Page 19 of Theirs to Crave

Lightning flashed, and I saw all three of its arms rise and grab onto Mariano’s branch, the fourth—with that damned gray box—outstretched.

I was running, the rock held high in both hands, before doubt had a chance to break through the adrenaline. I brought the rock down with all the rage, fear, and grief that had been building up in me since I woke up in their nasty ass ship. It hit! The box crunched and sizzled, but the collars stayed on. I screamed and smashed it again, ignoring the pain. Die! Die, you evil box!

The remote broke, pieces flying off in every direction, and Cass and Salat’s collars finally went dark. Yes! I whooped, then gurgled as the bug’s arm took me across my stomach, landing me on my ass. I rolled, covering my head.

I hadn’t noticed when the rain had stopped, maybe while we’d run, but now the sky broke open, hammering water into the little clearing as lightning flashed above, illuminating the battlefield like a strobe light. Ria flew through the air, crashed into a tree, and disappeared into the bushes below. The bug that had thrown her spun, stomped, and Shane fell with a pained yell.

It would crush him, and I was too far away to do anything. Mierda, this was all wrong!

But it didn’t. It stalked in the other direction. I squinted past the rain blurring my vision. Yin and Therry crouched near the tree line, a small shadow curled up behind them. The child! Ay, Dios, the child was hurt. Now that I was paying attention, I could hear the keening, a ululating cry that mixed with the pounding rain.

I ran. Behind me, Mariano shouted, and I winced at the heavy thump that followed. Por favor que no le pase nada. I hesitated, but out of the corner of my eye I saw Cass and Salat sprinting towards him, so I kept going.

My legs burned and the clearing stretched as wide as a football field. Therry darted to the side, trying to draw the bug away, but it continued inexorably forward. Yin twisted to scoop up the child, but the bug raised its arm and xe collapsed, scrabbling at the ground.

Therry launched onto the bug’s back, graceful as a martial artist, and wrapped xemself around it, biting and clawing. It reared up, and finally I was there. I smashed my rock into its joints, hitting the places its legs met its body, trying to bring it down.

Shane appeared out of the rain, stabbing at the thing’s abdomen with a stick as blood and mud ran down his face. Histeeth were bared in a grimace. He thrust the gnarled branch as if it were a spear, the bug screeched, and when Shane drew the stick back, it was coated in green liquid. He snarled and lunged, driving his weapon deeper into the wound.

Therry screamed behind xyr muzzle, the sound vicious and exultant, and I looked up to see the second remote split beneath xyr claws. Yin slumped to the ground.Get up. Please, Abuele, please get up.Behind xem the child was crawling away, pulling themselves along by their arms, but the bug kept advancing. We weren’t doing enough damage!

I dropped the rock and grabbed one of the straps crisscrossing its abdomen. I hauled on it, digging my feet into the mud as I fought for leverage. It couldn’t have the child. No more children would die today.

The child shrieked as the bug lifted it into the air, its small hands clawing at the gray hide with desperate swipes.

“No!” I screamed, and latched onto the bug’s rear left leg, throwing my whole body weight against the joint. It stumbled. Then Ria’s hands closed over one of its straps—she was alive, thank God—and sheheaved. Her muscles bunched, and the bug thudded to the ground. Shane darted in, stabbing the torso he could now reach.

“The child,” Ria gritted out, straining. “I’ve got this.”

I dodged around Shane’s makeshift spear, sobbing as I pushed my body beyond its limits, and reached the child just in time to catch them as they tumbled into my arms. Light burst behind my eyes and I fell to one knee. They might be a child, but their body was dense and almost as tall as mine.

The bug screeched and I jerked back, dragging the child with me. The dense furry body shuddered, and they clung tome, whimpering. “It’s okay,” I panted, knowing they couldn’t understand me, but needing to offer comfort somehow. “You’ll be okay. I have you.”

“¡Aguas!”

I jerked my head up at Mariano’s panicked shout and saw the other bug barreling towards us. I tried to run, but the child’s weight made it hard to lift my legs. I slipped in the mud churned up by the fight.

We fell. Desperately I wrapped myself around the child, feeling them shaking with fear, and covered their body with mine. For a split second, all I heard was shouting, then pain exploded in my back. The agony was a living thing, blocking out the world around me. I curled tighter around the child in my arms and prayed.Por favor, Dios. Salvar al niño.

Chapter 6

Litha

Ibolted upright. My heart raced, loud in the echoing silence that followed...whatever that had been. I held my breath along with the rest of the jungle, waiting, but could hear only the storm outside. The crashing boom that had ripped me from sleep didn’t come again.

Revik was poised beside me, his pale eyes glowing and ears twitching with alarm. Zaf—who’d been curled at my back—had rolled to sprawl on his, squinting blearily through the messy strands of his long white fur.

“That wasn’t thunder,” I said.

Revik bared his teeth in grim agreement. We streaked outside, him a step behind, spear in hand. Zaf pushed up, padding to the nook where Svixa must somehow still sleep.

The noise had come from a distance, and without a word Revik and I leapt for the nearest tree, claws out, and headed to the canopy. Pride warmed me as we crested together. Learning to compensate for my missing arm had taken time, but whether I ran on three limbs or four, I was a warrior to be respected.

I pinned my ears as a torrent of rain pelted us. My fur slicked to my body, a layer of protection that kept my skin dry, but even that wouldn’t last long if I didn’t find some shelter.

Lightning flashed, blindingly bright, and I crouched into the embrace of the leaves. When my vision cleared, I stared at the massive swath of oily darkness streaking into the sky halfway between us and the mountains. My eyes shot to the looming peaks, and I let out a shaky breath. They were still and quiet.Thank the spirits. May they stay asleep.

“Is Svixa up there with you?” Zaf called out, his sleep roughened voice tight with concern.