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Jax’s arms tightened around me for a second, probably at the implication of the Thorzi “needing” anything other than their own self-reliance, but then, as Marex’s comments sunk in, he nodded.
“Then perhaps you should indeed show us how your people live, Marex,” he finally agreed. He took my hand in his, squeezing it tight, and let Marex lead us out into the Zathki tunnel complex.
CHAPTER28
JAX
Marex had insisted that it was safest to shelter here, in the Zathki tunnels. I did not believe him. Even if he had meant no harm, even if he had convinced other Zathki to lend us their aid, one of them could decide that we remained enemies. They might attack at any moment.
The only solace I had was that the narrow glares were entirely directed at me. None of them seemed anything more than curious about Wesley.
That, I could understand. Even compared to Zathki, he was little and very, very pink. His arms were slight and graceful, his hands well-formed and quick, but there was nothing about him that screamed of threat.
Not like me. I stood as tall as any Zathki, and broader than them all. My arms were thick with muscle. I had trained my body to survive the harsh jungles of Thorzan, to protect the king’s only son even at the cost of my own life.
It seemed to me, trapped as they were in these tunnels, some Zathki not seeing sunlight for days—or weeks, or longer, if the paleness of their light blue skin and stark white hair was anything to go by—they did not have much to do but sit around and train their minds. Moving, burning calories, only used more of the resources which seemed all too rare here.
I was going to go hungry.
“Why are you stomping around like that?” Wesley asked as we came into the communal dining hall one evening for dinner. Marex insisted that we see ourselves fed and provided for, and, I thought, perhaps he wanted his people used to the idea of a Thorzi around who didn’t pose a threat to them.
That didn’t make his people any fonder of me.
“I don’t want to take anyone unaware,” I grumbled, scowling heavily at one of the scientists who pressed against the very edge of the wall to avoid getting any closer to me than he had to.
“You’re just scaring them,” Wesley said, already going to get a tray from the counter where some Zathki stood and served food to others. “You could just, you know, try smiling?” His warm brown eyebrows bounced on his face. “You’ve got a nice smile.”
At that, such a small thing as one compliment, I was grinning at him again. “Yes, well, I have to reserve that sight for you. They can take my growling.”
The Zathki ladling food onto a tray looked at me with a disgusted grimace. For Wesley, I spared him a smile as well, but I was all too happy to follow my human to one of the long tables where we could be alone.
As soon as we sat, the Zathki gave us plenty of space. There were a handful who were familiar with us from the ship’s repairs, but it seemed they remained at work. All of these faces were new to me, and I searched each expression for malicious intent.
“Do you think the Thorzi wouldn’t be struggling to survive if you’d all stayed together?” Wesley asked, feigning nonchalance as he stared down at his unappetizingly nutritious slop.
I sighed. “I do not know. I doubt it. According to Crux, the genetic end of a species is coded into its DNA. Mages and warriors were going to struggle, and we do not know that the Zathki are not facing the same problem.”
Wesley looked around. “Seems like there are still plenty of them...”
I shrugged. “Our people have been apart for eons. So long that we do not remember the name we bore when we were one. Perhaps they changed. Evolved. And we did not.”
“Or you both did. I mean, hybrid warriors like you—they change a lot. What you and I can do... we can...”
I did not realize I had stopped breathing until my head began to swim. He was thinking again of the power he had taken from me and amplified. I grimaced.
“We do not know what that means yet, my Wesley. We are compatible, yes. Very.” I watched as one of his warm blushes rose under his skin. Suddenly, my lungs were full to the brim, my heart throbbing and engorged. “But it is dangerous.”
He pursed his lips. “I don’t think so. Hell, it’s not any more dangerous than traveling across the universe to come here. Than a battle on spaceships. Than surviving the cold.”
I sighed. “But you—you do not—”
My teeth set. I did not know how to describe to him all that he could lose. All thatIcould lose. He was mine now, I had felt it in our bond, and I was not interested in him for his power.
He was right, we were compatible, but that only made me want to keep him safe by my side. I wanted Wesley, not whatever might or magic he could call on. I did not want to stand by watching as my own marks provided the torch that burned him through.
But I didn’t know how to say that, how to warn him without scaring him, and before I had decided, a young Zathki had approached.
The table was between us, as he stood on Wesley’s side. At once, my hands hit the top of it and I was on my feet, ready to spring over and defend my mage.
