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His tail remained curled protectively around my leg as he drifted into sleep, the tip occasionally twitching in response to his dreams. His breathing steadied, becoming deeper and more regular than before. I stayed awake longer, listening to the storm, feeling the occasional droplets that found their way through the cave’s ceiling to splash cool against my skin.

I monitored his condition through our connection, feeling the bond’s steady pulse between us. The sensation was nothing like I’d imagined when I’d first heard about the lifebonds between humans and Nyxari. It wasn’t just emotional or physical—it was something more fundamental, as though some basic energy that made me who I was now flowed freely between us, creating a circuit that strengthened us both.

The woman who had first been thrown into that cell with him would never have imagined this outcome. That woman had seen only an alien, an enemy, a complication. Yet here we were, bound together by forces neither of us fully understood but which neither of us could deny.

Tomorrow would bring its own challenges—Hammond’s pursuit, Ravik’s worsening condition, the uncertain reception that awaited us at the Eastern Settlement. For now, this moment of peace was enough. I allowed myself to sink deeper into the connection between us, letting the sound of the rain and the warmth of his body lull me toward sleep.

RAVIK

The dawn brought no relief from the fever burning through my veins, but Zara’s presence beside me provided an anchor against the pain. Through our growing bond, I sensed her concern, her determination. Her markings had become a map of silver beneath her skin, far more extensive than when we first met—branching patterns that now extended up her neck and across her shoulders, visible at the edges of her torn clothing.

She checked my wounds in the gray morning light filtering through the cave entrance.

“The infection is still spreading,” she said, her fingers gentle but firm as she applied the last of our medicinal paste to the worst of the gashes across my ribs. The herbs stung sharply before delivering their numbing effect. “But the swelling has decreased slightly.”

I pushed myself to a sitting position, ignoring the protest from my lacerated muscles and the pull of damaged tissue. Every movement sent daggers of pain through my chest and back. “We cannot remain here. Hammond’s drones will have resumed their search pattern at first light.”

Zara helped me to my feet, adjusting her grip around my waist to provide steady support. The top of her head barely reached my shoulder, yet she bore my weight without complaint. My tail dragged momentarily before I forced it to lift, understanding its position would reveal my weakness to any Nyxari we might encounter.

A warrior’s tail never dragged, no matter the circumstance—one of the first lessons taught to Shadow Canyon youth.

“I can detect the drone frequencies,” she said, her eyes taking on that distant look that indicated her markings were processing energy patterns. “Nothing close yet, but they’re methodical. They’ll expand their search radius in concentric circles.”

We emerged from the shelter of the cave, the morning air cool against my fevered skin. The vibrant teal of the Arenix sky was muted by thin clouds, the twin suns only vague bright spots behind the haze. The forest stretched before us, deceptively peaceful.

Moisture clung to the vegetation from the night’s storm, catching the light in tiny prisms. I knew better than to be lulled by the beauty.

Arenix tolerated no carelessness, even from its native sons.

“Eastern Settlement lies three days’ journey for a healthy traveler,” I said, tasting blood where I’d bitten the inside of my cheek to focus through the pain. “But there should be patrols in these outer territories. If we can reach the ridge line by nightfall, we might intercept one.”

Zara nodded, adjusting her grip around my waist, careful to avoid the worst of my wounds. The pressure of her arm was both pain and comfort. “Then let’s go.”

The journey was a haze of pain and determination. Each step required focus, each breath a conscious effort. The forest floor was treacherous after the rain, slick with decomposing vegetation and loose stones.

Without Zara, I would have fallen hours ago. I could sense her growing exhaustion, but also her unwavering resolve through our bond.

Her markings responded constantly to the environment, processing data about our surroundings that her conscious mind translated into insights.

“Wait,” she whispered suddenly, pulling me behind a massive tree trunk, its bark rough against my palm. “Drone—approaching from the south.”

I strained my senses, pushing past the fever haze. There—the faint mechanical hum, barely perceptible even to my sensitive ears. Her ability to detect the devices at such distance was remarkable, even among marked humans.

“Can you tell what type?” I asked, tasting the air for other threats. A faint metallic tang rode beneath the forest scents.

Her brow furrowed in concentration. “Search model. Basic sensors, no weapons.” She tensed suddenly. “But it’s tracking something... not us...”

The undergrowth to our left rustled, sending a small, six-legged lizard scurrying up a nearby tree trunk. My warrior instincts surged through the fever haze, recognizing the pattern of movement. “Predator. Using the drone to flush prey.”

“Hammond’s figured out how to use the local wildlife,” Zara muttered, her fingers tightening against my side. “Clever bastard.”

The drone appeared first, a hovering metallic sphere barely larger than my fist, its surface decorated with small sensor arrays that rotated slowly as it moved. It paused at the edge of the clearing, sensors whirring with an unnatural rhythm. Behind it, moving with unnatural focus, came a juvenile Trelleth, its iridescent scales showing the distinctive discoloration of resonance manipulation—patches of dull gray where the natural color had been leached away.

“They’ve linked it to the drone somehow,” Zara whispered, her eyes tracking invisible energy patterns. “I can see the energy pattern connecting them—like a tether of light, pulsing with commands.”

The Trelleth’s sensory stalks waved, seeking prey. The appendages were shorter than an adult’s would be, but still deadly accurate in detecting neural activity and body heat. We were downwind, but that advantage wouldn’t last if the drone detected us and redirected the predator.

“I need to disrupt the connection,” Zara said, her markings beginning to respond to her focus. “If I can send a counter-frequency through my markings...”