Page 36 of Rok’s Captive (Barbarians of the Dust #1)

JUST WHEN I THOUGHT THINGS WERE LOOKING UP

JUSTINE

T he moment I see the glint of metal in the distance, something in me breaks loose. I’m moving before I can think, my feet carrying me forward in a stumbling run through the shifting sand.

“Jacqui!” I call out, my voice swallowed by the vastness of the desert. “Jacqui!”

Behind me, I sense hesitation from the Drakav, their confusion rippling across my mind like disturbed water. They didn’t expect this sudden burst of movement, this desperate sprint toward the unknown. But I can’t slow down. Not now. Not when I’m so close.

After a moment’s pause, I sense them following. Rok’s presence stands out most clearly in my mind, a mixture of concern and protectiveness washing over me.

“Be careful,” his thoughts reach me. “This Valley holds much danger.”

I don’t slow. I can’t. Every cell in my body is driving me forward, toward that glint of metal, toward the hope that everyone is still alive.

As I run, a terrible thought grips me: What if I’m too late? What if the bus is empty, nothing but a metal coffin baking in the relentless sun? My imagination conjures the worst images—bodies withered from dehydration, or worse, nothing at all, just an abandoned shell with no clue as to what happened to the others.

My chest tightens, lungs burning both from exertion and from the fear squeezing my heart. The bus grows larger as I approach, but I still see no movement, no sign of life. The silence is oppressive, broken only by my labored breathing and the sound of my shoes pounding against the sand.

“Jacqui!” I call again, my voice cracking from strain and desperation. “Anyone! Can you hear me?”

Nothing.

I push myself harder, stumbling slightly as my shoe catches in a small depression. Rok’s thoughts flare with alarm, but I right myself and keep moving. I’m close enough now to make out details—the bus sits just as I left it, half-buried in sand on one side. The drag chute still stands, creating that makeshift shelter extending from one side of the vehicle.

And then—movement.

A shadow shifts under the drag chute. Someone stands, one hand raised to shield their eyes from the sun’s glare. Relief floods through me so intensely that I nearly collapse. I slow my pace, waving my arms frantically above my head.

“Hey!” I shout. “Over here! It’s Justine!”

The figure freezes for a moment, then I see them turn and speak urgently to someone else. Another figure rises, then a third. They’re moving now, scrambling toward the transport as if for protection. I watch as one of them disappears inside, only to emerge moments later with something in her hands.

As I draw closer, I can finally make out their features. Mikaela stands at the front, her dark braids pulled back in a tight ponytail, a high-heeled shoe clutched in one hand like a weapon. Next to her is Pam, the happy one, holding what appears to be a bag filled with sand, ready to swing it. Their faces are gaunt, skin reddened from sun exposure, but they’re alive.

They’re alive.

“ Justine ?” Mikaela calls out, uncertainty and hope warring in her voice. “Is that really you?”

“Yes!” I shout back, waving both arms now. “It’s me! I’m here!”

I hear Mikaela’s voice, pitched high with emotion, calling back into the transport. “Erika! Come quick! It’s Justine! She’s alive!”

Women begin emerging from the transport—first Erika, then Tina (the one who’d read through the manual), then Alex (the nurse), Mira (the med student) and others, faces I recognize but don’t remember their names. They stand in a loose cluster, expressions ranging from disbelief to joy to caution as they watch my approach.

When I’m within twenty feet, Mikaela breaks rank and runs toward me. We collide in a fierce hug, her arms wrapping around me so tightly it knocks the breath from my lungs.

“ We thought you were dead ,” she sobs against my shoulder, her body trembling. “We thought you were gone forever.”

“I almost was,” I manage, my own tears flowing freely now. “But I’m here. I made it back.”

More women approach, surrounding us in a circle of embraces and tearful exclamations. Hands reach out to touch me, as if confirming I’m real and not a mirage born of heat and desperation. I’m passed from one embrace to another, each woman offering some variation of relieved disbelief.

“How are you alive?” one of them asks.

“What happened to you?” asks another.

Their voices overlap, creating a cacophony of emotion that washes over me after days of the calm, measured mindspeak of the Drakav. It’s overwhelming and beautiful all at once.

“You look…different,” Alex says, stepping back to examine me. Her keen eyes take in my sun-darkened skin and probably the fact I don’t look dehydrated or dying.

“I feel different,” I admit, wiping at my tears.

It’s then that I notice the hush falling over the group. One by one, the women’s expressions shift from joy to uncertainty, their eyes fixing on something behind me. I feel a familiar tug in my chest, a presence in my mind that has become as natural as breathing.

I turn slowly to find Rok and his clan standing several yards away, maintaining a respectful distance. They’ve arranged themselves in a loose semicircle, with Rok standing just a few feet before them, his golden eyes fixed solely on me. The contrast between them and the human women couldn’t be more stark—their tall, powerful frames, their alien features, the way they hold themselves completely still except for the slight tilt of their heads as they observe us.

“Holy shit,” Mikaela breathes, her hand finding my arm in a tight grip. “What the actual fuck are those?”

“Who.” I correct automatically, turning back to face the women. “Not what. Who.”

“Fine,” Erika says, her voice tight with fear and suspicion. “ Who the fuck are those…people?”

I take a deep breath, trying to figure out how to explain everything that’s happened—the connection I’ve formed with Rok, the clan’s willingness to help us, the complex society they’ve built in this harsh environment. It all seems too much to convey in simple words.

“They’re called the Drakav,” I begin, keeping my voice calm. “They’re native to this planet, and they’ve come to help us.”

“Oh, thank God,” Pam beams. “Thank God!”

But the others don’t react the same.

“ Help us?” Mikaela repeats. “They look like they want to eat us.”

I glance over my shoulder to see several of the gathered Drakav snarling, fangs visible as they brace against the constant chatter that comes from my people. And I realise it must be like when I got overwhelmed by their mindspeak back in their cave. I give them a pleading look, hoping they’ll understand.

“No.” I shake my head. “They don’t eat…I mean, they hunt, but not… Look, they’re here to help. They saved my life. He saved my life.”

I turn toward Rok, extending my hand in invitation. “ It’s okay ,” I project to him. “ Come closer. Slowly. No sudden movements. ”

Rok hesitates, his gaze flicking between me and the cluster of women. I can feel his caution, his awareness of the fear radiating from the humans. But after a moment, he steps forward, his approach measured and non-threatening.

As he comes to stand beside me, I hear the collective intake of breath from the women. He towers over all of us, his golden eyes bright, his powerful frame casting a shadow over us.

“This is Rok,” I say, reaching out to take his hand in mine. The gesture feels both natural and significant. “He found me in the desert after I left to find help. He kept me alive. Protected me.”

I pause, suddenly aware that I’ve reached a moment of definition. What is Rok to me? What word can possibly encompass what we’ve become to each other in this short, intense time?

“He’s my…” I pause. The word forms in my mind before I’ve fully acknowledged it. But it’s…it’s true. “He’s my boyfr—.” The word seems oddly wrong. As if it’s lessening the gravity of our connection. “He’s my mate.”

The declaration sends a visible shock wave through the group of women. Mikaela’s jaw drops open, and Erika takes an involuntary step backward.

“Your what ?” Tina asks, eyes wide as they blink behind her glasses.

“Mate,” I repeat, more firmly this time, squeezing Rok’s hand. “We…bonded. Out there.” I gesture vaguely toward the vast expanse of desert. Oh god, what am I saying? I can hear how it sounds. But it’s the truth. And I’m not ashamed of it.

“You’ve been gone for like three weeks, Justine,” Mikaela says slowly, as if explaining something to a child. “And you’ve…mated…with an alien?”

When she puts it that way, it does sound insane. But nothing about my experience has been normal or expected. How can I explain the intensity of survival, the depth of connection that forms when someone saves your life, learns your mind, accepts you completely?

“It’s complicated,” I say finally. “But he and his clan are here to help us. They know this planet. They can help us survive.”

Rok’s thoughts brush against mine. “ Tell them we mean no harm. We will protect them as I have protected you .”

I relay his message, watching as the women’s expressions shift between disbelief, fear, and cautious hope.

“The others,” I project to Rok. “They can come closer, too. Slowly.”

Rok turns, making a gesture to the waiting clan members. One by one, they begin to approach. Kol comes first, his face impassive but curious. Tharn follows, his gaze darting between the human women with barely contained fascination.

As they draw nearer, I notice something in the women’s reactions—beyond the fear and uncertainty, there’s a flicker of something else. A kind of stunned appreciation. For all their alienness, the Drakav are impressive—powerful, graceful, their eyes intelligent and observant.

“There are more of us inside,” Erika says, her practical nature reasserting itself. “Some are too weak to come out. We’ve been surviving on emergency rations and some of us figured out how to harvest water from the ship’s condensers. Mikaela even found some…uh…insects in the sand. We’ve been uh…” She swallows hard. “It’s been hard. Between the headaches and fevers and nightmares, we thought…we never thought this day would come.”

I pause. “Fevers and headaches…because of the heat and dehydration?”

Alex steps closer. “I think so.”

Mikaela shakes her head. “I think it’s something else entirely.” She folds her arms. “But we agree to disagree.”

I nod, suddenly noticing the gauntness in their faces, the way their clothes hang loosely on their frames. They’ve been barely surviving out here. And they’ve been having the same fever and headaches as I was.

It’s strange, but too much for us to unpack right now.

“The Drakav know where to find water,” I tell them. “They can help us gather food, too. We don’t have to struggle anymore.”

“That’s all good. If they can help us till the Xyma arrive, we can probably make it,” someone says. A sour feeling develops in the pit of my stomach. They’re still hoping the Xyma will come? As my case shifts across the group, I realize it’s not all of them that are hoping. Mikaela, for one, simply rolls her eyes when the woman speaks.

I don’t know how I’m gonna break it to them, but I don’t think the Xyma are coming and I believe the Drakav are our best bet. “The Drakav will help us,” is all I say.

Relief washes over their faces, but I can see the questions still lingering in their eyes. What will this help cost? What does it mean to accept assistance from these alien beings?

Before they can voice these concerns, my heart drops. I’ve been so caught up in the reunion that I haven’t registered the absence of the one person I was most desperate to see.

“Where’s Jacqui?” I ask, scanning the group of women. “Where’s my sister?”

A strange hush falls over the group. No one meets my eyes directly, and a cold dread begins pooling in my gut.

“Jacqui?” I call louder, stepping away from Rok and toward the bus. “Jacqui, why don’t you come out? I thought you’d be happy to see me.”

I move toward the vehicle, aware of Rok following close behind me. The interior of the transport is dim after the bright sunlight, and it takes a moment for my eyes to adjust. What I see makes my heart ache—makeshift bedding arranged on every available surface, personal items carefully organized to maximize space, evidence of their struggle to create some semblance of order and comfort in this harsh environment.

But no Jacqui.

I emerge from the transport, panic rising in my chest. My gaze sweeps across the group, wondering if I somehow missed her, before my eyes shift to the horizon, as if expecting to see her walking toward us from the endless expanse of sand.

“Where is she?” My voice rises. “Where is my sister?”

The women exchange glances, a silent communication that sends ice through my veins. Finally, Erika steps forward, her face solemn, eyes filled with compassion and regret.

“Justine,” she says softly, “your sister…she…I’m sorry.”

The world seems to tilt beneath my feet. “What do you mean, you’re sorry? Where’s Jacqui?”

Erika swallows hard, unable to meet my gaze for more than a second. “She left about a week ago,” she says finally. “She went to search for you.”

Time stops.

I stagger backward, and would have fallen if not for Rok’s arms suddenly around me, supporting my weight as my knees threaten to give way.

“What?” The word comes out as barely more than a whisper. “What are you saying?”

“We tried to stop her,” Mikaela adds quickly, her face pinched with guilt. “When you didn’t return, we told her it was suicide to go out there alone, but she wouldn’t listen. She held back as long as she could. She said she couldn’t just sit here and wait, not knowing if you were alive or dead. She said…” Mikaela’s voice breaks. “She said she’d never forgive herself if she didn’t try.”

I shake my head, trying to deny the reality of what I’m hearing. My sister, my cautious, responsible sister, ventured alone into the desert to find me. Jacqui is alone out there.

“No.” The word tears from my throat. My knees hit the sand before I realize I’ve fallen. “No, no, no?—”

Someone says my name, but I don’t hear it. The world narrows to a single, suffocating truth: Jacqui is gone. She went into that endless dust after me, alone, unprotected. And I wasn’t there.

A violent sob claws its way out of me. My hands fist in the sand like I can dig through it, like I can tunnel back in time and stop her from leaving. “She wouldn’t—I told her to stay. I?—”

Strong arms wrap around me from behind, pulling me against a solid chest. His whole being encloses me as his chin rests on my head. He doesn’t speak. Doesn’t tell me it’ll be okay. He just holds me, his grip unyielding, as if he can keep me from shattering completely.

I twist in his arms, pressing my face to his neck. My tears soak into his skin, and his growl vibrates through me. He isn’t angry. This is something deeper. A promise. A vow.

Without understanding anything they just told me, he knows. As if he can feel my pain.

“ We will find her ,” he projects into my mind. “ I will tear apart every dune in the dust if I must. But I will bring your sister-female back to you. ”

I clutch him tighter, my fingers digging into his back. He doesn’t flinch. Doesn’t pull away. He just holds me harder, his mind brushing against mine. Steady. Unbreakable.

My rock.

After a few moments, I feel steady enough to take a breath and look over my shoulder at Mikaela. Everyone else averts their gazes from me as if guilty. As if they feel like I will blame them for letting her leave.

“Which direction?” I ask, my voice hollow. “Which way did she go?”

Mikaela opens her mouth to answer, but it’s Pam who points toward those stone formations I’d set out to reach originally. “She followed your original route.”

I turn to Rok, desperation clawing at my throat. “ We have to find her, ” I project, not caring if his brothers hear the frantic edge to my thoughts. “ Please, Rok. We have to find my sister .”

Rok’s expression remains calm, but I feel the surge of determination in his mind. “ We will find her, ” he projects firmly. “ If she lives, we will find her. ”

It’s the “if” that breaks me. I collapse against him again. The world narrows to a single, terrible thought: Jacqui is out there, alone, in a wasteland that nearly killed me despite having Rok’s protection and knowledge.

As the gravity of the situation settles over me, I become aware of the Drakav clan and the human women watching us, two worlds suddenly thrust together by crisis and necessity. Whatever initial tensions existed between them seem temporarily suspended in the face of this new emergency.

But then Erika steps closer, arms crossed, but her shoulders are slumped. She looks defeated. “There’s…there’s something else.”

The way she says it makes me stiffen. “What?” I whisper.

“It’s…Hannah. She’s gone too.”

I ease off Rok and he helps me to stand, one powerful arm supporting me as I push back my tears and turn to face Erika.

“Gone?”

Erika sighs. “After Jacqui left and didn’t return…she ventured off on her own. Said she couldn’t sit here and wait to die.”

Mikaela releases a sigh too, and slumps to the ground, crouching with her face in her hands. “Tried to stop her, too.”

“Which way did she go? After Jaqs?”

Erika shakes her head. “No. She went that way.” She points in the opposite direction to where the stone formation is. Oh shit.

My gaze shifts to Rok at my back. In about two seconds, I bring him up to speed.

“ Ain is high ,” Kol projects, stepping forward. “ We should establish better shelter for these females and begin the search before Ain sets .”

His practical approach cuts through my spiraling thoughts, giving me something to focus on beyond my fear. I nod.

Before I can respond further, Tharn steps forward, his golden eyes meeting mine with unexpected intensity.

“ I will go ,” he projects, firm and clear. “ I will find your sister-female .”

I stare at him, surprised by his offer. Tharn, who had been so wary of me at first, now volunteering to search for Jacqui?

“ Tharn is our best tracker ,” Rok adds, his thoughts flowing smoothly into mine. “ If your sister-female is in the dust, he will find her .”

I swallow hard, glancing at Rok.

“ I trust him with my life ,” Rok projects. “ I would trust him with yours .”

Something in his certainty steadies me. I turn to Tharn, studying his face. There’s a determination there, a steadiness I hadn’t fully appreciated before.

“ I’m coming with you ,” I project. No way I’m staying here with the others.

Tharn tilts his head, considering me for a moment before inclining his head in a way that seems to suggest acceptance. Kol, however, looks less convinced.

“ I will send Sorn here to find the other lost female .” He gestures to a male with a scarred face. He stands sideways, stiffly, and I realize he’s keeping the scarred side away from facing the women. “ Will these other females follow us if you leave? ” Kol gestures to the women, who are watching our silent exchange with growing confusion. “ I can sense they do not trust us. But they will not survive much longer without our help .”

He’s right. They’re all sunburned, tired, hungry, dehydrated. They’ve been surviving, but just barely. But they’re also standing together in a protective huddle, watching the Drakav with curious but uncertain gazes.

I can just imagine how they feel. Trusting aliens is kind of what brought us here in the first place.

My gaze meets Erika’s. I give her a nod. “They will follow you.”

Kol’s gaze shifts to her, his gaze so intense it’s like it eats her up. I swear I see her cheeks darken. Or maybe I’m just noticing more sunburn.

Kol suddenly inclines his head, gaze shifting to the others of his group. Though no words are spoken aloud, I can sense the edges of their communication—Kol assigning duties, establishing guards. It happens with such swift efficiency that, within moments, the clan begins moving with purpose. Sorn, the male he sends after Hannah, sets off on a jog.

“What’s happening?” Mikaela asks, stepping forward. “How do you know what they’re doing when they haven’t said a word?” Her eyes narrow as she catches several of the Drakav wincing as she speaks. Her voice rises, frown deepening. “And why do they keep doing that every time I talk?”

I sigh, realizing how much explaining I have ahead of me. “It’s a long story, but they have a language—just not one you can hear. They communicate with their minds, and your voices…hurt their ears.” I gesture toward the bus. “Let’s get everyone settled, and I’ll explain everything. I promise.”

While I begin organizing the women, Rok and the others make themselves useful immediately. Three Drakav, including the one who offered me the lizard meat at the clan dwelling, set off in what looks to me like a random direction. But they know better than I do. They’re hunting for food, I assume. Two others begin expertly adjusting the drag chute that’s been serving as makeshift shelter, so it gives more shade. With their strength, they drape the heavy thing much better than any of us ever could.

Kol approaches the transport cautiously, his nostrils flaring as he takes in its scent. With careful movements, he begins to examine the structure, seemingly assessing its integrity and defensibility. His practicality reminds me of Jacqui, sending a fresh pang through my heart.

“ We leave as soon as they are settled ,” Tharn projects to me, his gaze fixed on the horizon in the direction Jacqui supposedly went. “ It is good we are in the calm season. We have many solmarks of Ain’s light left to guide our way .”

“ And we will leave this place shortly after. As soon as you depart. We head for the clan territory ,” Kol adds, his gaze shifting from the bus to the surroundings. “ It is not wise to tarry here, in the Silent Valley, for so long .”

I nod, turning my attention back to helping the weakest women out of the transport and into the shade. The one with the broken arm, and the who had gotten the concussion look the worst.

“ They need water ,” I tell Rok. “ And food. Something gentle for their stomachs .”

Rok understands immediately, retrieving water skins from the supplies they brought and demonstrating to the women how to use them. Some are hesitant, but when the first takes the leap and drinks, the relief on her face convinces the others. As they drink, it is painful to watch. How long have they been rationing themselves to the point of dehydration?

“You’re communicating with them, aren’t you?” Erika asks me quietly as I help distribute fire bloom leaves, showing and explaining to them how the plant has healing properties. “There’s no way you all are just moving around each other intuitively like this.”

“Yes, I am,” I admit. There’s no point in hiding it. “It’s how they talk. It’s how they…know each other.”

“And you can do this how ?” Mikaela crosses her arms, watching me.

“It’s complicated,” I say again, but I know the explanation is inadequate. “I’ll tell you everything after we find Jacqui.”

Erika nods, accepting the deflection for now. “She was so determined to find you,” she says, her voice softening. “None of us could stop her.”

My throat tightens. “That sounds like Jacqui. Always trying to protect me, even from myself.”

As the camp slowly takes shape around us, I find myself continually drawn to that stone formation in the distance, my thoughts racing ahead to the search that’s about to begin. Rok must sense my distraction because he approaches, gently placing a hand on my shoulder.

“ Tharn will not fail ,” he projects, his faith in his fellow warrior absolute. “ And I will be with you .”

I lean into his touch, drawing strength from his certainty. “ Thank you ,” I project, hoping he can feel the depth of my gratitude.

By the time the camp is properly established, with water, food, and shelter secured for the women, Ain has moved noticeably across the sky. The hunters have returned with several of the desert creatures that have become familiar to me over the past days, and Rok is showing them how to cook them enough for human ingestion.

Mikaela approaches me as I gather the few supplies I’ll need to go searching for Jaqs. A waterskin. Spare emergency blanket. “You’re really going back out there?” she asks, concern evident in her voice.

“I have to,” I tell her, checking the water skin Rok gave me. “She went looking for me, Mikaela. I can’t just sit here knowing that.”

She sighs, then surprises me by pulling me into a quick, fierce hug. “Be careful. We just got you back. Don’t make us lose you again.”

Touched by her concern, I hug her back. “I’ll be careful. And I’m not alone this time.”

Her gaze shifts to where Rok stands with Tharn, the two of them conferring in their silent way as they prepare for our departure. “No,” she agrees, a hint of wonder in her voice. “You’re definitely not alone.” She bites her bottom lip and I can almost read the thoughts flying across her mind. “Are you sure about these guys?” She whispers low.

I take her hands in mine, forcing her to face me. “Yes.” I say it with every ounce of assurance I can muster. “I do. Go with them. They’ll keep you safe.”

She swallows, still biting her lip before she sighs and nods. Another fierce hug before she releases me and heads over to help Erika divide the food.

By the time everyone is watered and fed, I am ready to start the search for Jaqs. Kol’s insistence that they set out on their journey back to the clan grounds immediately makes some of the women unsure when I relay the message to them. But there is no other choice. Either go or stay in the desert waiting for the Xyma who may never come.

I explain the Drakav will be moving slower than usual, making the journey longer, but that they will ensure the women’s safety. This seems to help, but there’s still an underlying tension. Even among the Drakav. Even though none of them mindspeak their unease, I can feel it in the way their gaze shifts over the suns around us. They do not like this place. This valley of silence, as they call it.

It’s hard leaving the group when I’ve just found them again. But I need to. I bid my farewells and head toward Rok and Tharn. Kol intercepts me.

“ We will guard these females. These daughters of Ain, ” he projects.

“ I know you will, dra-dam … I put my trust in you .”

I feel his brush of surprise at my use of his official title.

“ You learn quickly, soft one ,” he projects. “ I have felt your thoughts. My brothers and I do not care if you are the true daughters or not. We will die for any one of these females anyway. ” I swallow down the lump of feeling that rises in my throat. His words feel like a vow. “ No harm will come to them while we draw breath .”

“ Thank you .” I give him a slight bow. “ They are my family. My clan .”

He inclines his head, accepting my designation. “ Find your sister-female. Bring her home to your clan .”

With that, he steps aside, and I join Rok and Tharn at the edge of the camp. “ Ready ?” Rok projects, his golden eyes searching mine. The urge to throw myself into his arms and just curl up and cry is almost overwhelming. His quiet support through all this has done more than he even knows.

I nod, casting one last glance back at the camp—at the human women tentatively putting their trust in the Drakav warriors as they prepare to head in the opposite direction.

“Let’s find Jacqui,” I say, turning to face the vast expanse of desert that swallowed my sister. “Let’s bring her home.”