Chapter 5 #2
Lacey smiled, her eyes stinging with the threat of tears. “We’re family, Cole. We’re all bound to bicker at some point, but we’re all here for each other. And even if you’re an asshole sometimes, I know you’ve always got my back.”
“Yeah, I do,” he said with a chuckle.
She gave him a light punch on his arm. “Now stop or you’re gonna make me cry.”
Cole grinned, but it slowly faded as he turned his gaze past the deck railing.
“I haven’t told anyone else this, but when I finished this deck and sat here for the first time, looking out at all this…
” His eyes took on a wistful, distant gleam.
“I cried. Tried to hold it back, but once that first tear came out, they just wouldn’t stop.
Because it’s beautiful here, and it feels like home, and…
and because of everything we went through to get here.
It all just kind of hit me, you know? How hard it all was, and how fucking lucky I am to be here with all of you. ”
Lacey’s own tears dripped down her cheeks, and she quickly wiped them away. She hadn’t expected her day of relaxing in the sun to turn so emotional, or for Cole to be the one to make her cry, but here they were. And she understood all too well how he felt. “We’re all very lucky.”
Quietly sniffling, she blinked, hoping the breeze would dry her eyes.
Cole glanced at her and gave her a contrite smile. “Sorry.”
Lacey waved him off. “It’s fine.” Her gaze shifted, wandering over Kaldarak’s platforms and the vrix living their lives upon them. “Do you think things actually would’ve been different if we had made it to Xolea?”
“From here? Definitely. From Earth?” He laughed. “Same shit, different planet.”
“You’re probably right.” Lacey held the bowl of sweetseeds out to Cole again. “More?”
He took another handful. “Thanks. Actually, that reminds me. I’ll be heading out with a hunting and foraging party in a few days. We’re going farther out than usual to look for Hunter’s eyes flowers, since Garahk says our stores are low. Guess it’s some kind of medicine.”
“Dude, it works freaking wonders.”
Cole chuckled. “I take it you had some?”
“Yeeeeesssss. It made my cramps bearable.”
“That’s good. Not like we can run down to the store and pick up a bottle of aspirin.” Cole tipped his head back and dumped the handful of seeds into his mouth. As he chewed, he asked, “You wanna tag along to find more magic painkiller flowers?”
“Sure. It’d be nice to get out there and explore again.”
Brushing his hand off on his shorts, he rose from the chair. He stepped into the sunshine, stopped at the railing, and bent down to brace his hands upon it. “We’ll be setting out a little after dawn in three days. You know where to—” He tilted his head. “What the hell is up with him?”
Lacey’s brow knitted. “Huh? What’s up with who?”
Cole pointed down. “Telok.”
Her breath caught. She hadn’t seen Telok since he’d left her tied up in her den, but she’d known he would come looking for her soon. And strangely, her now racing heart wasn’t pounding in fear or anger, but anticipation.
Setting the bowl down on the chaise, Lacey swung her legs off and stood, joining Cole at the railing.
Three levels below, Telok had just reached the bridge leading to the city’s little human section.
His lower arms were curled around a bundle of spears that remained eerily steady despite the speed and force of his stride, which made the bridge bounce and sway beneath him.
He was halfway across when he lifted his head, all eight of his furious eyes locking on to Lacey. His mandibles gnashed, his arms tightened around the weapons, and his upper hands clenched. His growl was loud enough to carry straight to her.
Oh, he’s spitting mad.
Lacey snickered.
“Um, what the fuck did you do?” Cole asked.
“Just a little payback.”
Cole looked from Lacey to Telok and back again. “Right. Well.” He stepped behind her, placed his hands on her shoulders, and turned her toward the steps leading down. “Was nice of you to visit, but I’m pretty tired. See you later!”
“Hey! Wait!” she cried as he pushed, guiding her forward. “Cole!”
“Respectfully, that dude can be scary enough when he’s not pissed off. I am definitely not standing in the middle of whatever shit you stirred up with him.”
Lacey turned her head and glared at him. “What about having my back?”
He stopped when her feet reached the top step, where he gave her a pat on the back. “We all have to learn to fight our own battles sometimes, don’t we?” He turned and ran, calling over his shoulder, “Good luck!”
If Cole had darted into his den any faster, Lacey swore he would’ve left a cartoonish, human-shaped dust cloud behind.
Lacey sighed and slowly took the stairs down. “Well, time to pay the piper.”
As she reached the bottom step, she saw Telok stalking toward her, his quick strides thumping over the wooden boards.
She smiled sweetly as she walked over to meet him. “Don’t you look extra grumpy today.”
Telok halted a few feet away from her, broad shoulders rising and falling with ragged breaths. His bright green eyes were ablaze in his scarred, mask-like face. “You did this.”
With a smirk playing upon her lips, Lacey notched her chin, crossed her arms over her breasts, and cocked a hip. “Did what?”
Dropping his lower arms, he dumped the spears onto the platform. They landed heavily, wooden shafts clattering, stone heads thudding and clacking. Lacey’s breath hitched.
He thrust a clawed finger at the pile. Dirt and leaves clung to the weapons, some of which were missing the beads, feathers, teeth, and claws with which Telok had adorned them. One shaft was snapped in half, several more were cracked, and at least two blackrock spearheads had broken.
A stab of regret twisted in her belly.
No, no, no…
This wasn’t supposed to have happened. They weren’t supposed to be ruined.
Well, what’d you expect? You’re hundreds of feet above the ground!