One after another, I come upon more nagas, and even despite my wounds, I end them quickly. There may be many in number but they are not skilled fighters. I take them out as Kodyx mostly watches. My student, mykin. Good. He will need to be fearless, unhesitating, and strong to survive this world. But I cannot spare much thought for him, all my mind turned instead to the search for Julia. The few human bodies, mostly soldiers, we have found have me frantic with worry. I am thankful none of them are her, though the comfort is small. I will not feel true relief until she is back in my arms.
Something faint sounds in my ears, a hushed whispering. Stilling to listen more closely to it, I realize I am hearing the faint chatter of voices. Turning in the direction of the noise, I follow them to a large tent amongst familiar ruins. Ruins that harbor a pathway beneath the earth.
Though this is not quite the place I helped Celeste, Zhallaix, and the other humans out of before, it is still close enough to that location that the humans here might have accessed it—though just a different part of it. A place I hoped would be left alone and remain undiscovered after hearing the stories of Shelby, Zhallaix, Vagan, and Celeste. Despite the underground facility being within the territory of Copperheads, until the humanscame along I had no knowledge of it, and neither did anyone else in my clan.
However, after searching the crates, the spot-lights, and the tent to my right, I realize these ruins—at first so familiar—look nothing like the place I knew several seasons ago. The overgrowth has been flattened, the vines, flowers and grass trampled. Then it has all been stripped again by machines, removing portions to make space for things the humans use and need.
Land that was once mine is now somebody else’s. I should be angry but I can no longer muster the emotion, more concerned that this world serves Julia’s best interests over my own. She and her people need a home. And more than anything, I want her to have one. Why not a place so familiar to me? It is the best I can hope for.
A blast sounds and I jerk as something speeds past my head—one of the human’s bullets. “There’s another one!” Someone shouts from inside the tunnel.
I duck behind a large, metal crate, and glance behind me to make sure Kodyx does as well. “Down! Humans have weapons they can hurt us with from afar. Pay attention to loud blastssss.”
Peering into the tunnel, I see a barricade of metal crates blocking off the path halfway down. Behind it are a handful of humans with guns. This must be where most of the people have vanished to. I narrow my eyes, searching for Julia amongst them.
One of them raises their gun and I jerk back behind my cover. “I want to speak to Commander Graft or Julia!” I shout. “I am not like the other nagassss! Nor is my companion.I want Julia!” My voice ends in a roar.
For a short time, there is only the muffled hum of their conversation. I strain to hear what is being said until a voiceI recognize fills my ears. “Let me through. Let me talk to him! Don’t shoot!Iwill kill you if you do.”
Julia.
I turn back around and there she is, on the other side of the barricade, her sharp gaze fixed outward, searching for me. “Krellix? Is that you?”
“It issss,” I hiss as I reveal myself, abruptly filled with raw emotion. My chest tightens painfully, and it is worse than the radiating pain from my bite wounds.
“Krellix! Oh thank god. Stop!”
“That’s an alien! It’ll kill you,” someone argues beside her.
“Let me through. I’m climbing over this crate!” I watch Julia push away from those around her and climb the barricade as I slowly rise on my tail, keeping half an eye on the guns still aimed at me.
“Come back, you idiot!” another person yells. “He’s moving!”
“Don’t you dare fucking shoot!” she shouts again over her shoulder, landing on her feet. Catching my gaze, she dashes towards me. My breath lodges in my throat as I open my arms to embrace her.
She suddenly stops and points to something behind me. “Krellix! Watch out!”
I twist around, ready to tear the naga to shreds, only to find Kodyx. Sighing in relief, I re-face Julia but tilt my head back toward him. “He issss with me.”
She eyes him warily, then glances over her shoulder at the others behind the barricade. As she does so, the sun beams over her face, lighting up her soft features in a golden-brown hue so breathtaking I am stunned on the spot. Her rich brown eyes gleam with momentary amber, though when her gaze comes back to me, there’s worry marring her expression.
“He looks like the others that have been attacking us.” She surveys past me, on edge, like she’s expecting to see moreof them, before turning her attention back to me. Her brows furrow as she takes in my shoulders, arms, and chest. “What the hell happened to you?” she breathes. “Krellix,” she adds with a hint of shock, her gaze dropping to my tail. “You’re hurt—everywhere.” She reaches for my hand only to stop and pull it back.
“Do not worry about me,” I say, my voice gruff, still taking in her beauty, still feeling the sheer relief that she is here and safe in front of me. Uncaring of my wounds—I have been ignoring them already for hours—I grab her to me and embrace her tightly.
“Krellix!” she gasps, trying to push away.
I clasp her harder, bury my nose into her hair and breathe her in, shuddering all over. “My female.”
She stiffens then slowly eases in my embrace.
All the while, I watch the humans behind the barricade as they watch us back. There are still guns aimed at us. Several of the humans shout but I ignore their words, gripping my female to me and slowly guiding us around to shield her, should they decide to shoot.
She rests her brow against me as she places her hands on my hips. “I missed you.” Releasing her slightly allows her to blink up at me. “We need to talk.”
As much as I wish for that as well, the sound of hissing coming off in the distance must delay it. I tighten my hold on her for a brief moment, then separate us. “Yessss but it issss not yet safe.” I turn my face in the direction I hear the naga. “Go back to the others until I finish clearing out the camp.”
“Clearing out the camp? You’re hurt as hell.” She eyes me up and down, frowning. “It’s dawn now. Let us finish taking care of them?—”
