11. Talia

Chapter 11

Talia

M ost of the other lizards had stopped working, telling me they'd reached their morning quota. We still had half of our fourth buckets to fill. Actually, I had half of my fourth to fill. Firion had already finished his. He started picking away at the wall, adding crystal to my bucket, soon topping it off.

I didn't like the way the guard scowled in our direction. It made me find the energy I needed to keep whacking away at the stone surrounding a vein of crystal.

My hands stung. My blisters had formed quickly and popped, the liquid making it hard to hold onto my tools. I hadn't stopped except once for a quick break. I couldn't. I lived on the edge of a sharp cliff, and it wouldn't take much for the guards to shove me over the side.

As soon as our four buckets were filled and magically emptied, the guards rounded us up, their voices gruff and commanding. They urged us along the rough dirt floor scattered with stones and into a cramped, dimly lit cavern. The space was much too small, with jagged edges and low ceilings. I couldn’t breathe. Waves of panic blazed trails through me again. We squeezed inside, finding spots on the ground along one side. I pinched my eyes closed and grounded myself in my breathing, the only thing I'd discovered that helped. Finally, I could open my eyes again and as long as I kept them trained on the floor or my boots and not the walls closing in around me, I could keep my fear from exploding.

Three guards stomped into the cave, carrying buckets. They went around the room, dropping clumps of rough, unrecognizable food on our laps. It resembled crumbled bread, dark as night and with a texture like sandpaper, plus lumps of what looked like green fungus that shined iridescently in the low bug lights. Another guard handed Firion a jug filled with water, gesturing that he and I were to share it. My stomach grumbled. I'd eat. I'd survive.

I was pitifully weak. Worn out already. But I couldn't give up. I had to keep fighting, if not for myself, then to get out of here to track down my sister.

And, I realized, I wanted to fight because of Firion. He was the only lifeline in this place, but it was more than that. He exuded a quiet strength and in each touch, he showed caring.

It wouldn’t be hard to fall for a guy like him.

Seeing the others stuffing the food into their mouths and the guards already fidgeting by the door, I suspected this wouldn't be a long break. I had to pee and would need to find a place to do that. Despite sweating buckets all morning, my body still found a way to fill my bladder.

Firion lifted his food and nudged my arm, urging me to do the same.

The taste was surprisingly bland, yet I devoured it, the bread that wasn't bread and fungus that I hoped wasn't fungus going down fast.

They'd given me a small portion, which wasn't good. Not because I felt I needed more but because I wanted to share with Firion. Swallowing the last bit I'd chewed, I looked at the quarter of my “sandwich” I had left.

“You eat this. I'm full,” I said, holding it out to him.

“You finish it.”

“But—”

“ You eat it. Please.”

He wasn't going to take it, and that crushed me. He was the strong one here, not me. He needed to maintain that strength, or he wouldn't be able to save me. But seeing he wasn't going to give in, I finished it, washing it down with plenty of water. At least they gave us lots of that.

As we finished, disconnecting ourselves from this hell for just a moment, Firion’s focus shifted. He straightened, tension coiling through his body. Three lizard miners watched us, their reptilian eyes glinting with a terrifying light. A wave of unease prickled across my skin. They snarled and hissed amongst themselves, their expressions unreadable, but their gazes flickering my way.

“What are they saying?” I whispered, taking in Firion’s heightened awareness.

“You need to stay near me at all times.” He shifted his body closer to mine, his tight muscles shouting power.

He didn't need to tell me twice. I was safe only as long as he stood between me and any threat.

Feeling small and vulnerable, I swallowed hard. The guards might kill me if they thought I couldn't pull my own weight, but what would my fellow miners do if they caught me alone?

We returned to our designated spot, and even though exhaustion wove through my body, my determination flared. We'd completed half of our task for the day. The knowledge that while I hadn't pulled all my weight, I'd done my fair share for my size and build spurred me on.

I snuck into one of the dreaded tight passages and quickly peed, adding it to the dark splotches on the floor from others, before I returned to the main cavern.

We quickly filled two buckets, and I marveled again when the crystals disappeared.

“Two left, then we can sit in the hot tub while our chef prepares our dinner.” I was grateful I didn't have to force a smile. Working alongside Firion made this tolerable. His support meant everything.

I had to explain what a hot tub was, though he was familiar with the term chef, telling me about other Earth women who'd arrived here before me and married Zuldruxians. One had been a chef back on Earth, and she made cakes and pizza. My mouth salivated at the thought. I'd wasted so much food in the past, not finishing a meal because I didn't love it. I'd never look at food in the same way again.

“The Indigan Clan bathe in pools of water similar to your hot tubs,” he said. “The gods heat the water for them.”

“I’m beginning to love these gods.”

His low laugh burst out. “You're doing well, precious one.” Firion gestured to the large crystal I’d nearly finished revealing in the wall, his smile warming me more than the brightest sunrise. He admired my resilience, and my heart surged to see the flicker of pride in his eyes. It made me want to fight even harder. I swung my ax with newfound vigor.

I couldn't believe I'd found someone as special as him in the depths of this alien mine, yet I already couldn't imagine a future that didn’t include him. The thought blossomed inside me like the glow of crystals around us. I would fight to get free and find my sister, but I had also begun to dream about a future where I could get to know him beyond these cavern walls.

Chiseling sounds echoed around us, accompanied by the humming energy of the crystals. I marveled at the glowing stones, how they seemed to pulse with life.

“Look.” I pointed to a shard I'd just removed from the wall and placed in my nearly full third bucket. It shimmered, reflecting blue, green, and red off the others.

“Beautiful.” The caress of his eyes made me realize he spoke of me, but I was grimy, sweaty, worn out, and wearing simple clothing. There was nothing beautiful about that .

“You said you're the leader of your clan. Did you ever think you’d be mining minerals?” I shook my head at the absurdity of it all.

“Never. But I never thought I'd find my fated mate in captivity either.” His words held a warmth that wrapped around me like a comforting blanket, igniting a flame deep inside me.

We filled our last buckets, and I watched as they shimmered and hummed before being absorbed.

“If only we could fit ourselves inside,” I whispered. “Where do the crystals go, and is there a way out from that area?”

“Smart.” He stroked my cheek with his knuckles. “I'm going to ask Brax about this.” His gaze traveled to the lizard who'd finished and held his tools, waiting to leave the cavern. Why hadn't he approached to speak to Firion like he said he'd do?

Then I caught the intent gaze of our guard, and I knew.

They were watching us. They must expect us to try to escape.

We'd just have to be smarter than them.