Maddy letting out a blood-curdling scream.
And there was nothing I could do about it.
In my dreams, I heard the outside world. I heard rushing footsteps that kissed the dirt. I heard an unfamiliar voice of a young boy and his father. My stomach rose into my chest and I felt sick as I was manhandled and strapped to something soft. The rope cut into my arms and chest and legs.
The sound I heard above all others, the sound I focused on even in my unconscious state, was her.
Maddy.
My senses were full of her. When the wind blew at just the right angle, I could smell the sweet scent of her femininity.
And her rank fear.
Heavy footsteps thudded after us as Iron Hoof gave chase. We moved faster than him. I could only imagine an arjath or similar creature was capable of such a feat.
And then, a long endless trail.
My body was fixing itself, healing. But each footstep drove that shard in my back a little deeper… and deeper still.
Then I passed completely unconscious, adrift in the darkness of my inner space, every bit as lonely and cold as the depths of intergalactic space.
I wondered when I would wake up—if I would wake up. I feared I would never again open my eyes and set them upon the most beautiful creature in the galaxy.
Maddy.
My Maddy.
The pain was intense.
Titans were known for their ability to heal fast and their courage in the face of death. But that didn’t mean we relished the agony of inflicted wounds.
I shot up into a sitting position. My back was on fire. The pain was unreal. I hissed through my teeth and reached over to feel at the chasm I knew had to be present in my back.
Maddy slapped my hand away.
“No touching!” she said.
“But it hurts!” I said.
“That means you’re still alive. Be thankful. And it’s nice to see you back in the land of the living.”
I groaned.
“I wish I could say it was good to be back,” I said. “Do you need to dig so deep?”
“Do you want me to get all the splinters out or don’t you?” Maddy snapped back.
I raised my hands in surrender. She dug even deeper after that.
“How did you manage to escape Iron Hoof?” I said in an attempt to focus on something else.
“I rode an arjath out of there.”
I nodded. Just as I thought.
“I’m sorry I got put out of commission and couldn’t defend you,” I said. “I know what Iron Hoof’s species is like. I should have expected it. They tend to go through things rather than around them.”
“Reminds me of someone I know,” Maddy said, nudging me on the shoulder.
“I’m not that bad,” I said.
“No. You’re horny in other ways.”
I grinned at her and reached up to cup her face in my hands. I kissed her on the lips. She tasted so good. The pain was worth it so long as I could be with her.
“I was afraid I would never see you again,” I said. “Or kiss you.”
“And you just got to do both,” she said. “I guess today must be your lucky day.”
I moved my arm and massaged my shoulder.
“It sure doesn’t feel very lucky,” I said.
“Hold still,” Maddy said. “I need to get the last of the splinters out or it’ll get infected.”
“Infections don’t affect Titans much.”
“But it can’t help.”
“I suppose not.”
A drop of rain patted me on the top of the head. When I looked up, another thick blob ran down my face. I peered at our surroundings. We were in the attic of a barn. The roof was full of holes. Rain formed puddles on the floor and warped the boards. The air smelled of dust and I could already feel it clogging up my nose.
“You couldn’t find a better place to hole up?” I said.
“Quit complaining,” Maddy said. “We’re lucky to get this.”
She picked a little more at the wound before she said, “Done. But this might sting a little.”
“What will?”
She splashed something over the wound.
The sudden flash of pain took me by surprise. I bit down on my scream and clenched my teeth together so hard they might have cracked. The tang of alcohol stung my nostrils and made me want to vomit.
“Give me some of that,” I said.
She handed me the bottle. There was no label to identify it. Probably homemade. I swigged a mouthful and coughed. It hurt almost as much in my mouth as it had on my back. I handed it back to Maddy.
“Good?” she said.
I shook my head.
“Horrible,” I said. “These Yayora don’t know the first thing about how to brew a good beer. Now, Titan ale, that’s what you call good beer.”
“Ale? I’m not sure anyone but old men drink that back on my homeworld.”
“Then the rest of you are missing out. You should listen to your old men more. They know what they’re talking about.”
Maddy chuckled.
“What’s so funny?” I said.
“You remind me of someone back home.”
“He must be young, tall, and good looking if he’s anything like me.”
“Short, fat, and old.”
“Should I take offense?”
“Only if you’re thin-skinned.”
“You can see my skin better back there than I can. How thin does it look to you?”
“The part that got hurt? Very.”
I smiled at her.
“Tell me about this guy I remind you of,” I said.
“He was my uncle. He used to drink a lot of ale and always thought young people didn’t listen to their elders enough. It was funny because he never struck me as the kind of person who took much notice of anyone else’s opinion either.”
“Now I see why I remind you of him.”
Maddy slapped me on the shoulder, making me hiss, before bending down to stitch the wound together. I brought her hand around to my lips and kissed the delicate skin of the back of her hand gently and placed my cheek against it.
“Titans are famous for being fierce warriors,” I said. “We’re famous because our ancestors used to run into battle as if they
