5. Firion

Chapter 5

Firion

M y poor mate was sorely wounded, but the Veerenads had brought me what I needed to help her. I didn’t know why they’d placed her in my cell and not in any of the others, except they must’ve thought she was Zuldruxian. They wouldn’t know that all of us had blue skin and silver hair, that none of us looked like this human. It was clear she wasn’t like them, and only three species lived in this area of my home planet: Zuldruxians, Veerenads whose ship crashed here generations ago, and the symbiotic species many of my people called gods. The Veerenads didn’t appear to know our gods existed.

Did the Veerenads realize she was female? They may not since she didn’t share any of their species’ female characteristics, such as three pairs of small breasts along their torso, the lack of egg sacks along her thighs, and a rounder head than their males. Their frames were about the same since females battled as eagerly as males and on their home planet, they’d had to defend their young or rogue males might eat them.

Bangs echoed in the hall, and I rushed to the bars, peering out as a cluster of Veerenads pushed two carts through the wide opening. Guards? Arms stretched out toward them from the cells, and the guards smacked some and ignored the others. They stopped at each cage and shoved a tray of food and water through the small gap at the base of the door.

Worried they’d take it from me, but wanting it nearby in case I needed it, I lowered the table leg to the floor and tucked it against the barred wall of the cell.

“Last meal of the day,” the male across the way said. “Eat well because they’ll work you hard tomorrow.”

“I’m Firion. What’s your name?”

“Brax. Not that it matters.”

“Sure it does. You’re a person. Nice to meet you, Brax.”

“Nice? There’s nothing nice about this.” He sighed. “I wish I was anywhere but here.” His intent gaze met mine. “That’s not a Zuldruxian in your cell.”

“Human.”

“Haven’t heard of them yet.” His heavy gaze sought her lying so still on the bunk. “He’s sick.”

“That he is.” I hadn’t heard of any Veerenads mating with a Zuldruxian, but Talia would be safer if they didn’t realize she was female. “I think he’ll get better.”

“Hope so.” Brax shrugged. “If not, they’ll haul him out and dump him in the refuse pile.”

A shudder ripped through me. “He’ll survive. ”

Brax watched the carts move closer. “We’ll see. Some might say he’s lucky. Better to die than live here forever.”

Never. My clan gods had gifted me with a mate, and I would do everything in my power to get her out of here safely.

The guards stopped in front of my cell and laid a tray with food and water on the floor, shoving it through the narrow gap beneath the door and into the small cell.

I didn’t know what the food might be, but we needed to eat if we were going to live, so I took it over to the table, nudging the old tray to the side and placing the new one on the surface. Without its fourth leg, the table teetered but remained upright, holding together long enough for me to take the old tray and slide it under the door and out to the guard who scowled at it before looking up at me.

“Eat,” he snapped. “Drink, you fool, or you’ll die.”

We spoke a different language, but a Zuldruxian named Xax had found crystals that facilitated translation, and all of us wore them on cords around our necks. Talia didn’t have a crystal, but the gods had given the human women the ability to communicate with us. Once she woke up, and she would, we’d see if she could only understand me or the Veerenads as well.

“I’ll eat. We’ll eat,” I said.

His gaze traveled to Talia lying much too still on the bunk. “If he dies, we’ll dispose of him. Sick youngling.”

He must think Talia was a child. Her slight form and much tinier size would give that impression. Even better if that meant he’d expect less of her in the mine or leave her alone.

With that, he turned and pushed the cart to the next set of cells, doling out food and removing the empty trays.

Once they’d finished and left through the door at the end of the hall, I went over and sat on the narrow bed beside Talia, taking her hand. When I stroked her forehead, she stirred.

Her eyes opened and she frowned up at me before looking around. Her frown only deepened, and fear flashed in her pretty eyes. “Where are we?”

“I’m Firion.”

“I remember.”

That was good. “We’re inside a cell within a Veerenad mining operation.”

“Are the lizard guys Veerenads?”

I nodded. “I was captured and brought here the same as you.” I lowered my head close to hers and dropped my voice to a whisper. “They think you’re a youngling, a child, and male, and we should let them keep thinking that.”

She swallowed and jerked out a nod, the panic in her gaze only deepening. “Will they . . . hurt me if they discover I’m female?”

“I don’t know, and I don’t want to find out.”

Her eyes landed on my hand resting on her shoulder. “What about you, Firion? Will you hurt me?”

“Never,” I vowed.

“I’ve heard that before. I can’t say I believe it now any more than I did in the past, but I’ll give you a chance to prove yourself.”

I couldn’t ask for anything more than that. “Who hurt you? I could kill them for you.” The rage churning through me could level a mountain.

Her low laugh echoed in the small space and made my blood roar through my veins. It was wrong of me to want her already, to feel this protective about her. But the thought of anyone hurting her, of making her feel sad, made rage boil inside me.

I could blame it on the mate bond, but it was so much more than that. I’d dive into the sea and search for precious shells in every color imaginable, then string them together to make a crown she could wear on her head. I’d place my body between her and any threat. I’d gladly take on whatever pain she might feel if only she’d smile.

But she didn’t know me. From my conversation with other human females, they were unfamiliar with the concept of fated mates. And there was no way we could be together in any way inside this horrible place.

As her smile faded to a warm simmer, she laid her hand on my arm. “No need to kill anyone for me, though I appreciate the offer.”

I pressed my fist against my chest. “I would do it in a heartbeat. Know this.”

Her face grew serious. “Thank you. I need a friend so much more than someone willing to sacrifice themselves for me.”

If only she wanted more than friendship.