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Flying across the sand at an astonishing pace, Sankal broke over the dunes like a boat cresting waves. While the other dragnar lagged behind their alpha, Sankal was to neck-and-neck with the large female, playfully singing to the other in bassy trills. The other female barely turned her lupine head in her direction but increased her speed, her upper body diving gracefully as she dropped down the side of the dunes.

Sankal moved to go the same direction, but Veral called her attention with an unfamiliar chirp and redirected the dragnar away from the grouping. Behind the cloth mask, Terri frowned in confusion. The wall of sand rose around them, and though it barely bothered her through her protective gear, she worried about being separated from the others. Turning in his embrace, she attempted to shout over the air whistling by them created both by the dragnar’s speed and by the wind blowing all around them.

“Veral, what’s going on? We are going to lose them!” she shouted.

Her muffled voice sounded hollow to her ears, as if it had been thrown back at her. Veral didn’t speak, though his arm tightened briefly around her as if attempting to allay whatever tension he felt coiling within her. Unfortunately, as attentive as he was as a mate, he didn’t seem the least bit interested in where the rest of their group disappeared to.

Unable to communicate, Terri blew out a frustrated breath against her mask and leaned into him to wait out the ride. As fun as it was to come close to flying on a near mythical creature, her joy was dulled by the worry that pinched at her nerves, especially as the sand blew harder until all she could see through her vizor was a curtain of red haze all around them.

Now she saw for herself why the area was called the Galithilan—the Blowing Sands. That was all there was as far as she could see. Time and space seemed to disappear there, and she had no idea of how far or how long they had traveled until a rocky ridge protruded out of nowhere.

Sankal let out a bassy trill of pleasure as she whipped straight for it. Within minutes, the blinding red sand dropped away as they passed into the cavernous alcove of stone, the opening at the top allowing sunshine to pour in to give life to the most beautiful thing Terri had ever seen. The dragnar dropped gracefully into a thick bed of sand at the entrance, her enormous body coiling there, blocking out all wind and flattening her neck so they could dismount with ease.

The moment her feet hit the ground, Terri hurried toward the sight, her breath hitching. She had seen tropical planets and those with prismatic sands that cast rainbows across golden oceans, but nothing compared to the sight of life flourishing in the heart of the worst part of the deserts of Argurumal. Her eyes skipped over one feature and then the next, eager to take it all in.

A pool of water filled much of the space and all around there were plants of various hues from the deepest lavenders to magenta and maroon. There were even a few yellow fronds with the slightest hint of green that swayed with an errant breeze. The sand went only halfway into the cavern before terminating and leaving nothing but an exposed rocky floor that, as they drew closer to the spring, became almost spongey with some kind of mineral deposits.

Krono darted forward, his paws kicking up the substrate as he dashed straight for the water, plunging in. He splashed a bit but then dropped his head to drink, his vibrissae lashing around him contentedly.

Terri lifted a hand to pull away her mask and visor, the opposite hand going up to push back her hood, dropping the visor into the pocket of her shafna. She didn’t want anything to block her view.

“What is this place?” she asked, her dry throat making her voice unnaturally raspy.

Veral chuffed and wrapped an arm around her as he drew back his own coverings.

“A gift to make amends to my mate,” he purred. “Only in the harshest sands of Argurumal can an oasis be found for those who know where to look.” His hand tucked on her chin tipping her head back to meet his eyes. “I neglected my mate, and now I will correct it. We are completely safe and alone in a place where no one will find us… alone for an entire diurnal,” he added.

Her heart leapt but she swallowed back her excitement. It seemed awfully frivolous when they were trying to hide from the council.

“But the council…”

“Will not know where to look.”

“And your mother-kin, they must be…”

“They are aware of my plans,” he interrupted, his low voice rumbling enticingly in her ear.

Terri squirmed against him, her breath sharpening with a lick of burning desire.

“That certainly explains a few things then. Hitani disapproved of the plan?”

“Initially,” he admitted. “She could not have stopped me. I know this part of the Galithilan from my youth and recalled the way here. But she would have been displeased. Now she is not. She sees the necessity in it.”

“Because I’ve been traumatized,” Terri reminded him dryly.

“Because you require your mate,” he corrected. “And there will not be much privacy where we are going. Our far-kin live in a close communal household. You will see. For now, we will enjoy our time.”

Terri groaned in delight. They had spoken before of taking a small retreat—and this was as perfect as it came and exactly at the right moment. They had been working to save credits with the plan of taking a standard galactic revolution off and enjoy their first year with their offspring. The timing was…

Almost perfect.

Terri chuckled and reluctantly drew away from her mate as Harahna fussed, her little body fighting to get down from her sling. It was frightful how strong she was getting every day. The medic told her that it was normal for an Argurma baby, but it still caught her off guard.

“It seems Harahna wants to enjoy this place too,” Terri remarked as she pulled her glowering baby out from the confines of the sling.

Harahna squirmed harder, wanting to be put down, but Terri held onto her tightly as Veral hurried back to the dragnar to retrieve a large, flat bundle fastened to the rear of the seating blanket, beneath the folds of fabric. Dragging it over one shoulder, he returned with it, striding past her into the soft growth.

Terri followed him to the edge of the greenery and was delighted when he set it down near the pool. He strode about the area as if inspecting it, but then returned and began to pull out supplies. Within minutes, he had constructed a lean-to shelter beneath which he set their woven sleeping pallet and bedding. There was even a blanket for Harahna to play on that he spread out over the grass just outside the shelter.


Tags: S.J. Sanders Argurma Salvager Science Fiction