54
Kira
I wake up to warmth, weakness, and less pain than I would expect based on my last memory of being a pancake under a red mountain.
"Kira," I hear Drasuk breath out as I open my bleary eyes.
It takes me a moment to realize he is holding me flat in warm water.
I try to speak, but only a rasp comes out I'm so parched. I clear my throat to try again, then feel the touch of metal against my lips and cool liquid against them.
I drink greedily, thankful it is clear, fresh water instead of that nasty blue stuff I swiped from that genali... three years ago. Hell, maybe a century ago based on the way my body feels.
"Can you move your legs?"
I focus on them, relieved when they respond.
"Good. I'm going to move you upright now."
I nod and he repositions me so I'm nestled up against him. Then one of the nasty cardboard rations are in front of my face and I am far less thrilled.
I eat anyway, the pounding of my head, and my dizziness letting me know that I need a lot of nutrients to make up for whatever miracle happened to keep me alive.
My world narrows to chewing and swallowing until he stops putting food in my mouth. By the time I finish I can already feel my strength returning, but I'm still completely wiped out.
It's a struggle to speak, but I manage it. "Where are Ree and Thivoll?"
"She checked on you again a while back, they rested here with us, and are now back patrolling. Go to sleep, Kira."
I don't bother resisting.
***
When I wake up, I'm still cocooned in Drasuk's arms. I'm starving again but feel much stronger.
Telling him this doesn't stop him from carrying me to a bush and then hovering as I hiss out curses at him when he won't leave me alone to pee.
After only a few steps to test my limbs, pleased to see they’re all functioning, he swoops in again, this time ignoring my thwacking him on his stupid, thick neck as he carries me back to the hot spring.
I don't tell him that it's making my chest feel weird... cherished, maybe?
No need to tell him I like it. Or that the warm water feels amazing, and so do his arms around me.
Then he's cramming food and water in my mouth again until I have to hold both hands over my face to signal just how serious I am that I can't fit anything else in my stomach.
After I'm sure he's done trying to dote me to death, I clear my throat, then speak. "I will definitely kill every genali I see, with no plans to stop, but I do like the nanites."
Drasuk's laugh is muted, and I turn to face him, pleased that the dizziness has passed, and my head is clear.
There's a look on his face and a cant to his spikes I've never seen before.
"Forgive me, Kira."
My forehead wrinkles. "For what? Arrogance? It's permanent, Drasuk. I accepted that."
"No. I could have ended my fight sooner, but I let revenge put you at risk. I will never do it again."
I snort out my disbelief. "I wouldn't have changed anything. He was on me too fast. Did you make Xar'Ar'ax pay?"
