The Two Sides of a Sword

Chapter Ten

A familiar black and blue blur slammed into the violent creature, knocking it off its feet. They locked into a writhing ball, shouting and hissing as they rolled around the forest floor.

Oh thank goodness, Xinn is here. Wait. Crap. Xinn is here. Aley struggled to her feet, slower this time now that death was not imminent, eyes locked on the brawl. I should get away while they're distracted. But I shouldn't just leave Xinn, what if that animal hurts him? Xinn roared when the creature bit him, revealing his sharp teeth before raising the raccoon-thing up with one hand and smashing it back down into the dirt. You know what, I'm sure he's fine. She turned and started to hobble upstream as fast as she could. Hopefully they would fight long enough for her to get out of sight and Xinn wouldn't know which way she went.

A piercing scream shattered through the forest. Aley spun around to see Xinn stepping away from the now-bloody animal, blue eyes alight with adrenaline. His head raised, eyes locking onto her.

Crap, crap, crap, crap, crap. Aley turned again, trying to use her wings to give her more speed as she hopped along. "The worst is death and death will have his day." Now probably isn't the time for Shakespeare. "Woe, destruction, ruin, and decay." No, stop that! I'm not dying! Yet...

"Savioress!" Splashes sounded off behind her, getting closer with every half second.

Nope, I'm going to die.

She screamed when arms wrapped around her from behind, hoisting her into the air before slinging her into a bridal hold. She squirmed in his arms making as much noise as possible.

"What are you doing?" Xinn grunted as she smacked him.

"Let me go!" she cried.

"I just saved you from the qirwa—why are you running?"

"Let. Me. Go!"

He tilted his head back to keep from getting hit across the face. "Savioress, please. Calm yourself. I've been looking for you all night—what happened? Did a valicaran chase you out here?"

Seeing as it was futile, Aley paused her struggles, chest heaving as she glared at the alien. "No, I left on my own. I'm tired of being locked up in your prison; I'm going to find Rocki."

"You won't be able to find her on your own. The mountains are almost two days away from us and you can hardly walk."

"I can manage on my own." She smacked his chest. "Put me down! I'm going to find Rocki and I won't let you stop me."

She felt him sigh a little, although it was so quiet she couldn't hear it. "I'm taking you back to the village. You're safer there than you are out here on your own."

Aley shrieked, twisting violently in his arms. "No! I won't go back to that prison!"

He frowned. "It's not a prison. The Protection Site is the safest place for you."

She glowered at him. "Why can't you understand? I hate it there. I'm supposed to be some sort of big important person to you guys, but you treat me like I'm a prisoner of war."

"We give you all the respect we can."

"That's not what I mean! You lock me up when you can't be around me so I can't leave. You feed and visit me on a schedule. You keep everyone away from me. I'm not even allowed to shower. Does that sound like high quality treatment to you?"

His unsettling eyes shifted away from her guiltily. "I... I hadn't thought of that. We have a reason for all that we do."

She heaved out an irritated sigh. "I know. But that doesn't make it any better." The smell of blood hit her nose like a punch, making her almost gag. "Can you put me down? I think I'm going to be sick."