by Jacinta Jade
She nodded and responded in a soft voice of her own. ‘Definitely.’ She pushed off with her feet from the bottom of the pool, raising her hips so her legs lifted to float before her. At the same time, she stretched her arms out to the sides and let her head sink back a little, so she could float on the surface.
It was almost serene, drifting there like that, with silence all around and soft beams of light dappling sections of the pool.
She felt the water ripple close by and, turning her head a little, saw Baindan floating beside her, also looking up at the cavern’s ceiling.
‘I saw Deson had his arm around you this morning.’
Siray stiffened at Baindan’s words, and she immediately stood, uncomfortable with this new topic, but Baindan continued to float there, leisurely moving his arms under the water. ‘I didn’t realise he had done that until this morning,’ she said, a bit defensively.
Baindan stood up as well, shrugging his shoulders as water streamed from his bare torso, and moved closer. ‘It’s alright. It was dark. I should have done it.’ His grey eyes considered her.
Siray raised one eyebrow. ‘Nothing has happened between Deson and I.’
Baindan shrugged again. ‘Technically, nothing has happened between us either.’ He stepped closer still, his body now only an arm’s length away from her. ‘But that doesn’t mean there isn’t something there.’
Siray’s heart was pounding faster now, and her body felt warm despite the cool water. ‘What do you mean?’
Baindan looked off to where the others were sleeping, then back at her. ‘I mean that I’ve seen the way you both interact with each other. But more importantly, I’ve seen the way he looks at you.’
He gestured, his movements causing ripples to run through the surface of the otherwise still pool. ‘It’s our way, Siray. It’s always been the way of our people. We seek mates in the time of our second lives, and the males always end up competing.’
Siray shook her head. ‘But I’m not looking for—’
Baindan waved away her response. ‘It won’t matter. All of us are young, and, if it weren’t for this war, we would have been living out in the forest right now. The Great Mother doesn’t stop the natural order of things just because we decide to fight over who has control over what.’
Siray smiled slightly. ‘You sound like my old cycle guide,’ she said.
Baindan didn’t return her smile but took another step forwards, the water rippling around his body as he drew closer. Now, he was only a hand’s length from her, and Siray could feel the heat radiating from his skin as he stared intently at her. She wanted to lean into him, to soak up more of that warmth, to feel its contrast against the coolness of the water.
This close, Baindan’s grey eyes were stormy, and yet her own eyes continued to travel farther down, over the angles of his muscular shoulder and to the planes of his toned stomach, which her fingers itched to touch.
Looking back up, she saw Baindan was still watching her, and the silence in the cavern pressed in on them both, the water going still as they both stood there, quiet, gazing at each other.
Baindan reached out a hand to run his fingertips down over her shoulder, to trace the slight dip above her collarbone, letting one fingertip trail dangerously close to the edge of her chest wrappings. ‘I don’t mind competition, Siray,’ he whispered. ‘But I intend for you to be mine, and I’ll keep pursuing you.’ Then, he leaned forwards and met her lips softly with his.
It was a slow, hovering kiss, and Siray closed her eyes as she responded, pressing her own mouth firmly against his, her head spinning at the feel of him.
This unleashed something in them both, and Baindan’s arms left the water to wrap around Siray and pull her close, her quiet gasp of surprise and longing making him grasp her waist tightly as he kissed her more deeply still.
After a long moment, Baindan ended the kiss and leaned backwards to look at her, his eyes dancing and a small satisfied smile caressing his lips. ‘That,’ he said, drawing out the word in a low voice, ‘is why—’
A series of sounds from across the cavern interrupted whatever he had been about to say.
Starting in surprise, Siray and Baindan swiftly stepped away from each other, and Siray glanced over her shoulder towards where the others were.
The source of the noise quickly became obvious, as one figure hunched over guiltily, and the sound of annoyed groans sounded. Jorgi had awoken and, obviously in the process of getting up, had tripped and fallen across the legs of some of the others.
Siray headed for the edge of the pool, shooting an apologetic look over her shoulder at Baindan. She didn’t like to leave things with him like that, and liked even less that the moment had been interrupted, but she wasn’t yet ready for the others to know about them. If there even was a them. Which there couldn’t be—when she might have feelings for Deson too.
But Baindan just nodded and shrugged, signifying his understanding, and launched himself through the water in the other direction, kicking out with his feet as he ducked beneath the surface of the pool.
Swivelling her head around to peer towards the others, Siray chuckled softly as she observed the rude awakening of Deson, Tamot, and Wexner, due to Jorgi’s clumsy feet.
Following repeated, and not so quiet, apologies to those he had disturbed, Jorgi happened to move away in the direction of the pool, and Siray, stretching out her arm, waved at him.
It was funny to watch Jorgi’s expression go from one of surprise and confusion to one of glee, as he quickly realised what Siray and Baindan had found. He began moving towards them at a fast walk and, shedding his clothes, promptly joined them in the pool. His ungainly submersion caused Siray to be showered in cool water, and when he popped his head back up, she was waiting to return the favour.
This started a splashing war, which soon became a three-way battle as Baindan joined in.
In their fun, they forgot that the others were still resting and started shouting and yelling as they were each targeted in turn by the other two, with alliances made and broken rapidly.
This had the obvious impact of waking the rest of the group quite rapidly.
‘A pool!’ came a shout from Tamot.
It was enough to ensure all the others speedily made their way over and, after Tamot, Genlie was the next one in, sighing as she shook out her pale, shoulder-length hair as she entered the water.
Soon they were all nine of them in the pool, and Siray begged off the next water battle to instead prop herself up against the side of the pool with her arms hooked over the edge and her feet floating out before her. Looking up at the roof of the cavern and admiring the sunbeams that shone even stronger than earlier, she followed one down its length with her eyes and was pleased to see that a smooth rock over the other side of the pool was its current target.
Spinning to face the edge, Siray pushed herself smoothly up and out of the pool and stood. Bending over to pick up her clothes as water ran down her lean form, she noticed from the corner of her eye that first Deson, then Baindan, and finally Tamot, had stilled in the midst of the water battle and were staring at her. Inwardly she chuckled at their distraction, and still not looking at them, smirked when she heard the momentary lapse of focus earn them a dunking by the others.
Moving across to the smooth rock she had spotted, Siray stretched out on her back and settled herself into a comfortable position. Glorious. The rock was pleasantly heated from the sun that had been streaming down on it, and it warmed Siray’s back, legs, and shoulders in the nicest way. The rays touching her stomach took away the last chill of the water, and Siray sighed happily.
‘Mind if I join you?’
A little reluctantly, Siray opened her eyes and turned her head.
Genlie stood there, dripping, as she smiled.
‘Not at all,’ Siray said, smiling back, before she shifted over a little so Genlie could join her on the rock.
‘Thanks,’ Genlie said, sighing as she, too, lay down.
/> ‘It’s good, isn’t it?’ Siray said, her head still turned towards Genlie.
‘Hmmhmm,’ Genlie murmured back, her eyes closed.
Siray watched as Genlie adjusted her position slightly, coming more awake. ‘So, I’ve never seen Kovi this happy before,’ she said.
Genlie smiled and opened her eyes again, turning towards Siray. ‘I thought he’d been captured. Wexner was probably the happiest that I’d been proven wrong.’
Siray smiled as she thought of the socially backwards Wexner trying to console a grieving female.
‘I’d planned to come over and speak to him that night the attack happened,’ continued Genlie. ‘I’d been thinking about him ever since we fought one another in that sparring test. And when I saw him the other night …’ She shrugged and smiled as her eyes glazed over slightly.
‘So, will you two stay together now?’ Siray asked. That was the usual way once such a public display of affection had been made.
Genlie nodded. ‘We chatted a little last night about it, but it’s pretty clear to both of us what it is.’
Siray considered for a moment and then asked shyly, ‘What about if you had feelings for multiple people?’
Genlie had closed her eyes again, but now she opened one of them to peer over at Siray.
‘Ah …’ she murmured. She opened both eyes and turned onto her side so she could speak more easily. ‘I thought I had spotted a little rivalry happening there.’ Genlie looked over at the pool, where the males were still trying to drown one another. ‘Baindan and Deson, right?’
Siray nodded.
‘And you have feelings for both?’
Siray paused before nodding again.
Genlie smiled. ‘Seems I’m the fortunate one, then,’ she said, chuckling softly. ‘I also noticed that Tamot has been keeping close.’
Siray mumbled something but then asked more clearly, ‘But what do I do?’ She stole glances towards the pool.
Genlie shrugged. ‘You let it all play out, as is traditionally done.’ She closed her eyes again and settled down onto her back once more.
Siray bit her lip, considering how much to tell, then thought, to the rocks with it. Genlie was older and more experienced in these things, and she needed advice from another female. ‘Baindan acknowledged the rivalry between him and Deson. He said he didn’t mind the competition.’
Genlie’s eyes sprung open again in interest, and she rolled onto her stomach, resting her chin on her hands as she considered Siray more intently. ‘Really? Well. He’s serious, then.’
Siray looked at her in confusion, and Genlie smiled as she explained.
‘If he’s acknowledged that there’s a rival for your affections, at least part of which you also return, then he’s trying to show you that he won’t withdraw from pursuing your affections just because someone else is competing for you.’
Siray’s brows knotted in concern. ‘They won’t fight, will they?’
Genlie shook her head. ‘Only if one of them feels that you’re being taken away without you really having committed to your choice. Those are the rules.’ Her gaze returned to the pool. ‘Until you make a committed choice, you’ll have two very protective bodyguards.’
Siray sighed as she also rolled over onto her stomach, burying her face in her hands. ‘I was afraid of that.’
CHAPTER EIGHT
A SPAN or so later, they were preparing to leave the cavern. They had managed to cook some of the wefron meat after Deson had flown up through one of the larger holes in the cavern’s ceiling and thrown down wood and other items to help start a fire, and Deson now carried a roughly made bag over one shoulder that contained the remaining meat which they had smoked in order to help preserve it, thanks to the knowledge of Genlie and Wexner. Then they had all drunk their fill from Genlie’s waterskin, and refilled it from the pool.
It appeared that what had awoken Siray so early had actually been the first light of the morning sun angling through the holes that peppered that cavern, and as such, it was only midmorning when, with all of them feeling much better than they had the night before, they all began moving forwards once more.
Ahead of Siray, Baindan carried the rope they had previously used in the dark to keep themselves together. Now that they could navigate using the pale light that filtered into the caves they had no current use for it.
They travelled in silence again, but this time it was less from fear of pursuit—although that still remained high in their minds after Deson has raised the point about how noisy they had been during their swim that morning—and more from awe at the fantastic natural architecture they were seeing around them.
As they filed through cavern after cavern, Siray marvelled at the large daggers of rock that hung from the roof of the cavern, and also the points at which the floor rose up to meet them. They varied in size from no bigger than her hand, to taller than some trees. There were also the coldly silent pits of darkness that appeared in some of the floors and walls. At one point during their trek forwards that day, they had to pull out the rope again, as they one-by-one edged along a narrow shelf to bypass a dark crevice that ran almost the entire length of one of the caves.
They continued to press forwards until the light was almost gone, and then when night had all but fallen, chose a safe place to sleep. Not one of them suggested continuing on in the darkness, even though their travel that day hadn’t been anywhere near as wearying as previous days.
Then they were up again at first light the next day, ready to push forwards. By midday, they were no longer staring around in wonder, even though the caves were still just as beautiful. Siray suspected that the others felt as she did, and longed to stand beneath the open sky and see a forest or plain spread out before them. It was also the aspect of not being able to see ahead any real distance, to not have a visual marker as a guide that rattled her. Even though Baindan seemed to be fairly confident each time he and Jorgi chose a direction out of the numerous tunnels that presented themselves, Siray longed for a map. Although one difference in their travels was clear that day—they were moving upwards. If the steepness of some of the tunnels they traversed that day weren’t enough to convince them that they were drawing closer to the surface again, then the welcome increase in temperature did.
Over the course of the day it also became clear to Siray that Genlie had been right about the attitudes of Deson and Baindan. They consistently kept near to her without actually hovering, and Siray felt their attention on her as she went about helping the others with tasks. She supposed that normally the feeling might not be so intense, but their limited ability to move around made it so at this time.
Siray was also enjoying the short conversations she managed to have with Genlie at the times when they weren’t travelling in complete silence and hadn’t realised how much she had actually missed having a female friend around to confide in. Genlie was gentle, pretty and independent. Her obvious fighting skills also made her valuable to the group, and Siray spotted her and Wexner talking with Baindan occasionally about what they might face when they eventually left the caves.
It turned out that that moment came sooner than any of them expected. They were walking around a bend late on the third morning since their descent into the caves, when Jorgi stopped suddenly, looking at something they couldn’t see. On alert behind him, the others stopped as well.
Jorgi called softly to them all. ‘You better come see this.’
Siray trailed after Baindan as they all moved quickly to join Jorgi, her curiosity growing. As she passed around the same bend in the corner, she took a quick intake of breath. ‘Whoa …’
Although the caverns had grown lighter the further they had travelled, she hadn’t really noticed that they’d been moving higher. But now, looking at the view spread out before them, she couldn’t really doubt it. In front of them, the cavern opened out through a big, gaping slash, which they were all looking through even as they shielded their eyes from the sun that was still climbing into the
sky.
Below them, Siray saw the expanse of the Great Kuminati spread out before them, the sands curving away in rolling dunes until they met with great peaks far in the distance.
Previously, Siray had overheard Baindan telling Wexner and Genlie more about the facility they were making for, and his general idea of where it might be. Wexner had agreed that they would need to be sure they had enough supplies for a day’s march into the desert.
Tamot was the first to speak, now that their final, and greatest, obstacle lay before them. ‘So, what now?’
They all turned to look at Baindan, who had the only map of where they were going in his head.
‘Wait a moment while Wex and I go find out exactly where we have come out into the sands.’ Baindan motioned to Wexner, and they both moved ahead and slipped through the crack.
The others leaned forwards to watch them for a moment, but then both Baindan and Wexner disappeared as they moved away and upwards, out of sight.
‘Well,’ Genlie said after they had all stood in silence for a moment. ‘Best take the time to rest while we can. No doubt we’ll be on the move again once night falls.’ She pointedly picked a spot away from the cave opening, dropped the water satchel carefully to the ground, and then gracefully let her back slide down the wall until she was sitting on the cool floor.
The others followed suit, but Siray picked a spot near the opening so she could continue to look out at the sands. It was the first time she had seen them, and the distance they covered amazed her.
‘It’s impressive, isn’t it?’ Deson said as he sat down beside her.
‘Yes,’ she said, her eyes not moving from the sands. ‘I don’t think I ever really realised how big our world was.’
‘Well, those peaks that you see in the distance? They form the first ring of peaks that surround the city of Opanau, where I grew up.’
Siray turned to regard him with surprise. ‘I didn’t know you were from there.’
Deson nodded. ‘I came a long way to join the Resistance after my brother was captured.’
