Page 46 of The Alien Warrior's Heart

“Zar?”She scrambled over him. “Zar, wake up. Zar! Can you hear me?” Frantic, Simone swung to Chozo, her heart in her throat. “He passed out.”

Chozo inched closer. “The acid rain. It shouldn’t be that brutal.”

“What do you mean?”

“From what I’ve read, Plutonian skin is thick enough and strong enough to withstand the acid. But look at those burns.” He pointed one frog-finger at the gapes pooling in Zar’s skin. The sight made her shudder.It must hurt so much.

“He needs the Healer.”

“Who’s that?” Simone asked.

“He was a legend. A myth.” Chozo glanced up. “Until my species found out he was real.”

“Well, until we can find this Healer Guy, we need to do something.”

“What?”

“I don’t know.” She sucked in deep gulps of air. “I don’t know, but we can’t leave him like this. He got hurt because he was protecting me.” Tears gathered in her eyes. “He was upset and frustrated, but he still took that pain.”

She couldn’t quite believe it. Did such a selfless love really exist? Simone had never encountered it before and to come face to face with that level of sacrifice now was hard to accept. Why would Zar put himself in mortal danger for someone like her? Someone ordinary. Someone hurt, broken and with only scars to offer. Only sharp pieces and shattered glass.

“Do not worry, human. We will help him.” Chozo patted her shoulder.

Simone flicked her tears away. “Of course.” She rose and stared at the rain. “I’m not going to let him die here.” She turned back. “Do you have any ideas?”

“Me?”

“You seem to know a lot about the Plutonians.”

“Yes, but—"

“Chozo,” she grabbed him desperately, “Zar needs your help.Ineed your help.”

“There is something, but I am not sure how effective it will be on a Plutonian.”

“What is it?”

He chewed on his bottom lip. “I don’t want to raise your hopes, but there is such a thing called Zahranian serum.”

“Zah… what?”

“Zahranians are a colony of healers. They have created a healing serum with immensely powerful properties. My kind used it since the ancient days, but it failed to protect us from the plague.”

“Do it.”

“It might not work.”

She stared at Zar, worrying her bottom lip. “We don’t have a choice.”

Chozo fiddled with the pouch at his side.

“Hurry,” Simone begged. Time was running out. The storm was lashing outside, but she didn’t really care. Zar’s health was the heaviest on her mind.

Because you need him to survive this planet or because you care about him?

She shoved that thought away.

“Here.” Chozo offered a vial filled with amber liquid. “It is injected.”