by T. J. Quinn
If I wanted to get Ryoko to a safe place, I had little choice other than trust her, so I decided to take a chance.
Taking a deep breath, I turned to look at Julia. “Lead the way,” I told her, picking Ryoko’s arm.
She picked his other arm, and slowly, we started dragging him towards the woods.
It took us hours to get Ryoko to the cave. He was too heavy and the woods too thick. By the time we got to the cave, the sun was finally showing its face.
The cave Julia had found was a lot better than the one near the creek. For once, the ground wasn’t wet and harsh, and we were able to lay Ryoko on the improvised bed Julia had made with some branches and leaves. He still hadn’t recovered consciousness, and that worried me more than I cared to admit.
Julia reignited the fire she had started, and soon the place was warm and almost cozy.
“You might want to take that cloak off. It’s too wet, and you might fall ill,” Julia pointed out.
“I have no other clothes to put on,” I explained, flushing a bit which was stupid since the other woman had already seen me naked.
“It doesn’t matter. Who will take care of him if you fall ill?” she asked, smiling.
Those words convinced me, and I took off the cloak, hanging it to dry near the fire.
“Do you think your people will come to rescue you?” I asked her, changing the subject.
She shrugged. “I don’t know. I have no idea how far we are from our settlement or even if they know what happened to me. I was collecting wild berries when I was caught.”
“It shouldn’t be that far from here,” I figured.
“Hopefully, not. I feel lost in these woods,” she confessed.
“I know what you mean,” I assured her, taking a seat near the fire, suddenly feeling too cold.
“When was the last time you ate?” Julia asked me, looking at me with a slight frown.
“Yesterday, for breakfast.”
“You must be hungry,” she said, jumping to her feet.
“Not really,” I confessed. “My stomach is still churning after all that happened. I don’t think I could eat anything.”
“Do you think he’ll be alright?” she asked me, signaling Ryoko, lying unconscious, not far from me.
“He has to!” I said in a feverous tone.
“Why do you care so much?”
“It’s a long story,” I mumbled, feeling more and more tired.
Trying to stay active, I crawled to where Ryoko was and checked his vitals. He had no fever, which I supposed was a good sign, though I knew nothing about his species. His breath was still shallow, but his heartbeat was a bit stronger than before.
“All we have is time,” Julia said with a smile.
I shook my head. “I’m too tired. Do you mind if I take a nap?”
“Go ahead. I’ll stay awake and let you know if I hear anything out of the ordinary,” Julia promised, and I lay down, next to Ryoko, in need of his warmth.
What happened after that was blurry.
By the time I finally woke up, a few days had gone by, and I was no longer in the cave. Startled, I had tried to get up, but a gentle hand had pushed me back to the bed I was in.
“Ryoko! I need to see him,” I protested, feeling incredibly dizzy and nauseated.
“He’s doing better than you,” a kind woman’s voice replied as someone placed a cold cloth on my forehead.
“You don’t understand… I need to see him…” I whimpered, trying to get up once more.
“You’re in no condition to get out of this bed,” the woman warned her. “You caught pneumonia, and we have been struggling to cure you ever since the men found you in that cave,” she explained.
I shook my head, trying to make some sense out of the woman’s words. “Where am I?” I asked, just before cough rendered me to a shuddering mass.
“You’re with my people, Maya,” a familiar voice sounded from the other side of the room.
“Julia? Is that you?” I asked, lifting my head just enough to look at her.
“Yes, it’s me,” she said, coming to kneel in front of my bed. “How are you feeling?”
I took both her hands and locked my eyes on hers. “Where’s Ryoko? What have they done to him?” I asked her as fear clutched my heart.
If they were in a human settlement, Ryoko was in danger. They would want to kill him. After all, he is considered an enemy of my people.
“He’s fine, I swear. He’s almost recovered from his wound,” she assured me, but I couldn’t believe her.
“Where is he?” I asked once more.
There was a small silence, a tense one, and I almost choke on the sobs struggling to come out.
“As you must imagine, my people are afraid of him,” Julia admitted. “They have him in a safe place.”
I let myself fall back in bed and closed my eyes. “Oh, god… I should have known… I shouldn’t have accepted your help,” I cried, tears rolling freely down my cheeks.
“They haven’t hurt him. I told him he saved my life,” Julia assured me.
“But you’re holding him, prisoner,” I accused her.
“We must keep our people safe,” the other woman replied. “He’s a general, an enemy of our people,” she added.
“He has done nothing other than to protect me,” I assured her, turning to look at her, even when the world seemed to be spinning at speed light.
The older woman nodded. “And that’s why he’s still alive and not dead, as most of our men wanted,” Julia explained.
“What will happen now?” I asked certain no good would come out of this situation.
“When he’s strong enough, we’ll hear his version of the story and decide upon it,” the older woman announced.
“That’s not what you promised, mom,” Julia protested.
“Your father didn’t accept anything else. You know very well he’s only alive because you insist he saved your life,” Julia’s mother pointed out before she patted my hand and got up. “Get some rest. Your fever is still too high. You’re not out of danger,” she warned me as she turned to leave the room.
“Thank you for your help,” I said, but more than thankful, I was outraged.
I knew exactly what would happen after they heard Ryoko’s version. They would claim he was lying, and they would try to kill him. I couldn’t let that happen.
“Julia, you need to help us,” I said, picking the girl’s hand. “You know your people will kill Ryoko after they hear his version,” I said, oozing scorn in the last few words.
“What can I do? He’s being kept in the dungeon, guarded by at least two guards at a time,” she explained, sounding regretful. “I’m so sorry, Maya. I never thought this could happen.”
“What happened after I fell asleep?” I asked, trying to understand what had happened.
“You were delirious, and you have a very high fever. I didn’t know what to do, other than keep you hydrated, so when my people came for me, I asked their help,” she explained, trying to keep a calm tone. “They promised they would let you go once you were feeling alright,” she added, wriggling her Sepihands nervously.
“They lied to you,” I stated in a harsher tone than I intended.
“They wanted to kill him right there and then. It took me forever to convince my father he was not dangerous, that he had saved my life,” Julia said in a frantic tone. “I had to do something, and this seemed the best option.”
“How can we get out of here?” I asked her, still feeling very weak but determined to save Ryoko’s life and unsure of what might happen if he got strong enough to put on his battle armor.
So many things could go wrong.
“I don’t know,” Julia confessed.
“Is Ryoko already conscious?” I asked though I doubted.
I would have heard him if he was.
“No, he’s not. He’s still on some sort of trance. We know that he’s alive because he’s breathing and his heart is beating, but other th
an that, he remains totally still,” Julia informed me.
“How’s the wound on his back?”
“Almost gone. It’s amazing the way he’s healing himself.”
“Julia, he’ll wake up soon, and when he does, things might get ugly,” I told the other girl.
“What do you mean?” she asked, sounding a bit scared.
“He’s a very strong person, stronger than you can imagine. If he wakes up and I’m not there with him, I fear what he might do,” I told her, trusting the woman would keep the information to herself.
She knew she owed him her life, but her loyalty was divided right now, and it would probably swing to her people’s side when the time came.
“What do you suggest?” she asked, worried.
“Take me to his cell,” I asked in a determined tone.
“You’re not strong enough. It could kill you,” she warned me.
“He’ll take care of me,” I assured her, though I had no idea what would happen. “I need to be with him. He’ll listen to me.”
“My father will never agree with it,” she told me, shaking her head.
“I’m sure your father knows how strong the generals are. He can also summon the dragons and the other generals. Are you willing to take that risk?”
Julia sobbed, not knowing what to do. “If I tell my father that he’ll kill Ryoko before he wakes up,” she assured me.
“Then, don’t tell him,” I told her in a firm tone. “Just convince him I need to be next to him to fully recover. He will feel safe enough, and I will be able to convince Ryoko not to cause your people any harm,” I added.
“I’ll do my best, but I can’t promise you anything,” Julia finally accepted.
“Thank you,” I watched her walk out of the room before I closed my eyes.
I was still very weak, and I knew I was still feverish, but no matter what Ryoko felt about me, after all that had happened, I knew he would listen to me, that he would find a way to get us out of this place without the bloodshed Julia’s father had in mind.
My heart recoiled at the memory of Ryoko’s last words to me. The way his expression darkened when he felt Sylan’s scent on my skin. My stomach churned at the possibility of his rejection, but I needed to overcome it. I owed him too much to abandon him to his fate. I needed to get him out of this place as soon as possible.
What would happen between us after that was yet to be decided and certainly could wait.
I must have fallen asleep because Julia’s mother was back with me when I opened my eyes again.
“How are you feeling?” she asked me in a soft tone.
I was burning with fever, still dizzy, weak, and nauseated, but telling her that wouldn’t help my case. “Much better, thank you,” I assured her.
“You want to be with him so badly, you’ll jeopardize your health,” more than a question; it was an affirmation.
I closed my eyes for a moment. “Wouldn’t you do it if you were in my shoes?” I asked her, no longer trying to hide my feelings.
She chuckled, but there was no joy in the sound. “I might have done it when I was young and foolish,” she confessed. “Life has shown me a lot ever since.”
“He’s all I’ve got,” I stated, in a matter-of-fact tone.
“But you could have so much more if you decided to stay here, with us,” she pointed out.
“You certainly don’t need another mouth to feed, and I would always be an outsider,” I replied, and she was forced to admit I was right. “Please, convince whoever is in charge that they should let us go. You have no idea what you’re up against,” I warned her, being as honest as possible.
“Then, perhaps we should get rid of the problem while we can,” she suggested.
I took a deep breath, trying to stay calm. Losing my temper wouldn’t get me anywhere. “You’re not considering the whole picture.”
Chapter Sixteen
“What do you mean?” she asked, curious.
“Out there, in the woods, lies the dead body of a very important Septian. I’m sure his friends have already sent the dragons looking for him, and when they find the cadaver, they will stop at nothing until they find who’s behind his death,” I told her in a cold tone.
She jumped to her feet. “What are you talking about?”
“Ryoko killed the Septian that kidnapped me. I’m sure he can find a perfect excuse for his death, and the Septians will have no reason to think he’s lying,” I explained. “But, without a plausible explanation, they will search these woods until they find us. Our scent is all over the scene, and there’s no way to get rid of it, not from the dragons,” I added, exaggerating things as much as I could, though I doubted anyone would bother looking for Sylan, beyond finding his dead body.
“The dragons? We’ve brought the dragons into our home?” Julia’s mom almost yelled.
“Not yet, but it’s a strong possibility,” I assured her. “All you have to do is let us go, and no one will ever bother you here,” I promised.
“Why should I believe you?” an old man asked from the door.
Apparently, he had been listening to the conversation.
I lifted myself and leaned my elbows, trembling. “Are you willing to take the risk?”
“Killing you both would solve my problems,” he said in a harsh tone.
I shook my head. “The dragons would still follow our scent here. But I’m sure you’ll be able to convince them you have nothing to do with us,” I mocked him barefacedly.
He clenched his jaw. “You could still send them after us,” he pointed out in a cold tone.
“If we meant any harm to you and your people, why would Ryoko save Julia’s life?” I asked in a tone firmer than me.
My head was spinning so fast I was sure I was going to throw up. Not to mention the strain I was putting on my lungs, trying not to cough.
“Perhaps, we should do as she says,” Julia’s mother intervened, wriggling her hands nervously.
“This is our chance of avenging our dead people,” he protested, “to give them a taste of their own medicine.”
I closed my eyes when I heard him. He had turned this into his personal vendetta, and convincing him to let us go would be more complicated than I expected.
“At what cost, John? What if what she’s saying is true? What if the dragons find us? What then?” Julia’s mother asked, with fear and fury in her tone. “Will you protect us from them?”
The man was livid. He knew, probably better than anyone else, the risks at stake.
“Damn you, Sandra!” he mumbled, running his fingers through his white hair.
“You shouldn’t have brought them here, and you know that,” Sandra insisted. “But since you did, now is time to rectify and send them away. With luck, this won’t blow up in our faces.”
John paced the room, from wall to wall, trying to decide what to do. At some point, he stopped next to my bed and looked at me in the eyes.
“Can you promise the dragons won’t come after us if I let you go?” he asked in a stern tone.
“I can promise we’ll do all in our power to prevent that. I need to take the general home so that he can explain the Septian’s death. That should stop all searches,” I told him, as sincerely as possible.
“That’s not good enough!” John ranted.
“It’s all I can get you. I have no idea how Ryoko is doing. He was badly injured protecting me. If he dies, there’s no stopping hell from happening,” I explained, my tone harsh and cold.
“He’s fine,” John replied, looking away.
“Let us go. It’s your best chance at protecting your people. The Asseptians are ruthless creatures. They only care about their own people, and they will do what it takes to themselves alive and well,” I told him, doing my best to make him understand this was a lot worse than he thought. “This is not the first planet they’ve invaded, and it probably won’t be the last.”
“How do you know all this?” John asked me, frowning.
“He doesn’t seem to speak much,” he said in a scornful tone.
“They are telepathic creatures. They speak with their minds, not their mouths,” I replied, almost automatically, before I realized what his words really meant. “He’s conscious?”
“He was conscious for a while yesterday before you woke up,” he replied, again avoiding looking at me.
Waves of relief washed over me, and I sighed. His last words still haunted me, and though I wanted more than nothing to see him and be with him, I also feared that meeting.
“If he gets well enough, you won’t be able to contain him. He’s stronger than you can imagine,” I warned him.
He raised his hands in a surrendering gesture. “Fine! I will trust you’ll keep your people safe, even when you’ve been in bed with the enemy,” John said, not even bothering to hide his disdain towards me.
His opinion weighed nothing to me, so I simply ignored his remark.
“When can we leave?” I asked instead.
“My men will take you to the cave where we found you. You’ll be on your own after that,” he announced.
I sighed, relieved. “Thank you. It’s the best way to solve this,” I assure him.
“We’ll see,” he replied in a dark tone before he walked out of the room.
I lay back on the pillow and closed my eyes for a moment, exhausted from the encounter.
“You’re not strong enough for the journey,” Sandra pointed out.
“I’m fine,” I lied. “And I’ll be better when all this is behind us,” I assured her.
“Why him? What made you choose him?” she asked me, intrigued.
I shrugged. “He chose me, and I only regret not having listened to him when he told me never to wander outside the house,” I told her with a deep frown. “If I had stayed home, none of this would have happened.”
“You don’t know that,” she told me in an appeasing tone.
“Oh, I think I do,” I assured her.
Sandra sighed. “I’ll get you some warm clothes and shoes,” she offered.
“What happened to the cloak I had?” I asked her.
“I’ll bring that too. I had someone wash it for you. It was covered in a blue substance we weren’t able to identify,” she said in an inquisitive tone, but I pretended not to notice it.
