Caged With The Alien Warrior

34.

Ronan

Blank darkness.

For a long time, that's all there was. The sharp pain of the axe, a scream, and darkness. Brief flashes of pain and darkness again. Warmth in my hand. Pain. Darkness.

It was comfortable floating in the darkness. I didn't have anything to worry about. No thoughts, no worries, just darkness.

My chest ached, like I had to remember something. No, I didn't want to remember. I just wanted the comfortable darkness.

But my chest ached more and more.

There was something I had to remember. Something important.

Flashes interrupted the darkness. Dark hair strewn across a pillow. Warm brown skin. Soft pink lips.

Darkness.

"You're alive?"

"No, I'm a dead person blinking at you, Yes, I'm alive!"

Darkness.

Twinkle, twinkle, little star,

How I wonder what you are,

Up above the world so high,

Like a diamond in the sky.

Darkness.

"After all this, I swear I will make this up to you."

"I trust that you'll get us out of here."

"Together."

"Together."

Darkness.

"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 A good Rhodinian, whatever you want to call it."

"Together or not at all, Ronan."

Darkness.

The darkness wasn't comfortable anymore. It was suffocating. I had to get back. I had to remember.

I fought against the darkness and pushed through. My whole body ached and burned, on fire. But I had to push. I had to remember.

My eyes shot open, lights blinding. But I remembered. All I remembered was one thing– Aanya.

Aanya, Aanya, Aanya. I had to get to her.

Blinking, I tried to clear my vision. Where was I? What happened? Why was I here?

I repeated her name over and over in my head. My memories were fuzzy but my soul remembered. I had to find her.

Gingerly, I checked the wound on my chest. I prodded it and felt it healed over. What?

I shot up, ignoring my body's protests. If my wound healed, then it had been days at least since I'd been injured. Being separated from Aanya for so long... was she alright? Was she safe? Was she harmed?

So many questions banged around my skull. My eyes scanned the room. I was in some sort of lab. But I was in a bed. Maybe a hospital?

Memories trickled back as I ripped the monitors off my chest. We were escaping the Szentists. Did they recapture us? Take Aanya and Lani away from me?

Oh Stars, Lani! I sucked in a breath. Was she alright?

I squeezed my eyes shut. They had to be okay. They had to.

This didn't look like the Szentists lab. But where else could we be? It didn't matter– wherever I was, they separated me from Aanya and Lani. I'd do whatever it took to get to them.

Suddenly, pain shot through me. I clutched at my chest. Something was wrong with Aanya. I knew it. I had to get to her, now.

Staggering, I swung my legs out of the bed and stood.

The door opened with a whoosh and someone walked in, wearing healer's robes. He froze on sight.

"You– you were in a hibernative state," he spluttered. "How in the stars are you awake right now?"

"Where's Aanya?" My voice came out hoarse and rough from disuse.

"Wha–"

I cut him off, stalking over. "Tell me! I know you have her somewhere!"

He spluttered and I pushed past him. Some part of my brain saw that he wasn't a Szentist, he was a Rhodinian. But that didn't matter. Something was wrong with Aanya and I had to get to her.

An alarm started blaring and I ignored it, pushing my aching body into a run.

Guards blocked my path and tried to stop me, but I fought back, punching and fighting my way through.

Nobody would stop me from getting to her.

Blindly, I ran, chest heaving. Somehow, I knew which way to go. Something inside me knew whether to turn right or left to find her, where she was.

I ran, panting, sweat pouring down my back. My body wasn't ready for this but I didn't care. I had to get to her.

Two last guards blocked the doors I knew I had to get through.

"Commander Hawke?" one of them said, brows raised.

I took their surprise and knocked them both out with quick blows, pushing past into the room. I didn't care what room it was, only if one person was in that room.

"Ronan?" A familiar redhead said, grabbing my arms. Drogon. "You're supposed to be in medbay, what are you doing here?"

I couldn't deal with him now. I had to get to her.

Finally, I found her. Her and Lani. Aanya was stumbling, staggering as she untied Lani from her front.

She was just as gorgeous as the first time I laid eyes on her, albeit more tired and thinner. How long had we been separated? Her long dark hair was duller, the rounded curve of her hips less rounded.

But Aanya still held her chin high, defiant, brown eyes shining. She swayed on her feet.

I ran over and caught her as she fell, holding her safe in my arms. 

✶ ☾ ✶

AUTHOR'S NOTE

EEEEK RONAN'S BACK BABY

It was so fun to write in his POV again. Not so fun to write him almost dying. 

Anywho, drop some emojis in the comments that describe how you felt this chapter!!

Comments and votes are much appreciated.

Virtually yours,

Ro