Wings of Freedom

Chapter Seventeen

"These are the ones who took you? I'll kill them!"

"Hold your horses! For all we know, they could pull some huge weapon and fry you! Actually, they could probably just swat you down."

"Not if I set them on fire."

"Whoa, whoa! No torching the green beasts! I'm pretty sure they don't even know we can spew flames and it's best to keep it that way. For now."

The Kymari watch us warily as Lucas bares his teeth in a snarl. His wing comes forward to block their view of me, but I just roll my eyes and huff, poking my head out from the side. If the Kymari were going to hurt me, they would have already. I've been with them for... I don't even remember how long. I've never been good with time, but I know it's been a while.

"This is disappointing. Once the Elders find out that they're mates, they'll force us to set them free in the forest," Fenrir notes with a frown. His eyes flicker towards me before they meet the ground, and a weird feeling bubbles up in my chest. I'll be free...?

"Indeed. With how small the population of the lizards are, one couple is vital to keeping the species alive. However, are they really together? The female seems rather far away from the male, not as intimate as I would think they'd act." Lonuk sounds absentminded in his comment, definitely more curious that anything. His eyes are trained on Lucas, and I can tell it's taking everything in him not to run over to inspect the new specimen. Lucas, on the other hand, looks about ready to set the whole house up in flames.

"Lucas, do you hear that? They think we're, um... together, so they'll probably let us go." I nudge him lightly, garnering his attention. No matter how much I try to ignore it, some part of me is sad. I'm not sure why though. I assume it's because I've probably already missed so much of Clarissa and Kassie's growing. They'll be much bigger when I see them again.

"Yeah, only we're not together," Lucas states coldly, making me recoil slightly in hurt. The way he said it, like it could never ever be possible, hurt. I stuff the thought deep inside, feigning ignorance.

"Well yeah, obviously. But we can just pretend, right? Just until we get out. It's not like they'll know any better," I try to reason. Lucas has never really talked about the whole relationship thing, so I assume he has someone special in mind. I don't want to hurt his chances by pretending to be his lover when I'm not, but desperate times call for desperate measures. And who would ever know besides us?

"Pretend...?" Lucas mutters with narrowed eyes, before he throws an, almost sad, look at me. "Sure, whatever."

"Alright. Now, how do mates act?"

"I don't know. Isn't Alissa with someone? What do her and her mate act like?"

"Um..." I frown and try to think. What do they act like? "Well, they're close. Like always. Whether that's emotionally or physically, though normally it's just subtle things like touching wings or lying near each other."

Lucas nods. "Alright. Doable." He moves his wing from in front of me to on top of me, pulling me flush against him. A warm sensation blossoms in my chest and heats up my face. Is this how Alissa feels around her mate? It feels... nice. "What else?"

"Well, uh... They like to... Mmm... I don't know." I sigh, brows furrowed. And it's true. I have no idea. I never really paid their affection much mind.

"Okay... I have a friend who has a mate and, um, he normally like... does this." Slowly, as though hesitant, Lucas rests his head on me and buries it in my shoulder. I 'eep' at the movement but don't turn away. My eyes stay trained on the Kymari, who watch us with interest. Lonuk has stars in his eyes and looks about ready to fanboy, while Fenrir only gapes in disbelief. Whether it's over Lucas and I's 'relationship' or the fact that Lucas instantly calmed down when he brought me closer, I'm not sure.

"They're definitely mates," Fenrir opines quietly, now avoiding my eye. Lonuk nods eagerly, his fingers twitching at his side. Cautiously, so as not to scare us, he takes a small step forward. The reaction is immediate; Lucas' head shoots up and he releases a deep growl, eyes narrowed into slits. My eyes snap his way.

"Lucas!" I chide tersely, a hint of anger slipping in. It surprises me a little, the cause of the outburst unknown. He glances at me questioningly, if not in a slightly annoyed manner, before focusing in on stone still Lonuk. A bead of sweat rolls down the green alien's temple. "Stop that! He's not going to hurt us! He's just like a curious little kid, if not more of a dragonet fanboy. He wouldn't dare try touch us, not like this."

Lucas' jaw tightens and his narrowed eyes fly over to mine dubiously. "Are you serious right now, Zara? I knew you were a bit unstable as of late, but this is ridiculous!"

"Unstable?" I hiss. "And what the hell is that supposed to mean, huh?"

"Oh, please! Alissa told me everything after you disappeared. Your mood swings, your random spacing out, your disappearances, everything! When was the last time you slept willingly, huh?! You practically went insane when the girls went missing. Not to mention, you dropped a huge bomb on them before flying off. Now that got me when she told me. Since when do you have a kid?! Or should I say had a kid now?"

That set me off. He dare to-- knowing everything I went through! A snarl rips through my throat as I pry myself from his side, my claws extending as I swipe at him. His eyes widen in surprise before he dodges out of the way, wings spread for balance.

"Shut the hell up! You don't know a damn thing about me!" I snap, tail lashing out furiously. "You think that just because you've heard about some of my problems, you suddenly understand my whole life?! Let me tell you something, Lucas; you don't know even the slightest bit of my old life and you wouldn't understand how it still affects me to this day! You don't know the way I feel or the memories I have! You don't know a single thing!

"Oh, and for your information," My voice gets quieter, running out of fury to fire it, "my son has been dead for 8 years, before the aliens, and I'm glad. I'm glad he died before I had to leave him."

It's silent. The tension leaks from my body as I slump to the sand, tears pricking my eyes. Lucas is completely still, still processing my admission. Wordlessly, I turn to look at the Kymari standing awfully silently nearby. Fenrir is watching me with eyes full of worry, a sight that, for some reason, brings me a sense of comfort. Lonuk tilts his head at me with a frown.

My eyes narrow to slits and I jolt upright, releasing a wrathful roar. My wings twitch and I take to the air, ignoring the searing pain. The Kymari both start yelling and jump back, but it doesn't seem to register in my head as I bank towards the vent in the wall. A black head pops out to stare at me and bloodlust overrides all my senses, a familiar heat building up in the back of my throat. Without a second thought for the observers, I let the scorching flame loose, a single thought in my mind.

Kill it.