Chapter 16
Zathar
I braced myself as I entered the Ancestor cave beneath Ahoshaga, my scales rattling along my spine in discomfort.
This place was the epicenter of so many ghost stories; why was Corin going here?
This was a bad idea so I had to make sure it was safe before Vera stepped foot inside these caves.
If it were up to me, I’d turn tail and leave right this instant.
It appeared that it was not my decision, however, so I steeled myself and crossed beneath the decorative arch of the gate.
Opening my eyes as wide as I could to catch the light, my vision honed in on the unusual configuration of this place.
The gate led through a small antechamber directly into a large circular room that delved deep into the mountain.
A walkway surrounded the ‘pit’ and doors led off it at intervals, spiraling all the way down.
A strange round platform was to one side of the pit as well, with a railing that hung open above the hole.
Each of the doorways was flanked by a set of windows.
If I didn’t know any better, I’d say this was a tiny village inside a mountain, with the bottom of the pit functioning as a town square.
It was quaint, and cozy, not at all what I expected of a place that inspired so many stories.
A place so spooky that hunters tried to avoid going there at all costs.
Corin had one door open at the top of the circle, only the tip of his tail sticking out.
Reid was next to the door, leaning against the door jamb as he watched what my friend was doing.
Light flared to life just as I heard a noise behind me, the scuff of foot coverings on rock.
Throwing up a hand to cast shade over my face, my nictitating membranes slid over my eyes to help me adjust to brightness.
Vera and Cosima were right behind me, staring with open mouths at the little village inside the mountain.
Vera looked awed and happy, and she looked beautiful silhouetted by the fading sunlight at her back and the soft glow of the yellow crystals in the ceiling.
I moved because I just couldn’t help myself, she was like a magnet, always drawing me closer.
“Woah, Zathar, this place is amazing! It could be exactly what we need, don’t you think?
” she asked me as soon as I curled the tip of my tail around her ankle.
I grunted in response, wondering the same thing, but where was the catch?
This place was supposed to be haunted, this looked too good to be true and it was obvious that Corin knew his way around it.
Still, I nodded at her, “Yeah, it does look promising.” And with its location, we could still reach Artek if we needed the Shaman’s help, but we were out of the way enough not to be bothered by any of the Clans.
Corin appeared from the room, the pilot slung over one shoulder and his hands covered by some kind of dark grease.
“Zathar, inform the humans this room is off-limits, it’s the control hub.
We can each pick quarters to bed down in, I’m taking Min-Ji to the medicine room.
Don’t disturb us.” He spun on his tail and entered the next door down the walkway, the human over his shoulder lifting her head just enough to give me a vacant-eyed, confused look.
Turning to Vera, I repeated what my friend said, and she passed the message along yet again to the other two humans.
Then I found myself trailing after them, still clutching one sword in hand, my senses on alert.
They were opening doors along the top walkway that circled the pit as they checked out each space.
I expected a ghost or a phantom to leap out at us from behind every door but all that met us was dusty rooms. Apartments Vera called them with delight.
Before I could really process what was happening, Reid and Cosima each claimed one such place for themselves and Vera was staking out the next one with equal excitement.
I eyed the space with trepidation, glancing over my shoulder at the hazy violet light filtering in from the cave entrance. Wouldn’t it be wiser to sleep outside for now, so that we could properly check each place tomorrow, during full daylight?
“You can have the next one Zathar, they’re all the same in size,” Vera told me, and my whirling mind ground to a halt.
What? Why did she say that, I was sleeping where she was.
Did she really think I was going to leave her alone in here?
In this haunted place? She was smiling at me as though she’d said something perfectly normal but it wasn’t until I shoved my own worries aside that I realized she was nervous too.
Not about ghosts, she didn’t believe in those, something else.
Was it our mating? She wasn’t having doubts now, was she? I was about to ask when Cosima dodged around me, nearly tripping over a coil of my tail. She swung an arm around Vera’s shoulder, smiling brightly my way, “Sorry Zathar, let me have a word with Vera for a quick second.”
The two females disappeared into the apartment, stepping out of sight around the corner.
My tail, which had loosely been coiled around Vera’s ankle, tightened on instinct and I allowed her leg to drag it with her as she moved.
I did not want her to be out of my reach in this place; not until I was sure we were safe here.
I had to talk to Corin to figure that out, but I couldn’t interrupt what he was doing right now.
That was my reasoning for keeping in contact, it wasn’t because I meant to spy on their conversation.
I really didn’t intend for that to happen but once I caught their hushed voices, my ears tingled and I leaned in closer anyway.
A flush stole along my cheekbones that darkened my scales, I shouldn’t do this, but I couldn’t seem to stop myself.
I wanted to know what human females said to each other when they thought a male wasn’t listening.
“Whew Vera, you are one lucky girl, you know that right?” Cosima murmured.
Vera sounded defensive and confused when she asked why that would be and I could easily imagine her standing there with her arms crossed over her chest. After what she’d told me of her life back on Earth, I assumed that she didn’t consider herself a very lucky female at all.
“We were all supposed to be dead, and here you are with this hunky male after you, declaring you his fated mate and all that. You’ve got a real chance at living, a chance at something good and amazing!
And I’m going to have to live vicariously through you, you get that right?
” I had never heard Cosima string so many words together, possibly because she wasn’t shaking in her foot coverings in fear right now.
And unbelievably, it sounded like she was advocating on my behalf of all things, urging my mate to be with me.
“I see,” Vera said, amused. “You don’t think it’s too fast?
Or too strange? We’ve barely gotten to our feet here.
” She moved her legs, pressing one against the other, pinching my tail between her calves.
I instantly knew that she was letting me know that she knew I was listening in.
Busted. I should feel bad for doing so but this conversation was far too interesting to move away, so I curled the flexible tip of my tail a little more tightly around her appendage, making sure she knew I wasn’t leaving.
Cosima huffed, “This is a new world, we can make up our own rules here.” She sounded fierce and determined as she said it but her next words were much less certain.
Her voice wobbled a little as she spoke, “I had a fiance on Earth you know. Time could be short, you should grab it with both hands while you have a chance at happiness.”
The sound of footsteps was my only warning, I twisted my body out of the way as the small female rushed out.
Her eyes were leaking again and she was dashing them away with her fingers, barely able to see where she was going as she ran.
I kept careful watch until she’d ducked into the chamber she’d claimed as her own.
Worried that she might make a misstep and tumble over the railing and fall to her death on the quaint village square below.
Vera’s hand on my arm and her warmth against my side made me angle my head to look down at the silky crown of pale hair above her round face.
She was staring after Cosima as well, a sad look on her face.
“I don’t think Cosima led a very happy life, but she’s right.
I shouldn’t dither, I shouldn’t think about what others might think when they’re not even here. Join me in these chambers, Zathar?”
I grinned, my heart speeding up. Thank you, Cosima. I vowed to myself that I would try to be more patient with her and watch over her like I would over Vera. I clearly owed her for talking Vera down from her nerves.
***
Vera
Zathar swung me up in his arms and kissed the daylights out of me as soon as the door closed behind us.
I’d been ready to just say screw it to all the dust in this place, I wanted to see where that kiss would lead us.
Zathar was more disciplined than that as it turned out.
Taking off his huge backpack he’d sacrificed one of the smaller furs inside it for a cleaning rag.
He’d gone outside to gather some supplies, urging me to come with him and telling me the others should be there too.
Then he’d shown us all how to craft our own hand brooms from the vegetation present.
Mine was a bit lopsided, and branches kept slipping out because I hadn’t managed to tie it tight enough.
Cosima turned out to be a total perfectionist, and she remade hers three times before she was satisfied she had it right.
While we humans set about sweeping the dust from our chosen rooms and the upper walkway, Zathar went to get water.
Disappearing deeper into the several stories tall center of the little village.
I’d seen the look of trepidation on his face, but he’d masked it well.
If I leaned over the railing I could see him putter around at the circular center all the apartments looked down on.
He returned with two earthenware jars in his arms filled with water.
After that, the four of us made short work of the remaining dirt and debris.
Corin showed up, without the pilot, by the time we’d handed out the furs available to make beds for everyone.
We were just sitting down at the entrance to watch the sunset while we ate.
“You worked hard I see,” he said as he sat down with his own ration cake.
He coiled his tail around himself, almost huddling together as though he was cold.
Zathar in comparison had his tail spread out, a good portion of it curled around me, and the rest soaking up the remaining rays of sunlight, his scales sparkling a pretty blue.
Zathar twisted his head to look at his friend, “How is the pilot, is she healing?” Corin’s expression tightened briefly but he nodded.
Affirming that she was getting back to good health in a few clipped words.
He was acting like a completely different person from before but when Zathar expressed what had been worrying him since we got here, his expression cleared up and he started to laugh.
“Zathar, this place isn’t haunted, there’s just a lot of working technology here.
That’s why there’s flickering lights, strange sounds, and even sightings.
It’s just holographs. I’ve been working on restoring some of it with the Shaman’s help.
We’ll have working power for light and heat, and running water once I get the pumps to work.
Trust me, this is a fantastic place to live in. ”
The possibility of running water, of actual plumbing made me super excited too and I eagerly prodded Corin with questions about it.
With Reid pitching in his own when he realized what we were talking about.
I told Corin about our experience with the holographic parade down in the city and now the male was practically vibrating with excitement.
If not for his need to be here, I imagined he might have marched off to visit that hologram himself.
Cosima didn’t participate in the conversation, she picked at her food and stared at the remains of the greenhouse.
Her head tilted at an angle, I didn’t think she was actually seeing anything on this planet, lost in her own memories.
She’d been reminded of her life back on Earth earlier, and it was clear that she’d been crying a lot again, her eyes red-rimmed.
I didn’t know how to help her and was still contemplating that when Zathar picked me up and carried me inside.
The sound of Reid and Corin laughing behind us echoed in the tunnel entrance, followed by a loud whistle from Reid.
A blush was stealing up my cheeks but I felt elated too.
This felt like a thing friends would do and that wasn’t something I ever really had.
Cosima was right, I had a real chance at happiness, and I should grab onto it with both hands.
Zathar, the kinship I felt with the others here, it was going to be good. We could make a life here, not the life I thought I would have. Something better.