Niam

NIAM

W armth enveloped me, the comforting scent of Tharon’s cloak wrapped around my shoulders. The darkness of the cave made time impossible to measure - had I slept for minutes or hours? My skin tingled with memories of his touch, phantom sensations that made focusing difficult.

The mission. I needed to focus on the mission. But my treacherous mind kept drifting back to the touch of his hands, the careful exploration that had awakened things I’d never known my body could feel.

I rolled onto my side, finding Tharon sprawled nearby. Sleep softened the harsh lines of his face, made him look younger somehow. The beast’s ferocity gave way to something almost peaceful.

The pod called to me, its systems humming just at the edge of perception. I should wake him, tell him what I planned. But he’d looked so tired earlier, fighting against the pod’s strange energy.

I slipped from beneath his cloak, moving as quietly as possible toward the metallic structure. Of course, he’d positioned himself between me and the tunnel entrance - even in sleep, his protective instincts remained strong.

When had I started trusting him so completely? The Temple had taught us never to rely on others, that attachment led only to pain. But something about Tharon felt... right. As if a piece of myself I hadn’t known was missing had finally clicked into place.

The pod’s interior welcomed me with familiar curves and angles. I settled at the main console, trying to focus on the task at hand. But memories of last night kept intruding - the warmth of his skin, the careful way he’d touched me despite the beast’s obvious hunger.

This was entirely new territory. Oh, I'd overheard whispered conversations among the girls who had lived outside of the Temple for longer than I had, fragments of knowledge about physical pleasure. But experiencing it myself? That had never seemed possible.

What would it be like to give in completely? To let go of control and trust someone else with not just my body, but my heart?

My fingers moved across the controls without conscious thought, muscle memory from years of integration taking over. But something felt different this time. Instead of forcing my way into the systems, I found myself... asking. Gentle touches instead of brutal invasion.

The pod responded differently too. Where the Temple demanded sacrifice, these original systems invited cooperation. Had the priests corrupted the technology so completely? Or had they simply forgotten there was another way?

Symbols flashed across the screen as my fingers danced, each touch revealing new pathways. There - emergency protocols, preserved intact despite centuries of neglect. My breath caught as I understood what I was seeing.

“Yes!” The shout escaped before I could stop it.

Rapid footsteps pounded against metal as Tharon burst through the entrance, eyes wild and muscles coiled for battle. The Valti looked out through his gaze, searching for threats.

“I’m fine!” I held up my hands. “More than fine. I found it - I found the way to end this.”

The joy of discovery burst through me and I threw my arms around Tharon’s neck. He scooped me up, spinning us both in a circle as laughter bubbled up from my chest - a foreign, almost forgotten sound.

“Put me down!” I protested through my giggles. “I need to finish this.”

He set me gently on my feet, but his hands lingered at my waist. “Show me what you found.”

I turned back to the console, fingers flying over the controls with newfound certainty. The original systems responded eagerly to my touch, like they’d been waiting all these centuries for someone to speak their language.

But as the data scrolled across the screen, my elation crumbled. My hands stilled on the controls.

“What is it?” Tharon stepped closer, warmth radiating from his body.

“I can do it.” The words tasted like ash in my mouth. “I can destroy the Temple. But...”

His fingers brushed my shoulder. “Tell me.”

“The Temple is too integrated with the city.” I gestured at the diagrams filling the screen. “If I trigger the emergency protocols, the resulting explosion will level everything within the outer walls. All of Terr will be destroyed.”

The magnitude of it staggered me. Yes, I wanted the Temple gone - needed it gone. But the cost...

“Were they the ones?” Tharon’s voice cut through my thoughts, suddenly harsh. “The ones who gave you to the Temple?”

Spinning around, I was caught off guard by the cold fury in his expression. “What?”

“The people in that city. Did they watch as the priests took you? Did they turn away when they heard the screams from the Temple walls?” His hands clenched at his sides. “Do they deserve your mercy?”

I could barely speak the truth. “I don't know. My father...” I swallowed hard. “I barely remember my parents, but I know he sold me to them. Said it was an honor to serve the Temple.”

A growl rumbled through Tharon’s chest, his eyes flaring with beast-fire. “Then let it burn. Let them all burn.”

“Tharon-”

“I must be honest with you.” His lips twisted in a savage smile. “I don’t care about the other humans. Don’t care about the city. But you do.”

The intensity of his gaze pinned me in place. This was the reality of what he was - not just the gentle mate who brought me flowers, but a predator who would tear the world apart at my word.

“I will give you whatever you want, my queen.” He stepped closer, power rolling off him in waves. “If you want the humans dead, none will see the dawn. If you want to forget Terr ever existed, I’ll rip out the tongue of any who breathes its name.”

My breath caught. This wasn't just passion or protection - this was devastation offered as a love gift. The realization should have frightened me. Instead, something wild and reckless awakened inside me.

“But if you want to save them,” he continued, one clawed hand cupping my face with impossible gentleness, “then I will do whatever it takes to assist you.”

“Even though you think they don’t deserve it?”

“I think they deserve whatever fate you choose for them.” His thumb brushed my cheek. “My loyalty is to you, not them. My mercy extends only as far as yours does.”

In that moment, I understood him completely. His moral compass pointed only toward me - everything else was negotiable. And somehow, that made my choice clearer.

“Help me find another way,” I whispered. “Not for them. For me. Because I don’t want to become what the Temple tried to make me - someone who sacrifices others for the greater good.”

He pressed his forehead to mine. “Then we find another way.”