by Rayna Tyler
“They fed them.” Zaedon stopped the two creatures he’d been leading by the platform’s edge. “As long as there is food, they will not leave the area.”
“Okay, but why would anyone want to keep them around in the first place?” Sloane curiously eyed the creature.
Zaedon tipped his head toward the rocky ledges in the distance. “They can travel where a transport cannot.”
“Speaking of transports, are you absolutely sure ours can’t be fixed?” Celeste wrinkled her nose when the chaugwas swiped its long, thin yellow tongue across Zaedon’s forearm.
“If we were able to make the repairs, using the transport would add additional time to the trip.” Zaedon rubbed the chaugwas’s forehead, earning him another lick. “If the weather does not cooperate and we have more rain, the vehicle’s energy will be drained, and recharging will cause more delays. Besides, it is no longer a good idea to travel the roads through the open areas. If Doyle has been warned about our presence, he will be monitoring the main access points and will see us coming.”
“Which means we need another way into the wastelands,” Burke said. “And these animals are good at scaling rocky ledges.”
“Hold on. When you say scale, what exactly do you mean?” Sloane asked.
“Guess you’ll see when we get there,” Burke said, then flashed us one of his smart-assed grins. He shrugged his bag over his shoulder and stepped off the platform. “Get your gear. We need to get going.”
I glanced from my friends to the chaugwai. “How bad can it be?” I tried my best to sound optimistic, but failed at keeping the wariness out of my voice.
“You mean besides the scaling thing? I’d say hours riding in those seats isn’t going to be comfortable.” Celeste crossed her arms and bobbed her head. “But hey, what’s getting a few blisters near our girl parts when you compare it to saving lives, right?”
Her sarcasm wasn’t lost on me, nor was the fact that she was still irritated with me for talking her into helping the ketaurrans. I hoped my zest for doing the right thing wasn’t going to get us all painfully hurt, or worse—killed. “We knew what we were getting into when we agreed to help.”
Sloane nudged Celeste from the other side, her gaze locked on Garyck. “I can think of something I’d much rather be doing with my girl parts.”
Celeste’s cough had me rolling my eyes and glancing from one friend to the other. “Okay, so we didn’t know about the giant lizards, but since we’re here, we may as well get going.”
I turned to go back inside to gather my gear, and ran right into Jardun’s chest. It was like bouncing off a sturdy wall of flesh. I grabbed his arm to keep from stumbling backward. I had no idea how long he’d been leaning against the doorframe listening to us. If I based my guess on his inquisitive smirk, I’d say he’d heard our entire conversation, girl parts and all.
The heat searing a path along my throat and cheeks got even warmer. While I contemplated my recently acquired lack of coordination, he placed his hands on my hips. My ability to concentrate had diminished, and it took me longer than necessary to realize he wasn’t letting go, and even longer to admit I enjoyed being held in his arms.
I forced the thoughts away, reminding myself again why caring wasn’t a good idea and why I needed to keep things between us professional.
“Shouldn’t you be getting ready, or doing some leader-type things, instead of lurking in doorways?” I asked.
He pressed his head to my cheek and spoke softly into my ear. “Probably, but then I would have missed your enlightening reference to the female anatomy.” With a sniff of my neck, he released me, then stepped aside so I could enter the building.
What was it with the sniffing? I remembered how he’d done the same thing the first day we’d met. Ketaurrans had an enhanced sense of smell, and if he could smell my arousal, the last thing I wanted was for him to mention it loud enough for my friends to hear. Sloane was already relentless with her comments regarding him, and knowing how he affected me would just encourage her to increase her efforts. After deciding it was best not to ask or give my friend any additional encouragement, I rushed inside.
When I returned with my bag, Burke, who’d been helping prepare more of the chaugwai, was leading two more of them, and Garyck was following him with the other three.
“Do you suppose you could make the whatsa thingy move closer to the platform?” Celeste asked Zaedon as she waited for him to strap her bag behind the seat on the back of one of the animals. “I don’t want to ruin my boots.” She emphasized her request with a pitiful pout.
I was pretty sure I wouldn’t earn any points if I reminded her about the other pairs she had stashed in my transport. I tried not to laugh when Zaedon growled because Celeste missed his shoulder and ended up pulling his hair in her less than graceful attempt to mount the chaugwas without stepping in the sandy mud.
Garyck stopped in front of Sloane, a hint of a smile curving one end of his mouth. “Perhaps you should remain behind.”
Sloane crossed her arms. “Oh yeah, and why is that?”
“Because you will require constant assistance with mounting. We do not have time to waste helping a female who barely reaches the top of the chaugwas’s hindquarters.”
“Make one more wisecrack about my height and I’ll shave those pretty golden locks from your head,” Sloane sneered, then palmed the handle of the short-bladed sword sheathed on her hip.
“And how do you plan to do that, little one? You are not tall enough to climb on the chaugwas’s back, let alone reach my head,” Garyck said, then tapped her nose. Even standing on the ground, which was a good foot lower than the platform, he was taller than my friend.
Sloane rarely reacted the way anyone expected. Instead of getting angry, she tilted her head to the side and flashed him a mischievous smile, which I knew meant trouble. “You’ve gotta sleep sometime.” She smacked him in the chest, then spun on her heel and launched herself toward the overly large lizard. She kicked off the creature’s leg, then, in a graceful acrobatic move, used its neck to hoist herself into the seat.
She leaned forward and yanked the leather lead from Garyck’s hand. “Are you coming, or do you plan to stand around with your mouth hanging open all day?” She tugged on the strap and dug her heels into the chaugwas’s ribs, urging it to move forward.
Zaedon smirked, but before he could say anything, Garyck held up his hand. “Do not…”
After slinging my bag over my shoulder, I walked to the edge of the platform next to Garyck. He shifted his gaze away from Sloane long enough to acknowledge my presence with a nod.
It was hard to resist teasing the grumpy male, so I leaned closer and said, “Word of advice.” I also thought he deserved to know what he was dealing with. I knew Sloane well, knew she was devious and had a reputation for following through on her threats.
He grunted.
“Sleep with one eye open.” I chuckled, then stepped off the platform and plodded through the moist sand, following Jardun to the last two mounts.
Chapter Nine
Jardun
The ride along the base of the mountainous border of the Quaddrien was slow and steady, the sky was free from any threatening storm, the heat from the sun’s rays tolerable. I shielded my eyes and stared at the smooth flat surface of the rocky ridge, wondering what I’d been thinking. The last time I had crossed into the wastelands, I was young and willing to embrace all forms of peril. I did not remember it appearing quite so ominous. I knew the chaugwai wouldn’t have any trouble climbing the wall, I was more concerned about the females being able to stay on their backs during the ascent.
The longer our group traveled, the farther we got from the outpost, the harder it was to deal with the overwhelming need to keep Laria and her friends safe. Maintaining rational thought had eluded me from the moment I’d tasted her enticing lips. The memories were fresh, the knowledge that relationships between humans and ketaurrans, though rare, were possible, had desire coursing from my co
re to the tip of my tail. Compounding my emotions were vivid images of seeing blood on her arm after the other males had attacked.
With the solarveyor inoperable, contacting Khyron or having the females return to the city was no longer an option. Not that the infuriating females would have followed my orders. After last night’s attack, they seemed even more determined to reach Doyle’s fortress and rescue Vurell.
My plan was to stay as close as possible to Laria whether she liked it or not. Feeling responsible for her safety because I had asked for her help on this mission was not the only reason I wanted to protect her. The more time I spent with her, the more physically and emotionally bound to her I became. Not for the first time since our paths had crossed did I wonder if it was possible for a human to be my ketiorra. More specifically, I questioned whether or not Laria was my true mate, the one female on the planet whose scent and nearness called to me like no other.
Now was not the time to analyze what might be between us or if pursuit of a joining would result in resentment from members of both our species.
I turned my attention back to the large rock wall, and scanned the terrain for a less imposing and easier way to reach the upper ledge that would take us into the desert area on the other side.
Zaedon pulled his animal to a stop next to mine, then glanced at the females. “I assume you would prefer finding a way to the top that did not include having to scale the exterior surface.”
Every male in the vryndarr, every male I called friend, had fought by my side, had survived many deadly missions during and after the war. Zaedon was like a brother, knew me well, and very rarely needed me to explain what I was thinking. I was grateful he’d recognized my concerns for the females without making me state it out loud.
“It may be tight and a little steep, but it appears there is a ledge along the ridge that angles upward.” He pointed to the right. “It would also minimize the time spent clutching the necks of the chaugwai.”
“I agree.” Garyck eased his animal to a standstill on my other side. “It will take a little longer, but there is less risk of injury.” He glanced ahead of us to where Laria and her friends, including Burke, had climbed down from their mounts and were stretching their legs.
I urged my chaugwas toward the others, then addressed them as a group. “In order to reach our destination, we must go over this ridge.” I angled my chin in the direction of the massive cliff behind us. “Zaedon will take the lead, followed by Celeste and Sloane. Garyck and Burke will position themselves in the middle, with Laria and myself following at the rear.” If something should happen and any one of the females was to slip from her mount, then the males would be able to keep her from dropping to the ground below. As far as I knew, Burke did not have any experience climbing with a chaugwas, but I had witnessed his skills and was confident in his abilities.
Celeste tipped her head back, blocking the sun with her hand as she stared at the top of the ridge. “Jardun, there is no way my chewy thingy and I are going to be able to climb up there.” She lowered her gaze and glared at him. “Maybe we should stay here and wait for you guys to get back.” She gave a nervous laugh, and I was uncertain if she was attempting humor or being serious.
Luckily, Laria interceded before I could ask. “Since when are you afraid of heights?”
“Or anything else for that matter?” Sloane chimed in.
Celeste released an exasperated breath, then patted her chaugwas’s neck. “Who says I’m afraid? I was worried about Lou getting hurt. What if he slips and sprains an ankle, or breaks a leg?”
“I don’t know what’s more troubling, the fact that you’re whining worse than the time you got luzardee blood on your favorite pair of boots, or that you gave the damned lizard a name.” Sloane shook her head, then jerked on the lead straps to follow Zaedon.
Burke chuckled, then smacked the rear end of Celeste’s ride so it would start moving. “Get in front of me. I’ll make sure nothing happens to Lou or you.”
Laria waited for the others to pull ahead of her, then maneuvered her animal next to mine. “You’ve done this before, haven’t you?”
“It has been many years, but yes,” I said.
“Was it part of a dare? Because honestly, I don’t understand why anybody would want to do this on purpose.”
Her smile warmed me, had a calming effect that immediately put me at ease.
“It was a requirement when I chose to enlist in the vryndarr. But I am certain I have done many other things that you would consider a dare.” As soon as her animal began to move, I tapped my chaugwas’s ribs with the heel of my boot. “Perhaps one day when I am sure you will not think less of me, I may share them with you.”
“We’ve all done things in our past we’d rather not share with anyone. But if you ever want to talk about them, I’m a pretty good listener.” The trail narrowed, and she urged her chaugwas in front of me.
I did not think anything from her past equaled the dark things I had done to protect my people. Was I expecting too much from her comment, hoping that once this was over, I could entice her to remain in my world? It was a prospect I should not contemplate, had no right to expect, but quietly pondered anyway.
***
We followed the ridgeline as Zaedon had suggested, making good time with few incidents. Sloane’s animal had slipped on some loose rocks, but she handled it well without being tossed from her mount. Garyck, who’d been staying closer to the female than necessary, looked as if he’d been holding his breath, and for a short time, the golden scales on his arms had paled to white. Perhaps he was more concerned about the female’s welfare than he wanted anyone to believe.
The trail led us to the base of a sheer mountain face, the last remaining obstacle in reaching the ridge. When we stopped to give the chaugwai a break, Zaedon prepared Laria and her friends for the remainder of the climb.
“Secure the ends of the leads loosely like this.” Zaedon tied the two leather straps together and secured them to the front of the seat. “Grip below the chaugwas’s neck.” He demonstrated by leaning forward and placing his hands on the animal’s thick chest muscles. “This will keep you from sliding and allow him to breathe as he climbs the rocks.”
“And what’s going to keep Lou from sliding?” Celeste tipped her head to the side and glanced at the jagged rocks lining the basin below. “Or us plummeting to our deaths?”
“These mountains are part of their natural habitat. They are very adept at moving along the rocky surface.” Zaedon gripped the front leg of his chaugwas, then bent its knee to expose the pad of its foot. He pressed his knuckles into the middle of the thick leathery layer, causing the skin to roll back and reveal several rows of hidden claws. “They use these to grasp the rock.”
“You know that’s not making me feel much better,” Celeste said.
“Come on, Celeste. The guys will be right behind us.” Sloane glanced at all the males in the group. “They won’t let anything happen to us, will you?”
Celeste wrinkled her nose, clearly not reassured by our nods.
“Why don’t I go first,” Laria said. “If Zaedon isn’t telling the truth and I fall, then you have my permission to avenge me any way you want.”
Zaedon frowned. “Laria, I swear I would never…”
She giggled. “Relax, I’ll be fine.”
Of the three, Laria’s will seemed to be the strongest. She was the one they looked to for guidance, the one they trusted. Though I heard a subtle strain in her voice, it did not deter her from the task. She winked at Zaedon, then urged her chaugwas toward the vertical wall of rock.
Following someone who knew what they were doing was one thing, scaling a sheer surface for the first time was another. It took all my restraint not to rush after her, to ensure nothing happened should she lose her grip. I was impressed by the way she followed Zaedon’s instructions and allowed the animal the freedom to make its way upward. I wanted Celeste to be confident with the climb and waited until Laria was half
way to the top before trailing after her.
When I reached the ridgeline, Laria had dismounted and was waving to Celeste and Sloane.
She took in some deep breaths and smiled. “That was actually kind of fun, but I’m not in any hurry to do it again.”
I quirked a challenging brow. “Not even on a dare?”
LARIA
Reaching the top of the ridge hadn’t been an easy feat. My skin was coated in a sheen of sweat. My fingers were cramped, and my inner thighs throbbed from tightly gripping the chaugwas during the climb. The emotional exhilaration and fear pulsing through my body slowly subsided.
Heading into the unknown was never a good idea and something I rarely did without a little preparation. I’d believed Jardun and his friends when they’d said we could make it to the top safely. I’d been so focused on helping Celeste get over her fear that I hadn’t given any thought to what might happen if I lost my grip and slipped from my animal’s back. At least not until I was hanging halfway up the sheer rock wall, wishing I’d waited for one of the experienced riders to follow closely behind me.
Luckily, everyone made it to the top without any casualties, including Celeste, the reason for my daredevil performance. She was standing off to the side, talking to her newly adopted chaugwas and giving him an appreciative hug.
I climbed back on my animal, then urged him to cross to the other side of the flattened ridge so I could stare down at the Quaddrien. I’d been in my teens when the Starward Bounty had crash-landed on Ketaurrios. Memories of the trip I’d made with my father and the other families who’d been packed into a large solarveyor before being escorted from the wastelands filled my thoughts.
From up here, the Quaddrien looked completely different than it had all those years ago. It reminded me of a large bowl, a long, never-ending wave of reddish-brown sand surrounded on either side by a continuous rock wall, the center sprinkled with plant life in various shades of blue and purple. The area might hold many hidden dangers, but from up here, it was breathtakingly beautiful.
