The Edge of it All

by Jessica Grayson

  When I finally reach him, I wrap my arms around his body just as a loud bubble erupts near the side of the pod. My jaw drops as the top of the vessel bobs up and down a moment before the water boils with activity, swallowing the entrance completely. As it sinks from view, I turn back to Soran and hug him tightly to me. That could have so easily taken us with it.

  Although I'm cold, I'm grateful for our Mosauran attire. Already the strange, resilient fabric is dry despite being wet only moments ago.

  Two sets of large menacing yellow eyes appear in the forest, and ice-cold fear floods my veins. Gathering my strength, I manage to stand and position myself in front of Soran. If they think he'll be an easy meal, they're gravely mistaken. I feel for the blaster tied to my waist and grip the handle for good measure, ready to blast anything that tries to charge us.

  After a rather tense couple of minutes, the glowing eyes disappear from view, and I drop my gaze to Soran's unconscious form again. "Don't worry, I've got this," I whisper, placing a quick kiss to his forehead. "I'll keep you safe."

  I dig through the med bag, searching for something to treat my injured hand. I don't know what half of this stuff is in here, but I manage to find a bandage. Gritting my teeth, I wrap it tightly around my injury to stop the bleeding.

  Running my fingers roughly through my hair, I twist it back and tie it into a loose knot to keep it out of my face. Now, I just have to find some shelter. I turn back to Soran, his eyes still closed.

  "Lucky for us," I tell him, "my dad loved to camp. He taught me and my sister how to survive in the wilderness."

  I'm silent a moment, searching for any sign that he's heard me, but he remains unmoving. A short puff of air escapes my nostrils, and a small smile forms on my lips. We're alive, and we have hope. "Well, we'll just pretend we're camping, all right?"

  I roll my eyes when I realize I'm still expecting him to answer.

  My sister Angela would laugh if she were here. She always used to make fun of me for talking to myself. I can't help it. It's one of my coping mechanisms for dealing with a stressful situation—talking myself through it.

  Shaking my head, I look down at Soran. I still have to figure out how to get him and our supplies away from here. There has to be something I can use to move him off the ice. We can't stay here; we need to find another shelter before nightfall, and I'm certainly not going to leave him alone while I search for one.

  My gaze drifts to the fallen trees and the long, broken branches scattered nearby from our crash. I pick out two of the straightest ones I can find and lay them out beside him. My left hand throbs in agonizing pain, but I do my best to ignore it as I tie the four corners of the blankets to the two solid pieces of wood and pile our supplies near his feet, atop the fabric. Moving around to his head, I grip the top of the limbs, one in either hand, grit my teeth, and stand. I lift Soran so that his upper body is partially suspended while the bottom of the long branches drag along the ground—forming a makeshift sled of sorts.

  He's really heavy, but it's not impossible to move him this way. I'm definitely going to pay for this later though. My muscles haven't had a workout like this in a long time, if ever.

  I scan the alien landscape before me. The closest mountain formation is straight ahead, and if the mountains here are anything like the ones on Terra, chances are I can find some sort of cave we can shelter in. It doesn't look far, but I know looks can be deceiving.

  Giving myself a quick pep talk, I head for the base of the mountain. I can do this. I just need to find somewhere to shelter for the night, and we'll figure out the rest from there.

  My dad not only made sure I knew how to survive in the wilderness, he taught me how to fly before I could even drive. To be a good pilot, you have to be able to adapt to new situations—to keep your mind focused even when everything else is chaos all around you. I glance over my shoulder at Soran's unconscious form.

  "Lucky for us, I'm a damn good pilot," I tell him. "Don't worry. We're going to be okay. I've got this."

  He doesn't answer, of course. But he doesn't have to. Just knowing that he's here is enough. He's alive and we survived. I didn't make it this far to die on some frozen wasteland of a planet. We're going to make it through this.

  The cold wind stings my exposed face and whips around my body, but I've been through worse. I survived all the terrible things my masters did to me, and I'm not going to die here. I'll find Terra, and I will see my family again. As Soran would say, "I swear it to the Creator."

  When we enter the forest, the canopy is so thick that what little light we have from the gray sky overhead barely penetrates through the trees. It's so cold the breath puffs from my lungs like smoke with each exhalation.

  I keep my eyes trained on the woods around us. This planet is harsh and unforgiving, and I cannot afford to let down my guard. Soran's counting on me.

  My arms and legs burn with effort as I pull him and our supplies steadily over the snow-covered terrain. Sweat dampens my hair and trickles down my back, chilling the clothing against my skin. I'm so tired, I want to collapse. And I'm tempted to rest, but I know if I stop now, I'll never get going again.

  Concentrating on putting one foot in front of the other, it feels like I've been walking for hours. I'm thankful for all the sparring practice sessions I've had with Soran on the glider. If this had happened right after Tr'lani and I were freed, my muscles would be nowhere near as strong as they are now.

  As we approach the base of the mountain, the forest begins to thin. Light filters through the trees, casting a warm reddish glow on the ground around us from the red leaves as the sun rises higher in the sky.

  My body is aching, and I'm on the verge of collapse, but we're almost there, and I refuse to quit now.

  As we draw closer, I notice the yawning mouth of a cave carved into the side of the rock base, and a smile tugs at my lips. I glance over my shoulder at Soran, still asleep. "You see that?" I jerk my chin toward the cavern. "I think we've found shelter."

  I drag him behind a large boulder near the opening and carefully lower him to the ground. Kneeling beside him, I place my hand atop his.

  His head turns toward me, and even though his eyes remain closed, just that small sign that he's aware of my presence brings a smile to my face. "Here's the plan," I tell him, hoping he can somehow hear me. "We can't risk just blindly walking in there. I'm sure we're not the first ones here to seek shelter in this cave. I'm going to have to go check it out. But first”—I study our surroundings—“I’m going to have to have some light."

  This is an ice planet, and I'm hoping that a fire is a universal deterrent to anything unfriendly. Grabbing a small limb from the closest tree, about as long as my arm and less than half the width of my wrist, I snap it from the trunk. A sap-like substance oozes from the exposed end. On Terra, pine sap is extremely flammable. Maybe this stuff is too.

  When Soran was teaching me how to use the blaster, I remember one of the targets caught fire after I hit it with the highest setting.

  Gathering a few smaller branches, some twigs, and dead leaves, I pile them together and then clear the ground around it. I don't want to catch the entire forest on fire when I try this.

  Turning up the blaster to the kill setting, I carefully aim for the direct center of the pile and press the trigger. After a moment, a wisp of smoke rises up but disappears almost instantly. I place my hand over the spot. It's warm but not hot enough to catch fire. Disappointment rushes through me. I need something more flammable to use as tinder.

  A cool breeze whips through the forest; a wisp of hair tickles my nose, and a wide grin spreads across my face. Plucking several hairs from my head, I nest them in with the twigs and leaves. Aiming the blaster again, I focus on the center, and sure enough, my hair ignites, creating a small flame that quickly turns into a fire.

  Suppressing the urge to jump up and down with joy, I focus on the task at hand. Removing my bra, I grab my torch limb and reluctantly wrap the material around the end. I
t's the only piece of clothing I could bear to part with. I can't afford to lose anything else. It's too cold on this planet.

  Before I light my new torch, I drag Soran closer to the fire, hoping that will be enough to keep any predators away. I lean down and press a quick kiss to his cheek, watching a moment to see if he'll awaken.

  When he doesn't, I take his hand and give it a gentle squeeze. "I'll be right back, okay? I have you near the fire so that nothing will bother you while I make sure the cave is clear."

  Tears sting my eyes, but I blink them back. He's so strong, but right now, he looks so vulnerable it breaks my heart. I'm so afraid to leave him here alone, even for a moment. But I have to. I can't risk taking him into the cave without making sure it's safe first. Swallowing against the lump forming in my throat, I press my forehead gently to his.

  "Don't go anywhere, okay," I whisper. "I'll be right back. I promise. I love you."

  Sticking the end of the limb into the fire, it catches quickly, and I move to the entrance of the cave. Torch in one hand and blaster set to kill in the other, I cautiously walk inside. It's much deeper than I thought, and the ceiling is high enough that Soran shouldn't have any problems standing in here. Silver metallic ore lines the walls, shimmering as they reflect the flame. The sound of dripping water is music to my ears. I'm so thirsty, I could drink a gallon right now. Hopeful, I head toward the sound, and my eyes light up when I find two small pools at the back of the cave.

  A low hiss stops me short, and I freeze in place when I notice something that looks like a cross between a rabbit and a porcupine the size of a Labrador backed against the wall. This creature is something straight out of a nightmare. Large, blood-red eyes stare at me menacingly as it bares huge razor-sharp teeth, dripping with saliva. Long, sharp quills quiver and extend straight out from its back as it growls low in warning.

  Slowly stepping back, I move to put some distance between us. "Good rabbupine," I say in a soft and friendly voice as if I'm talking to some kind of cuddly creature instead of this monstrosity. "I'm not here to hurt you. I just need somewhere to shelter for the night. You feel like sharing this cave? Maybe?" I keep speaking as I ease my way backward.

  The hairs rise on the back of my neck, and I still as another low hiss sounds over my shoulder. Fear skitters up my spine. I don't have to look to know there's another one directly behind me. Cautiously turning so that I can look back and forth between the two, I hold out the blaster to one and the torch to the other. The one on my left snarls and gnashes its terrifyingly large teeth as it stalks toward me.

  I lower the torch to place the flame directly between us. It hisses low in displeasure, and out of the corner of my eye, I see the one on my right advancing on me.

  With my best attempt at a threatening growl, I take a chance and lower my head to lock eyes with it. Instead of causing it to back down, this only makes it more aggressive. Its body bristles with anger.

  A sharp sound slices the air, and I turn just in time to avoid a quill as it shoots past me, barely missing my thigh. Acting on instinct, I throw the torch at one and fire the blaster at the other. The walls echo loudly with their screeching cries as they race past me out of the cave. I rush to the entrance, and watch as one collapses, dead, while the other runs in the opposite direction of Soran, disappearing into the forest.

  Eager to get him under shelter, I grip the top end of his sled. With a loud groan of effort, I somehow manage to lift it despite my exhaustion and drag him into the cave.

  I'm so tired, I can barely move, but I force myself to go back out to the woods. Gathering more fallen twigs and branches, I stack them together at the entrance just inside the cave and make a new fire using the flame from the first one.

  As soon as I'm satisfied that it has plenty of fuel to burn for at least a few hours, I collapse next to Soran. My left hand feels numb except for a dull throbbing sensation, and the bandage is almost completely soaked through with blood. Breathing heavily, I roll to my side and place my other hand over his chest, feeling his heart beat reassuringly beneath my palm. I lean forward and place a gentle kiss to his cheek.

  "I hope you wake up soon," I whisper. "I miss those gorgeous silver eyes and the sound of your voice."

  Chapter 29

  Liana

  As if on cue, his eyelids flutter and open. His reflective gaze stares up into mine, and a smile crests his lips. I pepper his face with kisses. "Thank God you're awake!"

  He smiles back, but his expression quickly morphs into confusion as he notices our new surroundings. "Where are we?"

  I relay the entire story to him.

  When I’m finished, his brows shoot up to his forehead in shock. “You dragged me all the way here?"

  "Yes."

  His jaw drops a moment before he quickly snaps it shut. “But I am at least two times heavier than you and much taller. How did you manage this?“

  "It's simple physics. The angle of the sled, the distribution of your weight. It was hard, but”—I sweep my arm around the cave for emphasis—“not impossible."

  He frowns as he reaches up to touch his lips a moment before staring at me accusingly. "You kissed me." He narrows his eyes. "And then you shot me."

  I give him an incredulous look. "Are you really mad about that? I couldn't just leave you behind. I had to distract you so I could save you."

  His lips form a tight thin line. "We need to have a discussion about trust."

  Exasperated, I roll my eyes. "Well, that's just going to have to wait. I'm too exhausted to talk about it right now. We need to gather more wood for the fire, or those rabbupines or something even worse are going to come back."

  Lifting the rabbupine quill to his nose, his nostrils flare as he scents the sharp tip. "Poison," he growls low in his throat. "These creatures are dangerous." He turns back to the cave entrance and surveys the landscape outside as if searching for any new threats. "I will kill anything that tries to harm you. I swear it to the Creator."

  Well, he must not be that mad about me shooting him to say something like that. And something about his declaration makes my heart swell as his silver eyes rake over my form.

  His expression morphs into concern, and he reaches for my injured hand. "You're bleeding. What happened?"

  "When I pulled the transmitter out of the casing, my hand got caught."

  "Why didn't you mention your injury before now? It needs tending."

  Practically frantic, he rifles through the med bag. After a moment, he pulls out a small tube and reaches for my hand. Carefully, he unwraps the bandage, and I inhale sharply when it tugs at my flesh as he removes it. Sharp pain shoots through the site as fresh blood pools over the wound. Tears spring to my eyes, but I manage to hold them back.

  His nostrils flare as he studies the shredded skin. "How did you drag me all that way with this injury?”

  "I didn't have a choice. I wasn't going to leave you behind."

  His eyes meet mine, his expression a strange mixture of tenderness and guilt. “I’m sorry. This will sting, my beloved, but only for a moment.”

  I draw in a deep breath, bracing for the pain. "I'm ready."

  Soran squeezes the thick, clear gel-like substance from the tube, and places it on two of his fingers. Gripping my forearm firmly to hold me in place, he rubs the gel over my wound with his other hand. The moment it touches my skin, intense pain sears along every nerve ending of my injury. I cry out, struggling to pull away from his grasp. Dark memories of the Zovians cutting deep into my flesh fill my mind.

  Desperate to escape the burning sensation, I reach up to wipe it away with my free hand, but he catches my wrist and pulls me to his body to keep me still. "You have to let it work."

  I writhe in agony against his hold, but he doesn't budge. In the small part of my mind that's still functioning, I realize now just how much of his strength he's held back when we're training.

  After what feels like an eternity, the burning subsides, and he releases his grip. Trembling with the e
choes of remembered pain, I look down at my hand, and my jaw drops when I notice the perfect skin. Not a single mark remains.

  Tenderly, he brushes the hair back from my face and cups my cheek. “Are you all right?"

  "Yes, but...why did that hurt so much?"

  "It's a rapid tissue regenerator," he says, as if that explains everything.

  I glance down at my hand again, flexing it experimentally to make sure it's still okay. Cold wind whips through the cave, and I immediately revert back to survival mode. I meet his eyes evenly. "Tomorrow, we need to find somewhere to set up the transmitter. We'll rest tonight, but we need to make sure to keep the fire going."

  He nods. "It is a good plan. I will gather more wood." Without another word, he strides to the entrance, and I stare up at him, my mouth gaping.

  He gives me a confused look. "What is wrong?"

  "It's just...your leg was broken. Badly. And I still can hardly believe you're up and walking like nothing. It doesn't hurt?"

  He arches a brow. "How primitive is your world that you are so shocked by the basic medical technology of an emergency supply bag?"

  Instantly offended, I glare up at him and open my mouth to argue but quickly snap it shut when I notice the teasing smirk on his lips. I narrow my eyes as I try, but fail, to suppress a smile. "You love teasing me, don't you?"

  He grins.

  I hate to admit it, but these "basic medical technologies" are pretty advanced compared to what we have back on Terra.

  He turns his gaze back out to the surrounding forest. "I will scout the area to check for any hidden dangers and gather more wood."

  "Wait!"

  Stopping abruptly, he spins to face me, tilting his head to the side in a questioning look. "What is wrong?"

  "We don't know what all may be out there. What if you get hurt?"

  A devastating smile curves his mouth. "I promise you, Liana, nothing will try to harm me now that I am awake." He flexes his impressive biceps and puffs his chest out exaggeratively before giving me a wide grin. "I am a big, strong Mosauran warrior."