Her mouth felt dry and she immediately smoothed down her hair as she sat up, bones aching, a little self-conscious that he’d seen her sleep. She hadn’t meant to. She’d meant to stay up through the night with him, to make sure he kept his distance.
She was a little irritated with herself, if she was being honest. She’d put herself in yet another vulnerable position and she didn’t like it.
Crystal licked her lips and gave Cruxan a slight nod in greeting. She wanted to keep things civil and polite between them. She was relying on him to find Erin, after all. “Good morning.”
“Tev,” he replied slowly, looking up at the sky. “It is.”
Crystal blinked and most surprising of all was she felt a flash of amusement at his reply.
“Right,” she whispered, clearing her throat. It felt scratchy. “What’s the plan today? How are we going to find Erin?”
Cruxan’s lips pressed together for a brief moment. He seemed on the verge of saying something, but then after a long moment, said, “We will circle back around and I will track them. We need to be careful. I am not certain if theMeviraxhave left.”
He’d mentioned them last night. He’d said they were dangerous.
“Who are they?” she found herself asking quietly, rubbing her arms with her palms. It was cold that morning, way more chilly than the mornings had been in the Luxirian city. How far away were they? “Why were they here?”
His lips pressed together again. A tell? Did he not want her know something about them?
“I don’t like being lied to,” she told him. “I can handle the truth.”
His gaze flashed, but then he said, “Jaxor’an implied he’d made a deal with them. He was going to hand you both over for something in exchange, though what, I do not know.”
Crystal swallowed thickly, bringing her knees up to her chest. When she felt something sharp prod into the back of her left thigh, she saw the dagger lying in the dirt next to her.
“They are a group of dissenters. Long ago. They live far away from the Golden City and keep to themselves, for the most part. But as of late, they have grown more bold. They have become a threat.”
Crystal nodded slowly, absorbing the words. Goosebumps spread over her arms but whether it was from the cold or how close she’d come to being sold off she didn’t know. Probably both.
Cruxan was studying her in that careful way. She was hyper aware of him and the sensation was a foreign one, not one she liked. For so long, she’d built a wall around herself. Ever since Leo, she hadn’t been around the opposite sex much. She’d barricaded herself in the safety of her art, her work, her—female—friends. She’d declined dates, avoided talking or evenlookingat men who’d made their attraction to her obvious.
It was safe. Her safe, little life.
Now, she was surrounded by alien males, twice her size and four times her strength, whose intentions and wants were unclear.
To say she was anxiety-ridden over it was an understatement. She’d only just started to get more comfortable around Vixron, the guard that had been with them the longest—
Her breath hitched. “The guards,” she said, jerking her head to look at Cruxan. “Our guards. Are they okay?”
Cruxan inclined his head. “Vixron and Horex? They will have recovered by now.”
Relief made her shoulders sag. The thought that they’d been attacked and harmed at their expense didn’t sit well with her.
A strange energy filled the small clearing and hesitantly, Crystal looked up at Cruxan, who was frowning. Instinct made her curl into herself a little more when he asked, “You care for them?”
Her gaze darted. A memory came back to her, one when Leo had been angry because she’d talked to guy when they were out at a party. Her fists squeezed at her sides.
Cruxan blew out a long breath. “This will be difficult to get used to,” he murmured, though it was almost to himself.
Without meeting his gaze, she asked, “What will?”
He stood from his crouched position. Her breath went shallow because he was just sobig. Looking up at him, she was reminded how vulnerable she truly was.
“Jealousy,” he replied, though he seemed loathe to admit it. Surprise went through her. “I am not used to feeling it.”
“You—you don’t even know me,” she reminded him, her voice small. A shiver raced down her spine and she pulled her arms around her tighter.
His expression was almost sad…resigned. “That does not matter. My Instinct has recognized you. That is all it takes.”
