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JARDUN
The ride along the base of the mountainous border of the Quaddrien was slow and steady, the sky was free from any threatening storm, the heat from the sun’s rays tolerable. I shielded my eyes and stared at the smooth flat surface of the rocky ridge, wondering what I’d been thinking. The last time I had crossed into the wastelands, I was young and willing to embrace all forms of peril. I did not remember it appearing quite so ominous. I knew the chaugwai wouldn’t have any trouble climbing the wall, I was more concerned about the females being able to stay on their backs during the ascent.
The longer our group traveled, the farther we got from the outpost, the harder it was to deal with the overwhelming need to keep Laria and her friends safe. Maintaining rational thought had eluded me from the moment I’d tasted her enticing lips. The memories were fresh, the knowledge that relationships between humans and ketaurrans, though rare, were possible, had desire coursing from my core to the tip of my tail. Compounding my emotions were vivid images of seeing blood on her arm after the other males had attacked.
With the solarveyor inoperable, contacting Khyron or having the females return to the city was no longer an option. Not that the infuriating females would have followed my orders. After last night’s attack, they seemed even more determined to reach Doyle’s fortress and rescue Vurell.
My plan was to stay as close as possible to Laria whether she liked it or not. Feeling responsible for her safety because I had asked for her help on this mission was not the only reason I wanted to protect her. The more time I spent with her, the more physically and emotionally bound to her I became. Not for the first time since our paths had crossed did I wonder if it was possible for a human to be my ketiorra. More specifically, I questioned whether or not Laria was my true mate, the one female on the planet whose scent and nearness called to me like no other.
Now was not the time to analyze what might be between us or if pursuit of a joining would result in resentment from members of both our species.
I turned my attention back to the large rock wall, and scanned the terrain for a less imposing and easier way to reach the upper ledge that would take us into the desert area on the other side.
Zaedon pulled his animal to a stop next to mine, then glanced at the females. “I assume you would prefer finding a way to the top that did not include having to scale the exterior surface.”
Every male in the vryndarr, every male I called friend, had fought by my side, had survived many deadly missions during and after the war. Zaedon was like a brother, knew me well, and very rarely needed me to explain what I was thinking. I was grateful he’d recognized my concerns for the females without making me state it out loud.
“It may be tight and a little steep, but it appears there is a ledge along the ridge that angles upward.” He pointed to the right. “It would also minimize the time spent clutching the necks of the chaugwai.”
“I agree.” Garyck eased his animal to a standstill on my other side. “It will take a little longer, but there is less risk of injury.” He glanced ahead of us to where Laria and her friends, including Burke, had climbed down from their mounts and were stretching their legs.
I urged my chaugwas toward the others, then addressed them as a group. “In order to reach our destination, we must go over this ridge.” I angled my chin in the direction of the massive cliff behind us. “Zaedon will take the lead, followed by Celeste and Sloane. Garyck and Burke will position themselves in the middle, with Laria and myself following at the rear.” If something should happen and any one of the females was to slip from her mount, then the males would be able to keep her from dropping to the ground below. As far as I knew, Burke did not have any experience climbing with a chaugwas, but I had witnessed his skills and was confident in his abilities.
Celeste tipped her head back, blocking the sun with her hand as she stared at the top of the ridge. “Jardun, there is no way my chewy thingy and I are going to be able to climb up there.” She lowered her gaze and glared at him. “Maybe we should stay here and wait for you guys to get back.” She gave a nervous laugh, and I was uncertain if she was attempting humor or being serious.
Luckily, Laria interceded before I could ask. “Since when are you afraid of heights?”
“Or anything else for that matter?” Sloane chimed in.
Celeste released an exasperated breath, then patted her chaugwas’s neck. “Who says I’m afraid? I was worried about Lou getting hurt. What if he slips and sprains an ankle, or breaks a leg?”
“I don’t know what’s more troubling, the fact that you’re whining worse than the time you got luzardee blood on your favorite pair of boots, or that you gave the damned lizard a name.” Sloane shook her head, then jerked on the lead straps to follow Zaedon.
Burke chuckled, then smacked the rear end of Celeste’s ride so it would start moving. “Get in front of me. I’ll make sure nothing happens to Lou or you.”
Laria waited for the others to pull ahead of her, then maneuvered her animal next to mine. “You’ve done this before, haven’t you?”
“It has been many years, but yes,” I said.
“Was it part of a dare? Because honestly, I don’t understand why anybody would want to do this on purpose.”
Her smile warmed me, had a calming effect that immediately put me at ease.
“It was a requirement when I chose to enlist in the vryndarr. But I am certain I have done many other things that you would consider a dare.” As soon as her animal began to move, I tapped my chaugwas’s ribs with the heel of my boot. “Perhaps one day when I am sure you will not think less of me, I may share them with you.”
“We’ve all done things in our past we’d rather not share with anyone. But if you ever want to talk about them, I’m a pretty good listener.” The trail narrowed, and she urged her chaugwas in front of me.
I did not think anything from her past equaled the dark things I had done to protect my people. Was I expecting too much from her comment, hoping that once this was over, I could entice her to remain in my world? It was a prospect I should not contemplate, had no right to expect, but quietly pondered anyway.
***
WE FOLLOWED THE RIDGELINE as Zaedon had suggested, making good time with few incidents. Sloane’s animal had slipped on some loose rocks, but she handled it well without being tossed from her mount. Garyck, who’d been staying closer to the female than necessary, looked as if he’d been holding his breath, and for a short time, the golden scales on his arms had paled to white. Perhaps he was more concerned about the female’s welfare than he wanted anyone to believe.
The trail led us to the base of a sheer mountain face, the last remaining obstacle in reaching the ridge. When we stopped to give the chaugwai a break, Zaedon prepared Laria and her friends for the remainder of the climb.
“Secure the ends of the leads loosely like this.” Zaedon tied the two leather straps together and secured them to the front of the seat. “Grip below the chaugwas’s neck.” He demonstrated by leaning forward and placing his hands on the animal’s thick chest muscles. “This will keep you from sliding and allow him to breathe as he climbs the rocks.”
“And what’s going to keep Lou from sliding?” Celeste tipped her head to the side and glanced at the jagged rocks lining the basin below. “Or us plummeting to our deaths?”
“These mountains are part of their natural habitat. They are very adept at moving along the rocky surface.” Zaedon gripped the front leg of his chaugwas, then bent its knee to expose the pad of its foot. He pressed his knuckles into the middle of the thick leathery layer, causing the skin to roll back and reveal several rows of hidden claws. “They use these to grasp the rock.”
“You know that’s not making me feel much better,” Celeste said.
“Come on, Celeste. The guys will be right behind us.” Sloane glanced at all the males in the group. “They won’t let anything happen to us, will you?”
Celeste wrinkled her nose, clearly not reassured by our nods.
“Why don’t I go first,” Laria said. “If Zaedon isn’t telling the truth and I fall, then you have my permission to avenge me any way you want.”
Zaedon frowned. “Laria, I swear I would never...”
She giggled. “Relax, I’ll be fine.”
Of the three, Laria’s will seemed to be the strongest. She was the one they looked to for guidance, the one they trusted. Though I heard a subtle strain in her voice, it did not deter her from the task. She winked at Zaedon, then urged her chaugwas toward the vertical wall of rock.
Following someone who knew what they were doing was one thing, scaling a sheer surface for the first time was another. It took all my restraint not to rush after her, to ensure nothing happened should she lose her grip. I was impressed by the way she followed Zaedon’s instructions and allowed the animal the freedom to make its way upward. I wanted Celeste to be confident with the climb and waited until Laria was halfway to the top before trailing after her.
When I reached the ridgeline, Laria had dismounted and was waving to Celeste and Sloane.
She took in some deep breaths and smiled. “That was actually kind of fun, but I’m not in any hurry to do it again.”
I quirked a challenging brow. “Not even on a dare?”
LARIA
Reaching the top of the ridge hadn’t been an easy feat. My skin was coated in a sheen of sweat. My fingers were cramped, and my inner thighs throbbed from tightly gripping the chaugwas during the climb. The emotional exhilaration and fear pulsing through my body slowly subsided.
Heading into the unknown was never a good idea and something I rarely did without a little preparation. I’d believed Jardun and his friends when they’d said we could make it to the top safely. I’d been so focused on helping Celeste get over her fear that I hadn’t given any thought to what might happen if I lost my grip and slipped from my animal’s back. At least not until I was hanging halfway up the sheer rock wall, wishing I’d waited for one of the experienced riders to follow closely behind me.
Luckily, everyone made it to the top without any casualties, including Celeste, the reason for my daredevil performance. She was standing off to the side, talking to her newly adopted chaugwas and giving him an appreciative hug.
I climbed back on my animal, then urged him to cross to the other side of the flattened ridge so I could stare down at the Quaddrien. I’d been in my teens when the Starward Bounty had crash-landed on Ketaurrios. Memories of the trip I’d made with my father and the other families who’d been packed into a large solarveyor before being escorted from the wastelands filled my thoughts.
From up here, the Quaddrien looked completely different than it had all those years ago. It reminded me of a large bowl, a long, never-ending wave of reddish-brown sand surrounded on either side by a continuous rock wall, the center sprinkled with plant life in various shades of blue and purple. The area might hold many hidden dangers, but from up here, it was breathtakingly beautiful.
I wasn’t surprised when Jardun stopped his chaugwas on my right. He hadn’t been far from my side since we’d left the outpost. I’d been taking care of myself and looking out for my friends for so long that I wasn’t sure how I felt about having a male constantly looking out for my safety. Though I’d occasionally caught him glancing in my direction, his gaze was currently focused on the horizon, and he appeared deep in thought.
I studied Jardun’s profile. He was a true leader who held his team’s respect. He exuded power, courage, and male prowess. And when he wasn’t being an overbearing male intent on saving me because I was a female, I’d caught brief glimpses of a gentler side. A side I wanted to know.
It wasn’t hard to guess what he was thinking about. “How long will it take us to reach Doyle’s compound?”
“If we do not experience any delays, we should arrive sometime tomorrow,” he said.
I wondered what we’d find when we reached our destination, what Jardun would do if the doctor was dead and we couldn’t find the antidote. They were questions I wanted to ask, but chose not to. I knew from experience that having hope and striving for a good outcome was the one thing that helped me survive.
Jardun already carried the weight of saving the drezdarr and, ultimately, his people. I wasn’t about to diminish any hope he had about us being successful.
Zaedon’s arrival put an end to any further discussion. “I have found an easy access to the basin below.”
“Good. We will need to make good time if we want to reach the forest area by nightfall,” Jardun said.
I leaned forward to see around Jardun so I could speak to Zaedon. “What, you’re not going to make us hang on the side of a rock again and hope we don’t drop?”
Zaedon chuckled. “I see why you like this female. Not only is she a skilled warrior with an intriguing scent, but her sarcasm is quite humorous.”
He laughed even harder when Jardun growled. “I will inform the others,” he said as he steered his chaugwas away from us.
“Care to explain about my intriguing scent?” I asked, hoping I’d inadvertently get an answer to the sniffing thing.
“No,” Jardun replied defensively.
I couldn’t hold back an amused grin when he muttered something about Zaedon needing to mind his own business, then turned his animal to follow the others.
Zaedon had been right about the ease of reaching the basin. The trail he’d found consisted of flat rocks eroded over time to form what looked like a long set of stairs.
Once we reached the bottom, Zaedon and Garyck took the lead, with Celeste, Sloane, and me in the middle, and Jardun and Burke following at the rear. Either the ketaurran males were normally suspicious or they were warily scanning the surrounding area because they expected some kind of danger.
It made me a little anxious, and I startled when Celeste appeared on my left and said, “That was a pretty bold move.”
“Got your ass over the ridge, didn’t it?” Sloane was pacing alongside me on the right.
“I was about to thank her before you butted in,” Celeste grumbled.
The trip had already been long, I was exhausted and not in the mood to listen to my friends bicker. I knew they cared about each other, that arguing was their way of dealing with stress. Normally, I’d walk away, let them get their rants out of their systems. Since I couldn’t walk, run, or ride away and had nowhere to go, I decided to change the subject.
My first thought had been to tease Sloane about Garyck, ask her if she really planned to cut off those golden locks in his sleep. The uncertainty of how she’d retaliate, possibly by openly discussing Jardun when he could overhear, made me select a neutral subject. “Once we get back to the city, what do you think about...” Celeste’s chaugwas bolted forward before I got a chance to finish.
Celeste frantically yanked on the lead straps to make him stop. “What’s wrong with Lou?” She rubbed his neck and cooed soothing words.
“And what’s that noise?” Sloane asked as her animal pranced sideways.
I heard a loud rumble, the noise growing steadily stronger, the surrounding sand rippling from the vibration. Before I could investigate the source, my chaugwas bellowed. His anxious cry sounded like a combination of the deep base of a musical horn and severely loud snorts. He shook his head back and forth and spun in circles as if the pads of his feet were on fire.
“Easy there, big guy.” No matter how much I tried to soothe him or how hard I tugged on the straps, my chaugwas wouldn’t budge from our current spot. He rocked back and forth, stomping the ground, the motion nearly unseating me.
“It is a snakkril. We need to move!” Jardun shouted, his voice barely audible over the deafening noise.
The ground five feet in front of my animal’s head churned, the sand spinning and dropping to form a funnel with a smooth round object at its center. A dark copper-colored object that quickly transformed into the most hideous reptilian head with luminescent gold eyes I’d ever seen in my life. It hissed and growled, using short legs with claws along both sides of its snakelike body to push its way to the surface.
“What the...” My heart raced, the pounding in my ears almost as loud as the rumble I’d heard seconds earlier.
The snakkril used its coiled tail to propel it forward. I got a horrifying glimpse of its gaping jaws before it sank yellowish fangs as long as my fingers into the chaugwas’s neck. My animal shrieked, his entire body shuddering as he reared up on his hind legs.
The straps were ripped from my hand, the leather burning my palm. I plummeted to the ground, landing hard on my back, the air whooshing from my lungs.
I’d barely inhaled a replenishing breath and rolled onto my hands and knees when Jardun yelled, “Laria, look out!”
I glanced over my shoulder. My chaugwas had toppled onto its side, the front of its chest covered with blood. The snakkril advanced toward me, its body undulating in a slithery crawling motion.
“Draeck.” I pushed to my feet, my boots slipping in the sand until I hit solid dirt and stumbled forward. As soon as I was moving, I retrieved my sword, motivated by memories of those long fangs and the need to keep them from sinking into my back.
The creature had already demonstrated how fast it could move, and there was no way I could outrun it. The only chance I had was to turn around and fight. I swung my sword, the tip of my blade long enough to reach the creature’s scaly skin without getting my arm clawed in the process. My first few defensive moves were lucky enough to leave several short gashes on the creature’s underbelly.
“Burke, behind you!” Celeste called out.
Too afraid to take my eyes off the creature in front of me, I used my periphery to see what was happening around me. Two more snakkrils had emerged from underneath the ground and were heading toward the others in my group. The creatures were a quarter of the size of the one bearing down on me. Before they could attack the other chaugwai, Zaedon, Garyck, and Burke were on the ground, blades drawn and going after them.
Sloane and Celeste had stayed on their animals and sidled up next to the other chaugwai, grabbing the leads and doing their best to keep them from running away. It was bad enough my chaugwas was down, but if we lost the others, we’d be stranded out here on foot—a prospect I was certain none of us wanted to face.
The more I swiped, the more it snarled, each lunge more aggressive than the last. No matter how many cuts I left in its flesh, the disgusting thing wouldn’t stop. It continued to snap its jaws and dodge my blows. With each horizontal swipe of my sword, the snakkril moved forward, and I took a step back. My foot slipped, and I went down. Before the creature could strike, Jardun grabbed its tail and yanked, then tossed it away from me. The second it coiled and lunged for him, he swung his sword, and the blade severed the snakkril’s head from its body.
Jardun was hovering over me in seconds, bluish-green blood dripping from the end of his sword. He held his hand out to help me up. “Are you all right?”
“Yeah.” I managed with a gasp, then gripped his wrist. I glanced toward Celeste and Sloane as he pulled me to my feet, relieved to see they were unharmed and had kept the chaugwai from running off. Garyck stood sentry close by, his sword held out defensively in front of him, the other two creatures decapitated, their parts scattered across the sand.
Blood trickled down Jardun’s bare arm from several cuts. “But you’re not.” I reached for his arm to get a better look at the wound. “I need some medical supplies,” I said, not directing my demand at anyone specifically.
“Laria, it will be fine. Their claws are sharp, but it is not deep.” He placed his hand over mine.
His attempt to placate me wasn’t working, and I snapped, “I don’t care. I’m not taking any chances with it getting infected.” I turned to Zaedon, who happened to be the closest. “Why are you still standing there? I need something to clean his wound.”
He raised a brow, and, after receiving a nod from Jardun, he grinned and headed toward his chaugwas.
When Zaedon returned, he was carrying a leather pouch, which he handed to me. “You will find what you require inside.”
I undid the tie and pulled out the contents. I wasn’t sure if my hands were trembling because I’d survived becoming a meal, or if it was because I’d realized why my chaugwas had died so quickly. “The snakkrils are poisonous, aren’t they?”
“Yes, but only a bite from their fangs is lethal.”
Once I focused on the task, it didn’t take me long to clean the cuts, then apply a medicinal salve and protective binding. After returning the supplies to the pouch, I met Jardun’s gaze.
“Thank you.” He curled his fingers over mine and applied a gentle squeeze.
“It’s the least I could do after you saved my life.” I pulled away, handed the pouch to Zaedon, then headed toward my downed chaugwas. I stared at the animal, saddened by its death. No creature should have its life ended in such a brutal manner, nor did it deserve to have its flesh slowly devoured by any of the wasteland predators.
Jardun wiped the blood from his blade by swiping it along the edge of my chaugwas’s seat, then returned it to his sheath. “Its mate will no doubt be close by, so lingering would not be advisable.”
“Are you saying there could be more of those things?” Celeste jerked her head, checking the ground around us.
“It is possible. They do not usually attack animals this big unless they get too close to their nests.”
“Nests, as in multiple?” Sloane nervously glared at the ground.
“Do not worry,” Zaedon said. “They do not usually build their nests this far from the rocky border because they prefer cool, damp soil. The heavy rains may be the reason they are out this far.”
“Come on, there’s nothing more you can do.” Burke placed his hand on my elbow and aimed me toward his mount.
“Laria will be riding with me.” Jardun stepped in front of us. His commanding tone left no doubt he expected his order to be followed.
Burke frowned and pursed his lips. I could tell by the way his grip tensed that he wasn’t happy with the directive.
My emotions were still raw from the attack, and the last thing I wanted was to watch them demonstrate their dominance with an argument that could get physical. I’d trained with Burke enough to know he was highly skilled, but after watching Jardun fight, I knew he’d win. “It’s okay, really.” I nodded and gave Burke’s arm a pat.
As soon as Burke stalked toward his mount, Jardun untied my bag. He walked over to his chaugwas and removed his as well. After tossing both bags to Zaedon, he held his hand out to me.
I’d been too independent and had taken care of myself for so long that refusing to comply with any male’s demands was part of my nature. I knew by taking Jardun’s hand, I’d be agreeing to a higher level of trust between us. After carefully considering how he’d risked his life to save mine, and knowing there was a part of me longing to feel those strong arms wrapped around me again, I took his hand. I didn’t resist when he placed his hands on my hips and helped me onto his chaugwas.
He swung himself onto the animal’s rump, then settled behind the seat with his thick thighs pressed against the back of mine. He reached for the strap and motioned for Garyck and Zaedon to take the lead. It still amazed me at how well the three of them synchronized their efforts without saying a word.
I couldn’t get the image of my chaugwas out of my head or stop being concerned about the same thing happening to someone in our group. I glanced at him over my shoulder. “Do you think we’ll run into anymore snakkrils?”
“We should be fine if we keep moving and stay on the hardened ground.” He tucked some loose strands behind my ear. “Do not worry. We will keep a close watch and ensure that everyone remains safe.”
Even with the heat from the sun’s rays, his gentle caress warmed me and sent a shudder rippling across my skin. He wrapped his arm possessively around my waist, urging me to lean against his chest. “Rest if you need to. We will make camp for the night once we reach the loicryn.”
“What is the loicryn?” In all the interactions I’d had with ketaurrans I’d never heard the term before and was curious.
“I believe you would call it an oasis.”
“Are you talking about the colorful blue area we saw from the ridge that has trees?”
“Yes. We will find fresh water and many plants to feed the chaugwai.”
Some of the tension eased from his body, and he encircled my ankle with his tail, making me smile. He definitely had a way of making me feel safe, so I took his advice, resting my head against his shoulder and closing my eyes. It wasn’t long before the animal’s pace, its steady sway, and my exhaustion lulled me into a relaxed state.
