Please.
Another twig snapped and fallen leaves were brushed aside as the perpetrator stepped from the wood.
Not just one person. Two.
My body was pumped with so much adrenaline I had to focus on what I was looking at.
A pair of figures, dressed in the same style of clothing as me and Chax. The creatures were not human. They were not Titan either. Or Changelings. They were a pair of the little green creatures I saw earlier.
“Who are you?” I said.
“We’re contestants in a game show,” the female said. “Like you. We’re brother and sister. Trang and Klang.”
Then she said the most beautiful words in the English language—or whatever language she spoke.
“Is he going to be okay?” she said.
She motioned to Chax, still unconscious, and braced across my knees. By all rights, he should be dead.
“Yes,” I said. “He’ll be fine.”
I didn’t know that but I hoped he would be. I couldn’t get through this whole ordeal or reach the shuttlecraft if he didn’t recover. The truth was, I didn’t want to escape this place if I couldn’t escape with him.
“Do you need a hand?” she said.
“Yes,” I said. “I need to get him in the cart. But I’m having a bit of trouble. Move slowly. The arjath is a little skittish.”
The pair moved around to the front of the cart and raised their hands so the arjath could see them approach. He might not look like he was wary with the way he was munching his grass, but he was. He could bolt at a moment’s notice.
“Where do you want us?” Trang said.
“You hold the arjath’s harness,” I said through gritted teeth. “I don’t want him to bolt while we’re doing this. I want your brother to stand under Chax’s torso. I need you to help brace his weight.”
Klang did as I asked. He raised his arms above his head. Despite their small size, they were surprisingly strong. The little guy’s whole body shook as I shifted Chax’s weight forward. Even with the little help he gave me, it was just enough for me to reposition my legs and shuffle Chax forward onto my shins and then my feet.
“Now climb into the cart and make sure that when he gets to the bed that the shard of wood in his back doesn’t touch the floor,” I said.
He did as I asked.
As Chax lowered the final foot—there was little I could do about that except hold onto the rope with both hands and brace his torso as it lowered down.
Klang helped Chax roll down onto his side and partially onto his front.
“Thank you,” I said.
Unable to hold his weight any longer, I dropped the rope and fell to the ground between the cart and the arjath. I was exhausted. I used everything I had to get him in that cart. My hands were redraw and bleeding where the rope had torn into them.
But it was worth it.
Chax was safer now. Until we found somewhere for him to recover, at least.
Trang helped me to my feet and into the back of the cart.
“I need to hitch the cart to the arjath,” I said.
“You’ve done enough,” Klang said. “We’ll take it from here.”
“We need to find somewhere safe,” I said.
“We know somewhere,” Trang said, already leading the arjath to the front of the cart.
“You have to be on the lookout,” I said wearily as I got comfortable beside Chax. “There’s a tracker after us.”
“The big one with horns?” Klang said. “We more than saw him. He almost killed us.”
I nodded to the device at their waists.
“You’re trying to get to the shuttlecraft too?” I said.
“Yes,” Trang said. “It’s not that far but the closer we get, the more dangerous it is.”
I hoped we wouldn’t run into Iron Hoof again. If we did, we were as good as dead.
“My name’s Maddy, by the way,” I said.
I would have extended my hand to them but they were so sore I couldn’t bear the pain.
“Klang,” Klang said. “I’m the brother.”
“Trang,” Trang said. “I’m the sister.”
It was bad enough for me to be there with Chax. How bad would it be if I had to fight to survive with a friend or family member?
“Just sit back and relax,” Trang said. “We’ll get the arjath hitched up and get you somewhere safe in no time.”
“Thank you,” I said. “Thank you so much. If you hadn’t stumbled across me when you did…”
“We have to stick together now,” Klang said, hopping into the driving seat beside his sister. “It might be the only way we’ll get through this.”
I lay on my side, facing Chax.
“Did you hear that?” I said to his unconscious form. “They’re going to help us. Finally, some luck.”
The tears stung my eyes and came unbidden as I reached up and brush the hair back from his face.
I came this close to losing him, this close to losing the Titan I knew deep in my soul I had already lost my heart to.
I don’t know when it happened. I couldn’t pinpoint the exact moment, but there was no doubt in my mind.
I was in love and want to spend the rest of my life with him.
And I hoped that would last a lot longer than the twelve hours we had remaining.
Chax
I saw the blow coming and there was nothing I could do to stop it. My balance was off from shoving Maddy to safety.
I heard the crunch and knew it was going to be bad. That was after I felt something strike my shoulder and drive itself in so deep I thought it’d punctured a lung.
I slid across the ground, the stones and dirt tearing up my face and throat. But that was nothing. I could recover from that quickly enough.
Even the crushed ribs and the thick shard in my back didn’t worry me much.
It was the fact I knew I would be out of commission, unable to protect her.
Protect Maddy.
I passed unconscious, and the moment I did, I
