She's teaching me lessons. The General of the Southern Jungles is learning from a human who's been on Nova Aurora for three days.
The suns were setting by the time they made their way back toward his estate, both of them sweat-soaked and covered in the purple film that seemed to coat everything in the jungle. They'd built and torn down three different shelter configurations.Started fires with four different methods. Identified dozens of edible and poisonous species.
Most importantly, they'd learned to move as a unit.
"We're going to survive this," Jade said as they emerged from the jungle's edge.
"I think so."
And maybe—just maybe—she'll choose to complete the bond when they do.
For the first time, Raikar allowed himself to imagine a future beyond mere survival. High Commander and High Queen, leading their people not through inherited authority but earned respect and trust. Partners in every sense of the word.
But now, the title mattered less than the woman walking beside him, her confident stride speaking of someone who'd found her place in his world.
It's not the rank I want anymore. It's her.
FIFTEEN
JADE
The pre-dawn darkness wrapped around Jade like a second skin as she woke beside Raikar, their bodies naturally curved toward each other despite the magnitude of what lay ahead. Through the partial mate bond, Jade could feel his consciousness stirring—alert, focused, radiating the controlled intensity she'd come to recognize as his battle-ready state.
Starting today, we prove ourselves or die trying.
The thought should have terrified her. Instead, it sent a thrill of anticipation through her veins, the same electric charge she'd felt before championship matches when everything she'd trained for condensed into a single moment of truth.
"Ready?" Raikar's voice pierced through the silence, low and commanding even in the intimacy of his bedroom.
"Born ready." She rolled out of bed with fluid efficiency, her body already shifting into combat mode. The partial bond hummed between them—his determination amplifying her own, and her confidence steadying his deeper currents of worry.
They dressed in synchronized silence, each movement deliberate and steady. Jade pulled on the cargo pants and long-sleeved shirt she'd selected for this journey, the fabric designedto protect against thorns and insects while allowing maximum mobility. The boots were broken in from her years of training, molded to her feet like a second skin.
Raikar moved with predatory grace as he donned identical gear, his massive frame making the practical clothing look like armor. When he strapped the bow and quiver across his broad shoulders, the sight sent heat spiraling through her despite the seriousness of their situation.
Focus. You can admire your mate's assets after you both survive the next seven days.
"Canteen, knife, fire starter, basic medical supplies, one change of clothes." Raikar's voice held the crisp authority of a general conducting final inspection as he packed his small backpack. "No food, no shelter materials beyond what we can improvise."
Jade nodded, securing her own gear with efficiency. "Yes, the rules are designed to strip away every advantage except what we bring to each other."
"Exactly." His blue eyes met hers, and she felt his fierce protectiveness surge through the bond. "We succeed together or not at all."
Ten minutes later, the walk to the sacred jungle stones felt both endless and far too brief. Dawn painted the sky in shades of amber and rose, the twin suns casting shadows across the stone pathway. Jade's muscles hummed with readiness, her senses sharp and cataloging every detail of the world around them.
This is what I trained for my entire life without even knowing it.
"You're thinking too hard," Raikar observed, his shoulder brushing hers as they walked. "I can feel your mind racing."
"Just processing." She shot him a sideways look. "Are you nervous at all?"
"Terrified." The admission surprised her with its honesty. "But not of the jungle. Of failing you."
The vulnerability in Raikar's voice made her chest tighten. Through their bond, she felt the weight of his legacy pressing down on him and the crushing responsibility of proving their connection worthy.
"You won't fail me," she said fiercely. "And we won't fail each other."
His hand found hers, their fingers interlacing naturally. "Promise me something."
