Caged With The Alien Warrior

24.

Aanya

We got to planning while we washed ourselves and got ready.

I cleared my throat. "I don't think they're bringing back Lani, they'll probably come for a physical examination. But, I won't be here by the time they come." I gave him a wicked smile.

We went back and forth on it, but this was the only way it would work– I'd use the grate that the breeding drug came out off to go find Lani, get to the escape pod, create a distraction for Ronan to escape, and we'd meet at the pod.

Ronan didn't like being separated from me and I didn't love it either, but he couldn't fit in the grate. We had to move quickly before the lizardmen noticed.

"Here's where the vent is." I pulled Ronan over. "I know it looks completely smooth, but it opened, I swear."

I knelt down and knocked until it sounded hollow. "Here! It's right here." I tried to pull at the barely noticeable edge, but it wouldn't budge. I pursed my lips. "Now, how do we pry it–"

Ronan slammed his fist into the metal and the centre pushed inwards while the edges lifted. Huh. That was easy. I glanced at the hallway– nobody heard Ronan punching the metal, thank goodness.

He pulled the edge and ripped it fully off the wall, revealing the grate. He ripped that off too, muscles flexing. Hot damn. He made that look so easy.

I glanced around the cell. Didn't need anything, not that there was anything to bring. I shifted on my feet as Ronan watched me. "Well, I guess it's time for me to go." I stalled, not quite ready.

"Stay safe, Aanya. Don't take any unnecessary risks. Leave me if I don't make it to the pod." Ronan's gravelly voice was low and serious.

I froze. What?

"Leave you?" I choked out. "No, no, I won't." I fervently shook my head. "Would you leave me?"

"Never." The word left his lips like a promise.

My voice broke. "Then why would you think I'd leave you here?"

"Because you're so much better than me, Aanya. You don't know what I've done." There were storm clouds in his blue eyes, darkening his gaze.

"I don't care about whatever you did in your past. I care about now and what you've done for me. You're a good man." I poked him in the chest to emphasize my point. "A good Rhodinian, whatever you want to call it." I met his gaze, eyes watering. Did he really think so little of himself?

"Together or not at all, Ronan." I promised.

Ronan was silent for a long beat. "Together or not at all." He nodded in agreement.

But that didn't help the doubts that plagued my thoughts. I bit down on my lip. What if I couldn't find Lani? What if Ronan got hurt? What if the lizardmen–

I forced my brain to stop focusing on the what ifs and focussed on the here and now.

Now, Ronan was here with me and this might be the last time I see him if this didn't go well.

With adrenaline pumping through my veins, I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him down to one last desperate kiss.

Our first and last kiss.

A kiss that said that he was worth it to me. That he was everything to me.

I felt his surprise in the kiss, the rigidity of his frame, but I wrapped myself around him and kissed him with everything I had in me. He relaxed, leaning into the kiss. His arms wrapped around me, holding me close.

Heart pounding, I twined my hands around his neck and desperately tried to memorise the feel of his soft lips, the press of his body against mine. A tear escaped, rolling down my cheek.

I pulled away and crawled into the vent, not waiting to see his reaction. He didn't kiss me before because he wanted to keep things impersonal, but I couldn't. Ronan had become personal to me.

We would escape. I knew it in my bones that we could.

As I crawled through the winding metal vent, tears silently rolled down my cheeks. Why did this feel like goodbye? 

✶ ☾ ✶

AUTHOR'S NOTE

Ahhhh such a sad ending there... 💔💔

We need a ship name for Aanya and Ronan... any thoughts? Ronya? Aanan? lmao I'm bad at this

Comments and votes are much appreciated.

Virtually yours,

Ro