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"It’s getting dark. Let’s get you out of here." I got to my feet, renewed in my resolve to help him.
At that, he faced me. "Is it my turn to be helped now?"
"We’re helping each other, even if your pride won’t allow you to call it that."
He assessed me, making little effort to conceal his amusement. "You are high-spirited. You’d put some of my generals to shame."
I stretched the kinks out of my neck. "Tell it to the Wanderstar Fleet commander and maybe I’ll get promoted."
He touched my shoulder as I walked up to him. His fingers made a massaging motion between my shoulder blades. "A caring person like you should not see war and pain."
I may not have had much experience in the sexual ways of males, but I sure knew when they were being macho. I spoke to Varus the way I addressed anyone who thought they could tell me what was best for me. "I decide what I get to see and do with my life."
"A true king respects the rights of others." He nodded, though I wasn’t entirely convinced this would be the end of the subject. What was going on in that royal head of his?
An animalistic screech sounded in the distance. It sounded exactly like what I heard when I stepped out of the Mission Flyer with my squad. "What was that?" Goosebumps formed again on my arms, this time because I was startled enough to look for an escape route.
Varus listened for it again. No other sound was made. "This planet is home to a large reptile species."
"I’m not taking a chance. Let’s go."
Chapter Four
HARPER
Iused my new combinedpowers of energy from Varus’s kiss and the adrenaline that came from wanting to stay alive to make a run for it. I took off in the woods, desiring to put distance between me and whatever predators were out and about this evening.
I had no ranged weapon and no idea what creature made such a horrible screeching noise. I also had no interest in finding out. Varus moved slower behind me. Was he trying to put himself between me and the threat?
"Keep moving," he said, after minutes of us running. "We lost the creature. I don’t hear it anymore, but we should gain more ground."
He got no argument from me. I maintained my fast pace until the darkening sky forced me to slow down for lack of adequate light. Then I kept a swift walk until we came to a spot in the woods with minimal underbrush and enough space for two people to spread out.
I assessed how dark the sky grew. As much as I wanted to keep moving, we couldn’t fumble along in the woods at night. "Your hearing seems to be more developed than mine. Is this a safe place to camp overnight?"
"As good a place as any at this point." He set about helping me clear the brush. Minutes passed when he raised his head again. Twigs snapped and forest debris crumbled between his fingers when he curled them into fists.
