Rokan

ROKAN

T he vast Crimson Sands faded into a flatter expanse. Little Smelton materialized on the horizon, a shimmering oasis of civilization. Arilee's fate hung in the balance, her return to her owner all but assured once we reached town. My steps grew leaden, each one a battle against the ghost of my conscience.

The job was simple - deliver Arilee. But nothing about this felt simple anymore.

I hunkered down by a towering cactus, plucking leaves from a small plant at its base. Arilee lingered close, her shadow falling across the stems as she peered over my shoulder. The contrast helped me discern their hue.

"What is it?"

Two things had changed in my detainee over the course of our long march. She had grown quieter, the relentless sun finally sapping her energy for all but essential communication.

The other constant companion on this trek was her insatiable curiosity. Perhaps she had learned to adapt like we Vinduthi had been forced to do in this hellscape since the war's end.

Perhaps out of habit, I treated her as I would any fellow soldier. " Limintu hypothanlus . Gicca, a common desert plant. Edible, but only the flowers. The stems can be poisonous, even the leaves aren't good for you."

"Deadly?" she echoed, eyes wide with wonder.

I gestured for her to look closer. "See that purple stem?"

"Yes," she confirmed, delicately examining the plant with her fingertips.

"Purple for poison," I explained, stripping a few while we talked. She looked startled when I popped a handful into my mouth without hesitation.

"Just the blooms," I said, dropping another bunch into her palm and guiding her hand to her lips. "C'mon. It's full of electrolytes. You need it."

She accepted the plant, her fingers brushing mine as she placed it on her tongue. I watched, waiting for her expression to shift from interest to revulsion.

"Yuck," she grimaced, but I kept my hand over her mouth until I felt her dutifully swallow. Her obedience did nothing to alleviate the tension brewing between us.

Yet, she remained silent.

I trailed my palm over her lips, her chin, down to her throat. It was so delicate, and I marveled at how easily I could encircle it with one hand if I desired.

The fading bruises caught my eye, something I'd worked hard not to think about until now. Gorin's cruelty was excessive, but all Krelaxians were cut from the same cloth. She wasn't likely to fare any better with anyone else.

Still, something stirred within me. It felt almost like jealousy, as if I were angry that someone else had marked what was mine.

That was all it could be.

And even that wisp of feeling was dangerous.

I pressed on, our footsteps creating enough noise to fill the void. While my companion's lips remained sealed, my mind raced with the desire to know more. The quieter she walked, the more I found myself studying the stoic look on her face.

She knew what awaited us, yet she walked freely at my side toward it. Damn if she didn't have nerves of steel. I reflected on her escape attempts, and it hit me – of all the bounties I'd served before, this girl had given me the slip more times than any other.

Hardened criminals and Krelaxian underlings included, this little blonde thing was the slipperiest of them all.

"We're getting close," I said, sensing the unspoken question in her mind.

Even now, with sand coating every inch of her skin, she glowed like a desert queen. Her gait was regal, accentuating her lithe frame with each step.

She noticed me slowing down to admire her. But with nothing but barren wasteland surrounding us, who could blame a guy for seeking out a more appealing view?

"Like what you see?" she quipped, her droll tone igniting something within me. I noticed she had a distinct manner when she chose to flirt, whether it was a survival skill honed with Gorin or not. It tugged at my desires, and I wasn't inclined to argue.

"With every step," I admitted. "It's almost a shame to return such a fine thing to an ugly creep like Gorin."

"Well, I didn't get to choose my owner, you know?" She whirled around, one hand planted defiantly on her hip.

It was maddeningly attractive, and almost a pity that we had reached Little Smelton, our journey at an end. My palm still tingled with the memory of her flesh, yet I found myself dutifully escorting her towards the spaceport, business as usual.

A bounty hunter's future was only as good as his word. If I went back on this job now, my reputation, the reputation of my brothers, would be ruined forever.

Sometimes it felt like we were all trapped, one way or another.

"Where are we?" she asked, tugging at her wraps as leering faces turned our way.

Little Smelton was no different from any other town on this godforsaken planet – just another lawless hole in the wall where one could easily find trouble.

"Closest spaceport. Because of treking all over the Sands after you, my shuttle is clear on the other side. We've still got to get you to Quixa, remember?" I said, gripping her elbow firmly.

She didn't resist, but the glow that had illuminated her face throughout our trek faded to a mask of barely concealed terror. Still, her pursed lips remained silent, and her tense arms didn't fight me as I approached the ticket booth.

"Sure thing, sir. We have flights for Quixa leaving tonight, in just a few hours, or you can catch the early bird tomorrow morning." The Dragee looked just as bored as any other denizen of this slum.

"Tomorrow will be fine," I heard myself say, the words escaping before I could stop them. Arilee's face lit up like a beacon, but she remained silent. I was grateful, I told myself, as I paid the ticket seller. I had no idea why I'd made that choice.

"We should eat," I said, trying to rationalize my decision. "And maybe rest up at a nearby hotel for the night."

"Why would you do that?" she pressed, her curiosity impossible to evade. She had every right to ask. I had every reason to deliver her to her master immediately. The sooner I completed the job, the sooner I got paid.

But I didn't want to deliver her. I wanted her with me.

I brushed past her, scanning for the nearest restaurant, but she stood her ground.

"Why aren't we going back now?" she demanded, tiny fists balled at her sides. Maybe it was the way her flushed, angry face brought color back to her skin, or her adorable pouting demand for clarity – I couldn't say.

"Because I'm hungry," I growled teasingly, nudging her toward a local canteen. I had to find any excuse to delay the inevitable. If it meant just a few more minutes with her, that's what I would take. Anything to savor these final moments. "And because you need a rest."

"Ugh," she scoffed, offended, but the ploy worked to set her in motion.

Once I had her seated at a patio table, I slumped into a chair and pushed a mug of ice-cold Buerba into her hands. She surprised me by draining the glass, but not to be outdone by a tiny human, I matched her and ordered two more.

When she spotted the loaf of bread on the table, she dove in, attacking the pieces until nothing remained.

The waiter apparently found it as endearing as I did, winking at Arilee until I clenched my jaw and barked our order at him.

"You still have the manjtrua cakes?" I growled, clearing my throat to redirect his attention.

"Er, yes sir. They're in season. But I'm afraid market prices are very high this year."

"We'll take them. And more Buerba. And some more bread, for fuck's sake," I snapped, wishing to spur him into action and away from Arilee. She seemed to be enjoying my growing irritation.

Of course she was.

"So you want to stay the night?" she asked, her tone laden with implication.

She was back to her old self now, with food in her belly and alcohol coursing through her veins. I watched her assess potential escape routes, eyeing the knife on the table.

But at this point, I found I didn't care. Somehow her scheming was all part of her charm.

"I do," I answered coolly, relaxing back in my chair.

I studied her across the table.

Damn, she made being ornery look irresistible.

It was no wonder Gorin went to such lengths for her. He was paying me well for the privilege of returning this woman, but not well enough.

She was worth so much more.

"You were pretty intent on unloading me if I remember. What's changed?"

I knew this conversation was coming. Like any good captive, Arilee was already calculating her next move. But it didn't matter. Now that I had her scent, I could do what any skilled tracker could. Here, Quixa, or wherever she planned – I'd find her.

Hell, it had been so much fun, I wouldn't mind another chase, another chance to catch her before it was all said and done.

"Nothing's changed," I mused, draining the last of my mug and realizing that once she was gone, I'd be back to the same run-of-the-mill jobs. Thugs skipping bail, wayward gang members who didn't want to be found. They made for good money, but never good sport.

"Glad to hear it," she said, sipping the last of her drink and sliding it next to mine. "Because nothing's changed for me, either."

I heard the warning in her tone, but despite myself, I laughed.

"Well then, Arilee," I said, extending my hand to shake hers. "May the best one win."