Page 8

Alaysia

The stone walls of the slave quarters felt especially confining as Alaysia paced the small area. Her satin dress swished with each turn, the sound grating on her already frayed nerves.

“Something’s eating at you,” Marcella said, watching from her perch on a worn wooden stool.

Alaysia’s hands found their way to her hips. “It doesn’t make sense. None of it does.”

“What doesn’t?”

“Dernin. The way he stepped in with Bariv.” She stopped pacing, her blue eyes narrowing. “No one here does anything without an angle. So, what’s his?”

“Maybe he told you the truth. Maybe he really did it because it was right.”

“In this place?” Alaysia scoffed. “Right and wrong don’t exist here. There has to be more to it.” She resumed her pacing. “I need to talk to him.”

“And how exactly do you plan to do that? You can’t exactly waltz into the fighters’ quarters wearing that get-up.”

A smile tugged at Alaysia’s lips. “Then I’ll need something less conspicuous.”

Marcella sighed. “I’m becoming very familiar with that look. There’s no talking you out of this. Is there?”

“Not a chance.”

“Fine.” Marcella disappeared into the adjacent room, returning with a bundle of cloth. “These belonged to one of the kitchen staff. Should help you blend in better.”

The rough-spun fabric felt strange against Alaysia’s skin after the satin, but the simple brown dress and apron would draw far less attention. She twisted her bright red hair into a tight bun, tucking it under a cloth cap.

“You’re really going through with this?” Marcella asked as Alaysia checked her reflection in a clouded piece of glass.

“I need answers.” She smoothed down the front of the dress. “And I’m not leaving anything to chance. Not when my future’s at stake.”

“Just be careful.”

Alaysia’s jaw set with determination. “I can handle myself.”

Her heart pounded in her chest as she crept through the dimly lit corridor. The rough stone walls pressed close, channeling the musty air that carried the scent of sweat and iron. Ahead, Dernin’s massive form paced the narrow space.

She drew in a steadying breath. “Dernin?”

He spun, his tail sweeping a graceful arc. His golden eyes widened as recognition sparked there. “You shouldn’t be here.”

“There’s an alcove around the corner. We need to talk.”

He hesitated but then followed her lead. The secluded space barely contained his bulk, forcing them close enough that she felt the heat radiating from his skin.

“Your fight today was incredible,” she said, studying the way his muscles tensed beneath his scales. “The way you moved... I’ve never seen anything like it.”

“I have to win.” His jaw clenched. “The tournament—”

“Why?” She planted her hand on her hip. “What’s your angle here? Nobody does anything in this place without wanting something in return.”

“My angle?” He leaned back, his brow furrowing. “I’m fighting to win you.”

“That’s exactly my point. What do you want from me?”

“Nothing.” His voice dropped lower. “I swear on my honor, I won’t harm you. Won’t touch you unless you wish.”

The sincerity in his golden eyes made her breath catch. Her skin tingled where their arms nearly brushed in the confined space.

“Then why?”

“Because you deserve better than being traded like property. Because when I saw you with Bariv, I remembered why I came to Jorvla.” His scales shifted, catching the light. “And because something about you makes me want to be worthy again.”

The heat in his gaze sent a shiver through her body. She’d never felt such an instant connection, such raw attraction mixed with... trust? The thought should have terrified her.

Instead, she found herself drawn closer, like a moth to a flame.

Alaysia frowned as Dernin’s shoulders suddenly slumped. The flickering torchlight cast shadows across his face, highlighting the weariness etched there.

“Six months ago, I arrived here fresh from training.” He paused. “So proud to wear my warrior uniform, to serve a noble cause.”

The raw pain in his voice made her chest ache. She shifted closer, drawn by some inexplicable need to comfort him.

“We were assigned to protect human women at the surrogate clinics.” His eyes met hers. “To ensure they weren’t being coerced or exploited.”

“That’s why you stepped in with Bariv,” Alaysia breathed, understanding dawning.

“My patrol partner wanted to leave early that night.” His jaw clenched. “I let him go, thinking I could handle the rest alone. Stupid pride.” He shook his head. “They jumped me on my way to the barracks. Next thing I knew, I was here.”

The irony twisted like a knife in her gut. A warrior meant to protect humans from exploitation, now forced to fight for the right to own one.

“We’re both prisoners here,” he said, his tail coiling restlessly in the narrow space. “You deserve freedom as much as I do.” His scaled hand hesitated near her face but didn’t touch. “I can’t promise I can win you that freedom, but I swear I’ll protect you. No matter what happens.”

Alaysia studied him, searching for any hint of deception. But all she found was earnest determination and something else—a spark of the honorable warrior he’d once been, not yet extinguished by six months of fighting.

“Why tell me this?” she asked.

“Because you needed to know the truth. About who I am. What I stand for.” His golden scales caught the torchlight again. “Even if I’ve failed at everything else, I won’t fail at protecting you now.”

Alaysia’s heart tried to process Dernin’s words. The genuineness in his voice, the raw honesty in his eyes, wore away at her carefully constructed walls.

His eyes locked on to hers, and for a moment, time seemed to stop.

“Thank you,” she whispered, surprised by the tightness in her throat. “For being honest with me. For wanting to protect me.”

“You don’t need to thank me.”

“I do, though. And I want to repay you somehow.”

A ghost of a smile touched his lips. “Unless you know how to break out of this place, there’s nothing I need.”

The words hit her like lightning. Her mind raced with possibilities—the guard rotations she’d memorized, the weak points in security she’d noticed since she got here.

“What if...” She bit her lip. “What if I did?”

His golden eyes widened. “What?”

“I’m not as closely watched as you fighters. I see things. Routes. Patterns.” She stepped even closer to him, lowering her voice to a breath. “I’ve been planning my own escape since I got here. Maybe... maybe we could help each other.”

His tail shifted restlessly. “It’s too dangerous. If they caught you helping me—”

“They’ll do worse if I stay.” She planted her hands on her hips. “Think about it. I know this place’s rhythms. You have the strength to fight if we need it. Together, we might actually have a chance.”

Dernin’s jaw clenched, conflict clear in his expression. “I can’t ask you to risk yourself for me.”

“You’re not asking. I’m offering.” She touched his arm, feeling the smooth scales beneath her fingers.

Alaysia watched the internal struggle play across Dernin’s features. Her heart hammered against her ribs as she waited for his answer. The dank air of the alcove pressed around them, heavy with the weight of their potential alliance.

“You understand what you’re risking?” His voice dropped lower. “If they catch us...”

“I understand exactly what I’m risking by staying here.” She crossed her arms.

“How would we even begin?” he asked, his voice tinged with uncertainty.

“I’ve noticed patterns in the guard rotations. Weak spots in security.”

“You’ve really thought this through.”

“Of course I have. I’m not just a pretty face to be won in some tournament.” Her lips curved into a smile. “So, do we have a deal?”

Dernin’s golden eyes studied her face for a long moment. Finally, he nodded. “We watch each other’s backs. And when the moment’s right...”

“We take our chance.” She extended her hand. “Partners?”

His scaled hand engulfed hers, warm and surprisingly gentle. “Partners.”

Relief flooded through her, mixed with something else she couldn’t quite name. “Good.” She squeezed his hand before letting go. “Now make sure you win tomorrow. I’ll be watching.”

“You’ll be cheering for me?”

“Every match.” She grinned. “Can’t have my escape partner losing, can I?”

The hint of a smile touched his lips. “I won’t let you down.”

“I know you won’t.” She turned to leave but then paused. “Thank you again, Dernin. For everything.”

As she slipped away through the shadows, her heart felt lighter than it had in weeks.