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My scales flickered in hues of blue, silver, and white with my eagerness to put eyes on my kinsmen. Blue dots on a holographic map could not compare with seeing them firsthand.
Nara marched ahead of me; her vibrant blue flesh took on an ethereal glow under the harsh sunlight. Her long red, tubular mane trailed behind her like a fiery beacon amid the sweltering heat and distorted reality that enveloped us. Together, we pressed forward, careful to keep our footprints hidden as we approached the guards from the side. Our figures undulated in the mirage-like effect of the cloaking technology, seamlessly blending into the rocky terrain so effectively that even the keen-eyed guards remained unaware of our stealthy presence.
Ruze turned to look back at us. He gestured that we follow him inside. No sooner did we step across the threshold, than a swarm of Gorken guards spilled out onto the rocky terrain.
We flattened ourselves against the rough cave walls as the patrol marched past, their guttural voices echoing through the tunnels. I held my breath, silently praying to the Spirits to show us favor.
Once the guards passed, we crept deeper into the winding mine. The air grew cooler as we went, a respite from the oppressive heat outside. The darkness enveloped us with only a scattering of torches to light the way. Ruze slowed his steps, hand on the wall as he felt his way. I blinked dark-penetrating lenses into place, moving ahead of him. I pointed to my eyes, and he nodded for me to lead the way.
Up ahead, the tunnel opened into a massive cavern lit by the eerie glow of orange sorium ore Tyrk had described. My heart sank at the sight before me. Valosian males were crammed tightly together behind a row of thin, glowing bars, their bodies slumped against each other for support. They all wore tattered rags and most had their eyes tightly shut, signs of exhaustion and defeat. Among them were a handful of my clansmen, their familiar faces gaunt but still recognizable.
It was clear they were resting, but the weight of their brutal existence was etched on their withered faces while the human females were scattered around the cavern, laboring and dressed in little more than scraps of fabric.
Gorken guards stood watch, uncoiling whips, and cracking them at their feet when they weren’t working hard or fast enough. My blood boiled over the cruelty of it all.
A dark-maned female struggled to carry a bucket filled with glowing ore. Her tattered clothing was covered in a fine layer of dirt as she strained to lift and dump the ore onto a conveyor.
My gaze was drawn to her as she strained under the weight of the bucket she carried. Despite her tattered clothing and dirt-covered flesh, I couldn't tear my eyes away from her gaunt frame. As she strained to lift and dump the load onto a conveyor, there was a determined set to her jaw, a spark of resilience in her eyes that held me captive. The heart of a warrior beat within her wilting frame.
A surge of energy rippled through me. My hand instinctively covered my sternum, feeling the initial thump of my ancillary heart thundering to life. It pounded in my ears drowning out the drone of the conveyor and guttural heckling of the guards as the females toiled.
For the second time in my life, I experienced the searing burn of adrenalyne as it coursed through my veins, igniting a fiery sensation that strengthened my muscles. I was invincible, ready to take on every Gorken on this forsaken planet just to save this withering female from another sec of cruelty.
Just as I surged forward, ready to assist the female who had awakened me, a clawed hand grabbed my arm and forcefully pulled me back. With a tight grip, I was pressed against the rocky cave wall and held in place by the massive Nomadican.
“Don’t be stupid, Gunnox,” Ruze hissed close to my ear. “Remember why we are here. Recon only.”
Our slight scuffle caught the attention of two Gorken guards standing nearby. His bizarre, slitted gaze swept over where we hovered, invisible to his prying. Nara’s bright eyes widened in alarm as she cut us a scathing look. Torn between rushing to my female and not jeopardizing the mission, I relied on Ruze to hold me back.
With great effort I tore my gaze away from the drooping female, signaling to Ruze that we should continue our reconnaissance. I must remain focused on the task at hand if we were to save them all.
As we hugged the cave wall and headed for the narrow air shaft on the opposite side, the female suddenly stumbled, spilling the bucket of ore across the cavern floor. A Gorken guard bellowed in rage, grabbing her roughly by the arm. She cried out, trembling in fear as he pushed her across the conveyor and unfurled a cruel whip. His segmented appendage, rearing back and ready to strike.
Primal instinct to protect my female surged forward as did I. My voice boomed through the space as I unholstered my weapon and removed the cloaking device from my wrist to toss both in the Ruze’s direction. "Stop! I will take her punishment.”
Gasps followed by the confused whispers of my clansmen who recognized me filled the silence after my sudden outburst.
“Why are you not in your cage with the others? The day guards not doing their jobs again,” the Gorken seethed, yellow eyes narrowing on me. Then a sinister grin spread across his insectoid face. "Doesn’t matter. You can bear her punishment as well as your own."
Despite their fragile appearance, the Valosians erupted into a frenzy as the female was pushed aside. The Gorkens may have weakened their bodies, but they couldn't extinguish the fierce determination that burned within all Valosians. They crowded the thin bars, their hands sizzling under their grips before they recoiled in pain.
Among my fellow kin, a blue skinned male with a bright red-tubular mane sat slumped against the far wall. My ears perked and swiveled as I picked up on Nara’s sharp gasp from behind me as well as Ruze’s hushed protest.
I took my female’s place and stood before the conveyor, bracing myself for the Gorken's whip. As the lashes struck my scales, I was grateful for her presence. Without her, the pain would have been unbearable. I clung to her delicate, human face, using it as an anchor to ground myself against the onslaught.
The sharp strikes ripped across my scales, drawing blue blood from my back, but all that mattered was her safety. I would endure everything so she would not.
Our gazes locked, the connection undeniable. My spirit reached out to hers, and I knew that as long as she was unharmed, nothing else mattered. For her, I would suffer a lifetime of lashes.
Chapter Five
SARAH
The whip sliced through the air, the sound of its impact echoing off the cavern walls. The Valosian's back bore the cruel marks of each lash, igniting a fierce uproar among his fellow Valosians confined to their holding cell. Their protests were not as potent as that initial display of defiance all those days… or, was it months? I didn’t know. Left to dwell in perpetual darkness of our underground prison, time blurred into a seamless stream of shadowed days, leaving us adrift in a timeless void within the unyielding confines of the mine.
"Gunnox!" some shouted.
Gunnox?I didn't recognize him. He must be new to the mines, and he had stepped forward to take my place when the Gorken guard known as Zul’mar, had decided to punish me for spilling my bucket of ore. And now he was taking the beating meant for me. Why?
