Page 54 of Adored By the Alien Warlord

The male walked back down the channel, leaving me.

I sagged against the bars, defeat washing over me, but only for a moment before I turned to the tray, picking it up and carrying it to the back of the cell. I sat on the ground with the tray on my lap. Some kind of stew, thick and lumpy and cold. I didn't want to eat. I didn't want to do anything but curl up and cry. But I had to be ready for whatever might come next.

So I ate, each spoonful a chore, the food tasting like nothing. I forced it down, washing it away with gulps of water from the small jug. When I finished, I placed the tray near the door and lay down on the floor, wrapping my arms around myself while trying to find some warmth, some comfort in the darkness.

The damp, cold stone sunk into my bones. My eyesclosed, I blocked out my situation, replacing this horror with thoughts of Davon, of his strong arms around me, his warm breath on my neck. I remembered the way he made me feel, the way he made me smile, the way he made me believe we could have a wonderful future together.

Those memories were all I had, and I clung to them as I drifted to sleep, where my dreams were filled with Davon's face, his touch, his love.

I woke to the sound of distant bellows and the clash of metal against metal. My eyes flew open, my heart thundering up my throat. I scrambled to my feet, pressing my face against the cold bars, straining to see down the hall, but whatever was going on was taking place beyond this corridor.

The sounds of battle echoed through the cavern, the noise bouncing off the stone walls. It was hard to tell how close it was, but it was real. Something was happening, something that might change everything.

Hope surged through me, a fierce, wild thing that refused to be dampened. I gripped the bars, my knuckles turning white.

The noise grew louder, the clash of battle ringing in my ears. Shouts were followed by screams and the sound of bodies clashing, of weapons striking. The battle was coming closer.

My heart flipped over, because Iknew.

Davon was part of the group and he would be leading the charge.

Chapter 30

Davon

The passage yawned ahead of us, ready to swallow us whole. Valdar, his general, and two guards took the lead, and I followed, the rest of our group falling in line behind. Narrow, the tunnel's rough walls brushed my shoulders as we moved single file, our steps muffled by the soft earth. The air grew colder and damper with each step, the scent of mold and something sharper bringing on a cough I could barely suppress.

Valdar held up a fist, and we halted. A faint glow ahead revealed a guard post tucked into a narrow section of the tunnel. Two males stood in the shadows, their scales barely visible in the dim light, their voices low and bored.

Valdar turned to me, his eyes gleaming in the darkness. He held up two fingers, then made a slicing motion across his throat. I nodded, understanding. We'd to take them out quietly.

We crept forward, our bodies hugging the wall.Valdar and I exchanged a glance, then moved as one. He grabbed the first guard from behind, his hand clamping over the male's mouth as his other dragged a dagger across his throat. I did the same to the second, his body convulsing before going limp. We lowered them to the ground and the others dragged them into a small channel nearby to hide them.

Valdar motioned for us to continue. The tunnel branched off into a maze of interconnected passages, but he navigated them with confidence. I stayed alert, my ears straining to catch any sound, my eyes scanning the darkness for threats.

The tunnel opened into a larger cavern, the ceiling high above us lost in shadows. A group of the king's loyal guards huddled around a fire, their voices echoing in the vast space. They looked up as we entered, their eyes widening in surprise.

With a roar, I charged, my sword gouging out. The Veerenads behind me rushed in, their battle cries filling the air. The guards scrambled to their feet, drawing their weapons, but we were already upon them.

I fought with a ferocity born of desperation, my thoughts only on reaching Maggie. I parried a guard's blow, then drove my sword through his chest. Another lunged at me, his spear aimed at my heart. I twisted to the side, the spear grazing my arm, leaving a burning trail of pain.

Sand erupted from the floor, flinging itself at him, and he cried out, staggering back.

My sand gods were helping.

“Thank you,” I shouted to them.

Grunting, I ignored my wound and slammed the hilt of my sword into his face. He staggered back, and I finished him off with a thrust.

Around me, the Veerenads fought with equal ferocity, quickly overwhelming the guards. They fell, their bodies littering the cavern floor.

Valdar clapped me on the shoulder, his snout pulled back in a fierce grin. “We're close, Davon. We'll find her.”

We pushed on, the labyrinth of tunnels growing more intricate. The passages twisted and turned, and I'd be lost if Valdar wasn't guiding the way. Narrow corridors opened into wide chambers echoing with the distant drip of water and the scratch of unseen creatures.

The glow of light ahead made us slow. Valdar held up a hand, and we melted into the shadows, our backs pressing against the rough stone walls. He and I exchanged a look. I suspected this was more than just a guard post; this was the heart of the caverns and possibly the king's last stand.

I leaned out slightly, peering into the vast chamber beyond. A contingent of the king's forces huddled around a large fire, the flames creating shadows on the towering walls. Numerous, they looked uneasy, their eyes darting to the many tunnel mouths stretching out from around them. They must know we were coming.