Chapter 11
Chapter Eleven
Earth’s spiders crossed with crabs were what these creatures resembled. But Ziamee’s fear of them solidified Illan’s reaction. His heartbeat stilled, and with excruciating slowness, he tapped his O.D.I. to whisper, “Three to port.”
The creatures rippled as one, made an odd whining noise that synchronized, then lunged at them. He reached for his blaster, caution be damned.
“Ulta?” he yelled when they didn’t phase out.
Seba roared, shoved Illan aside, and took down the first attacking creature. Chanting clicks came from the predators circling them. They kept back, their mouths contorted into horrific grins. None ventured forward to help their packmate.
“Seba, ohara, please don’t get hurt,” Ziamee snapped, palming her blaster.
Distant cries whipped Illan’s head up. Gathering shadows on the horizon said things were about to get much worse. He leaped into action, firing at the biggest threats.
Ziamee squeaked, then did the same, stunning spider after spider.
He took aim at the one caught in Seba’s mouth, but he was shaking it so violently that it blurred.
Illan couldn’t get a clear line of fire.
A scream had him spinning, only to find Ziamee overrun.
One had latched onto her leg, digging its fangs into her thigh.
She punched it, trying to shake it off while firing at the growing hordes.
He killed it, but the creature didn’t release her. Its dead weight dragged on her. He shoved his blaster into her spare hand, and while she guarded them, he unsheathed his dagger and tried to pry the fangs from her flesh.
Her whimper pierced his hearing, louder than the wails and roars around them.
“I am sorry, ohara,” he said, peering at her and wishing he could’ve protected her from this.
“Just free me, Illan,” she said, twisting from side to side to not miss any lunging spider-crabs.
Seba bounded past, tearing the creature off her. She screamed, staggering back. Blood spurted from her wounds. Illan cursed and yanked out his med-gun, running it over her thigh. The fabric was shredded where the teeth had been.
The thump-thump of the shots resumed, but when she dropped to a knee, she thrust the weapons at him. “They’re heavy.” She snatched the med-gun from him and took over.
“Healing is taking too long. They might be venomous.” He shielded her from the hoards while he shot those brave enough to draw closer. Seba weaved through the chaos, taking spiders down. Brown blood painted his side, and a dislodged fang jutted out of his back. “What are these things?”
“Ucdeas,” she said between shots. “They don’t venture to our section of the lake.”
“Thank Elorach.” Illan unsheathed his dagger, slicing and stabbing when they snuck past his defenses.
The screeches of the dying and the chitters of the eager grew louder. Their numbers were dwindling, but the shapes in the distance had grown, which meant soon, they’d be overwhelmed.
“We have to make a run for it,” he yelled, not shifting his focus from the impending danger. A sweeping glance noted the plateau that stretched far back to a cliff wall, a forest to their left, a high waterfall to the right. “Ulta?” Illan tried again, desperate for a port.
“Signal…weak,” came the male’s response. “Where are… Will send…”
“Kuck,” Ziamee snapped when Ulta said no more.
An odd chatter rippled over their attackers, then as one, they shortened the distance between each other, forming a solid mass. Intelligence flickered behind their many eyes, and the heaviness of expectation lingered in the air.
This does not bode well. Illan swallowed and whipped her to her feet.
With a cry, she staggered, then sprinted toward Seba, but it was too late. As one, they swept forward, scooping Seba onto their backs and tossing him off the side.
“No,” Ziamee shouted, stunning and slaughtering as she drove through the wall of ucdeas.
Ice squeezed his chest, freezing the air in his lungs. Is she insane? Even as he thought this, he barreled toward her. He didn’t dare blink as she skirted the edge. When he was three meters from her, he met her gaze for but a second.
Fiery agony exploded across his back. Dazed, a glance down showed a mandible piercing his chest. He couldn’t turn or move while he was skewered. “Ziamee,” he croaked, his lungs ablaze.
“Illan?” she called, gaping at his wound.
She bit her lip and leaped into action, firing and stabbing at the ucdeas attached to him. He tried to keep her safe while she freed him, but every time the creature yanked, fresh pain lanced through him. The numbing of his skin expanded, and his breathing became labored.
Then with one last slash of her dagger, he tumbled to his knees. His vision blurred, his nostrils burned, and he couldn’t gather the energy to rise. The pincer remained lodged in place, no doubt leaching its venom into him.
“We must jump,” she said, but he wasn’t sure he heard her.
“What?” he rasped, blinking at the blaster in his loose grip. It was almost too hot to hold. Tiny tendrils of steam curled out of the muzzle.
“We follow Seba; it’s the only way,” she said, throwing an arm over his shoulders.
She grunted as she hefted him to his feet, then with him tucked against her, she shifted them so no creatures would take them by surprise.
The mass ushered them to the cliff’s edge. The nearer they drew, the more a damp breeze cooled his flushed face. His wits returned, but he wasn’t sure for how long. A peek below showed the glimmering surface of the lake. If they survived the fall, they’d plunge into the deep depths that she feared.
“No,” he said, his tone firm despite the agony clenching his jaw.
“If we don’t, we’ll die for sure,” she gritted out, tossing aside her blaster when it had stopped working. She waved her dagger before her, holding the hoards back by inches.
He handed her his weapon even though he wasn’t sure it would help. Bringing his wrist to his chin, he activated his O.D.I. “Ulta, we are desperate.”
“Illan!” Never had the male’s voice been sweeter. “The signal… Move away—”
Ahh, yes, why did I not remember that? “We need distance,” Illan said to her. “Something in this rock is affecting the O.D.I. locators.”
“Go where?” she snapped, shoving him behind her when a creature lunged at them. “It’s down or die.”
“Ziamee, your fear—”
“Ulta will port us before we drown,” she said, catching his hand and tugging him with her. “I can’t hold them back anymore.”
Scratches across her arms, shoulders, thighs, and down her cheek to her chin bled; the skin around each mark was stained, and the venom was spreading. His blaster smoked, and the dagger in her grip dripped brown ooze. That same substance coated her wounds and shredded garments.
“All right,” he said. “But stay close to me.”
She grabbed his forearm, threw down his blaster, then with a nod, dragged him off the edge.
He swallowed a scream. The wind whipped his hair back, and despite the water coming toward them too fast, he tightened his grip on her hand. The urge to flail was natural but served no purpose.
“Feet first,” he roared.
“Do you see Seba?” she asked, her eyes glistening. “I never taught him to swim.”
“Can you?” He tossed her a smile he was far from feeling.
“Good point.” She froze, then locked her knees together moments before they hit the water.
The force tore the pincer from his chest, and he garbled, swallowing gulps of water.
The cold shock ripped her hand from his arm, tearing a hole in his heart.
Fear followed. Darkness engulfed his vision, but he focused on reaching the surface and keeping his mouth shut.
Every movement of his arms pierced him anew.
Black spots blurred his vision. He was losing consciousness, which he couldn’t afford to do.
“Ziamee?” he bellowed the second he could breathe.
Silence met his call.
He kept himself afloat despite the pain, swirling from left to right. “Ziamee!”
“There is no need to yell,” Coll said, ushering Illan to Celeeri’s medical before he could blink.
“Ziamee—”
Coll nudged his chin at the med-E.D. where she hovered inside the pod. “Minor wounds. I will release her now. Yours requires immediate attention.”
Illan slumped, the relief like liquid warmth. Beside her on a fold-down table lay Amet, his eyes closed. Before him stood Ulta, running the med-gun over him. “Struggled to locate you three. I ported Seba the second he appeared on our scans.”
Illan grunted. It was as he’d expected. “How is he?”
“Healed, fed, and is bothering Brac for another haunch.” Coll chuckled. “The beast stays on his heels and will not leave him alone.”
“Does she know?” Illan asked, scanning her to ensure she was fully healed.
“Yes, of course. Seba took her to the floor as soon as Ulta ported her to me.” Coll tapped on his console, lowering her to the bed as the dome withdrew.
She sat up, her eyes wide. The smile she bestowed on Illan cracked open his heart.
She scrambled off the bed and hurried to his side, helping him climb into the med-E.D.
Coll carried Illan more than she ever could, but he valued her presence, her scent filling his lungs and doing much to calm him.
He released the tension knotting his shoulders.
It took longer for his body to realize that danger was no more.
No doubt when he awoke, all would be well. He grimaced, not wanting Ziamee out of his sight. “Can you heal me without sleep?”
Coll stilled and cast a glance at a distracted Ziamee. “It will be painful. I must utilize nano-meds…”
“Do it,” Illan whispered, his gaze on Ziamee, who swiveled her attention between him and her father.
“How do you feel?” she asked, running her fingers across his forearm.
“I have been better,” he said and forced a grin.
“None of that was fun.” She peered over her shoulder at Seba, who’d cornered Brac at the rehydrator. “But we were successful.” She stroked Illan’s knuckles with her thumb. “Thank you, all of you,” she said, glancing at Coll and Ulta.
“When Illan is well, we will return your father to the med-E.D. for a full nutrient replenishment.” Coll opened the nano-med vial and placed it on Illan’s chest. “Lie still.” He dipped his head. “I mean it, Illan. One twitch, and I will put you under.”
“Acknowledged, Medic Coll.”
“That was close,” Ziamee said, gesturing to her father. “How… How is he, Coll?”
“He is well, Lady Ziamee.” Coll tapped his tablet, then strode behind a wall of display vids.
“Dehydration, malnutrition, and stress are as expected. He carries the same parasites you did. His bones are also healing well, and considering what he must have endured, I would like to keep him sedated until morning.”
She worried her bottom lip with her teeth. “He’s probably exhausted.”
“But he is here… Alive,” Illan said, giving her fingers a squeeze.
Her smile was tremulous, then blossomed into breathtaking beauty. “Yes.” She scanned the common, encompassing any males in the vicinity. “I can’t thank you enough.”
An unexpected pressure built in Illan’s chest, then agony slammed into him. It took all his concentration not to move a limb, to crush her hand, to whimper. The pain…was excruciating. He kept his focus on her.
“Illan, hold on,” Coll said, his voice distant.
Heat flooded Illan’s veins, and blessed relief followed.
“I have diverted a few to the pain receptors in your brain. It will not shield you for all of it, but it should soften the healing process.”
Illan flicked a gaze at Coll, trying not to move. “Why did you not say so sooner?”
“This might extend the time you spend on this bed.”
“What will?” Ziamee asked. A frown darkened her eyes. “Coll?”
Illan narrowed his eyes at Coll. “Nano-meds are fixing my insides.”
Her face paled. “It’s that bad?” She scowled. “You had a claw sticking out of your chest. Of course it’s bad.”
“How is your thigh?” he asked, desperate to distract her.
“All healed.” She released his hand and bounced on the spot to show him how well she was. “The new skin’s a little tight, but Coll says it won’t be for long.”
What he ached to do was strip her and inspect every inch of her. He had to see with his eyes that not a blemish marred her. But now wasn’t the time.
“Ulta, any ideas why we couldn’t port?” He kept still, his lungs breathing easier as time passed.
“The element in the cavern is thicker on that plateau. I sent Brac on the kuta but called him back when Seba pinged.” Ulta didn’t draw closer as he said, “I assumed you two would be on his tail.”
“My thanks,” Illan mumbled, his attention on her. “I doubt Brac’s appearance would have aided us unless the kuta has a mounted cannon.”
Admiring the curve of her cheek and the sparkle in her beautiful eyes grounded Illan, his focus locked. No matter what the nano-meds did, he shoved his reactions to the back of his mind. She mesmerized him, more incredible than anything he’d ever encountered.
“It does not, but I can task Brac to add a chokaar,” Ulta was saying.
“Might be wise,” Coll said. “Let us be prepared rather than ambushed.”
“I shall attend to it,” Brac called from the table.
“Good,” Coll said, removing the vial and capping it.
Illan stiffened. “We are done?”
“For now. Return in the morning. The med-E.D. must replenish what the nano-meds used to spur your healing.” Coll layered new skin across Illan’s bare chest.
Ziamee grinned. “A good thing Ulta got us here.”
Her good humor eased the final sliver of tension woven around his spine. “I have never been happier to be on board.”
She laughed, clasping his forearm and helping him rise. “Same.”