by Avery Rae
5
We'd only been traveling for a matter of seconds and Solys was already fidgeting irritably in the seat across from me. He was mad that I wasn't squirming with fear like he wanted. I was retreating again, trying to find a memory to hide in, and that really pissed him off. It always did. But my mind was the one thing he wanted, and it was the one thing I refused to let him take. Completely, at least. I'd never be the same after him.
"It took me two days to recover, Naomi. Don't you think you should make that up to me?" He leaned forward, grabbing one of my bony knees and squeezing. "Don't you think you should beg for forgiveness?"
I slowly looked down at my knee, then back up at him. "That just seems like a waste of time."
Satisfied at having gotten a reaction, however trifling, he settled back in his seat. One of his hands fell to his lap, massaging himself. The silk of his pants hid nothing. Catching me looking, he opened his legs wider. My mouth twisted into a grimace and I looked away, staring out the window at the dense forest of glowing trees that lined the road.
"Look at me, Naomi," Solys ordered. I hated hearing my name from his mouth.
I shook my head and swallowed the lump in my throat. Solys moved to my side of the vehicle, sliding along the seat until he'd molded himself against my side. He grabbed my hand and shoved it between his legs. I tensed my fingers into a claw, refusing to touch him in the way he wanted.
"You're only making it worse for yourself." His hot breath was moist on my ear and neck. "Why can't you realize that? Things could be so good for you."
I twisted my hand in Solys's grasp and pressed myself against the window, trying in vain to escape him. He held me tighter, jerking at my wrist and forcing my hand back down. Despite how frail I was, I slammed my heel into his shin. When he jerked back with a surprised grunt, I scrambled up into the seat and pressed my back against the window. With all my might, I planted both feet into his side, and he went flying. But so did I.
The vehicle had come to a stop so abrupt I crashed to the floor. My thin body cried in protest as I fought to get back to my feet. I could already hear Solys getting up. I had to be ready because he was going to hurt me after that.
Outside, there was shouting and thumping. It didn't matter what was going on out there, though. His guards didn't care what he did to me. Yet, to my shock, before I'd even managed to get to my feet, the door to my vehicle opened, and I looked up to see Solys preparing to step out.
He looked back at me, hair and clothes disheveled, and scowled. "Stay right here, my dear; this won't take long."
Solys vastly overestimated his influence over me. Always had. Before he'd even made it all the way out, I barreled into him with a furious cry. Air expelled itself from my lungs as we hit the ground, tumbling into the glowing grass.
Heart pounding, I jumped to my feet despite every nerve ending in my body screaming at me to stop. Adrenaline was the only thing keeping me going, and I knew I had to get the hell away. Fast. This was it. My last chance.
"I'm going . . . to make you regret that," Solys wheezed out behind me.
I would've loved to tear into him. To tell him what a weak, psychotic piece of work he was. Instead, I ran as fast as my rubbery legs would carry me. Solys was screaming something. I didn't know what. I focused on the sound of my feet pounding against the ground, the crunch they made as they kicked up the white soil. My lungs burned with each breath, but I kept on going, eyes locked on the treeline ahead. Freedom awaited me there. I just had to get somewhere I could hide.
The moment I crossed into the gentle blue glow of those trees, relief flooded through me. I wanted to fall to the ground. Curl up and sleep for eternity. But I was celebrating too soon. We're not done yet, I told myself. We're not done. Keep going.
But it was too late. The pain and exhaustion overwhelmed me. My feet began to drag against the forest floor. No, no, no. Despite my protestations, I took three more sluggish steps, then collapsed. Not again. Please. It was only seconds later that I felt arms tighten around me. I kicked and screamed and clawed but it did nothing. A hand covered my mouth, then everything went black.
6
It was dark and damp when I next woke. The basement. I clamped down on a whimper in the back of my throat. The moment I stirred, a hand touched my shoulder. I jerked away as if it had burned me and scrambled to press myself against a cool wall.
"Hey, hey, calm down," a voice said from the darkness. "It's okay."
I paused. That didn't sound like Solys. Was this a trick? A new ploy for trying to make me break down? I strained my eyes against the darkness, trying to make out the form in front of me. All I could see were the glowing eyes that marked the person as Korysti. Nothing else.
There was a moment of quiet shuffling, then I heard a quiet crack. A fire flickered to life on the ground in front of me. I looked up to see Kolyr staring back at me. There was a cut on his brow and a dark bruise blooming on his cheek, marring his otherwise perfect pale purple skin.
"How?" I asked, swallowing thickly. My mouth was dry, so dry, and my body ached all over.
As if he knew, Kolyr handed me a shiny silver thermos. "Drink. I'll give you an injection after, then you can eat."
"How?" I repeated as I took the thermos.
"I'm a soldier. Defense Force or not, they were only security guards. They didn't stand a chance when I ambushed their convoy."
"So that was you." I took a long, soothing drink of ice cold water from the thermos. In that moment, it was the best thing I'd ever tasted.
Kolyr nodded as he watched me drinking, chewing at his lower lip. "Imagine my surprise when the person I was trying to rescue took off without me. You did a number on the governor though. He was pissed."
Thermos drained, I leaned my head back against the wall behind me with a sigh. I furrowed my brow. No, it wasn't just a wall. It was rock. We were in a cave, I realized. Korystus was riddled with them. I'd found some pretty extensive ones in my months wandering the forest.
"You know, I have a better question for you," I murmured.
Kolyr arched a brow. "What's that?"
"Why?"
"I've been asking myself the same thing ever since I nailed one of my governor's security guards in the jaw with a right hook." He let out a long sigh. "I'll let you know when I figure it out."
Kolyr turned and rustled through one of the many bags he'd packed earlier and pulled out a thick silver canister with a thin, covered tip. He sat down beside me and motioned for me to give him my arm. I did so, watching as he removed the cover from the end, revealing a sharp needle. His eyes flicked up to mine, looking for the okay. I nodded, and he quickly and painlessly administered the injection.
I closed my eyes as a warm feeling rushed through my veins, soothing all my aches. "You're good at that."
"Just more of that useless Defense Force training."
A slow smile spread across my face. I wasn't sure if it was the endorphins from the injection repairing my broken body, or just the underlying note of bitterness in his voice. Whichever one, I thought his reaction was hilarious.
"I really hit a sore spot with that one, didn't I?"
"Have I made it that obvious?"
"Yeah, a little."
To my surprise, Kolyr chuckled softly and nestled back against the wall beside me. I stiffened. Why was he so close? Every time Solys acted like this, it ended with him shoving my head or hands somewhere I didn't want them to go.
As if he could sense my discomfort, Kolyr put a little more space between us and stretched his long legs out, away from the fire. He tossed the empty canister to the pile of bags and turned his head to me.
"You know I'm not going to hurt you, right?"
"I don't get what's going on, but yeah, I suppose so." My voice faded off into a whisper.
The gravity of our situation was slowly weighing down on me. He might be Korysti, and thus everything I hated, but he didn't deserve what was coming for him. What Solys would do to him. I couldn't let hi
m take that punishment. Not for me. He should've never tried to rescue me in the first place. I shakily got to my feet.
"You shouldn't be getting up yet; you're a mess." Kolyr moved to a crouch, his hands wrapping around my waist to steady me. His touch was so gentle, I wanted to burst into tears.
"Mess, huh?" I gave him a half-smile. "Thanks for the compliment."
He stood up, hunching slightly as he barely cleared the top of the cave. And he was close. So close his muscled chest was pressed against my side. I had the strangest urge to curl up against him. I imagined I would feel safe and comfortable. But I didn't deserve that. I had to leave while he still had a chance of escaping me, which would help him escape Solys, too. At the very least, going after me would distract Solys long enough that he would forget about Kolyr.
"Come," he said, "sit closer to the fire. You should stay warm and get something to eat."
I shook my head. "Thank you. For all of this. I mean, even though you're the one who told them where I was in the first place. I don't blame you for that. You were just doing your duty or whatever."
I inhaled sharply as Kolyr's hands tightened around my waist.
"Hold on, what're you saying all this for?" he asked with a frown.
"I'm sorry that stumbling across me has ruined your life. I really am." I looked up at him. "Run while you can. Get far away from here. Solys doesn't take kindly to his pride being wounded. He'll destroy you if you give him the chance."
"You can't be serious." Kolyr laughed. He actually laughed. "I'm not going to let you leave, Naomi. You're staying with me. At the very least, I need you and your story to get me out of this mess."
I furrowed my brow. "How am I going to help you, exactly?"
"I'll take you to the peacekeepers. You can tell them what he did and—"
"You think they don't already know?" My faint smile died on my lips. "You think they care? They do, and they don't. Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to leave. I'd really rather you not stop me."
I took a step forward and he pulled me back, lightly holding me against his chest. I had that urge again—the one telling me to just press my face into his chest and stay there, letting him wrap himself around me like a safety blanket. Instead, I jerked against him. He only tightened his arms.
"I do mind. You'll die out there alone."
"That's just fine." The words were hard as they left my mouth. "Let me go. If someone asks, tell them the evil human made you do those things. I don't care what excuse you give them. Just tell them it was all a big mistake. Something to save your ass."
"You don't need to do this," he said with a sigh. "There are people out there trying to help humans. We can go to them."
"Like who?" I asked with a bitter laugh. "And how are they going to protect me and you from Solys?"
"One of them is a senator."
I paused. "Really?"
"Yes. Why would I lie about that? I have everything on the line."
"That's my point," I replied, my voice low. "You're risking everything for some stupid human who's done nothing but insult you. I don't understand why you won't just let me go."
"The things you said. That mark on your thigh. Nobody should be treated like that, Korysti or not." His arms tightened around me again, but not in a forceful way. He was hugging me. It'd been so long since I'd felt something so comforting that I leaned back against him, letting myself enjoy it for a moment.
"The senator is fighting for human rights," Kolyr continued, his voice soft. "I've been watching him for a long time, on the fence, but now I know I want to help."
"Fighting for human rights, huh?" I let out a small, dismissive sigh. "I'll believe it when I see it."
"Stay with me, and you will. I'll get you to him, I promise."
"How? Solys is going to watch your place. You won't be able to get your vehicle, and I don't get the sense you live within walking distance of the city."
"We'll go on foot. Take refuge in the caves along the way. Move slowly." His arms flexed around me. I was surprised he hadn't let me go yet. "They'll never expect us to be taking our time. They'll search in all the wrong places if we're unpredictable."
"You sound pretty confident."
"Because I am."
I looked up at him. "I think you're insane for not just letting me walk out there, but . . . I'll stay."
He arched a brow. "I can let you go and you won't, I don't know, attack me and run?"
"Who do you think I am?"
"You're skin and bones, yet I saw you slam the governor so hard into the ground that he broke his nose. I don't know what sort of training your pilots get, but something tells me you're a force to be reckoned with."
"I'm glad someone finally recognizes that fact."
Kolyr's warm chuckle sent a shiver down my back. I masked it by clearing my throat and untangling myself from his arms. He watched me warily as I moved back to the fire and sat down. He really was a little bit afraid of me, wasn't he? I couldn't help but smile.
"So, what's the plan for now?" I asked.
"They're probably combing the forest up ahead right now. I backtracked, so we're in a cave far behind my house. Once you're finished eating, we'll rest up for a few, then head out, taking the long way around. We should avoid them entirely that way."
Kolyr settled down beside me in front of the fire. Over the next hour, he cooked something for me over the fire, then fed me several snacks until I felt like I was going to burst. As he handed me yet another drink, I held out a hand to turn it down.
"No more," I said with an agonized moan. "It's too much."
He frowned. "How long were you in the forest again?"
"I don't know. Weeks or months. I can't be sure."
"What did you eat to stay alive for that long?"
"I grazed on whatever I could find that looked edible. Why?"
Kolyr nodded slowly. "I found you near a patch of poisonous berries. Probably one of the few things on this planet that could actually kill you. Explains how you lasted so long yet ended up nearly dying anyway."
I snorted out a laugh. "That would be my luck."
"The governor—" He made a face. "Solys. Did he feed you?"
I looked down with a sigh. It'd been nice to talk about anything else but Solys for a little while. But it was important that I tell people.
Kolr cleared his throat. "If you don't want to talk about it, that's fine. I'm just trying to understand."
"I don't mind. I appreciate it, actually. As far as food went, Solys fed me just enough to keep me kicking." I brought my knees up and hugged them to my full, aching belly. It'd been so long since I'd felt this way. "When I started refusing to eat, he had a guard force it down."
"Of course he did." Kolyr opened his mouth, shut it, then opened it again. "I'm sorry for . . . pushing that food on you."
"Don't apologize. You didn't force me. I made that choice in a moment of weakness." I smiled ruefully, holding out my thin arms. "Besides, I know I must look terrible."
"You don't." He absently stoked the fire with a stick, his bottom lip slipping between his teeth. "You're still beautiful, you just look like you've been through a lot."
"Beautiful, huh? That's a nice way of putting it." My smile quirked even higher on one side. "You better be careful with all these stellar compliments. I'm very vulnerable right now and might fall in love with you if you're not careful."
I'd meant for it to be a joke but Kolyr looked away, staring at the flames with a dark expression. "I doubt you could ever love my kind after what you've been through."
I hugged my knees a little tighter. "I know for a fact that I couldn't."
"I can't say I blame you."
A thoughtful silence fell between us. Kolyr's glowing eyes, even brighter set against the flickering flames, met mine briefly before he looked away again.
I furrowed my brow as I watched him. "I don't get it."
"Get what?"
"Even if you can't explain why you ran to town, reported m
e, then decided you'd rather assault your governor to rescue me—I don't understand why you're being so nice now."
He set the stick down and leaned back, stretching out his muscled form as he eyed me for a moment. It was as if he expected to find the answer written on my face. I lifted my brows and he gave me a slow smile.
"You won me over, I guess."
"I won you over?" I lifted my brows even higher. "You guess?"
"I knew when I left for town that you told me all those things about yourself because you were trying to manipulate me. Giving me small, personal details so I would see you for you, and not for what the government has told me you are." He splayed out his hands and sighed. "But even though I knew what you were doing, it worked."
I rested my head on my knees. "What does your government tell you about us?"
"That you're a violent, greedy, and ungrateful species that's lucky to even be allowed to remain on our planet."
I lifted one shoulder up in a shrug. "They're not wrong about our negative qualities. But I think that applies to any species, doesn't it? The Korysti definitely aren't immune. And they're leaving out all the good qualities that make up for our bullshit."
He gave me a small smile. "The same goes for my people."
"Oh. Oh. I see. You're trying to prove something."
"I am. I didn't quite understand why Senator Rylos was pushing this issue so hard. He's risked everything himself. But I get it now."
"He sounds like a decent guy."
Kolyr grabbed a tablet from his bag and glanced at it. "Speaking of the senator, we should start moving. It's going to be a long journey on foot. You feel up to it?"
"Yeah, I think I can handle it."
Whether it was the injection, the food, or the surprisingly pleasant conversation—maybe all three—I felt better than I had since I arrived at Solys's all those months ago. I watched as Kolyr moved around the cave, gathering up all our things and erasing all signs we'd been there. In fact, I couldn't take my eyes off him.
I told myself it was because he was a hot alien who'd saved my life, so obviously I was going to stare. But that was only half the truth. I had always been the type to love hard and fast, because it took a lot to break through my exterior and I knew it. Once someone got in, they were in. I wasn't going to say I loved him, that would be stupid, but I was developing a pretty strong case of the likes.
