Chapter 14

She didn't leave his room for two days after. The main reason being that after their time together, she got very lethargic. She slept again for some time, long enough that Serbril was called to check on her. He deemed that her body was still trying to regain its energy after what it had gone through with the infection and the sex only prolonged that healing process. Draka, unknowing of this, allowed himself to behave, more concerned now with her wellbeing, never showing whether it pained him to not take her every night.

"I will keep the goggles here," he said, showing her a wolfish smile, "until next time. When you are all better of course."

With her still needing to rest, he pampered the hell out of her, becoming especially protective and focused on her needs. He brought her all sorts of food, even cooked for her, and made her his special tea. He only ever left for short amounts of time, doing his rounds as usual, checking on the others, and making sure everything was still running smoothly. When he came back and settled in for the night, they would lie together in the dimly lit room watching the snow, talking in whispers.

"You have to tell me now, where you really came from," Draka said one night. "You kept yourself a mystery for too long, Oza. Tell me everything."

She snuggled up beside him, thinking of where to even start. "I lived on a civilian world called Gideon. My father worked as a pilot and my mother was a professor in biochemistry."

"Ah, so you learned your trade from her?"

"Mostly. But also through schooling. I liked going on the ships with my father and took a liking to how they ran. That's how I got an interest in material and inorganic chemistry." She felt a lump in her throat grow as she thought of them. "I…haven't seen them in a long time."

"They are alive then?"

She nodded. "I got into some bad business with an ex-lover. I grew apart from them trying to achieve my own goals. I didn't want to just be a worker. I wanted to be an inventor. My dad was hardly ever home because of the long trips. I lost a couple of my friends and their parents in a ship accident on some space cruiser, because of a bad fuel compactor, some say, though not everyone is sure. Anyway, I wanted to improve ship travel, so I started working with my ex who convinced me that had been his goal as well. Only…he was looking to do whatever it took. He did something awful, and I paid for it. So, now I'm here."

He traced his fingers along the side of her hip. "I'm sorry."

She smirked. "It hasn't been so bad now."

He grinned. "I think not."

She shifted on her side. "I still wish we could be somewhere else."

"Me too. But this place won't be around much longer."

She arched her brow. "You think so?"

He hummed. "I know so. And then we can leave and go wherever we want."

She propped herself up on one elbow to study him closer. "You really mean that. You really will take me with you?"

He kissed her forehead. "Yes."

They fell asleep not long after. By the next morning, on the third day, she was antsy to get up and leave the room. "I need fresh air," she told him when he felt uncertain that she should yet. But she had a feeling it was less because of her healing process and more because he liked keeping her in his room where it was safe.

Eventually he gave in, and after they had breakfast together, he took her out. They went to the front entrance first so that he could check in on any happenings in the night. She was relieved when they went out to find the corpses gone. Only a few banners with the green star now waved in the icy wind.

His men gave her looks, side eyeing her when she passed. She wore new clothes now, black pants and black coat with a silver hood, matching Draka's own. She wore the star over one arm and couldn't be happier to not have to wear her old clothes that had been thrown away, including the helmet. In a way, she was no longer Oza and yet she still was. Whatever any of them might think, they knew if they fucked with her they would have to answer to Draka. So, they made the smart decision and didn't.

"Noticed a few stragglers last night," one kyrwori reported, glancing at her before turning to Draka. "Found one trying to climb up one of the rock walls. Took him out before he could make it all the way."

"Good," answered Draka.

"They are getting bolder," the kyrwori confessed.

"Then they will have to be shown why that is the wrong choice."

As she walked with him along one side of the perimeter over to the tower, she asked him why so many were starting to break into his territory.

He glanced at her, and she could tell it upset him to even think about it. "They know you're here," he said in a low voice.

She stiffened at his words. "They are trying to get to me?"

"Margrul is paying anyone willing to try."

"He still wants me."

She saw his eyes darken. "He won't have a chance," he said, quiet but threatening.

She felt her stomach turn and anger burn up her throat. She'd like to see Draka cut that animal down.

He spoke with those at the tower and got a similar report but that the north side had been empty of anything but a few skalegs. No signs of intruders.

When he was finished, she followed him back into the mountain. As they went past one room to the next, it dawned on her that she had yet to see Freys or Kreed—his second and third—anywhere. She would have asked, but in all honesty, she was happy for it. She didn't want to hear any more of their pathetic jokes.

When Draka finished his rounds, they visited Serbril last. Appearing at his door, they found him with Timothy in his lab.

"You stupid human," Serbril hissed at him. "Andrils do not have five stomachs, they have two."

"No," Timothy argued. "You're thinking of peranodons. And they are vegetarians."

The snake-man scoffed. "You're crazy."

"Have you dissected one? The answer is no, or you'd know I was right."

Serbril turned to her and Draka at the doorway. "I cannot deal with this human man. Annoying pest."

Timothy crossed his arms, but he only smiled. "You look a lot better," he said to her.

"I feel a lot better," she said, smiling back.

Draka got between them. "Serbril, check her."

The nilgani hissed again. "She was checked the other day."

Draka gave him a look and Serbril quieted. He took out an old looking scanner and beckoned her to take a seat.

"Energy levels are stable," he said after scanning her thoroughly. "She'll be fine."

Ria looked to Timothy again. "Are you okay?" she asked.

He waved her concern away. "No problems."

"Yet," Draka added.

Ria gave him an exasperated look. "Come off him, Draka, he's harmless."

Draka smirked at Timothy though his eyes said something else.

They didn't stay long after, Ria getting a few words from Timothy before Draka was dragging her away. She followed him down another passage, eyeing him curiously.

"I didn't take you for the jealous type," she said beside him.

It took him a moment to answer and when he did, he said, "You are an exception." He glanced back at her. "I didn't consider myself a possessive type. Until now."

For some reason, that made her heart flutter. She didn't think she was the kind to go for possessive guys. Guess Draka was her exception to that rule too. "You don't have to worry about Timothy," she assured. "It's just that he's my kind and that I feel sorry for him. But he seems nice—in a friendly sort of way."

Draka grunted. "I will try to not feel threatened by him. I know it's foolish. It's only my instincts getting the better of me."

They passed down a tunnelway toward the landing bay. When they got closer to the entrance, she heard shouting. She tensed, ready to encounter a fight. Draka glanced at her, then started off in the direction of the noise, looking more curious than concerned.

Outside, they found a small group of Draka's pack fighting—or at least that's what it looked like to Ria, only in the same vein of the kind of fights she'd seen Draka and the others play at the Antiom. Here they had made a spiral across the ground using chalk and were fighting within it. As she watched, she noticed whenever someone was pushed out of one ring of the spiral, the group moved in closer to the center, only staying within the next ring. They fought and others would be pushed out until only two in the center remained. It was some sort of last man standing game.

When the pack members saw Draka they hollered to him, some coming over to grip his shoulder as a sign of respect. He returned the gesture in kind.

"Too afraid to have me join?" He grinned at them. "Don't want to lose too hard, eh?"

They laughed. "Yeah right, we'll all just gang up on you," one bulky ashora said.

"Come play, Draka," said another.

He turned to her and gave her a sly smile. "Only if Oza is on my team."

Her eyes widened. "You serious?"

"Of course. Serbril cleared you." He tilted his head at her. "And you took on an uugari by yourself. You are clearly strong enough to fight."

She peered around at them, and no one argued. From what she'd observed, they were more careful with their blows to each other and she had a feeling Draka would make sure they didn't get in one hit. Still, they were all way bigger than her which meant more powerful.

She glanced between them. Ah, to hell with it. Let's see how far she could make it. "Alright." She smirked. "One game."

They started at the outermost ring where they were able to move around with several feet between them. Draka kept her close beside him as the others waited, ready to pounce.

"Don't worry," he said.

Yeah, right.

Someone gave the signal and the game began. In the beginning, Draka was able to keep the others at bay, even kicking out a few who dared to try and charge him. He was fast, impressively fast for his size.

Keeping himself between her and the others, they were able to move two rings up before he was ganged up on by several, and she was left to defend herself. One came at her, but she slipped past him. She was agile enough to keep out of their hands, but she knew once they had her, she would have a difficult time getting out of their hold. She dodged another attack, then—thinking quickly—she dropped down and kicked the legs out of one burly kyrwori, having him fall outside the circle boundary. Before she felt triumph over that little trick, another kyrwori with gray fur picked her up, ready to throw her out of the ring. She shouted and flailed, twisting in his grip and catching him in the stomach with her knee which made him flinch. Before he could send her out, Draka pulled him back. He released her and she rolled out, just stopping on the edge. Draka picked her up after sending the kyrwori flying, and the circle tightened.

The chaos in the rings grew higher the more inward to the center they got, but she found herself laughing and shouting with them every time a player got knocked out. When there was only her, Draka, and one of the bulky ashora named Prys left, Ria was forced to keep herself low and watch. Draka and Prys collided, pushing against each other to make the other take a step back. Draka looked to her, and she nodded. He turned the ashora around toward her, and when Prys went to steady himself, she kicked his legs out, sending him falling out of the ring.

The group hollered once more. Ria dragged herself to her feet, unable to keep the smile off her face. Draka pulled her to him and lifted her off her feet. The group circled them, and as he set her down, they gripped Draka's shoulder—and hers.

"A rematch. One more!" they shouted.

Draka agreed to another game, but she declined, preferring this time to watch. She settled herself against the wall near the passage doorway as they moved to play again. Light snow began to drift down, melting instantly on the ground, while trails of steam rose off the inmates' backs.

"You're moving up here quickly," a voice said from beside the entrance.

She looked around and saw Freys at the doorway. He moved out of the shadows to join her by her side, watching the others fight.

"Guess it's no surprise," he continued. "Everyone is just relieved to see him not pining after you anymore." She saw him smirk. "I think a thank you is in order."

"How so?" she asked.

"Well, I'd like to think I had a hand in this, seeing as I was the one who let you in. No one would have guessed though the human was such an impressive little trickster."

She eyed him uncertainly. "I think I was just lucky you and Draka trusted my word so easily."

He grunted. "I kept an eye on you. Just clearly not close enough. But it doesn't matter in the end, does it? Draka gets what he wants, and you get to live. Win-win."

She crossed her arms, turning away from him to watch as Draka kicked a member out of the circle, and they closed it in. "Win-win," she muttered.

"Assuming Draka doesn't change his mind at least," Freys added after a moment of silence.

She tensed, clenching her jaw. She didn't want to give in to his bait, but her curiosity made her weak. "What do you mean?" she asked.

Freys shrugged. "Look, I'm not trying to play sides. Draka is my leader, and he does what he likes. But he's also a little crazy to a certain point, and he has a tendency to hyperfixate. I don't know much about the whole heat thing with sidonions, but I imagine, like with others, it has to wear off eventually."

She turned back to him, trying to gauge how serious he was. "Are you trying to say that…if he stops being in heat, he won't like me anymore?"

Freys scratched at the back of his ear. "It's just a possibility. He's all cracked up. A heat like that can do all sorts of crazy stuff to the brain. Chemicals going wild. You get that, right?"

Yes, in a way she got that.

He moved closer, talking lower. "Between you and me, he really loved hunting you. I think that got him off too. It drove him mad that he couldn't find you. Imagine the disappointment when you just came tumbling out as Oza. You beat him at his own game. Still, he's got you and he'll keep you as long as the heat remains. But after, well, he may start wondering what he was thinking. That post sex clarity can hit anyone hard."

Heat burned up her neck and face. "Why are you telling me this?"

"I'm not trying to create a problem," Freys said. "I'm only trying to warn you. If he starts giving you weird looks, maybe acting distant, you might want to get out, find another pack to protect you."

She shook her head. "I don't believe you."

"That's fine. I'm telling you out of courtesy as a fellow pack-mate. Once Draka has his share of you, gets that animalistic side out of him, it could get ugly. And I won't be able to help you. No one will." He started to move away from her, then he stopped. "If you do run again though, just know, there's no way you'll hide from him a second time. And that hunt will be a whole different game."