Taming the Queen of Beasts

RETH

Reth wasn't sure at what point he'd moved, but they lay there, still joined, and he leaned his temple on his fist, staring into her eyes.

She stroked his face, following the lines of his cheeks and jaw, plumping his lip, stroking the line down his neck.

Then her eyes met his and locked and neither of them breathed for a moment.

"Elia," he rasped, then cleared his throat, but didn't drop her gaze. "I don't know what… I can't imagine a life… any life, without you. It feels as if this world will stop existing if you're not in it, and I don't know what to do with that."

Her face crumpled and she sobbed once, but she swallowed it and never dropped his gaze. "That's exactly how I feel about you." Then she started to tremble. "I'm trying, Reth. I'm really trying. But I'm just more and more scared. Not of the voices, not of the traverse, but… of losing you. I can't… I don't think I can do it!"

Trembling and broken he stroked her cheekbone with a thumb, tracing away a strand of hair that had stuck to her lip and tucking it behind her ear.

"I am never leaving you, Love. I'll be with you, the whole way. Every step. And no matter what, I know you can do this. Because it's needed and you always choose the right way."

She shook her head frantically. "I don't want to. And I'm… I'm angry. When I was dying with Elreth… when I thought I was going, but He brought me back, I begged Him, Reth. I begged him never to make me live in a world without you. Is this my punishment for being so selfish? That I have to go first and leave you? Because I don't want to! I can't imagine—"

"Shhhhh, Love, breathe. Just breathe."

"But—"

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"No, Elia. You aren't being punished. It's been my prayer too. So… let's pray that together, now, okay? Let's beg Him to find a way."

Her eyes closed and her face crumpled.

"Elia, Look at me. Look at me…" When she did, he swallowed to keep his voice steady, knowing she could see the tears now blurring his vision. "We're going to get through this. I'm here and I'm never leaving you. To my last breath, remember?" he cupped her face and made her stay with him. "The last drop of my blood spilled so that yours won't be. And if you should lose me, I'll call down the Creator Himself to keep you safe."

"Even to death," she breathed, her chin trembling.

"Even to death," he repeated.

*****

GAR

Gar had become almost robotic in his fear. He'd issued orders, helped dig holes, even climbed to the outcrop as dawn broke to see if he could find Rika on the plain. But though the spyglass gave him sight for miles, it made his breadth of vision so low, he realized unless he already knew where to look on the nearly barren land, he'd never find her.

He'd forced himself to crawl back down and help dig more holes.

Hours. She'd been gone hours. As the sky turned pink and began to blend with the grasses and sand in the distance, he cursed and started to pray.

What if the humans caught her approaching and shot her before they realized who she was?

What if they dragged her back to their ranks only to kill her as a traitor?

What the hell had he been thinking, letting her go?!

Sweating and terrified, he knew he needed to pull himself together before he went down and started dealing with the Protectors again. They were watching him. Following his lead. Expecting him to have the answers they didn't.

He couldn't fall apart.

He'd never help Rika if he fell apart.

The center of his chest, that spot where the bond wanted to form, throbbed again and he pressed a hand to it, uncertain if he was trying to soothe an ache, or hold in the feeling that… that seemed to be pulling for her.

Gar's breath stopped.

Please, he prayed. Please let her be okay. Keep her safe. Keep me with her. Somehow… don't let this be the end already. Help me to help her. Please.

That place in his chest pulsed again, almost pulling from under his skin.

Gar gasped and pressed hard with the heel of his palm.

Breathless, he sat up and tried to breathe deeply. He needed to get back down to the camp, but he was reluctant to leave this spot where he might catch even a glimpse of her.

He turned, then, forcing himself back to his duty. But he would carry Rika in his thoughts—

That space in his chest pulsed again, this time pulling for his spine.

Wait… what?

Gar looked down at himself, no longer pressing on that spot.

He turned back to face the Plains, searching them with frantic eyes. But there was nothing.

"Rika?" he breathed, and his chest tugged again, forward.

The piece of him that belonged to her was pulling towards her.

It couldn't be, could it? The bond hadn't taken. They still weren't cemented… but he turned sideways to the plains and prayed.

Please, if this is real… let me see it.

"Rika," he said, gruffly, and his heart seemed to pull for his ribs.

Creator's light, it was real!

Gar almost wept. He could find her. He'd find her anywhere. It didn't matter. Something within him knew her and called for her and he would follow it to the ends of the earth.

No matter what.

He just had to live through this. And so did she.

"Thank you," he breathed a little bit more easily than he had before. "Thank you."

He scrambled back down the hill to the encampment and the preparations they were making.

All of the Protectors that had been flown had long arrived. The birds were all resting, preparing to scout and potentially need to travel again. But the Protectors were digging holes, cutting stumps, making camp.

They had a plan. He had to remember that. The Creator had a plan and all they had to do was follow it.