Chapter 29
Amina
The sound of bodies trying to move quietly made Amina look up to see Gis and everyone trying to sneak out of the room. They were casting scared glances at Amina and Myrum. She couldn’t blame them, but she needed their help.
And they were probably going to need her help.
“Gis?” Her creaky voice sounded loud in the unnatural quiet.
Everyone stopped and turned around with fearful expressions, as if expecting a monster to charge them if they moved too fast.
“Do you need us to distract him?” Gis whispered. “We can lock him in the shuttle bay, but let me get everyone out first.”
“No, need for any of that. He’s my monster,” Amina said with a painful chuckle. Right, better not do that again. “And I’m his monster. He’s safe as long as no one threatens me or Ruby.”
Myrum was purring loudly and rubbing his scent glands all over her loose hair. The smell of honey mixed with the scent of blood.
“Are you sure?” Gis asked.
“Yeah,” Amina said. “I mean, you’re standing there talking to me, aren’t you?”
That made Sar do the hiccupping-laugh thing. “She’s got a point. He’s not doing anything to us and he’s had plenty of time.”
They all relaxed a little, but none of them moved any closer.
Jul stepped to the side, closer to the mound of corpses. “Are they really all dead?”
“They must be,” Gis said, turning so he could look at Jul but also keep Myrum in sight. “Unless they’ve learned to live without a head or any blood in their bodies.”
To Amina's surprise, Restic ran up to the pile and kicked Lorse’s leg. “I curse you to never be allowed a body again; your soul should forever be homeless. You’ll exist in the dark nothingness. Sightless, soundless, never-ending blackness because what you’ve done here makes you unworthy.”
It didn’t take a genius to figure out Lorse had done some horrible things to Restic. Myrum must’ve understood because he let her go and walked over to where Restic was still standing over Lorse’s body.
She backed away with a squeak. Myrum ignored her and bent over Lorse. He pried the dead male's mouth open and reached inside. He grunted and pulled something free. Then he did it again. Amina couldn’t see what he was doing, but then he stood up and held his hand out to Restic.
Lorse’s two bottom tusks were in his palm.
“Toothless and powerless,” he said. “You have both his teeth and his power now.”
Restic stared at the teeth then stepped closer so she could grab them. Holding them tight in one hand, she gave Myrum a deep bow.
“I’ll never abuse anyone under my care,” she whispered, then started making a keening sound that made Amina want to cry with her.
Nashie stepped up and drew her close, hugging her tightly and making a humming sound from deep in her chest. Several others gathered around her, all making the same comforting humming.
Myrum returned to her.
“That was well done,” she murmured, then looked up at him with a mock serious expression. “But I don't ever want any teeth as a gift, okay?”
He sounded a rumble of amusement. “Noted.”
That single word combined with his rumble made her ask, “Are you back?”
“Mostly, I think,” he said. “My thoughts are slow, but I can feel where my body hurts. The drugs made it so I didn’t feel much of anything.”
He brought his hands up to rub his face but stopped when he saw the blood. He looked down his body, then at her.
“So much blood,” he muttered.
“But it isn’t ours; that’s the important part.” She frowned, noticing for the first time that there were burn marks under the blood on his chest and shoulders. “You need to see the medic.”
“We both need the medic,” he countered.
“Can I suggest a few moments in the cleansing unit using the sonic setting before Gilush looks after either of you?” Gis said. “That might make it easier to see where the wounds are.”
Suddenly all Amina could think about was being covered in drying, sticky blood. She wanted to get clean in the worst way.
“With your permission, I’ll contact Helmen and the ship,” Gis said. “They can dock here.”
“They can?” Amina said.
“Of course,” Gis said. “We have the capability to turn this bay into a docking corridor. There are standard locking-ties on the outside. We used the shuttle because Lorse refused to let any non-Ossiso ship past the satellites. He was paranoid.”
“Not paranoid enough,” Amina said.
“Apparently,” Gis said with an Ossiso hiccupping laugh. “Can I?”
“Can you what?” Amina asked.
“Contact Helmen,” Gis said. Amina nodded and he let out a relieved breath. “Thank you. I’ll have your things moved back to the guest room so you’ll have clean items to change into after getting the blood off.”
Gis turned and issued a few orders. Several Ossisos got moving, leaving the grieving Restic to be gently led off by Nashie.
It took Amina a moment to realize she’d been elected as leader. Nope, she wasn’t doing it. Holding Ruby with one hand, she grabbed hold of Myrum’s hand with her other.
“Gis, you’re in charge, not me,” she declared, then led Myrum away.
Myrum
By the time they got to the guest room Lorse originally put them in, someone had piled their stuff on a table pulled down from the wall. Amina let go of his hand to rifle through their bags until she found something fluffy that looked a lot like the Jinjoo wool scarf Amina had given him.
She took it to the bed, shook it a few times, then laid it out. She set Ruby on it then folded it over in half, completely covering the lizard. Crouching down, she lifted an edge to peer inside.
“You’re amazing and beautiful, Ruby,” she murmured. “You saved my life, and I’ll be forever grateful. For now, I need you to stay in here. After we’ve cleaned up and changed, you can snuggle up to me or Myrum again.”
There was no movement or sound from inside the fluffy cloth. Amina seemed satisfied and stood back up. Myrum rushed to her side when she swayed a little. He wrapped his arm around her.
“Amina?”
“I’m okay,” she said, but he could feel her shaking. “I need to get clean, right now. I can’t stand this another moment.”
Myrum picked her up and carried her into the cleansing unit. After he set her down, she pushed him away.
“I can do this,” she said but stumbled the moment he let go. “What’s wrong with me? I was fine a moment ago.”
“There’s no more emergency,” he said. “Everything that happened is catching up with you.”
“Yeah, I guess,” she muttered.
Memories of struggles and the scent of blood came back to him. Not from fighting with the guards, but when he was under the influence of Lorse’s drugs back in the dining area. He couldn’t make sense of it at the time, but it explained the blood already on Amina when he came to in the hall.
“You killed the guard Lorse left with me.”
Amina lifted her eyes to his and nodded. “I, uh, yeah. I did. I’ve knocked a lot of people out and maybe even broken a few bones, but never…that.”
“Taking a life is a heavy burden,” he said, although he felt no guilt about the pile of bodies he’d left behind. He didn’t remember most of his murderous rampage but knew those Ossisos deserved their end. They could’ve walked away, but instead they were ready to enforce Lorse’s evil orders.
“She would’ve killed me,” Amina continued. “And Lorse wanted me to die. I don’t regret their deaths, but…” she paused, as if searching for the right words. “Shouldn’t I feel guilty? All I feel is relief. Does that make me as bad as them?”
“No!” Myrum held her close with a comforting rumble. “You acted out of self-defense and defense of others. They used their strength and power to hurt anyone in their path.”
She closed her eyes for a moment, and when she opened them, he saw determination. “You’re right.”
“Aren’t I always?” he asked and got the smile he’d hoped for.
“Don’t let it go to your head,” she said, then grimaced. “Enough of this, I need to get clean.”
He helped her strip down, tossing the soiled garments into a waste receptacle. Using one hand, he pulled off his belt and ripped off his pants—they were ruined anyway. He ordered the unit to turn on the sonic cleanser.
The lights dimmed and the floor under their bare feet vibrated slightly. The filth melted off their bodies and was absorbed by the specialty plating on the floor.
The sonic cleanser had gotten all the gunk off, but Amina was still shaking in his arms. He knew she enjoyed hot water, so he ordered the unit to shower them next.
A low bench slid out when he tapped a section of wall with his foot. Lifting Amina into his arms, he sat on the bench and cradled her against his chest.
She let out a sigh and tucked her face against his neck while hot water rained down on them. Her bright blue hair fanned out across her back and was soon saturated with water. Something about the color of her hair triggered a connection in his head.
Then Amina let out a sob and the thought fled.
“I’m here,” he murmured, rocking gently. “For as long as you need me, I’m here.”
He’d read that it was better for humans to let out their emotions than hold them back. It was hard to listen to her sob, but he kept telling himself it was necessary.
As she cried, more of the fight in the bay came back to him. He’d thought she’d killed Lorse also, but no, that wasn’t right. He’d seen a glimpse of Ruby on Lorse.
“Ruby killed Lorse!” he exclaimed.
Amina lifted her head, silently laughing while tears were still rolling down her face. “She did. Shocked the hell out of Lorse.”
“How?” Myrum said, thinking back to all the time the lizard spent snuggled against the exposed skin at his neck.
“A bunch of long, needle-like spikes appeared out of all the jewels on her back,” Amina explained. “I think they must’ve had toxins in them because spiking Lorse’s hand shouldn’t be enough to kill a full grown Ossiso. He also gurgled and twitched before he died.”
“It’s impossible,” Myrum muttered.
“Uh, it’s a fact. I saw her do it,” Amina said, giving him an annoyed look.
“No, I didn’t mean that you weren’t correct,” Myrum said. “It’s that none of us knew. Talins and humans have been living on Kalor for generations, and no one knew that jeweled lizards could do that.”
“You guys didn’t seem to know how smart they are either,” Amina pointed out. “Some of us are better at keeping secrets than others.”
He thought about the way she’d dispatched the Ossisos back on the pleasure ship and then the guard here. “Ruby isn’t the only one who is a lot deadlier than she appears.”
Amina gave him another grin, the tears slowing down to a trickle. “I think I’m good. I mean, not good, but better.”
He assumed she was talking about her mental state. “We can always return here,” he offered.
“I don’t want to ever come back here,” she said. “I want my room on the ship. I don’t care how luxurious this place is, it’s all a lie.”
“I didn’t mean this room or the cleansing unit,” he whispered. “I meant you can always return to my arms. I’m at your side, ready to hold you. To do anything you need.”
“Aww,” she whispered. “I’d like that.”
She wiggled off his lap, and this time when she stood, she was much steadier.
He stood up also and ordered the water off and the sonic water remover to cycle. Within a submark the water was completely gone.
“Ugh, my skin feels a little dry and itchy," she said, looking up at him. “Some nice, fragrant oil would probably help a lot.”
He didn’t understand what she was saying until she pressed her fingers to his cheek and his overfull scent gland released.
Normally this type of touch would be arousing, but right now it felt comforting. When she lowered her hand and rubbed her palms together to spread the oil, their combined scent hit his nose.
He needed more.
Holding her steady, he started with her hair, rubbing his scent gland over her head until her scalp was soaked in oil. It wasn’t enough. He covered her neck, shoulders, and down her arms next. He found bruises all up and down her back and was gentle with those areas.
Dropping to his knees, he methodically rubbed his face against her skin until the only place that wasn’t slathered in oil was the bottom of her feet. After he was done, he looked up to see a calm expression on her bruised face.
“That’s better,” she whispered and leaned over to kiss him.
“Amina!”
Helmen’s bellow made it through the sound proofing in the cleansing unit, telling him nothing could hold back the voice of a concerned Ugarian.
Far from looking scared at her angry captain's voice, Amina's expression was pure relief. “Thank god, something normal.”