Aurix the Bold

An arc later, Aurix and Inanna stopped at a pond tucked into a shady copse to water and rest Destra and Aoni. They’d been ridden hard and needed the break.

Nyx descended in a rush of wind and wing. She was clearly exhausted and in far worse shape than the caples. She drank her fill, then stretched out on the grass in the shade of a giant pooja tree. Her pink tongue lolled between fangs nearly the length and breadth of Aurix’s finger as she panted.

Aurix sat at her side and stroked her massive head as she recovered. “You did great,” he said to her.

She dropped her chin between her paws and closed her eyes.

After a few seconds Inanna looked up from filling her water skin with wide eyes. “Gods, is that her?”

Aurix laughed. The vibrations from her purrs sent tiny ripples over the surface of the pond. “She’s the size of a pony! What did you expect?”

“Not for a giant raga-God thing to purr like a kitten.”

Aurix shrugged. “I don’t think she can go back up like this. It’s got to be a lot of work to keep aloft. She’s wiped out.”

“She doesn’t need to, does she? Regulus knows where to find us, and we’ll attract more attention than we want if people see her in the skies.”

“True. I guess I didn’t realize it would take so much out of her.”

“What shape are you going to have her break into next?”

“I don’t know.” He shrugged. “I hadn’t thought about it. I suppose I’ll let her be whatever she wants. Whatever requires the least amount of energy to maintain, maybe?”

In the distance, back in the direction that they had come, Aurix could just make out a speck of white on the road moving toward them. He dipped his head to the east. “Here he comes.”

Inanna turned. “Drak. I was hoping to have you to myself for a bit longer.” She gave Aurix a smile and a wink that set his heart into a gallop faster than Archaeon could ever hope to run. “You’re blushing,” she said.

Not for the first time, Aurix was glad she was on his side. He might be persuaded to give her all of Valeria if she asked. “What made you decide to come?” he asked.

Inanna walked around the edge of pond and sat down next to him. She put her hand on his arm. Her skin was warm, but chills radiated outward from her touch. Aurix shivered uncontrollably. “You,” she answered in a whisper that gave him more chills.

“Me? I—uh…huh?”

She giggled, clearly pleased with herself. “Sure.” She took her hand away, leaving Aurix temporarily dizzied. She bumped her shoulder against his playfully. “I don’t like feeling indebted to anyone.”

“Huh? Me? I mean—“ Aurix shook his head trying to clear the cobwebs and sighed at how easy it was for her to get to him. “You don’t owe me anything,” he managed.

She shrugged. “I feel like I do. That’s all that matters.” She smiled at him, her eyes twinkling as they reflected the sunlight off the pond. “What you’re trying to do is crazy and probably impossible, but there’s no hope of you doing it alone. And Regulus is my friend. Plus, I like you.”

Aurix blushed again and bumped his shoulder back into hers. “I like you too.”

“I know,” she said. “But so does everyone.” Her smile changed subtly. “I suppose I also wanted to be more than just a pretty face for once.”

“You’re a pretty good shot,” Aurix said.

She laughed. “Taught by one of the best in Midian,” she said. “He couldn’t wait to get his hands on me. He had to teach me the correct form, you know.”

The statement left Aurix irrationally angry. “Has it always been like this for you? People fawning all over you all the time?”

“Yes, but it’s different now than it was when I was little. Everyone wanted to hold me, pick me up, coo at me, pinch my cheeks. Then I was always the one that other kids wanted to hang out with—constantly. It could be smothering. When I got boobs… don’t even get me started.”

Aurix thought he might pass out if the blood in his body didn’t stop rushing all over the place. “Uh—,” he cleared his throat. “I guess that must be hard.”

She nodded. “It can be, I guess. Sometimes. But it can also provide me with just about anything I could ever want.”

“How do you manage to not take advantage of that?”

She gave him a sly look. “I do. All the time. How do you think I’ve managed since my parents died?”

“Still, you just said yourself that you could have anything. Yet you’re here.”

“Dyne and jewels are just things. Pretty things, sure, but things. I’d much rather have friends that matter.” She smiled at him to let him know he was one of those that mattered. “Besides, if you do manage to overthrow Xu’ul, I could always be your queen.”

He felt the blood divert again, flooding his face with warmth. “I’m not going to be Ra, Inanna.”

“No?”

“No. Sorry to disappoint, but I don’t want to rule Valeria.”

She pursed her lips, pondering. “What if Valeria wants you?”

Aurix sighed and fell backwards, collapsing in the cool grass. “Why does everyone sound just like Shlee?”

“Probably because he knew what he was talking about. I imagine 400 revolutions comes with a fair bit of wisdom. I know Regulus respected him.” She twisted her body so that she was facing him. Her face grew serious. “I’m sorry we didn’t get to Skypierce in time.”

“You couldn’t have known. We didn’t even know. We walked right into it.” He stared up at the sky, just beginning to pink up with Nova’s rise. Tears pooled in his eyes, but none fell. “I’m alright. It’s strange without him, but at least I’m not alone. Had you guys not come along, I would have been. Or dead, I guess.”

The sound of hoofbeats was audible now. Regulus was guiding Archaeon off the road toward them.

“Well, if you need to talk…” she trailed off.

“Thanks, Inanna.”

“What happened,” Aurix asked, as the white stallion lapped at the clear water. “You didn’t kill their stags, did you?”

“No. Unless I must to eat, I don’t kill animals, lad. I respect them too much. Flux bombs are identified by their color. That shade of blue is invisibility. I considered using it on us, but Xu’ul’s Aegis could still have tracked our hoofprints. Easy enough to know where we’re headed anyway, invisible or no. Our head start would only have been as long as it took them to round up their stags. Instead, I rendered them invisible. They won’t be found until the flux wears off.”

Aurix grinned. “Clever, Regulus. How long do we have?”

“I can’t say for sure. It depends on how powerful the fluxen who created it was. Twelve arcs, maybe. But it gives us a significant head start. Perhaps the Aegis will decide we’re too far gone by then, or not worth following.”

“I doubt we’ll be that lucky,” Aurix said.

“Probably not,” Regulus agreed. “They want Nyx now, too. We should expect their fourth rider to come sooner, maybe with a group of Raspula.”

“Speaking of Nyx, I don’t think she can keep this form up much longer. It’s too hard for her. Any suggestions?”

Regulus thought for a minute while chewing on a huge hunk of wister meat. “What about a hawk?” He said through a mouthful. “She’d be fast, she could scout from height for us, and catch food if need be. And she’d be far from helpless with beak and talons. Heading into the Wraithwood, she wouldn’t draw unwanted attention, either.”

“That’s a great idea,” Aurix said, nodding.

“Bird bones are mostly hollow,” he said. “It should be much easier for her to fly, I’d think. But whatever you decide, you should do it fast. We can’t afford to linger long.”

“Give us a few minutes. You should probably wait by the road. It’s hard to watch.”

Regulus nodded and tossed his head for Inanna to follow him. They led their mounts out of the copse and left the two of them alone.

Aurix woke Nyx and told her what they needed. She slathered his cheek with a huge, wet, pink raga tongue and transformed.