Orc’s Forbidden Claim (Red Planet Dragons of Tajss #33)

22. Khiara

22

KHIARA

I keep my left hand on the wall, searching for the break. I gave the lantern to Sek’su so it would be closer to the females. They need the light more than I do. While my hand does its work, I keep my eyes on the floor and walls. We are getting close to home. There will be traps and I cannot miss one. The danger we are in is very real.

Saylor and Wren whisper back and forth. I resist the urge to hush them. They are keeping quiet enough and if anyone is close enough to hear them it is already too late to avoid detection. I can only hope that they are not. Also, I can hear the nervousness in Saylor’s voice. She hides it well, but I know her.

How is it I know her so well? There is nothing in the mudrosti or oral histories like this. A dragoste, of course, but how did the soul of my dragoste end up in a human body?

I am sure that Dilacs hasn’t thought about this. I love my brother, but he is not one for deep thinking. This is the kind of question that one would pose to the Shaman and the Maulavi. I snort. As if. That was before. Before the current Shaman, before his insanity.

My people have been lost for so long. Hope was something they abandoned long ago and so did I. Every day was only something to get through as we waited for the coming of the next world. A better world that was, hopefully, less terrible than the one we were in. Afterall, there is only so much pain and misery anyone can stand.

It wasn’t my suffering that killed my hope. My brother and I were doing well enough, all things considered. It was those less fortunate. Those who ended up on the outskirts where I would be on patrol. Seeing them living in hovels, their children with barely enough food to survive. Cold without enough resources for warmth.

We had been retreating before the encroaching lizards for generations until we were down to our last stronghold. A stronghold that was crumbling around us. The once-abundant resources of the mountain's blessings were under the control of the lizards. Secret raids into their territory to gather the supplies we needed to care for our people had become our only option.

Once we Urr’ki were numerous. Dozens of populous cities spread through the underground. That was long ago, though. Before the lizards followed us below the mountain. If only they had remained above. We had relinquished the surface, why could that not be enough for them? We are the First Born of Tajss! An involuntary growl escapes.

“Heh?” Sek’su questions.

I motion with a hand that it is nothing then return to my thoughts.

Where did the souls go?

The question forms itself and then it is like the reverberations of the bells that call the people to the city center. Echoing off the walls of my mind until it resounds so loudly it must make the universe itself pay attention.

The concept of dragoste, as I understand it in simplicity, is that Tajss created a whole and then split them into two. I am no Maulavi and though I do more thinking than my brother, I am also no philosopher. Why did Tajss split them in two? Because it wanted to, is the only answer I can think of.

But the two seek each other, over and over. Only feeling complete when they are together. Only whole when they are close. Urr’ki were numerous and now we are not. So where did the souls go?

The lizards once dominated the surface. Now they too are destroyed. I know they have their idea of a ‘treasure’. Such a stupid concept. As if your dragoste can be owned or is a thing. Yet the idea is similar enough, and shares enough bonds that there must be some connection. How else could two different species, ones who hate each other, have such a similar concept?

Something catches my attention, pulling me from my thoughts and I stop immediately. I stop so fast that Sek’su bumps into me. He grunts but I hold up my fist to keep him silent. Saylor and Wren are also silent.

Of course, she is. She’s as smart as she is beautiful.

I crouch and study the ground ahead. I’m not sure what I saw, only that something is off. I reach my hand back. When Sek’su doesn’t hand me the lantern I wiggle my fingers, and he finally figures it out. He’s slow but what do I expect from a lizard?

I move the lantern around trying to spot what is off. When I reach the right wall, I see it. A small crack in the wall but the shape of it makes it clear that this is not a natural crack. It was made. I know it because I’ve made hundreds like it myself.

Remaining in a squat, I move back. The others move with me. When I’m clear of the path of the trap I stand up and go to the right side. Somewhere along here, there will be a wire. It will be close to the wall. I need to find it and see how they rigged the trigger.

I give the lantern back to Sek’su and then point at the section of the wall where the wire should be. He nods understanding, then his hand goes to the lantern hood, and he moves to slide it open. I stop him by putting my hand over his and shaking my head. There is a very good chance that a patrol is not far away, possibly waiting in ambush for us.

It takes me too long to spot the wire. Whoever did this is good. Very good. That does not bode well for us. The last thing I want is to put Saylor at risk and no matter my skill or determination a fight is always a risk. Only a fool thinks otherwise.

I follow the wire up to the ceiling and see the trigger. It’s close to the ceiling. The urge to hurry up is strong. The longer we are in this main tunnel, this close to my home, we are at risk. Rushing is exactly the wrong thing to do, so I take a deep breath and hold it while clenching and unclenching my hands.

A hand presses into the small of my back. A tiny, perfect hand that I know the moment it makes contact without needing to look. Saylor has silently come to stand behind me and is giving me her support. I feel her love in her touch as if it is a warming energy that flows into my body to feed my soul.

I let out my breath slowly and with it goes the tension, replaced by the calm and certainty that her touch, her love brings. Ready, I return my gaze to the trigger. And I see it. If I had rushed, I would have missed it. The obvious trigger is a dummy, the real one is better hidden.

Understanding the trap now it is an easy matter to disarm it. Remaining silent, I turn to look at Saylor. My heart speeds up. The soft light of the lantern illuminates her features while casting half her face into dancing shadows.

Her eyes shine like a pool illuminated by silvery moonlight. I touch her face, trailing my fingers over her soft skin. My cock stiffens at the touch and for a moment there is only us. The others and the danger are gone. It is us, in our world, and together we are perfect.

There is no time for this and no matter how much I want to stay like this with her, protecting her is more important. I move my hand to her shoulder and point behind Sek’su with my free one. She nods and returns to her place of relative safety.

I watch until she stops next to Wrenlee, then force myself to turn, and face the empty tunnel. I disarm the trap and do not see any further tricks or a secondary trap, but there is always the chance I missed it. I take a slow step forward with all my senses on high alert, looking for the slightest hint that anything is wrong.

I commit my weight to the first step with as much care as I can manage. Nothing happens. I pause, letting my heart rate settle, then take the next step. I repeat this for twelve steps before feeling certain I did not miss anything.

Turning back to the others I raise my hand to motion them forward, then I hear it.