Page 89 of When Eden Falls

“Rooke,” I pulled him away from Kobe, lowering my voice, “are you sure about this?”

The vulnerability in his eyes instantly resurfaced. He was doubting himself. “What else can I do? I don’t know for certain if Solarfleet has been alerted to our situation. We could be trapped here.”

I nodded my fragile head. Nux, how much sleep had I actually got last night? The feeling of fatigue was causing my head andeyes to ache. Glancing down at the golden dagger hanging at my side, a sense of uncontrollable fear overwhelmed me. “You know this could be dangerous, really dangerous. I’m concerned Cora’s not strong enough. She’s not a soldier, Rooke. She appears to be struggling.”

Rooke scanned the group, resting his eyes on Cora, who was propped up against a tree, rubbing her stomach. Her cheeks were flushed, her hair a tangled mess of tight curls. She didn’t portray the pretty, happy go lucky girl she’d been when we arrived over a month ago.

“I don’t think the announcement about Troy has helped,” I said.

Rooke watched her for another moment before looking back at me. “Stay to the rear of the group with Oz today. Keep an eye on her.”

“Sure.”

With gratitude, Rooke squeezed my hand before returning to Kobe to resume their conversation.

With the freshness of the sea breeze far behind us, the air had become sticky and uncomfortable. The only advantage was the Igknamai were less likely to be active when the day was so hot.

We stopped for food around midday but didn’t linger. We were back, trudging the red soil before our stomachs had time to settle.

As Rooke requested, I kept to the back of the group with Oz at my side, Dybgo and five of his men behind us. Sweat beaded my forehead, across my chest, and down my back. I’d removed my jacket earlier that morning, tying it around my waist, but without its protection, my heavy backpack had begun to chafe against my shoulders. I sighed, shifting the weight of my luggage, glancing up at the green, towering canopy overhead. I could’ve sworn the trees were getting bigger. Thicker as well as taller.

It appeared we were in the depths of Igknamai territory now. The majority of green foliage, lower than two metres high,was missing or damaged. The forest floor was littered with dead animals, shredded in ways I wouldn’t let myself contemplate. Only the red, mottled tree bark remained untouched.

We climbed a tiered ridge where the earth and trees fell away to the right, exposing a large, twinkling lake far below. The water was a stunning blue, entering the lake by a cascade of trickling channels through the trees. Surrounding the large pool were rocks and lush green grass, dwarfed by the towering trees and rockfaces. If I hadn’t known better, it looked the perfect spot to take a swim. With the sweat soaking most parts of my body, the thought was tempting.

Voices ahead caught my attention, and I realised I had stopped walking, lost in the stunning sight calling to me. Oz was now walking with Zamya. Cora ambled behind them, completely oblivious to her beautiful surroundings. My worry for her was growing by the hour. Earlier, I witnessed her trying to discretely vomit behind a tree. Throughout the day, she continually wiped at her face, drying the tears that seemed to fall in abundance.

A gentle hand touched my elbow and Dybgo’s voice rumbled, “You need to keep moving.”

Continuing to watch Cora, I sighed and slipped back into a steady pace. Dybgo fell in step with me, and I adjusted my backpack again, only soothing my sore shoulders for a fragment of a second.

“If it’s becoming an irritant, one of my warriors can carry your bag.”

I frowned up at Dybgo. “That won’t be necessary.”

“You barely slept last night. You must be exhausted.”

Why was I not surprised he knew every detail about my restless night? “I’m fine.”

I increased my pace, but to my dismay, he matched it. His eyes continued to flick towards me, eventually resting on my exposed left wrist where the golden bracelet remained locked around it. I quickly shifted my hand, snatching Rooke’s token up in my palm, obscuring it from view.

“Have you thought anymore about my proposal?”

With his eyes on his claiming token dangling from my wrist, it was obvious what he was referring to. My gaze remained ahead. “Yes. And the answer is still no.”

There was a short pause before he said, “Is there a reason behind your stubborn reluctance?”

I huffed a laugh. “Do I really need to explain?” I gave him an incredulous look, only to feel baffled at why he appeared so confused. “Dybgo, I’m not Akquarian. And I have no inclination in becoming someone you can copulate with for a few weeks. It’s not going to happen.”

“That’s not what I want.” He pulled me to a stop, and I glanced at his hand gently cupping my elbow. He stepped closer, lowering his voice. “Eden, I’m different. I’m not looking for a mate to last a season. I want something more. I crave a connection, a belonging.”

“And you believe I can give you that?”

“Yes.”

I craned my neck back to look at his face. He was either an accomplished actor or he sincerely meant every word. The hunger in his crystal blue eyes was suffocating, but there was something more lingering there—hope.

“Dybgo, I’m not the one you seek.”