“Ready as I’m gonna be. Lead the way, Zeph. Let’s go see about that spa date.”
CHAPTER TWELVE
Maria pushed herself harder than she would have thought possible just a few days prior, but after all she’d been through recently, her perception of what she was capable of had shifted dramatically. Limits put in place by her own lack of faith in her abilities had pretty much been smashed to bits and thrown to the wind, with Zepharos’s help, and though she was sore from the exertion, she also felt rejuvenated in a way, like a new woman emerging from a lengthy chrysalis. And living out this unlikeliest of adventures on a strange alien world, it could be argued she really was.
The trek to the retreat went far smoother than she’d expected, the terrain lending itself to hiking much more than what they’d had to deal with over prior days. No mountains to climb, no raging rivers or deadly gorges to cross. Just a lot of distance to cover on occasionally muddy ground.
The sky remained clear, the storm having passed, the cold rain replaced with the welcome warming rays of the sun. The air was always fresh and clean here, thanks to the lack of combustion engines polluting the planet, but even the already-clean air still had that special something to it that came afterrain. Call it petrichor, or call it whatever, the fragrance of healthy soil and vegetation after a storm was invigorating and made for a particularly pleasant hike.
“I actually feel pretty good,” Maria commented as they scampered up a small hill under the cover of tall but spaced-out trees, the sun filtering down between their burgundy and green branches and canopy of shiny leaves.
“I’m glad to hear it. You’ve really been putting in the work, and it has helped our cause immensely.”
“Well, I’ve got to admit, I wasverymotivated to get out of there.”
“And with good reason. Becoming the plaything of the chancellor would not be an acceptable fate for one such as yourself.”
“Such as me? What do you mean?”
Zepharos’s cheeks flushed slightly. “Nothing. I just meant that you are a formidable woman. Brave in the face of adversity and not afraid to push yourself through sometimes difficult and uncomfortable situations.”
“I just call that daily life,” she said with a laugh.
“That’s what I’m talking about. How you have this positive attitude. I mean, you’re here, thrust into an existence you did not want on a world so far from your own where everything must be so confusing and new, and yet you somehow manage to look on the bright side. It’s inspiring, you know.”
Now it was Maria’s turn to blush, a little flutter of warmth tickling her heart as well as regions further south.
“I owe it to you, you know. I’d still be in a cage otherwise.”
“Anyone can open a door. It was you who stepped through it. You who put in the effort.”
“To be fair, the rain did force us to stop early yesterday, so I did get a lot of extra rest. Plus, that fire feltreallygood. And those tuber things you dug up? I can feel what you meant whenyou said they were planted to provide a good source of energy. My legs feel okay, and we’ve covered alotof ground.”
“And we have a lot more to go if we hope to make it to our destination before nightfall. But I promise you, push through this and we will have a comfortable ride back to my village.”
“You had me atcomfortable. Lead the way.”
And lead he did, pointing out all manner of plant and animal life as they walked, though only stopping to pick edible items they could eat as they moved. Today was not the day to take a break for a picnic, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t be shown more of the pleasant aspects of his world along their path.
And what a route he was leading her on. The terrain shifted from grasses and woodland to rocky hills that were easy enough to ascend, but the climb down on the far side did require a bit more caution. This, Zepharos told her, was very much to their benefit.
“You see the way the hills form a long ring around the area?”
“Sort of like a big valley, yeah.”
“Precisely. The geology of this particular place is very active, with thermal vents and a lot of underground activity. The rocky climb down has kept predators from the area, and the molten rock below the surface is full of potent elements that confound scanning technology, making this a perfect location to find a bit of respite from the world.”
“Which, I suppose, is why they built the retreat here?”
“Exactly. And its location is one of privacy and seclusion even within this already secluded area.”
“I can’t wait to see it.”
“Soon. We are making exceptional time, and I am hopeful we will arrive before dark.”
“Then let’s get to it, Mister. We’ve got a ride to catch.”
“As you wish.”
