Chapter Six
Frustrated and confused by what she’d heard, Ricka sat on the edge of the bed and stroked Mogran’s fur. The big cat’s ribs vibrated, and he made a rumbling noise, causing her to smile. “Now what am I supposed to do?” she asked, hoping that hearing the question out loud might provide an answer.
The longer she petted the overgrown cat, the more her thoughts drifted to Synge. Even if he’d taken her away from her home without her permission, the way she felt about him was no longer just an attraction. She actually enjoyed being around him, enjoyed getting glimpses of the hunter’s caring nature.
Ricka needed to put her emotions aside and contemplate everything she knew about her current situation logically. Making a mental list, she started with Molock since he was technically the source of her problems. The warrior had Libby and had been determined to take her as well.
Synge had intervened and rescued her. Then there was the conversation she’d overheard where Dathan believed Synge had brought her to Tarron to use as bait. Though now that she considered his exact words, Synge hadn’t actually confirmed or denied the comment, which made her wonder if it had really been his intent.
Then there was the argument with Teah. Were Synge’s aunt and uncle right? Would Molock track her here and ultimately put their lives in danger? After her own encounter with the Klorthon, Ricka had no doubts that he wouldn’t hesitate to take the life of someone who got in his way.
Things would’ve been a lot easier if Synge had taken her to the city with him. There was no way she could stay here now, not if it meant Synge and his family were at risk. The best and safest place for her to be if and when Molock came searching for her was with many hunters who could protect her and help get Libby back.
If she could get out of the house undetected, and reach one of the transports, then she’d find a way to reach the city on her own. If she didn’t get lost, there was a good chance she’d run into Synge after she reached her destination. He’d be mad when he discovered she’d left, but she’d gladly accept his anger if it meant keeping him alive.
A rap on the door drew Ricka from her thoughts. Synge hadn’t been gone very long. Had he changed his mind and decided to come back for her? She hid her disappointment when the door opened and Teah entered the room with two gowns draped across her open arms. “I have found you something to wear. These might fit loosely since you are smaller than me.” She held them up for Ricka to see before walking over to the full-length portion of the storage unit and placing the dresses inside. One was a pale yellow and the other a vivid blue. The fabric of both appeared soft and most likely comfortable. “It will be better than having to wear Synge’s clothes during your stay here.”
“Thank you,” Ricka said. Since she’d already decided to leave, she regretted not being able to try on the clothes or see Synge’s reaction when he saw her wearing one of the gowns.
Mogran had placed his head in her lap, so Ricka didn’t try to stand up. She couldn’t tell if the woman’s serious glower was out of concern for her personal comfort or based on a predetermined judgment she had about her relationship with Synge. Either way, it made her uncomfortable, and she tried not to let it bother her. She’d be out of there soon, and it wouldn’t matter.
When Teah turned to face Ricka again, her gaze went to the cat sprawled next to her. “Other than Synge, I have never seen Mogran act so protectively over anyone before.” A half-hearted smile replaced her scowl. Ricka wasn’t sure how to respond to the comment and remained silent.
“Anyway,” Teah said as she walked back to the entryway. “If you need anything else, please let me know.”
“I’m pretty exhausted, so I’ll probably take a nap until Synge gets back,” Ricka said, hoping her excuse sounded plausible enough to buy her the time she needed to reach a transport.
“Very well.” With a nod of her head, Teah left, shutting the door behind her.
Ricka would’ve preferred using the main entrance to make her escape. She hadn’t seen much of the dwelling and had no idea if Teah and Arno would see her if she tried to leave through the main door. As soon as Teah’s footsteps faded, she slipped out from under Mogran, then went over to the window to get a better look at the tree she’d spotted earlier.
The tree had grown close to the house, leaving a four-foot gap between the window and its thick yellow branch covered with thin, elongated turquoise leaves. An easy jump if she didn’t miss and fall. She experienced a brief moment of indecision until she reminded herself that what she was about to do would keep the lives of Synge and his family out of jeopardy.
Mogran, who appeared to be asleep, was going to be her biggest obstacle. The cat hadn’t left her side since she’d arrived, and Ricka was afraid once she opened the window, he’d follow her outside. Trying not to make any noise, she slowly released the lock and lifted the glass pane.
Once she crawled through the opening, she crouched on the narrow wooden ledge, then used the rocky exterior to pull herself up so she could stand. Lowering the pane was a little trickier. Ricka almost lost her balance along with her nerve when she saw the long drop to the ground.
After taking a deep breath, she launched herself at the tree. The smaller branches scraped her cheeks and tugged her hair. She slipped a little but was finally able to get a good foothold. It had seemed a lot easier when she’d visualized her efforts from inside the bedroom.
Mogran appeared in the window. He pressed his wet nose against the glass and whimpered, the sounds reminding her of a child crying. “I’m so sorry, boy. I wish I could take you with me.”
Ricka peered downward, studying the rest of the tree. She mapped out the sturdiest branches and the easiest way down. Her descent turned out to be slower than she would’ve liked because some of the thicker areas were slick with moisture. She’d lost her footing several times and ended up banging various parts of her body. When she reached the last branch, she stared at the ground and guessed the distance to be about eight feet .
The trunk's smooth base had nothing for her to hang on to until she reached the bottom. If she jumped from a sitting position, she’d probably sprain an ankle or end up breaking something. Refusing to give up, Ricka rolled onto her stomach and clung to a couple of smaller branches to lower herself. When she estimated the drop to be less than five feet, she let go. She expected to land on the small patch of dirt she’d seen from the window. Instead, her foot got caught in the middle of a thorny bush, and she fell backward, landing hard on her backside. Her painful groan sounded loud, and she hoped the noise had gone undetected.
Moving hurt, and it took her a few moments to get to her feet. While dusting off her pants and massaging her sore rear, she wondered how many bruises her efforts had gained her. Even though the weather was warm, Ricka wished she’d thought to grab her jacket. The sleeves would have protected her wrists and arms, which were now covered with scrapes and cuts.
Unfortunately, she’d also slashed her palm. When applying pressure didn’t stop the bleeding, she gripped the bottom of the shirt Synge had loaned her and tore off a long strip. After twisting the material around her hand several times, she used her teeth to hold one end as she secured it into a knot.
Ricka crept along the side of the house, careful to avoid the windows. The transport she’d seen when they’d arrived earlier was still sitting out front. Keeping low to the ground, she eased through some trees and shrubbery until she reached the driver’s side. After opening the door, she crouched on the seat and studied the controls. Clearly, this was a more advanced model than her rusty old vehicle. It had a sophisticated security passcode system to engage the engine, one she wouldn’t be able to decode.
She had no idea when Synge would return or how long it would be before Teah and Arno came to check on her again. The trip from the ship to the house hadn’t seemed very long, and Ricka was certain she could reach the landing area before it got dark.
She had watched Synge key in the security code to access his shuttle and remembered the sequence. Since the last transmission he had was with hunter headquarters, it wouldn’t be hard to contact them and explain her situation, so they could send someone to get her. She hoped what she planned to do wouldn’t somehow get Synge into trouble and justified her guilt by reasoning that he shouldn’t have decided to use her as bait without talking to her about it first.
With a new plan in mind, Ricka gave Synge’s home one last saddened glance and took off running.