Tharon

THARON

I crouched by the stream, washing the creature’s dark ichor from my wounds. The cuts stung, but I’d endured worse.

I glanced at Niam, who sat on a nearby rock, her face pale but determined. My chest tightened. She shouldn’t be out here, facing such dangers. And yet, I admired her strength.

“How are you holding up?” I asked, keeping my voice low.

She shrugged. “I’m fine. Just...” She trailed off, her gaze distant.

I nodded, understanding her unspoken words. The encounter had shaken us both.

Finishing with my wounds, I moved to check on the bagart. The beast snorted as I approached, still skittish from the attack. I ran my hands along its flanks, searching for injuries.

“Easy,” I murmured, stroking its neck. “You did well.”

From the corner of my eye, I caught Niam watching me. Her expression softened, a small smile playing at her lips. Heat rose to my face, and I turned away, suddenly self-conscious.

“We should keep moving,” I said, clearing my throat. “The Temple guards could still be tracking us.”

Niam nodded, standing up. I moved to help her onto the bagart, hyper-aware of her closeness as I lifted her. Her scent, a mix of sweat and something uniquely her, filled my nostrils. I swallowed hard, resisting the temptation to draw her near.

“Thank you,” she said softly as she settled onto the bagart’s back.

I grunted in response, not trusting my voice. As I swung up behind her, I wrestled with conflicting instincts. All I wanted was to protect her, to whisk her away to safety. But I knew she had her own mission, her own strength. I had to respect that.

We set off, the terrain growing more treacherous with each passing hour. Jagged rocks jutted from the ground, threatening to tear the bagart’s hooves. Narrow ledges forced us to dismount and lead the beast carefully along cliffside paths.

My senses remained alert, scanning for any sign of danger. The encounter with the skyclaw had put me on edge. If one impossible thing could happen, what else might we face?

Niam stumbled on a loose stone, and my hand shot out to grip her arm instinctively. She looked up at me, our faces suddenly close. We stood frozen, my hand on her arm, her breath warm on my skin.

“I’m okay,” she said, breaking the spell. “Just lost my footing.”

I nodded, releasing Niam’s arm reluctantly. The path ahead narrowed to a treacherous ledge hugging the cliff face. I eyed the crumbling rock with distaste.

“We’ll have to lead the bagart carefully,” I said. “Stay close to the wall.”

I took the bagart’s reins, guiding it forward onto the narrow path. The creature snorted nervously, hooves scraping against loose pebbles.

“Steady,” I murmured, patting its flank.

We inched along the ledge, the drop to our right a dizzying void. Niam pressed herself against the rock face, her breathing quick and shallow. I longed to scoop her up, carry her to safety, but I knew she’d never allow it.

“You’re doing great,” I said instead, offering what reassurance I could.

She shot me a grateful look. “Thanks. I’m not usually afraid of heights, but this is...”

“Insane?” I finished for her, managing a wry smile.

“Pretty much.”

We continued in tense silence, focusing on each careful step. The bagart whinnied softly, clearly unhappy with our precarious position. I was about to suggest a brief rest when a faint, high-pitched whir reached my ears.

My blood ran cold. I knew that sound.

“Drone,” I hissed, scanning the sky. “Quick, in here!”

I yanked Niam towards a narrow crevice in the cliff face, barely visible unless you knew where to look. The bagart followed, sensing our urgency. We squeezed into the tight space, Niam's back flush with my front, the bagart's bulk blocking most of the entrance.

“What--” Niam started to ask, but I pressed a finger to her lips, shaking my head.

I strained my Valti-enhanced hearing, tracking the drone’s approach. The whine grew louder, accompanied by the soft hum of its scanning beam. Niam’s heart raced against my palm, her breath warm on my neck. I fought to keep my own pulse steady, hyper-aware of every point of contact between us.

The drone zipped past our hiding spot, then paused. My muscles tensed. Had it detected us? After an agonizing moment, it continued on.

I let out a careful breath. “I think we’re--”

The whir intensified. The drone was coming back.

“It’s scanning,” I whispered. “Must have picked up a trace.”

Niam’s eyes widened. “What do we do?”

I weighed our options quickly. “Stay here. I’ll draw it off.”

Before she could protest, I slipped past the bagart out of the crevice. I scanned the ground, spotting a fist-sized rock. Perfect. I scooped it up, took aim, and hurled it at the hovering drone with all my strength.

The rock struck true, knocking the drone off-course. It wobbled, sensors blinking in confusion. I sprinted towards it, pushing my Valti speed to its limit. My hands closed around the device just as it started to right itself.

Metal crunched between my fingers. Sparks flew as I crushed its delicate circuitry. The drone gave one last pathetic whir before going dark.

I jogged back to Niam, tossing the mangled drone aside. “Coast is clear, for now.”

She emerged from the crevice, relief evident on her face. “That was--”

A low rumble cut her off. The ground beneath our feet began to tremble.

“Rockslide!” I shouted, grabbing Niam’s arm.

I spotted a small cave entrance just ahead and pulled her towards it. Rocks and debris rained down around us. The bagart screamed, still tethered near the crevice.

We dove into the cave as the mountainside came crashing down. I threw myself over Niam, shielding her with my body as dust and smaller rocks pelted us. The bagart’s cries were abruptly cut off, swallowed by the roar of the avalanche.

When the rumbling finally subsided, I lifted my head cautiously. Niam lay beneath me, wide-eyed but unharmed. Our faces were inches apart, her breath mingling with mine in the close confines of the cave.

“Are you alright?” I asked, my voice rougher than I intended.

She nodded, not breaking eye contact. “Thanks to you.”

I became acutely aware of our position – my body pressed against hers, one hand cradling her head protectively.

Reluctantly, I pushed myself up and offered Niam a hand. As she stood, dust rained from her hooded robe.

“The bagart?” she asked softly.

I shook my head. “Caught in the slide. We’re on foot from here.”

Niam’s face fell, but she squared her shoulders. “Then we’d better get moving.”