The biting cold seeps into every scale, and even my aquatic physiology, typically resistant to extreme temperatures, struggles against this merciless chill. I know that if it’s difficult for me, then Mia, with her human fragility, is faring far worse. We must find the next oasis, and fast.
A metallic clatter behind us catches my attention. I turn to see one of the ever-present drones plummet from the sky, its mechanisms frozen and failing. Another follows, then another, their egg-shaped bodies disappearing into the deepening snow.
“Even the drones can’t handle this cold,” I mutter over the howling wind.
Mia’s reply is a mere whisper, her lips blue and trembling. “If m-machines are freezing… What chance do w-we have?”
She is most certainly right, but before despair can settle in my chest, I catch sight of a dark smudge against the white landscape. As we draw nearer, the smudge takes form—a cave, its gaping mouth offering us sanctuary from the relentless cold.
“There,” I say. “We’ll rest there for the night.”
Mia doesn’t reply, her head lolling against my shoulder. I sweep her into my arms, my heart lurching at how icy her skin has become. Cradling her close, I quicken my pace, striding toward the cave with purpose.
Mia’s body is cold as ice in my arms. I half-run, half-stumble into the cave’s mouth, kicking snow from my feet as I go.
I lay her against a wall. “We need to get you warm,” I say, though I worry she can’t hear me.
I scan the cave, spotting dried moss and sticks on the ground. There’s a small chance, I think, dropping to my knees and sifting through the debris. I search for something—anything—that might catch a flame. My fingers close around a piece of flint. It’s not perfect, but it will have to do.
I get to work, clearing a space in the center of the cave and arranging the sticks and moss into a small pile. With a few strikes of the flint, I create a spark, and the dry material catches light. I blow gently, making the flames grow higher.
Soon, a fire blazes before us. Mia’s eyes flutter open, and I pull her closer to the flickering light. She stares into the flames, her eyes half-lidded. “T-thank you,” she whispers.
I know warmth alone won’t be enough for her to recover. She needs sustenance. I stand, scanning the cave walls for anything edible. I notice a cluster of strange, iridescent clams clinging to the damp rock. I approach cautiously, prying one free with my knife.
I sniff tentatively at the creature inside. No acrid scent of poison. With a silent prayer to the gods, I place one of the clams on a flat stone near the fire’s edge, letting the heat simmer the flesh. The shell pops and sizzles, releasing a savory aroma into the air.
Once it seems fully cooked, I extract the meat and place it on my tongue, testing it for any hint of poison or danger. The flavor is briny, but not unpleasant. I swallow and wait, assessing my body for any ill effects. When none come, I harvest the rest of the clams and cook them in the same manner.
I return to Mia’s side and offer her the strange bounty, now steaming and fragrant. She takes one hesitantly, eyeing it with suspicion. But hunger wins out, and she takes a tentative bite.
“It’s… actually really good,” she says, reaching for another, and soon the both of us are eating to our hearts’ content.
As the last morsel disappears, a contented silence settles over us. Mia leans back, a small smile playing at the corners of her lips. “I feel… almost human again,” she murmurs, and I chuckle at the irony of her statement. For a moment, the weight of our predicament seems to lift, replaced by a shared sense of relief and gratitude for this simple pleasure amid the chaos.
As the fire crackles and pops, casting shadows on the cave walls, I watch Mia’s face. The warm glow softens her features, highlighting the gentle curve of her cheek and the flecks of gold in her eyes. Time seems to slow, each moment stretching as we bask in the newfound warmth and safety.
Eventually, Mia breaks the comfortable silence. Her voice is barely above a whisper, as if she’s afraid to shatter the peace we’ve found. “You know, I never really allowed myself to think about it before, but…” She pauses, swallowing hard. “I honestly didn’t believe I’d make it out of here alive. Being trapped in this place… It’s a constant reminder that Earth might as well be in another universe.”
It’s difficult to hear these words, but I try to keep my expression neutral. Part of me was selfishly hoping that she would start to see a future with me on Mythos, but I know it’s wrong to wish for her to be torn away from the life she once knew.
And that’s when she says it. “Yet now that we’re nearly at the finish line, I almost dread going back.”
An idea sparks in my mind, and I lean forward, catching her gaze with my own. “Your spirit, your wisdom… it would be valued on Mythos. And with my position, I have vast resources at my disposal. You could enact real change, make a difference in the lives of countless individuals. If that’s what you wanted, of course.”
To my surprise, Mia bites her lip, considering my words. “You know… I think I’d like that,” she admits with a soft smile. “A chance to start over, to build something meaningful… It’s more than I ever could have hoped for back on Earth.”
But as quickly as her smile comes, the levity fades from Mia’s expression, replaced by a pensive shadow as she looks out toward the cold harsh environment we barely escaped from.
She draws her knees up to her chest, hugging them close. “I thought…” She trails off, her gaze downcast as a faint pink dusts her cheeks.
“What is it?” I ask, reaching out to lift her chin so I can meet her gaze.
“I thought we might not make it. I thought we’d never make it out of that cold. And one of my last thoughts before we found this cave…” Her voice trails off again, but then she looks up at me, her eyes filled with determination. “I want you to make me yours, Krakenos. In case we don’t get the chance again.”
My heart pounds as I lean in, my lips a breath away from hers. “Are you certain, Mia? This is more than just a physical act. It’s a bond, a mating of our souls. I want you to be sure.”
She nods, her eyes never leaving mine. “I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life.”
With a low growl, I capture her lips in a kiss, pouring all of my longing and desire into the embrace. Mia melts against me, her soft curves molding to the hard planes of my body. I trail my hands down her sides, relishing the shiver that runs through her at my touch.
Breaking the kiss, I gaze into her eyes, seeing my own hunger and need reflected back at me as I murmur, “Then let us waste no more time.”
Chapter 14
Mia
That brush with death in the icy wasteland? It shook something loose inside me.
I’m done fighting this. Whatever this is between us, it’s not going away. And honestly? I’m tired of pretending I want it to.
My heart’s pounding like I’ve just run a marathon. Krakenos’s gaze is fixed on me, dark and hungry. It should freak me out, but instead, it’s like a magnet drawing me in.
I shake my head.
No more second-guessing. No more what-ifs. I’m about to do something crazy, something that goes against every survival instinct I’ve relied on since I got here. But for once, I don’t care about the fallout. I just want to feel alive.
