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Perhaps it was his alien physiology, but he was withstanding the effects longer.
Or maybe he was just that determined to keep me safe.
As we fell, a growing sense of lethargy washed over me.
My limbs felt numb, my vision blurring at the edges.
My brain, in its oxygen-deprived state, started to wander, pulling snippets of memories at random.
Memories of the first time I had seen Talan, his towering presence intimidating yet oddly magnetic.
The way his eyes had appraised me, not just as a mate, but as an equal.
The first touch, the first kiss, the warmth and strength of his embrace.
Even as my consciousness threatened to slip away, a singular thought remained:
I didn’t want this to be the end of our story.
I wanted more time, more memories, more of everything with Talan.
Through the haze, I heard him speak, his voice distorted but still audible. “Riley, it’s okay,” he pleaded, his voice holding a note of desperation I had never heard before. “You can let go.”
I tried to respond, to assure him I was fighting, but my voice was a mere whisper, a fleeting breath.
My eyelids grew heavy, each blink becoming a battle.
As the darkness crept in, I felt Talan press his lips against my forehead, a tender gesture, filled with sorrow and longing.
It was a kiss of hope, of love, and of goodbye…for now.
With that final touch, the world faded, the turquoise glow dimming, and I succumbed to the silent embrace of unconsciousness.
Talan
“Ten...”
The familiar voice echoed, heralding the reset.
As my surroundings reconfigured, I felt the familiar curve of the pod cocooning me.
I reflexively turned to check on Riley, fearing the worst.
But there she was, her beautiful, flushed face, those eyes wide but very much alive.
A flood of relief washed over me. “Riley!” I exclaimed, reaching out to touch her.
Her hand met mine, our fingers entwining in a grip that spoke of shared experiences and fears overcome.
As my gaze darted around, taking in the other pods, I saw the Zylvari in his own enclosure.
A grimace of frustration on his face, he was still desperately trying to dislodge the grenade that was embedded in his fur.
With a final tug, he managed to wrench it free, but not without taking a sizeable tuft of his own hair with it.
The grenade blinked, its light pulsing faster, signaling, I assumed, imminent detonation.
Panic flashed across the Zylvari’s eyes, and with a frantic motion, he hurled it upwards.
