by Hope Hart
I grind my teeth, and Inexa’s gaze lands on my face. She gives me a knowing look, and her face creases in pain for a single moment. I have not touched Nevada in front of her—have barely looked at her or spoken to her—yet somehow Inexa knows exactly how I feel about her.
“Would you happen to have a dress I can borrow?” Nevada asks, and Inexa examines her form.
“It will be too big.”
“I know. But they won’t be paying much attention, and I just need to look less like myself… More…helpless.
Nevada seems to realize what she’s just said, because a flush travels up her cheekbones. “I didn’t mean—”
“I know,” Inexa says, her smile serene, and Nevada hunches her shoulders. Inexa’s gaze scans Nevada’s body, traveling from her leather pants to her vest and lingering on the gold band circling her upper arm. Inexa glances at me and then quickly looks away, moving into her small bedroom. She comes back with a blue dress, and Nevada smiles at her awkwardly before pulling it on over her clothes.
The dress drags on the ground, and it’s definitely too large. Inexa reaches over and helps her tighten the strings at the back, ensuring that it won’t fall down.
“Well,” Nevada says, “what do you think?”
Hewex snorts. “You look like a mishua wearing Braxian clothes,” he says.
Nevada scowls but bites her lip with suppressed laughter. I send Hewex a look, and then Nevada raises her eyebrow in challenge as she meets my gaze.
“You look fine, karja,” I say.
She smiles at me, her eyes inviting me to share the joke, and for a moment the rest of the world disappears as I stare at my warrior female.
Inexa moves back, her eyes suddenly blank, and I almost curse. I am not trying to hurt her, and I send her a glance of apology as Nevada narrows her eyes at me.
“Okay,” Nevada says finally, breaking the awkward silence. “Let’s get this done.”
We move back through the forest and toward the Voildi’s lair. They’ve removed the bodies, and a group are standing outside, waiting to depart.
“Bring me the flame-haired female,” the leader says. “If you fail in this, I will make you wish you had never been born.”
“Not a bad threat,” Nevada murmurs beside me. “It’d have a bit more weight to it if the ‘flame-haired female’ wasn’t responsible for the sissy eye patch he’s wearing.”
Tagiz grins beside me, and we watch as the Voildi depart. They’re moving back through the village, likely toward the prexa. Once they’ve gone, we crouch behind a large bush.
I grind my teeth, and Nevada reaches out, stroking her hand down my jaw. “It’ll be okay,” she says quietly. “I promise.”
“You can’t promise that.” My voice is hoarse, and Tagiz and Hewex look away, giving us a thin illusion of privacy.
“I trust you guys to have my back. It’s a good plan, Rakiz.”
I disagree. Any plan that puts my stubborn female at risk is not a good plan. But she’s right about one thing—it’s the only plan that makes sense. If a Braxian warrior were to approach the Voildi lair, they would immediately go into defense mode. The human female will be locked down and immediately surrounded.
The Voildi won’t see Nevada as a threat, a fact that she’s counting on. Her presence will create enough of a diversion that we can rescue the other female and make these Voildi pay for their actions.
But I don’t have to like it.
Nevada hands me her sword. She has knives tucked into her boots but can’t risk appearing as a threat in any way.
“Look after this for me,” she says. “I’ll want it right back.”
I reach out and pull her to me, swallowing her gasp as I plunder her mouth. We’re running out of time, but I need to feel her soft lips under mine before I allow her to risk her safety.
Her hand comes up, stroking my face, and I feel some of the tension leave my body. I trust that Nevada can protect herself, and I believe in my warriors. And if the Voildi harm a single hair on my female’s head, I’ll make them wish they had never been born.
Nevada’s eyes are bright as she moves back. “Help me out with this, Jack,” she whispers to the sky.
Then, with a single glance at us, she’s gone, moving back through the forest so she can approach the Voildi from the village.
Hewex and Tagiz disappear, and I clench my jaw until it feels as if my teeth will crack. I can’t join Nevada until she has lured most of the Voildi from their lair. But I move close enough that if they attempt to hurt her, I can be next to her within moments.
There are two Voildi stationed outside the exit, and one’s voice is excited as he suddenly turns his head, calling to those inside. Nevada appears, and I curl my hands into fists even as I force myself to allow her to play her part.
She has blood and dirt on her face, and I scowl as I realize she’s obviously cut herself somewhere in an effort to appear more vulnerable. Twigs and dirt are embedded in her hair, and a shallow wound on her neck seeps blood.
Oh, we will talk, my female warrior and I.
She walks with a limp, freezing as the Voildi step in front of her.
“Human female,” one of them says, voice shocked.
“Please,” Nevada says, her voice wavering. “I need to speak to whoever’s in charge.”
More Voildi appear, grins on their faces, and Nevada trembles, taking a step back. Blood drips into my palms as my fingernails dig into them with the effort required to hold myself back.
The leader appears, pushing Voildi out of the way until he stares at Nevada. A slow smile spreads over his face, and she tilts her head. Anyone who didn’t know Nevada would assume she is frightened, but I’ve seen that cold, cunning gaze each time she has sized up an enemy.
“Female,” the Voildi says, “why have you come here?”
Nevada visibly gulps, holding her hands out from her body and drawing attention to the fact that she’s unarmed. “I’ve come for my friends,” she says. “I know you have them here.”
The leader lets out a laugh, and the other Voildi echo him. More of them appear from within the lair, obviously curious to see what is so amusing.
“You were stupid to come here,” the leader says. “But I will benefit from your stupidity. You can see your friends. In fact, you will have more time with them than you could have imagined before I sell you to the highest bidder.”
Nevada backs away a step, her head twisting from side to side. The leader grins, moving closer, and I turn at a rustle in the trees close by.
Tagiz appears behind me, a human female clutched tightly in his arms. Her face is pale, and it appears as if she is struggling to breathe. He places her down and leans her against a tree before creeping closer.
Now we wait.
A Voildi runs outside from within the lair, the yellow color leaching from his face as he shoves his way forward.
“Milord—”
“Not now.”
“But milord—”
The leader ignores him, and Nevada smiles.
“Nice eye patch,” she says. “You look like Captain Hook and a jaundiced frog had a baby.”
The Voildi steps forward, his smile fading as he bares his teeth at Nevada. Whatever reference she has just made, it’s obvious that it’s an insult, and the Voildi narrows his eye at her.
“Milord—”
“What’s the matter?” she asks, speaking over the pale Voildi, who is now trembling as he attempts to get his leader’s attention. “Cat got your eye? Oh right…that was my friend, wasn’t it? Tell me, did it hurt when a female disfigured you? Ooh…that’s embarrassing.”
“I’ll take your eye as payment,” the Voildi hisses, stepping closer, and Nevada smiles at him.
“Milord! The human female—she’s gone!”
The leader’s mouth drops open, and he growls at Nevada’s satisfied grin.
“Take her,” he orders the two Voildi closer to Nevada, and then he stalks back inside the lair. Most of the Voi
ldi follow, and I finally jolt forward, my body shaking with the need to spill blood.
“Oh, hey, baby,” Nevada says as I reach her, handing her her sword. “I was wondering when you’d turn up.”
Her tone is lightly teasing, and it soothes something inside me.
The Voildi charge, and I behead two of them with one blow. Nevada darts away, quick as lightening as she dodges a Voildi who is still attempting to take her alive. She knees him in the balls, her sword sliding into his chest as he bends, and I dispatch any others who think to come close.
BOOM!
The roof of the lair blows off, fire sweeping through the building, and I pull Nevada away as the last Voildi’s gaze darts between us and the building, and he runs into the forest, where Tagiz is waiting.
“You got her out, right?” Nevada asks, and I nod, pulling her back toward the forest. I don’t know how many Voildi will have survived, but we need to disappear. Now.
“That was fun,” Nevada murmurs, and I feel the corner of my mouth curl.
“Insane female,” I say, and she grins up at me.
Nevada
Zoey is slumped against a tree, and my triumph immediately transforms into worry as I crouch next to her. She opens her eyes and gives me a tiny smile.
“Nevada, right?”
I nod. “Are you okay?”
“I knew someone would come for me,” she whispers, ignoring my question. Then her whole body shakes as she coughs, groaning in pain as she gasps for breath.
She’s covered in dirt, her hair a tangled mess. One of her arms cradles her side, and I glance up at Tagiz as he kneels next to me.
“Zoey was kicked in the ribs by one of the aliens who bought us,” I tell him. “I’m guessing they haven’t healed much.”
His face is grim, and he leans close to Zoey, who studies him with tired eyes. Her breathing is shallow, and her face is so pale she looks gray. I place the back of my hand against her forehead and curse.
She’s burning up.
“You’re sick,” I say, stating the obvious.
“I’m a nurse,” she says. “That first alien broke my ribs. I’m pretty sure I’ve got pneumonia now. I’m guessing you don’t have any antibiotics on you?”
She coughs again, and Tagiz’s eyes are wild as they meet mine.
“Antibiotics aren’t really a thing here,” I say, and she smiles weakly.
“I didn’t think so,” she murmurs. “Hey, at least I’m outside now. I was certain I’d die in that shithole.”
Tagiz lets out a low growl. “You’re not dying, female.”
I almost tell him not to make promises he can’t keep. Pneumonia is serious. I get to my feet and move to where Rakiz and Hewex are talking quietly.
“If we don’t get her to a healer, she’s dead,” I say, and my voice cracks on the last word. Rakiz reaches for me, and I step away. I don’t have time to break down.
“What’s wrong with her?” he asks.
“Broken rib, constantly being moved, poor nutrition, and no drugs. She’s sick as a dog.”
Rakiz nods and gestures at Tagiz, who leans down, gently picking up Zoey as her face tenses in pain.
“I’m sorry, female,” he murmurs, and she nods, resting her head against his chest.
“Let’s go,” Rakiz says, and we move back to Inexa’s home. As much as I want to head straight back to camp so Zoey can see the healers, it’s already getting dark, and we can’t risk traveling through the prexas at night. Zoey needs to be carried, which means Tagiz won’t have his hands free.
We’d be sitting ducks for anyone looking for us.
Inexa’s face is pale when she answers the door, and the relief is clear on her face when she scans Rakiz’s body and finds him uninjured. We file in, and I peel out of the long, heavy dress, feeling like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders.
We still need to find Ivy, Beth, and Charlie, but at least we’ve saved Zoey from those Voildi assholes. Rage makes my hands shake as Tagiz gently lays her down, close to the tiny window. They’ve almost killed her.
I crouch next to her, wincing at her shallow breaths. “How are you doing, girl?”
She blinks up at me, a hint of a smile curling her lips. “Peachy.”
The warriors huddle together, likely making backup plans for their backup plans, and Inexa moves close, a small bucket in her hand.
She places it down and hands me a cloth, and I smile at her gratefully. Zoey lets out a moan as I wipe her face before rinsing the cloth.
“God, that feels good,” she says. “I must stink.”
“You should’ve seen me when I finally bathed back at the camp,” I say. “It was seriously gross.”
Rakiz moves closer and nods. “She’s right,” he says. “I almost had to kick her out of my tashiv.”
Zoey grins at him, and I see a hint of the woman she was on Earth.
“What can you tell me?” I murmur, frowning as I take in her torn pajamas. After the way the Voildi treated her, I’m not sure why I’m shocked that she wasn’t given a change of clothes, but it pisses me off.
I hope they hurt as they died.
“We had a deal,” she murmurs softly. Inexa offers her some water, and she sips at it with a sigh. “Ivy, Beth, and I. If there was a chance for one of us to get away, we would. None of us wanted to leave the others behind, but we knew it was our best chance.
“They were planning to sell us at a slave market, and they lost their minds when they found out it had been destroyed. Beth had managed to convince them that she was weak and slightly stupid. She saw her chance and took off.”
Zoey blinks back tears, and I take her hand. I can’t imagine what it was like for both of them. It must’ve killed Beth to leave, but it would’ve been just as bad to be the one left behind.
“She never came back,” Zoey says, a choked sob leaving her. “I know she would’ve returned if she could. She didn’t want to go, but Ivy made her. Something happened to Beth. Something terrible.”
Shit.
I glance at Rakiz, and his face is hard.
“And Ivy?” I ask.
“After Beth disappeared, we were separated. I don’t know where she was taken, but she put up one hell of a fight.”
“She got free,” I tell her. “She was last seen escaping through the prexas—underground tunnels. Wherever she is, we’ll find her. Beth too.”
Zoey nods, but any energy she had seems to have left her. Her eyes are sliding closed, but Tagiz kneels next to us.
“You must eat, female,” he says to her. “You need your strength.”
She studies his face and then finally nods, taking the dried meat he hands her. She nibbles it, but I can see she has no appetite.
Rakiz draws me to my feet and pulls me aside.
“We need to get back to the camp as soon as possible,” I say, and he nods.
“If I thought we could make it tonight, we would go. But the risk is too high.”
“I know.”
He offers me some dried meat, scowling at me until I take it. I’m not hungry either, but I know it’s important that we keep our strength up.
Inexa finds a few blankets, and Rakiz and I lie on the ground. At one point, screams sound from somewhere in the village, and the tension shoots up.
Inexa peeks out the window. “If there are any Voildi left, they will be hunting you,” she murmurs.
“If they come close, we will leave and take our chances,” Rakiz says from next to me. I coax Zoey into drinking some more water and then curl up as Rakiz moves closer, sliding his arm around me.
Inexa nods absently, still staring out the window. Then she casts one last look at Rakiz and moves into her bedroom, shutting the door behind her.
We’re taking turns on watch tonight. Hewex is going first, followed by Rakiz, then Tagiz, and then me.
Hewex is currently outside in the forest, keeping an eye on the house and surrounding area.
“Are you going to tell me what’s going on betwe
en you and Inexa?” I ask finally, and Rakiz shakes his head.
He reaches out his arm and pulls me close.
“Tomorrow,” he says, and I sigh but rest my head on his chest and close my eyes.
Chapter Thirteen
Rakiz
My eyes fly open, and I reach for my knife as Nevada cries out in her sleep. I scan our surroundings, and she lets out a sound that I never want to hear again. One full of sadness and suffering. If agony had a sound, it would be the groan ripped from Nevada’s throat.
Hewex is sitting up, wrapped in a blanket, likely unwilling to sleep. Tagiz is on watch outside, and thanks to Nevada’s insistence, she’ll trade with him. She doesn’t know yet, but I’ll be staying on watch with her.
Hewex glances at Nevada, pity on his face. I’m glad she can’t see his expression right now because she would likely reach for her sword.
The stubborn female is proud.
Hewex seems to realize this because he wraps his blanket closer around himself and heads outside, giving us privacy.
Nevada chokes on a sob, and I can’t stand it anymore. I lean over and take her mouth, feeling her tense as she wakes beneath me.
I run my hand over her face, which is wet from tears, and move back as Nevada bats my hand away and sits up.
“I was crying,” she says, voice flat. “Did I yell out?”
Her gaze flicks to where Hewex was sleeping and lingers on Zoey’s still form before her eyes narrow on me.
I won’t lie. I nod, and her gaze goes blank as she stares at the wall.
“I knew I’d dream. The moment I saw that hole in the ground at the entrance to the prexa, I knew,” she murmurs, shaking her head. “The weirdest things bring it all back.”
“Talk to me,” I say in a tone that’s perilously close to begging.
She sighs, shaking her head, and I take her hand.
“Please.”
Nevada shrugs and then sighs again as she meets my eyes. “You know, it’s strange what the brain does when you’re held captive. Some days, you’re certain you’ll be going home. Others, you’re positive that you’ll die there, far from home and surrounded by enemies. It was kind of ironic, really. The girl who kept running away from school because she had problems with authority was forced to rely on her captors for everything—from getting enough to eat to going to the bathroom. Some days, I’d lie curled in a ball for hours. Other days, I’d pick fights with the guards. Stupid, I know.”
