Cecelia felt his arms flex around her and he leaned even closer, until she could smell his tantalizing rain-on-concrete scent even flying however fast they were going.Cecelia couldn’t help but tilt her head back to see his reaction and she saw his blue eyes were on her, roaming her features.
“Tev, then,” he growled softly.“I am your flirt.”
Cecelia couldn’t help but smile at the way he said the words, even as her stomach erupted into butterflies.This was fun, she realized.It was fun just…flirting with him.It lightened her mood and took her mind off her nerves.
They didn’t speak much after that because shortly, Rixavox guided his hovercraft back down when they began to approach the mountain range.Even with the moon hanging overhead, it was difficult to make out specific details of this part of Luxiria.She supposed she’d have to wait until the morning.However, she could see that the mountains weresilver.The moonlight glinted off the sheen, making her wonder if it was just a trick of the light.
“Is there something on the mountain?” she voiced out loud, squinting into the darkness.
“The frosts,” he replied, his palm coming to rest on her hip.“It covers most of the land, not just thefacev.It is difficult to see now.”
No wonder it was so cold there, she thought.
It got quieter the lower they descended until Cecelia could only hear the gentle hum of whatever powered the hovercraft.The mountain range got nearer and nearer and she could only gape up at it when she saw how massive it truly was.They descended into the valley it made until they were all around them, completely surrounded.And she had never felt so tiny and so in awe in her life.
The moon illuminated a pathway between the range and Rixavox followed it, winding around for seeminglymiles, until he finally pulled the hovercraft down at the base of a smaller mountain.He powered it off and the silence was deafening.There wasn’t even the slightest trace of wind, which seemed odd to her.
Cecelia’s throat felt scratchy from the ride over and she swallowed thickly as Rixavox helped her off the hovercraft.She hissed in surprise when her feet touched the frozen floor of the land and her Luxirian snatched her up in arms quickly, reaching down to stroke his fingers over her sensitive soles, making sure she was alright.
“I apologize,luxiva,” he whispered to her softly, brushing his lips over her ear.“Forgive me.Forgive me.I did not think.”
“It’s okay,” she replied, wiggling her toes.“It just surprised me.I forgot I wasn’t wearing shoes.”
“I will order coverings for you when we return toVelraxa,” he promised.His arms were warm though and a part of Cecelia found she might prefernothaving shoes, if it meant he carried her around like this.
Then she felt slightly guilty.Of course, he’d probably prefer not having to haul her all around his planet and watching out for her.He probably had more important things to do if he oversaw an outpost.Not to mention having to take her to these pools.Unlike her, he hadn’t slept that day and she wondered if he was tired.
“Thank you for doing this…for bringing me here,” she said softly, looking up at him.“I know it’s probably inconvenient for you and you have a million other things that you need to do.But I wanted to let you know that I do appreciate it.”
When she’d gone through chemo, she’d mostly dealt with it alone.Her mother had been long gone and her dad had been busy with his new pregnant wife.He’d contributed financially, but he hadn’t contributed in the way she’d wished him too…just being there.It had been a lot for anyone to deal with alone.She’d understood his absence in her own way.Cancer was…breaking.Most people just wanted to forget, her father included.Part of her couldn’t blame him for reacting the way he had.The other part would never be able to forgive him.
It made her sad that this strange alien male was giving her more support than her own family had.Sad yet thankful.Relieved.Grateful.
“I do this gladly,luxiva,” he said.“I will do anything I can to help you heal.It is not ‘inconvenient,’” he repeated, frowning a bit, as if her words stung him.
Slowly, Cecelia reached out to touch his thick forearm, which held her snugly against his body.His muscles shifted and pulled under her touch.She left her hand there as he approached a corner of the mountain, which revealed a small, tucked away entrance.
When they stepped through, the air was even quieter, like a serene hush had fallen.Cecelia hardly dared to breathe.
It was pitch black inside but Rixavox seemed to know his way, even blind.Or maybe Luxirians could see in the dark.Regardless, his steps were strong, purposeful, and confident, just like the alien himself.Deeper and deeper into the mountain, they went.
Cecelia guessed they’d been walking for five minutes when she began to hear the soft trickling sound of water.It grew louder and louder until finally, at the end of the mountain path, she could see a slight illumination of light in the distance.
“We are here now,” Rixavox said quietly down to her.“TheRillirax.”
When they reached the end of the corridor and Rixavox stepped through the curtain of light, Cecelia gave a soft gasp.
They were standing at the entrance of a small cavern, still deep inside the mountain.The walls were mostly dark stone, but they were covered in tendrils of thin, winding silver vines that took on the soft appearance of moss.The air inside the cavern was warm, almost humid, and she breathed it in deeply, letting it soothe her scratchy throat.
Just above and to the left, there was a large hole in the stone.And through it, she could see the silvery Luxirian moon, bright and half-full.That was where the light was coming from.
The moon illuminated a large, sunken pool of water in the middle of the cavern, that appeared metallic from the light.It rippled slightly, even though Cecelia felt no wind.A bubble formed on the surface and she realized the water must be coming from below, perhaps even heated like a hot spring, given the temperature of the cavern and the mossy growth covering the walls.
“It’s beautiful, Rixavox,” she whispered, staring wide-eyed at her surroundings before turning her gaze on her Luxirian companion.“And we get to come here every day?”
Rixavox gently set her down on her feet.The stone was warm and it felt soothing beneath her.
“Every night,” he corrected.He unwrapped her from her bundle of fur blankets and let them fall to the floor.“When the moon is at its peak.”
