13. Maggie

Chapter 13

Maggie

I admired all the things for sale, but I had no coins to buy them. What did I need with them, anyway? It wasn’t like I’d be allowed to wear the thick cloak on display while dancing, and I doubted it would fit me even if I could.

We finally stopped, sitting on stools outside a building with an open window, someone inside selling food.

Davon lifted his hand and a lean, small Veerenad hurried over to stand beside us. Perhaps a teenager if he lived on Earth. After Davon gave the young male an order, he scurried inside the building.

“Hungry?” Davon asked, and I took in the warmth in his eyes, the way he watched everything around us while keeping most of his attention on me.

Our kiss had stunned me with its passion, and I should fight the feelings soaring through me. Love couldn’t be part of my current future. Yes, we were talking about ways to escape, but the odds of us getting beyond the city’s outer wall were practically nil. We’d be caught, they’d kill Davon, and I’d be forced to dance until I one day collapsed and could no longer rise to my feet. If I was lucky, they’d toss me out on the street rather than kill me then and there.

Or I’d wind up in a worse situation than the one I was in now.

The teenager returned, carrying a tray that he dropped onto the tall table between us. Since I was so much smaller than everyone else, I had to stand to see over the top.

The fragrance from the food on the tray filled my senses, a mix of spices and unfamiliar aromas. Davon picked up a small, wrinkly brown thing unlike anything I'd seen before. It reminded me of a tiny, shriveled apple but with a sheen that could be a good or a bad thing.

He handed it to me with a smile. “Try it.”

I hesitated but decided to go for it. This male had brought me meals for many days, and everything he gave me tasted good, so much better than the slop the cleaners brought to my room before leaving.

As I took my first bite, it popped open, revealing a juicy center that burst into my mouth with an intense, sweet yet tangy flavor. I couldn't help moaning. Fruit was such a wonderful treat.

“Good?” Davon asked, his brilliant teal eyes sparkling.

I nodded, still savoring the taste. “It's amazing. ”

“Have more.” He waved to the tray loaded with this odd fruit and other unknown items I was eager to try.

We continued our meal, nibbling on various alien delicacies, some tasty, some almost bitter and unappealing, but all of them fascinating. We talked about what we'd do once we were sure we were safe, though we didn't discuss a future together. What we were building felt too new, and I didn't want to spoil it by asking where he saw us going. Did he want to be with me? I believed so, but too many things stood in our way to let myself start to dream.

Despite our laughter and tentative flirting, a thread of desperation kept weaving through me. I was worried that this small break from reality would be my last, that one day soon, I wouldn't see Davon again, that the hope he'd brought me would be gone along with him.

As we ate, I asked him about our escape, though I kept my voice low. No one seemed to be listening in on our conversation and with the cacophony of the open market nearby, who could? But we had to be careful.

“What's your plan?” I asked.

He set aside his food and leaned toward me, his voice low and serious. “There's a gap in the guards' patrols on the eastern side of the wall. At dawn, when they change shifts, they don't cover that area for a short time. That's our chance to escape into the desert.”

My stomach churned with a mix of excitement and fear. We'd be free, but for how long? “Won't they track us down quickly?”

Davon's expression shifted, a determined glint appearing in his eyes. “The desert is my home, not theirs. I’ve spoken to my clan’s god. While they can’t do much for us here in this city, in the desert, they reign. They’ve hinted that they could draw up a sandstorm and lash it between us and the city.”

“I . . .” I didn’t know what to say. Sand gods creating storms?

“I know ways to hide, to evade them. And my gods will also help us with food and water where they can. We'll be relatively safe if we travel quickly.” He lifted my hand, squeezing it gently. “Do you trust me?”

Looking into his eyes, I believed him, even about his sand gods. This was an alien world; anything was possible. I had nothing left to cling to but hope and this male who seemed determined to help me. “I do.”

As we continued with our meal, the atmosphere around us buzzed with life, but a feeling of urgency kept rising inside me. Soon, we'd begin our journey to freedom, and the stakes were higher than ever. I was enjoying this precious stolen moment with Davon, clinging onto it like a lifeline in this horrible world I'd fallen into.

After our meal, Davon and I left the restaurant, our laughter and chatter leaving us quickly as we wove back through the hustle and bustle of the market. The scent of exotic spices and the hum of conversation swirled around us as we made our way to the other side. Once we’d cleared the market, we turned onto a quieter street that wound through the city.

Veerenads glanced our way, but most paid no attention to us. They may not have seen a human before, and for some, not a Zuldruxian like Davon. Even in this alien world, we managed to stand out. Despite their stares, no one issued a challenge or tried to stop us.

Built far enough from the edge of the desert to shield it from the relentless heat, the city was a labyrinth of twisting streets, two- to four-story stone buildings, and peppered with a few lush green spaces. They'd tapped water from below the ground, and even crafted stone fountains inside their parks. The architecture was as strange as the inhabitants, with smooth, flowing lines and glowing symbols etched into the walls of their homes. Every now and then, I caught a glimpse of the large outer wall snaking its way around the outside of the city, its top lined with shimmering lights and guards patrolling the ramparts.

Two moons shone down on us from a sky full of unknown constellations, and I couldn't stop tipping my head back and staring.

Davon led me to a quiet garden sprawled near the outer wall. The area felt secluded, and we were alone except for the bioluminescent plants lighting up our surroundings with a soft glow. In the center of the small park, he took me to a long bench crafted from stone with a gap below the back for a Veerenad to tuck its tail through.

Davon sat, and I joined him, my heart pounding in my chest. Even now, we didn't dare touch to give away our connection. Sitting quietly, we watched the guards pace along the top of the wall, taking in the cool, crisp night air tinged with the scent of unfamiliar flowers. Despite our tenuous situation, the serenity of this hidden spot gave me a moment of peace.

Our escape plan hung between us, casting a shadow on this stolen time. Once we began our journey, there would be no turning back. The hope that had grown inside me threatened to wither under the weight of what we had to do to get away from this place.

Davon finally spoke up, his voice barely louder than the rustle of leaves in the wind. “This is the eastern wall.” He pointed at the structure ahead. “There's a door right there.” His fingertip poked toward a spot in the wall. “It's not locked. If something happens, that's how you can escape the city at dawn.”

My stomach twisted at the thought of him not rushing to that area with me, but I nodded, unable to trust my voice not to betray my fear.

“I rent a room on the second floor of the building across the street from the bar,” he said. “The door has a code lock, and the code is . . .” He listed five numbers. Funny how, even on an alien planet, they used similar tech.

The vulnerability in his voice made my heart ache. This man was risking everything for me.

“I won't forget,” I said.

Davon's eyes met mine, a desperation swirling in the teal depths. “In the corner of the biggest room, you'll find two packs I've prepared. They have everything someone will need to cross the desert.”

Me. He meant me making this journey alone .

A lump formed in my throat. I couldn't escape the knowledge that he was telling me this in case he didn't make it out with me. The thought of facing the unknown without him filled me with dread, but the thought of facing a future without him crushed me.

“When you reach the desert,” he continued, “head south at all times. Travel at night and rest in whatever shade you can find during the day. The desert is unforgiving. Harsh and there are predators. But you'll come across oases, and they'll welcome you. The water is fresh enough to drink, and there are fish in the depths. Plants bearing fruit. Roots you can dig along the shore of the pools.” He described which fruit was safe to eat and how to identify the stalks of the plants with roots that could be eaten raw or cooked.

I wanted to tell him I couldn’t make this journey alone. But if something happened to him, he needed to believe I had a chance of surviving and finding my sister.

“At the southernmost edge of the desert, you’ll come to a vast forest. It’s dangerous there too. Climb the trees and rest on the limbs at night. They’re huge. You won’t fall off. And during the day, continue traveling south. You’ll find other Zuldruxians, and they’ll welcome you. They’ll protect you as eagerly as I do. Mention Firion and the Dastalon Clan, and they’ll take you to Talia.”

We remained in the garden longer than we should’ve, the weight of our escape plan hanging heavy between us. Davon shared more survival tips for my journey through the desert, and I promised him I wouldn't give up. But the essence of his words, the understanding in his eyes, was asking me to leave him if it meant I could be free. He would do everything in his power to be with me, but he also knew he might not live long enough to come with me.

And the thought of that tore through me.

“I want you to know I'll do everything I can to be with you.” His voice came out gruff, filled with determination and sadness. “But if something happens, and I can't escape with you, I want you to keep going. You have to find your sister.”

“I don't want to go without you, Davon.” My voice trembled, and I fought back tears. “But I understand. I'll do it. I promise.”

As the first light of dawn crept over the horizon, we left the garden. We walked through the silent streets of the city, the cool air a contrast to the turmoil brewing inside me. The conversation with Davon clung to my mind, a burden I couldn't shake.

When we walked into the bar, Wortek called us over to where he sat near the bar, a drink and a meal in front of him on the smooth surface. His eyes glinted with an odd light, though he couldn't be aware of the decisions Devon and I had made.

His sharp gaze traveled from me to Davon, and I couldn’t shake off the fear gripping my heart in its fist.

“I’ve sold you,” he told me blandly as if he was announcing he’d changed the music for my performance tonight.

I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t think.

Davon growled .

“What?” I finally barked.

Wortek’s gaze shot Davon’s way. “This is none of your business. I do what I wish with my possessions.”

“Who did you sell me to?” I gulped out.

The king strode from Wortek’s office and around the bar, his entourage spreading out to surround us.

“Me,” he said. “From now on, little human, you’ll dance solely for me.”