Afterglow - Tsireya

Chapter 26

Pandora Reef

Metkayina clan

"NO, NO TSU'TEY!" Tsireya shouted as loud as she could, trying to get the demon's attention, but it was futile; the knife had already swiped across his chest, but the Omatikaya boy didn't react. He didn't move or even acknowledge that he had been hurt.

"Please stop," she begged, tugging at her restraints and fighting the grasp the avatar behind her had on her.

The colonel held his hand up once again, stopping his minion's actions as he walked back over to Tsireya. Anyone could see that the two Na'vi were infatuated with each other. Tsireya refused to look at the man; her eyes were trained on Tsu'tey's limp figure, and she couldn't tell if he was breathing.

"Why should we stop, princess? If you give us what we need, I'll let you go." The colonel smirked, bending down to her eye level, but her azure eyes still wouldn't meet his.

"Just tell me where Jake Sully and Freddie Evans are," he asked her in broken Na'vi, but enough for her to understand his demands.

She was put in an impossible position: to save Tsu'tey and herself or give his father, her best friend's father, She couldn't do it. She wouldn't do it, but seeing the love of her life so drained and weak killed something inside her, so she did the one thing she was taught not to do. Lie.

"I do not know."

The colonel smirked darkly, pinching his fingers around her chin and forcing her to look at him. "Wrong answer, princess."

"Kill the boy."

Tsireya's head shot up. "No, no." She thrashed against her restraints, turning around and biting her captor on the forearm.

"Ah shit!" they cried, letting her queue go. Tsireya quickly scrambled over to Tsu'tey, hovering over his body protectively and hissing viciously at the avatars.

They all pointed their guns at the pair but held fire, waiting for their orders. Tsireya placed her tail over Tsu'tey's body, holding him close. "You're going to be okay," she whispered.

"Tsireya!" he coughed, blood spilling out of his mouth.

"Shhh, it's okay. Look at me." His bloodshot eyes lazily drifted to hers. A sad smile made its way onto her face, knowing this would be the last time she saw him. "Nga yawne lu oer Tsu'tey".

Tsireya sat up, gasping for breath. Glossy tears streamed down her cheeks like a waterfall. Her hands flew to her chest, searching for the bullet wounds, but she found nothing.

Tsu'tey, who was still awake, felt Tsireya squirming in his arms before she shot up, crying and gasping for air. "Reya," he said, but he got no response. He crawled in front of her. "Reya," he said louder, placing his hands on her wet cheeks.

When he came into her vision, Tsireya immediately collapsed into his embrace, clawing at his back to keep him close, scared that if she let go, her dream would come true.

"I can't keep doing this," she cried, snuggling closer to his neck and breathing in his scent.

"I know, my love," he whispered, threading his fingers through her hair. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Tsireya pulled back from the hug, shaking her head like a child. She was still a child, but the world had forced her to grow up before her childhood came to an end.

"Okay," he murmured, pulling her back into his embrace on the forest floor. The princess snuggled into his chest, but her eyes remained open. Tsu'tey left kisses over her forehead and temple, reminding her that he was still here and he wasn't going anywhere.