Episode Nine Ready to Go

Z oron

Eldar has been focused on this attack since the moment we heard about it. It was he who led the first small group through a secret opening in the caves so we could do recon. He was the one who pointed out the red brick building where the arms are kept.

After that, we traveled north to the encampment at the Village where people from all different species were amassing from a hundred-mile radius. Few of us, no matter the species, haven't lost a loved one to the males from Up Above. We all want vengeance as much as we want to free the slaves.

I didn't know how to bring this up, how to broach the subject of what might happen when he walked through those gates again. He paid so much attention to the upcoming raid and worrying I would be hurt that he didn't allow himself to think about how it would feel to step foot back into this compound.

I feared this would happen. I knew the memories would come crashing back at some point. If I'm not mistaken, that's happening now.

I step closer, tug one of the braids that pulls back from his temples, and tuck it behind his pointed ear.

Trying to keep him in the here and now, I get him up to speed. I thought of staying here and shoving off our task to someone else, but it will be good to get him out of the compound on this mission.

"Reese says these two are near death," I explain, though Reese must wonder why I'm doing this since Eldar was right here when he was explaining it a moment ago.

He doesn't know that for the last few moments, my beloved was lost in thought. "They're mated, but the proudborn is too weak to do what Reese calls an Energy Transfer. They'll need two others to volunteer to mate them, then do the Energy Transfer."

"Oh," Eldar says, his eyes no longer glassy and distracted.

"The medic says there's too much activity here. He traveled south days ago, found an old cabin nearby, and stocked it with food and furs for just such an emergency. I'm going to pull that cart." I point to a primitive cart they used to move things from one end of the compound to the other. "I'll hitch up and take us there as soon as they find two volunteers to mate these two."

"The two of them agreed?" Eldar asks, astonished anyone would agree to invite others into their matebond.

"Wouldn't you if your life depended on it?" I ask, surprised.

"I guess." He shrugs. "I'd hate it, though. You're all I'll ever need." He rises to brush his lips to mine.

"We'll transport them to the cabin, wait to make sure everything goes as planned, then return to help back here. Look," I make a sweeping gesture at the swarming throng in the compound. "Look how many we've freed. Adults, children, over a dozen species. Eldar, look what we accomplished."

He nods, but still seems lost in the past. I try to push past that by continuing to talk.

"It will take a few days to get their bellies full and decide who wants to stay here, who wants to go in search of long-lost families, and who wants to join us in the Village up north where we'll be preparing for our next attack. On Tower One."

Two young males are hurrying toward us. One is a naga male, his reptilian tail writhing in the way their species moves from one place to another. The other is a young griffon, his wings sparkling golden in the sun.

I imagine the proudborn and the griffon might get into a pissing contest over who will be the pack master, but as soon as the proudborn is back on his feet, there will be no doubt he'll lead the four of them well.

"Let's go," Eldar says as he rises. "I can't wait to leave this fucking place."