Roya looked into Benny’s eyes, expectant, waiting for an answer.
He looked over the dunes and blurted out quickly before he thought better of it, “I think you’re beautiful, Roya, and I cannot take my eyes off of you.” There. He said it. He was open, honest, and truthful. No games like the ones the girls he used to date would playwith him. He smiled at himself for being so upfront and honest, and then looked back at Roya.
Roya’s face twisted with disgust, and his heart sank. She sprang to her feet and backed away, transforming into her Corvid form and taking off into the sky.
“Smooth one, Benny,” Kalon said as he sat next to him. “You have to ease into these things, you know? See what she likes first before you confess your undying love for a woman. Get to know her a little bit. Also, best not to say these things when you still smell like the Murkway.”
This is going to be one hell of an awkward trip.
His cheeks heated, and he sighed. Roya’s face looked so disgusted with his confession. Was it because of his smell? He had scrubbed his body and washed his clothes. They were still damp and smelled like soap when he sniffed himself.
Or maybe he was ugly to her? Not enough of a mystery to her as she was to him?
He got up and looked at the rest of the group. “Let’s pack up and head out.”
They gathered their gear and started walking through the steep, sandy waves.
Chapter 26
Seda
Elco returned to the hall hours later, covered in whip marks and burn scars. He let out a whimper, like an injured animal, and curled up into a ball near her cage. Seda grabbed the hidden keys and tried them all until finally, the last key clicked and unlocked Elco’s shiny red cuffs. He looked at her hopelessly but moved the chains beneath him. Seda went back into her cell, making sure to lock the door, then sat next to him, gently running her hand through his mane and stroking his back, being extra careful to avoid his injuries.
A new Rozzer Seda had never seen before brought her food, fresh water, and a new bucket, but was wary as he walked past Elco. He saw her petting him through the bars and did not say anything. He set the items down and quickly left the hall, closing the door behind him. The cool night air from outside rushed in as the door shut.
Slowly, Elco’s markings started to fade. He pushed his nose against the bars, and she gently kissed the soft fur above his silky skin.
They slept peacefully, pressed against each other through the bars for hours, until screams woke them.
The violently shaking ground made Seda fall away from him.
“What’s going on, Elco? Do you know?” she asked him. His ears were alert and pointed toward the door.
“The Jotnar are here to collect.”
Seda’s stomach lurched. She heard the horror stories, she felt their attacks upon the dome, but never, not once, had she seen them in person.
Loud sirens blared through the room, and the hall door swung open with a few Rozzers marching in. When they saw Elco, they paused but kept moving toward Seda’s cell, unlocking it.
Seda jumped up, her heart pounding in her chest and her legs seizing.
Not again, not again!
She scolded herself for freezing up. She was strong and capable of defending herself. Although she was uncertain how to do it again, maybe she could find that strength within herself once more.
“Seda Arbor, follow us. The Jotnar are here,” the Rozzer in front said, holding open the door. She took a tentative step forward and nearly collapsed out of fear, catching herself on the bars. She nervously walked down the hall, each step stabilized by her hand on the wall. She looked back once at Elco, who was watching her intently.
“You will be okay, moon-flutter, I promise,” he said to her. No one else looked at him as he spoke, and no one responded.
The heat pressed against her skin, and the sun blazed into her eyes, making her take a few moments to adjust to the scene. Her cell may now have light, but it was dim compared to the bright blaze outside the walls.
As her eyes adjusted, she saw three massive beings standing at the end of the courtyard.
She looked up twenty feet to the faces of the two males. Huge, round noses dripping with mucus, wide and flat mouths, and small chins sticking out in a rounded point. Their eyes were too close to their noses, and they had heavy brows. Their bodies were sturdy and weighty, and the large muscles in their arms looked intimidating. One of them was dressed in earth-tone clothing, while the other was in armor.
The lone female Jotnar stood in the center. She was shorter than the other two, but her presence commanded attention. Heavily built, with large breasts covered in minimal clothing and a thick, tree-woven crown atop her head.
The Rozzers pushed Seda into line with a large group of people at the opposite end of the courtyard. The reptilian creatures and the Rozzers surrounded them, their weapons at the ready.
