee squeezed it back and found it real. She was really here. Without another thought, she lifted herself off the bed and tugged her sister forward, wrapping an arm around her to hug her tight. Her sister hugged her back in a firm embrace, a soft whimper tickling Lee's ear.

"Oh, god, Lee, I'm so glad you're okay," she said before gently pulling away to face her again.

"You’re really here," Lee said. "I didn't expect to see you so soon."

"We were already enroute to Illdara with a team of soldiers. We got the news that the vrisha had already come and gotten you out. I came as soon as I heard." She grabbed Lee's arms, her mouth trembling. "I thought I'd never see you again. When I heard the Blood Guard took you..."

Tears filled her eyes, and Lee too felt the sting of her own. They embraced again and seemed to stay there for a long while before finally separating once more.

"I should have never have had you go in my stead. I should have known something could have gone wrong."

Lee took her hand in hers. "No, you couldn't have known. And I'm glad I took your place."

"You could have died. It was all my fault."

"No, it wasn't," Lee said firmly. "I decided to, remember? And I'm here now. We all are." Lee looked around the medical bay and noticed many of the beds were now empty. "At least I hope so. There weren't any who..."

"They all made it," Elle reassured. "The injuries were thankfully nonlethal. Azeon had some of the worst, but he recovered quickly."

Lee looked at her curiously. "You two talked?"

Elle nodded. "We did." Lee caught the pink rush in her sister's face. "He, um, told me a lot as well."

Lee couldn't help smiling. "I hope so. There was a bit of confusion. Unfortunately, they found out who I really was in the end."

"I know." Elle sighed. "It's going to be a difficult few days explaining this to people. I'm going to take some backlash for a while and probably have to take a leave of absence for a small amount of time, but we will work it out. What matters is you're alive, and it's all over. The mad queen is gone, and her Blood Guard has scattered."

Lee frowned, her eyes turning over to the window looking out from the medical bay into the foyer beyond. "All of them?" she asked. "Are they all gone...the vrisha?"

"Not all. Some of the Blood Guard were captured or killed. But most fled. The vrisha of the alliance are still here, but they are leaving soon."

She felt her heart sink. She shouldn't be upset. Everything that happened on Illdara was bound to stay there, wasn't it? He had no reason to stay.

Still, the sharp pang in her chest wouldn't subside. "And the one who brought us here...what's going to happen to him?" she asked.

Elle looked at her, confused at first. "You mean the one who killed the queen? The agent?"

"Is that what they are calling him?"

Elle shrugged. "We were told little, but what we gathered was he was hired by another to find the mad queen and take her out. He was to play along as one of the Blood Guard's commanders until he brought you and the others to her in order to find her hideout."

Lee didn't know what to think of all that. She didn't know whether to be relieved or angry. But they both had kept their secrets in the end, and she had to believe it was for the better. And knowing he wasn't really one of the Blood Guard—or had at least chosen not to be in the end—was a relief. Deep down, it made the guilt lessen considerably.

"What are they going to do?" Lee asked, still curious. "They won't imprison him, will they?"

"There was some debate on that. But we've talked it over with the council. The vrisha have decided his act of killing the mad queen and alerting them to her hideout was enough to pardon the acts it took to get him there. Some of us, however, were not so happy about letting him off for abducting you and the others. There was a brief trial and some hefty lawsuits. The vrisha are willing to pay for his return home and have agreed he won't be allowed outside their planet for at least a year. It's not much, but it's something."

"So, he's going home." Lee's voice sounded small and far away. Her heart felt like it was sinking into her stomach.

"Looks like it." Elle patted her leg as if to comfort. "Don't worry, you'll be safe from him now. I can imagine how much he must have scared you. It was crazy actually. When I got here, he was outside watching you. I told security not to let him near, that you'd had enough. Even if he did bring you back in the end, you didn't need to suffer his presence any longer."

Lee didn't know what to say at first. He'd been here, watching her?

"When I told him to go, he said he wanted to talk to you when you woke up of all things," she said. "I told him no, but he didn't seem to hear me. He did leave eventually when he was called away by one of his own." She shook her head. "You can stay in my room until he leaves for good."

Lee's throat tightened, making it hard to speak. He wanted to talk before he left. She thought about their last talk and everything she had said. She thought that had been the end between them. Until everything came to light. Then she started to remember the moments after the queen's death, of Vrexus leaving her to save the others.

Because if I don't, you'll never forgive me. And I need you with me, always.

"How long?" Lee choked out. "How long have I been asleep?"

Elle looked at her, concerned. "About twelve hours. You only woke a handful of times, but you were pretty out of it, especially with the sedative they gave for the pain."

Lee leaned forward and pulled away the covers. "I need to get dressed." She started to shuffle out of the bed when Elle tried to stop her.

"What, Lee, wait. You just woke up."

"I need to talk to him. I need to before he leaves."

Now Elle looked at her, mortified. "What? You want to talk to him?"

"Yes," Lee said. And she wished she hadn't slept so damn long. "Yes, I need to."

Elle grabbed her hand, forcing Lee to look at her. "What's going on?"

Lee looked back at her, then slowly sat back on the bed. "I...it's really hard to explain."

Elle gave her that look that if Lee didn't tell her she wouldn't stop asking about it as long as they lived.

Lee sighed. "There's a lot more that the others didn't know happened. Elle, I know this is going to sound insane."

Elle frowned. "Tell me."

Lee closed her eyes, then opened them slowly. She knew her sister would understand no matter what. Because they loved each other. But it was still going to be hard to tell her all of the truth. "I'm so sorry, Elle," she said first. Then told her everything.

* * *

She brushed a lock of hair back from her face as she fixed herself in the mirror, smoothing out the uniform Elle had given her, a black replica to her gray one. Not that they needed the different colored suits to tell them apart now since—despite their likeness—Lee had gone through a slight transformation since returning from Illdara. Her face was more tan, making her eyes brighter, her hair somehow had gone a shade lighter. She was also a little leaner but still muscular in some areas. If she looked a little more intimidating than first setting foot on the luma world, maybe she did. There was no mistaking their identities now.

After securing her boots, Lee stepped out of the changing room and saw her sister waiting for her outside the medical bay, along with Azeon. They were speaking softly, Azeon's eyes lingering down Elle's face and neck. Elle was smiling back at him, setting her ponytail behind her back in an almost flirty manner. Lee was glad to see they were getting on well and that Azeon had kept his feelings for her sister and not Lee, even after mistaking them.

Lee approached, and Azeon bowed. "You look well," he said.

"Just a little nervous, maybe?" Elle said, eyeing her protectively.

Lee gave her a smirk. Elle took her arm, and they walked out into the main passage. They didn't say a word, but by her sister's grip on her arm, she knew how tense she must be. Maybe even more tense than Lee was herself.

After Lee had told her what happened between her and Vrexus, Lee caught her sister eyeing her more than once, maybe worried Lee had lost her mind. Or just concerned for her safety. But she hadn't gotten angry or critical. Not like her parents would, and Elle swore not to mention anything to them.

"But how do you feel?" she had asked her after the confession.

Lee had looked down at her hands. "It's hard to put it into words. But I feel a lot of whatever it is."

Elle seemed to understand. She got the nurses to let Lee leave the bay early and brought her some clothes, telling Lee when she was ready, they'd go to him.

"Last I heard, he's been in secret council with the vrisha queens," Elle said as they passed through a security point. "Many of the other vrisha have left already, but he's one of the few remaining. I don't think he plans to leave until..."

"I know," Lee said.

"I'll be right by if you change your mind," Elle said, beside her.

"I know." But she wasn't going to. She needed to do this. She needed to see him.

They made it down to the dock where the vrisha had been seen the most. When they entered the giant warehouse-looking space filled with smaller ships, Lee saw many familiar faces but not the one she wanted to see the most.

Alice and some of the Grayhart team were standing by one of their ships. They saw her and Alice waved to them excitedly before racing over to meet them. She wore a deep green suit, and her dark hair shimmered in the light, freshly cleaned. She and the others looked good as new. The nurses of the medical bay had done their job well.

"Lee! Elle!" Alice hugged them both. "We were just getting everything prepared to return to Terra Centra. Lee, are you coming too?"

Lee looked to her sister, who glanced back at her. "Not yet," Lee said. She looked around the vast space for any signs of red.

"Well, don't be a stranger. I'd say you earned a seat. Maybe you can take your sister's place while she's absent." She winked at them.

Lee chuckled. "Maybe. Have either of you seen the vrisha anywhere by chance?"

Alice raised her brows. "They are across the dock a little ways. They look like they are about to leave sooner than we are."

"Thanks, Alice." She hugged her one last time and left her and the others to prepare their ship. Azeon stayed behind to help while her sister walked over with her.

When Lee saw the vrisha ship, she froze. She was surprised to find not only vrisha but several other alliance members—including some of the luma who had joined from the silver city— talking and mingling together as they loaded the ship with extra supplies. It was the first time she'd ever seen the many different races around each other without looking like they wanted to start a fight. They talked to each other now as equals.

The alliance members stopped when they saw her and her sister approach, and in turn the vrisha noticed them as well. Heart pounding, she looked around them but didn't see Vrexus among them.

The others greeted them. Lee smiled back, then turned to the closest vrisha. "I'm looking for Vrexus."

The warrior looked at her curiously. He nodded his head over to the ship, which she noticed wasn't the same one Vrexus had taken them in. It was bigger and must have been used by the vrisha of the alliance.

Lee looked back at her sister, who took her hand. "I'll be right here, waiting." She squeezed her sister's hand before releasing it. She made her way up the ramp into the ship.

The interior looked nearly identical to Vrexus’ ship, only larger with the same low lighting and dark walls. She headed for what she assumed was the control room at the front. When she got to the door, she saw in the dim light of the room, several vrisha standing together beside the terminal of the ship.

Vrexus, with his back toward her, was speaking with the group of vrisha. When she stopped at the doorway, he went still. He turned, and their eyes met. Heat burned up Lee's shoulders and face at the look he gave her. She could hardly move as he ordered the others out of the room.

Lee stood aside to let them pass, each vrisha glancing at her curiously. She stepped farther into the room, coming to meet Vrexus at the center.

He looked almost angry at first, and she couldn't gather why until he said, "They were supposed to tell me when you woke up. I was hoping to be there."

Lee shuffled on her feet, keeping her hands knitted together. "I only just woke up a little while ago. My sister brought me."

Vrexus took a step closer. Lee could feel his heat washing over her. His stare made her breath catch in her lungs.

Before she lost her senses, she spoke again. "I know you wanted to talk. I wanted to, also."

"You did?" he said.

She nodded her head. He seemed tense, which was odd to her. "But it's funny. Now that I'm here, I don't know what to say."

His eyes brightened at that, and he almost appeared to relax. "Then let me." His hand rose and she felt his fingers brush against her cheek. She closed her eyes, not realizing how much she'd missed his touch.

"I've hurt you," he started. "I know that. I don't expect your forgiveness. But I wish for it more than anything. I put you in danger. And you'd been right about me. What I did, I did for myself. In the beginning, I thought about nothing else but what I'd gain from the queens who offered power to me. But the closer I got to you, the more my wants warped into something I could never have imagined. And these new wants became a need." His fingers trailed down her jaw, down to the curve of her neck. "I didn't know it's what I needed all along. I'd been alone most of my life. I'd been a spy and a mercenary since I was very young because it was all anyone ever saw in me. I didn't think I needed anyone else, but I was wrong."

She opened her eyes to catch his red ones. "You honestly think that someone is me?"

He knelt down before her. "Yes," he said. "But I'm still selfish. I did what I did in the end to keep you with me. But I know I can't force you even now to stay."

She inhaled a deep breath. "But that's not true, is it? Because my life is yours..."

He bent his head. "Your life is no longer mine. I know it's not my right to have it. But I would protect it regardless, if I could. It's all of you that I want, anyway."

She stared down at him, the sinking feeling starting to rise. "You put me and the others through hell. I'm not going to deny that. I thought I hated you, I really did. And you deserved my hate." This time, she placed her hand on his brow, brushing her fingers over his rough scales. His eyes closed, and he moved his head against her touch. "But I lost that fight too. Somehow, you tangled yourself in me, sank inside and corrupted every bit of me. And now…” She let her fingers trail down his face. “I don't want you to release me."

He looked up at her, his pupils shrinking. "Lee." The way he said her real name made her shiver. He took her hand and pressed it to his face, nuzzling against it.

"I forgive you," she said.

A hiss of breath escaped him. "I will become a predomis. I ask you to be my queen."

She stared down at him. Then, unable to control it, her mouth turned up in a smile. "I guess this means you have a rock for a brain after all."

His eyes widened in shock, then he hissed again with laughter. "I guess so."

She tugged at him to rise, and he did. He pulled her to him, his face buried in her neck as his arms came around her. He held her so close she felt her feet rising from the ground.

She turned her head and saw him grin, a wicked grin. She gave him one right back. "And I guess I do too."

EPILOGUE

One year later

Vrexus

His world was so wonderfully hot. He always stopped briefly to appreciate how good it felt. The heat rose as he made his way up the steps from his den far below the haven where it was kept a little cooler for his mate's sake. He felt sorry that she couldn't appreciate it like he did, but she was growing used to it, he thought.

As he swept past one garden and up to the terrace, he paused at the landing, keeping to the shadows as he spotted his mate over by the terrace wall, talking with one of their housekin. She was dressed in a slip of kelva that covered her around her chest and between her thighs but nowhere else. Her fiery hair was set in tight braids down her back as usual, and, knowing it was a special day, she wore a crown of horns gifted to her. He watched her for a moment, taking in her lovely body that became more beautiful the longer he looked.

The sun was beginning to set, and the fires around the haven were already beginning to rise. The Sidra festival of harvest and hunt would begin soon and would last several days. They intended to celebrate that, along with his release from being homebound. One year they were forced to stay on Tryth—at least he was. She was allowed to travel to see her family, but to his relief, she had waited and stayed with him, only contacting her family every quarter cycle.

And it hadn't been so bad. In fact, it had been everything he could have hoped for. He had kept them busy enough in their own home. And if not in the haven, then wherever they traveled on Tryth.

He watched her now, feeling the fires within already hungering for her, never sated. He sometimes felt sorry for the housekin who found them anywhere that wasn't the den. But it was hard not to have her when the need arose.

She talked and smiled as the housekin lit the fires along the wall. They could see out across their haven and the jungle beyond from the terrace, and it was stunning in the dusklight.

The housekin strolled down another set of stairs, leaving his mate alone and vulnerable. Perfect.

He snuck out from the doorway and silently made his way over to her while she watered one of her little plants. She had so many on the terrace now it might as well be another garden.

As she set the plant down and was about to move on to another, he crept behind and quickly slipped his arms around her, picking her up off her feet as he pulled her back from the wall. She gasped and made a little yelp, her legs kicking upward.

"Vrexus!" she cried out. She dropped her water can as she gripped his arms. She laughed a little as she protested for him to put her down. He swept her around, bringing her over to the groundmat nearby. He set her on her feet, then brought her down with him on to the mat, keeping her close against him. "Why do I feel like I have to watch my back at every turn? Especially when the sun is going down."

"Because you do," he said, his hands falling along her ribs down to her hips. "There's a monster stalking you," he said against her neck, his teeth grazing her throat. "And he's very hungry."

She elbowed him softly. "I just fed him this morning,"

His hands roamed her body. "Mmm, but he still needs more."

"The festival is starting tonight."

"We have time."

He felt her back tremble with another laugh. "All right," she whispered. "I'll meet you in the den."

"No. Here." His hand traced downward to press between her thighs, and he heard her inhale through her teeth.

"The houskin..." she started.

"They can turn their backs," he said.

She replied with a soft moan, arching against him. She turned her head to kiss him, and his mouth met hers. She broke the kiss, and her eyes went downward to the sheath at his side. "You're wearing your scyth to the party?"

"I planned to show it off," he said.

She turned and pressed a hand on his chest. "Let me guess, for the hunt?"

"Absolutely."

She twisted around and unsheathed the blade from his side. The queen's tail, now forged into a blade, shined like oil against the fire light. "I expect you'll win then. The others will think you cheated though, with this thing."

"Let them." He gently took the blade back but kept it out in front of her, twisting it so the light caught. "I earned it."

"Don't let a gris get it, or you'll lose it forever. And then you can't train me like you promised."

"You know I won't. You earned the chance to wield it too."

"Not really," she said.

"But you did. To me, you did. And to think, from gaining this scyth, I earned you too." He let the blade graze across her thigh, teasing her.

"Don't let it get to your head," she whispered, watching his hand.

"I already have." He lifted the blade and, leaning forward with his arm outstretched, he stabbed the mat with the blade. It sank deep, in one clean cut, the blade keeping upright as he released the hilt. "Now enough stalling, kissala." He moved her on to her knees, pulling her against him so she was positioned firmly beneath him, his body covering hers perfectly. His hand rose to her cup neck gently as he bit her shoulder. He heard her heart racing, could feel her pulse in his hands, and he loved the feel and the sound. Because he knew it was for him and no one else.

"Promise me we will always have time for this when we leave on our missions," Lee breathed.

"You don't have to ask me to promise. It will be."

He heard her shaking breath, felt the vibrations under his fingers. "Good."

He kissed her neck and held her close just for a moment, reminding himself just how impossibly good he had it.

"And Vrexus?" he heard her say.

"Yes?"

"You better win the hunt," she said firmly.

He grinned, his eyes turning back to the blade still stuck in the mat. "You know I will."

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Olivia Riley loves the frightening possibilities of deep space, where dark heroes and brave heroines reside. She loves creature-feature films and gaming.

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