If she could just reach it.
But as she tried to breathe through the pain and crawl at the same time, hope was taken away from her as the other guard kicked the pistol out of reach.
“Qrakking jekin,” it said again. “If your master didn’t want you back in one piece we would take you here and now to make you pay for killing our comrade.”
“I’ve always wondered what human cunt felt like,” the other piped in, its mouth twisting in what could only be a sneer.
Her vision was clearing and she looked up at the one that spoke last with utter hatred in her eyes.
“Go. To. Hell.”
As the words left her mouth, the gator-guard’s eyes widened to large pools of yellow as its gaze fell to its chest. The reaction was one she didn’t expect and, as Song’s gaze fell as well, her own eyes widened as she saw the cause of its shifted focus.
There, in its chest, the length of a blade pushed all the way through.
As the guard fell forward on its face, the other guard was caught unaware and Kyris took the opportunity to raise the pistol he’d grabbed from the floor.
Pointing it right at the guard’s head, he growled so fiercely, she felt the air around them vibrate.
“Leave,” he said, his teeth gritted so hard she could see the tension in his jaw. “And tell your master one thing. He doesn’t own this human.” He paused, his eyes a liquid pool of danger. “She belongs to me.”
The gator-guard blinked, glancing about him.
Outside, the commotion had died down considerably and as five of the little brown men entered the room, bloodied but standing, the guard obviously realized the battle had not been in his favor.
“This is not over, Vaen,” it said, as it inched toward the exit.
As it walked past, one of the little brown men raised its spear and jammed it into the guard’s leg, raising its fist and shouting something as the others ganged the guard, beating their fists against the beast.
But it was obvious they weren’t going to kill him; she’d seen how capable they were of doing that.
They were letting him go.
He was an emissary with a message that needed to reach its destination.
As soon as the guard left, Kyris turned to look at her and offered her a soft smile. But before she could even return one of her own, she watched him fall to his knees on the floor.
“Kyris!” She was beside him in an instant, her hands hovering over his wounds as she took in his condition.
He was in even worse a state than he had been before.
“You’re safe now,” he murmured.
She flung herself against his chest, and as his arms surrounded her he winced as he pulled her into him.
“Oh, Kyris.” And then the tears came and they came hard. But as his weight increased, it felt almost as if he wasn’t keeping his body upright anymore.
“Kyris?” And when he didn’t answer, her pulse rose in her chest. “Kyris?!”
As his arms fell limp from around her, she could hardly breathe as the world felt as if it was standing still once more.
“Kyris!”
32
The little brown men had helped her lift him onto the bed and it was only then that his injuries were fully evident.
He’d gotten sliced several times while he’d been swarmed by the guards but the worst of the cuts were on his arms and midsection.
There was also a massive wound deep in his leg.
He’d lost so much blood his wings looked like they were decorated with blue graffiti.
The little men kept speaking but she had no idea what they were saying and they soon gave up trying to tell her what they were doing. Instead, they worked in unison, tending to his wounds while she gripped his hand.
It was not long ago that she was in his position, being tended on that same bed by the little men while he’d stood by her side.
Now the tables had turned.
The little men created a paste with what looked like some flower petals, and after she helped clean the sand and dirt from his wounds, she watched them apply the paste to his wounds.
They’d made another paste as well, one she recognized and one of the little men pushed the bowl into her hand.
As she took a bit of the kooli paste, she used the wooden stick they’d used to mix the paste and slowly fed the entire contents of the bowl into Kyris’ mouth.
He’d need all of it, she supposed. He would be in incredible pain when he woke up.
Because he would wake up. She wouldn’t leave his side till he did.
She’d never seen anyone lose so much blood and survive before.
And yet, he’d still managed to come and take care of the two remaining guards who were trying to take her away.
The body of the guard he’d killed had been removed from the room and she was grateful for that. The little men had even cleaned Kyris’ blade and placed it by the bed.
As they finished wrapping his wounds, one of them asked her a question, but she still had no idea what the little man was trying to say.
She watched as the alien exited the room only to return shortly after with a bowl filled with warm water and a towel.
As the Mukkian started cleaning Kyris’ wings, she interrupted him.
“No. I’ll do it.” Outstretching her hand, the alien’s little beady eyes connected with her own and she could swear the little man smiled.
Then he was gone and she was alone with Kyris.
As she wet the towel and began wiping down his wings, a sob escaped her lips.
“This is all my fault, Kyris.” Another sob left her as her eyes clouded with tears.
“You kept blaming yourself for me getting hurt, but truth is, it had nothing to do with you. You only felt guilty because...because for some stupid reason you care about
