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I started looking around for a safe place to hide for the night. We would not lay out in the open as bait. But the farther I ran, the more I realized there was no place to use as sanctuary here for us.
Spying a few boulders ahead, I raced in that direction. As the sun slid lower, I placed Summer on her feet. “Wait here?”
“I will.” She peered back in the direction we’d come from. “Be careful.”
After ensuring nothing lay in wait near the closest boulder, I jogged to the next and rolled it over to the first, wedging the two together. I collected more until I’d created a circle with a secure spot in the middle. We would be exposed overhead, but safe enough from anything that could approach on the ground.
A leap with Summer and Tumbles in my arms, and I stood on the top of a boulder. I jumped and landed inside.
Summer dropped to her feet and removed the crushed food pouch from her back, laying it on the ground beside the water flask. At least we still had this. If Burmoot was here, I’d be tempted to kiss him for making sure there was enough food and water to carry.
Actually, I wouldn’t kiss him, but I owed him a lot.
I sat beside Summer as she unwrapped our food. We shared it, tossing some to Tumbles, who appeared completely recovered.
After, we lay in the sand and stared at the stars. The moons joined them, dancing together across the sky.
Tumbles curled up between us, and there was nothing sweeter than lying on the warm sand with my mate while our little friend slumbered. Both she and the creature trusting that I could keep them safe.
“Tell me what will happen once we leave here?” she whispered.
She was wise to keep her voice low. I doubted much would pass this location, and the monitors would’ve backed off until morning, but voices carried in the desert. Something could hear us and investigate.
“We will travel to my brothers.”
“My friends are with them. I can’t wait to see them again. I barely had a chance to get to know them, but in that short time, we started to trust each other.”
“I’m glad you did not face this alone.”
She sighed and snuggled closer. “Will we build a house?”
“I will build you a palace.”
“I don’t need anything fancy like that. A small place for me, you, and Tumbles will be enough.”
And any sprits we might have together. We hadn’t discussed children. How could we? We didn’t know if we’d live for more than the next tick.
I could picture Summer holding a being we’d created together; a mix of us both. The best of us both.
My hearts ached because I wanted this dream to come true. I would do all I could to make it happen, but what if that wasn’t enough?
* * *
We slept and woke with the sunrise and the monitors humming in close to our faces. I swatted one to the side, my hand skimming the metal material.
It sent a bolt of electricity through me. While I lay twitching on the sand, Summer sat up.
She gaped in horror. “Adone. Adone!” Rising, she raced toward the monitor.
I gulped out a groan, and she slowed. “Don’t . . . touch . . . it.”
Grabbing a fistful of sand, she threw it at the monitor. It hit squarely, and the mechanical device whirred backward, smacking into a boulder. It dropped to the ground. The lights flashed behind the viewscreen for a tick or two before they blinked out.
Summer rubbed her hands together, glaring at the device. “Don’t mess with me.” She stomped over to it and kicked it hard enough that it shot toward another boulder. It shattered on impact. “Good. Good! Don’t mess with me.” Pivoting, she dropped down beside me and stroked my forehead. “Adone. Are you okay?”
The shockwaves slowed, and I was able to move. “I will live.”
“That was horrible.” She collapsed in my arms, and I held her while the last of the electricity left my body.
