Knightqueen

Chapter 6

The storm was getting worse.

As rocks peppered her, Carys winced. They reached the metal door to the mine, and she saw the control panel on the side, built into the rock. She rapped her hand against the buttons but nothing was working.

“There’s no power.”

Sten moved up beside her, moving slowly. It wasn’t like him. Her belly curdled. She knew he was hurt badly.

But the stubborn man would never admit it.

She blew out a breath, then she gritted her teeth and sent a surge of energy into the panel. She watched the blue light crackle over the controls, and a second later, the door groaned open.

“Sten, quickly.”

He almost stumbled, and she slid an arm around him. He was heavy, all thick muscle. She gritted her teeth and helped him stay upright.

They staggered inside, and she quickly turned and touched the interior controls. She slammed her palm against the panel and the door closed, cutting off the storm.

It plunged them into pitch darkness.

Carys held out her palm and ignited a small energy ball. In the blue light, she watched Sten lean against the wall. His face was ashen.

Tamping down her worry, she looked around. She spotted some dusty gear stacked by the door and waded through it. She found a small lantern.

She turned the dials, praying it still had power, and a second later, it flared to life. A warm, golden light emitted from it.

She set it down. “You’re hurt.”

“I’ll heal.”

“Sten.”

He coughed, and she saw blood on his lips. Her pulse spiked. No, no, no. Then he collapsed to the ground.

“Sten!” She cupped his jaw. “Retract your armor.”

He groaned, but a second later, his armor withdrew.

She saw that his shirt was soaked with blood. She sucked in a breath. It was bad. Really bad.

“You should’ve told me.”

The annoying man just grunted.

She ripped his shirt open. Part of her mind registered the slabs of muscle on his chest covered in a sprinkling of brown hair. His abs were heavy, defined ridges. But her focus lay on the jagged cut on his side. It was still oozing blood.

Her throat tightened. She couldn’t lose him.

She’d lost her family, and after that, Sten had become her rock.

The one constant in her life.

He’d looked after her, and he was the one person who didn’t see the queen all the time. He didn’t expect her to have all the answers.

“You should’ve told me.” Worry sharpened her tone. She retracted her own armor, then ripped fabric off the bottom of her dress. She pressed it against his cut, putting a lot of pressure on it.

He winced. “Nothing…you could do.”

“You’re in pain.” She cupped his cheek.

His green gaze met hers, something deep inside them that she couldn’t read. “It’ll pass. And any pain is worth it to keep you safe.”

Carys bit her lip. “I can’t lose you, Sten.”

He raised his hand and covered hers. “Do my best not to go anywhere.” The corner of his lips lifted. “And I always obey my queen.”

Worry and love mixed inside her. “I’m going to search for a medical kit, or bandages. Something to help you.”

“No.” He shifted on the ground. “You’ll be unprotected.”

“I’m Knightqueen Carys of Oron. I’ll protect myself. You know that. And I won’t go far.”

She hated leaving him, but she turned and made herself walk down the tunnel. She ignited energy on her palm, again using it to guide her way. She hadn’t gone far when art and engravings began to emerge on the wall.

She gasped. The images were stunning. The depicted beings were tall and red-skinned. The scenes showed them living in the mountains, in the cliffside villages. Groups crossing a maze of bridges crisscrossing the ravines. Workers in a mine. She saw that they were mining a bronze powder. She frowned. It looked like they were using another substance—a brilliant, bright-blue liquid—that was part of the mining process.

Dragging her gaze off the artwork, she spotted a doorway covered in cobwebs. She shoved the webs aside.

The room looked like an office and dining area. Several long tables were covered in a thick layer of dust.

She quickly checked the shelves. There had to be some sort of medical kit.

She spotted a black box covered in the markings of an alien language. She pulled it open. Her heart dropped. All that was left was disintegrated powder in the bottom. She opened the next box.

Her pulse leaped. It wasn’t exactly like an Oronis medical kit, but there were bandages and other gear. Turning, she hefted the box, and hurried back down the tunnel.

When Sten came into view, he was so still, his eyes closed. Her heart squeezed.

“Sten?”

Green eyes opened. “You okay?”

“Yes.” She knelt beside him.

She quickly set to work, tearing open packages.

“I want to sit up,” he said.

“No.”

His face turned stony. “I don’t want—”

She stroked a hand over his short hair. “That’s an order, knightguard.”

He blew out a breath, and she swiped a medical wipe over his wound. He hissed. She cleaned his wound, and then the blood off his skin. Then she pressed a thick bandage over his side.

She wished there was more she could do.

“You need time to heal. At least our implants seem to be fully functioning now.” She noted her feet had healed, and the faded bruises from the beatings the Gek’Dragar had given him were gone.

A muscle ticked in his jaw.

Carys narrowed her gaze. “Sten? I know you too well. What aren’t you telling me?”

He was silent for a moment. “I’m bleeding internally.”

Panic lodged in her throat. “No.”

“Carys—”

“No.” She pressed her hands to his chest. She liked touching his bare skin, loved that he was so warm. Alive. “I can’t lose you. I won’t lose you. That’s an order.” Her voice trembled.

He gave her a faint smile. “I always follow orders.”

She moved her hands down to the bandage. She’d never used her energy to heal. Knighthealers were the ones whose energy was more attuned to healing. She licked her lips. Her mother had been a knighthealer.

There were rumors that the royal blood could access incredible power, but she’d never seen that happen. She was sure it was just a myth.

“Let me see.” She pressed a hand over his wound, and the other on one of his thighs for balance.

He stiffened.

“Am I hurting you?”

“No.”

Did he really hate her touching him that much? He’d been aroused when he’d touched her in that pool, but her experience was limited, so she had no idea.

Focus, Carys.

“What are you doing?” he asked.

“Seeing if I can heal you.” She closed her eyes.

“I’ve never seen you heal before.”

“I’ve never tried.” She focused on Sten’s warmth. On her feelings. She couldn’t lose him.

She loved how protective he was. How he could be so dogged about her protection, even a little grumpy. He was loyal and true.

She dug deeper and felt something flare inside her. There was a tiny flicker of unfamiliar power.

She focused on it, and the spark grew. Energy spilled out of her.

Sten grunted.

The sensation petered out quickly, and she sat back with a frustrated breath. “I’m sorry.”

“I…think it worked. A little.” He pushed himself into a sitting position and leaned against the wall. “My wound feels better, and I can feel that my implant is healing me now.”

Elation filled her. “Thank the knights.”

He cupped her jaw. “You did it. Some days, I think you can do anything.”

The praise made her cheeks warm. “Hardly.” The feel of his palm made her skin tingle.

She wished he’d touch other parts of her.

“Carys, we can’t stay here.” He pulled his hand away.

She felt the loss.

“The Gek’Dragar will track us,” he continued.

“Not in the storm. We’ll wait until you’re healed.” She sat beside him and rested her head on his shoulder.

He went stiff again, but then he slowly relaxed.

“Sten?”

“My queen?”

“Will you sing to me? Please?”

It had been years since he’d sung for her. He’d done it when she was younger, after the death of her parents.

She looked up, noting the dull color in his cheeks. Her stoic knightguard didn’t like anyone knowing that he had a good singing voice.

There was a long pause, then he started to sing.

She smiled and listened to the deep, beautiful baritone. He sang a song about a beautiful princess. A courageous princess.

Carys breathed in. They were safe for now, and Sten was healing. Sten was with her.

Her heart yearned for more from him, more than he could give. But now, as always, she’d take what she could get.

Sten grittedhis teeth and walked. One foot in front of the other. That was all he could focus on.

If Carys saw that he was in pain, she’d make him rest again. His wounds were healing, but they hurt.

Carys was just two steps ahead of him, holding the lantern aloft to illuminate the darkness.

“Sten, look at these.” She moved over to the wall of the tunnel.

He saw engraved artwork, painted in beautiful colors.

“I noticed it earlier, but I was in a rush.” She ran a hand over one of the tall, red figures. “I think these people were the local inhabitants of this planet.”

In the images, Sten noted bustling, cliff villages, lots of bridges crossing the ravines, and the red-skinned people mining a bronze substance. He stepped closer.

“Senum,” he said.

Carys cocked her head. “Really?”

The mineral was prized, and had a lot of applications. He traced the images with his fingers. “It’s highly valuable. Especially to Gek’Dragar.” He saw the local people using a blue liquid to mine. “Looks like the locals mined the senum with this blue fluid. It eats away at the rock.”

They kept walking and the art changed. It was less detailed, sloppier. Like the best artists had gone, or they were running out of time.

Carys gasped. “Sten.”

The next image showed Gek’Dragar.

They overtook the planet. In some images, there were large vats of the blue fluid.

“No,” Carys whispered.

The scenes changed to show mountains caved in and villages destroyed. The blue fluid eating them away.

Then a final image, showing animals drinking the liquid, and their bodies changing and morphing.

“I guess we know why there are so many terrible beasts,” he said grimly. “The Gek’Dragar used the locals’ own mining method against them.”

“And drove them out.” Sadness colored her voice.

She always felt so deeply. Some called her cool, but she was never that. Especially behind closed doors. He’d seen her ranting and crying plenty of times.

Right now, he watched her hand ball into a fist, a fierce look on her face.

“The Gek’Dragar have to be stopped. The Oronis drove them back once, but now, they want to fight, kill, take, and cause chaos and destruction like this.” She waved at the wall.

“They believe fighting makes them stronger.”

She whirled. “It’s taking care of your people—your young and old, your weak and sick—that makes you strong. The Oronis are about duty, service. That is strength, not the ability to wield a weapon.”

“I know.”

She shot him a rueful smile. “I’m preaching to someone who lives and breathes the Oronis creed.” She gripped his forearm. “You are the most loyal, noble man I’ve ever met.”

He felt the heat of her touch. He still was unsteady on his feet, and it made it hard to fight the pull she had over him.

She is your queen. Don’t forget that.

He dragged in a deep breath and made himself look back at the walls. “Our ancestors fought the brutal wars of Gammis III to defeat the Gek’Dragar. Many knights died.”

Carys straightened. “They died heroes. They believed in their creed, believed in protecting their people.”

Sten nodded. “Every Oronis knight will stand behind their queen without question. I’ll be the first.”

Soon, the art stopped, and sadness deepened on Carys’ face. He wanted to hold her, soothe her.

His hand flexed.

“I’m guessing the sun must be setting by now,” she said.

He nodded. Hopefully the Gek’Dragar wouldn’t prowl at night with so many beasts out.

“Let’s find somewhere we can bed down for the night,” he said.

They moved on, pushing through cobwebs.

He heard a chittering noise and the flutter of wings. He paused.

“Carys.” He pulled her back against him.

Small bat-like creatures came out of the darkness. They were tiny, with fluffy bodies, and cute wings. They flitted around them, catching at Carys’ hair. He tried to wave them away until she laughed.

“They mean no harm.”

His jaw was tight. He wasn’t as quick to trust as she was.

The creatures disappeared back into the darkness. A moment later, the tunnel opened up.

“Oh, my stars,” Carys murmured.

It was a huge, circular cavern. The ceiling disappeared high above, and, in the distance, he saw faint light. Probably an opening to the sky. Then he looked down.

“Be careful,” he warned.

She moved the lantern, highlighting that they weren’t far from the edge of a massive hole.

The light didn’t go far, and Sten got the sense of a gigantic, endless chasm.

As she lifted the lantern, he spotted something above them. It was the shadow of a rail line crossing above the hole, leading to the other side. No doubt it would be rusted from disuse.

“This way.” He walked along the edge of the chasm. “Don’t get too close. The edge looks unstable.”

When he glanced at her, he caught her rolling her eyes.

“Your safety is my job,” he reminded her.

“I know.” Her smile slipped away. “And you do your job well, Sten.” She looked away from him.

He’d protect her, no matter what it took. No matter if he had to give his life. “If I’d done it right, you wouldn’t be here. The Gek’Dragar would never have gotten their hands on you.”

She whirled on him. “That’s not your fault.”

“I’m the head of your knightguard.”

She stepped in front of him, and poked him in the chest. “Even you can’t predict a secret Gek’Dragar attack that you know nothing about.” She shook her head. “I don’t want your misplaced guilt, Sten. Come on. We need to find somewhere to sleep. I don’t fancy resting on hard rocks.”

“You can sleep on me.”

Her head jerked up.

Was she blushing? He heaved in a deep breath. He shouldn’t have said that. The thought of holding her again…

By the coward’s bones, his cock was already twitching in his trousers. How could he keep his control?

She cleared her throat. “We need to find a way across the chasm. That’s the direction we need to go.”

“That’s a problem for tomorrow.”

As they walked on, he spotted a glow of blue ahead. He took another step, and something crunched under his boot. Some sort of glass.

Then he saw the puddle of blue liquid resting on a curved shard of glass. He crouched. He grabbed a nearby rock, and touched the puddle.

He watched as it ate into the rock like acid. He quickly dropped the dissolving rock.

“Don’t touch it,” he warned.

“It’s the mining fluid.”

“Yes.” He scanned it with his implant. “It’s a nano-fluid design specifically to consume the minerals in the rock. It will also eat into metal, but at a slower rate. Flesh won’t fair well, so keep clear.”

She crouched beside him. “It’s so pretty for something so dangerous.”

They moved on, and soon a stack of mining gear appeared out of the darkness. Sten blew dust off one of the crates and pried open the lid. It contained tools and mining equipment. He opened the next crate. This one was filled with sacks. He opened a sack and pulled out some fabric. It was a uniform made for very tall bodies.

“We can use these sacks to make a bed,” he said.

Carys helped him pull some out. They stacked them into a makeshift bed by the wall, far away from the edge of the chasm.

She dropped down on the sacks with a sigh. “How are your injuries?”

“Feeling much better. Whatever you did, it helped heal me.” He sat beside her.

“I’m glad.” She sighed. “We have no idea how much farther we need to travel.”

“We will get off this planet,” he said. “I vow it.”

She pressed a hand over his. “I know, Sten. I’m just tired, and my heart is sore at all this destruction.” She looked around. “I won’t let our enemies do this to Oron.”

She could protect Oron, while he protected her. He’d make sure the Gek’Dragar didn’t hurt her again.

“Our first step is getting home. You are the heart of the Oronis.”

She let out another sigh. “Sometimes I’m just a woman.”

Sten flexed his fingers. He wanted to touch her, but he made himself stand. “Get some sleep. I’ll do a security check.”

She lay down on the sacks. “Good night, Sten.”

It didn’t matter that her dress was ripped and dirty, or her feet were bare. She looked beautiful.

He turned and made himself walk away into the darkness.