Page 6

Chapter Six

A nya

This morning, upon my return from medbay, I summon Tyree in my thoughts and she hears me. This proves another leap in her abilities.

We have a long talk and in less than an hour, I’ve collected a ton of information. Like how many crew there are: captain, first mate, doctor, four Urluts, two mechanics, and two low-level humanoid grunts who do everything from cook to clean to laundry. That’s eleven of them versus ten gladiators. The captain, first mate, and mechanics may have some military training and fighting experience, but from what Tyree tells me, the two helpers will put up about as much fight as the doctor, and I don’t think the doc ever threw a punch in his life.

Even though our side will be completely out-gunned, I really do think we have a fighting chance! And frankly, I don’t believe I’ll survive if we don’t engage in this battle. I think of Zar’s dead eyes and I know I don’t want to become like that. I nod my head as I decide that win or lose, I’m all in for this confrontation. If it’s to the death, so be it.

I pace my small cell, realizing I don’t know if I’ll be alive in a week. I might be pregnant with a Ton’arr/human baby. I don’t know if we’ll have this insurrection. Or if we’ll win or lose. And if we win? Can I ever go back to Earth? I’m certainly not going back if I’m pregnant. Hell, Earth hasn’t evolved enough to tolerate other skin colors and religions. I don’t think humans are ready to accept lion people from outer space.

I’m shocked as I realize I’ve morphed from the woman who stood in the grocery store freezer section debating which Lean Cuisine to buy, to masterminding an insurrection. I don’t know how I changed so quickly. Desperation, maybe. I fully accepted the situation I’m in, realized no one is coming to save me, and am figuring out how to make my life better. I’ve accepted the fact that I’m here on a spaceship a million miles from home—never to return. Never to return? Wow, that concept is too big to ponder right now.

I cup my hands and grab a drink of water from the sink. When I realize I’m still a bundle of nerves, I shake my head as if I could fling all my worry thoughts out of my mind.

When Zar arrives returns to our cell, I know something’s wrong before the barred door clangs shut behind him. He barely makes eye contact, then heads to the sink to wash up. Does he think I can’t tell he just took a shower in the ludus like he does every day? His hair’s still damp. I’m not an idiot. He’s “washing up” so he can turn his back to me and not look me in the eye. I’m having none of this!

“Are you ashamed?” I stand up and approach him, hands on hips. “Are you so ashamed of what we did this morning that you can’t look me in the eye?”

He doesn’t turn, doesn’t respond.

“It was a mistake.” His voice is soft; he’s still facing the back wall.

“Fuck you, Zar! Fuck you very much!” My nostrils flare. My eyes would throw flames if they could.

He delays a full minute or two, waiting, I guess, for me to carry the conversation. I won’t do that. This is on him.

“Neither of us can afford to develop feelings for each other. You said yourself we would be on Hyperion in less than a week.” His shoulders slump.

Here we are in the middle of this heavy conversation and a portion of my brain is ridiculously focused on the movement of dozens of perfectly formed muscles shifting under the golden fur on his back. What I should do is focus on the total rejection he is dishing at me right now.

“They are going to sell us off to the highest bidder. We’ll be separated from each other within hoaras of touchdown.” He finally turns to look at me. “Every moment I spend getting closer to you will just kill me a little more when they take you away from me.”

His face is a mask of misery.

I walk to him and place my palms softly on his chest. I feel the steady thrum of his heart. I could fall into those golden feline eyes and just live there forever. I stand on tiptoes and whisper in his ear, “We are going to fight them, Zar. We may win or we may die, but we are not being sold or separated on Hyperion.”

He stands perfectly still for what seems like minutes. His face gives nothing away, but I have a feeling his mind is running like a computer—calculating odds, comparing and contrasting alternate scenarios, and maybe, just maybe, consulting his heart.

He heaves a heavy sigh. “You are willing to die?” His brow lowers with the question.

“Yes.” I nod, totally serious.

“I am willing to die, Anya. But you…” He adamantly shakes his mahogany-maned head as his tail lashes. “I will not allow that. I will fight. I will convince my brother gladiators to fight. I will tear the Urluts apart with fangs and claws without any weapons at all, if I must. I will do everything in my power to make this happen. But I will not participate unless you are safely in this cell.” He stubbornly points to the floor.

Whoa, I’ve never seen this look on his face before. It is fearsome! His handsome jaw is set. It’s clear he will brook no argument.

“That’s not fair, Zar. It’s my plan. I can’t ask you to risk your life while I’m eating bonbons in a safe room.”

“This is non-negotiable.” He folds his arms across his chest. “Non-negotiable.”

I rub my face, then pace—no small feat in such a tiny space. I never intended to sit back and watch as everyone but me risked their lives. Until a few days ago, I worked in a call center for fuck’s sake! The bravest thing I’d ever done was fly down a zip line strapped with twenty pounds of safety rigging.

I don’t know who this Anya is, but I know she was born about twenty minutes after she woke up on this ship. And frankly, I like her. I don’t relish the idea of sitting this one out while the males risk their lives.

On the other hand, I don’t know how to fight. I don’t know how to shoot a gun, much less an alien version of one. Not to mention I’m slightly klutzy and not very strong. As I envision how all of this would go down, I can’t see myself as being a big asset to the team other than as an unqualified, not to mention ungainly, cheerleader.

I’m not totally useless, I remind myself. I have masterminded a lot of this. Tyree has definitely contributed a lot, and Zar has helped me run scenarios and strategize. But it’s mostly me who’s pulling all of this together. Maybe figuring this out and organizing it and yeah, maybe cheering everyone on is the best use of my talents. Besides, the timing of this has to be when the men are in the ludus , and I would be locked in here, anyway.

“You’re right, dammit,” I grudgingly admit.

“Good, we won’t argue about this again,” he proclaims, as if it is an edict from a king.

“You were ready to bail on us about ten minutes ago, weren’t you?”

“Bail?”

“Stop us from being a team?”

“I stand before you a strong warrior. I have faced things in battle you probably couldn’t imagine.” He takes a deep, heavy breath. “But losing you Anya… losing you would kill me.”

My heart slams in my chest. Zar just admitted his deep feelings for me. I’m not sure what to do with this information, but it makes me inordinately happy. I can’t wait for lights out when I can attack him.