Page 42 of Alien Guardian's Vow

We splashed through the rising water toward the passage. Varek stumbled, his injured leg nearly giving out. I caught him, wrapping my arm around his waist to steady him.

"I've got you," I said, helping him through the narrow opening.

The side passage forced us to move single-file, Varek hunching his tall frame to avoid the low ceiling. The bond between us flared with shared danger and adrenaline, then settled into something deeper - concern, determination, protection.

"You should not have risked yourself with the drone," Varek said, his voice tight.

"Says the guy who just stabbed it with a pipe." I glanced back at him. "How's your shoulder?"

"Functional," he replied automatically, then grimaced. "The exertion... reopened the wound."

He pushed himself too hard. For me.

"We'll deal with it when we reach the surface," I promised. "Just stay with me a little longer."

The passage gradually widened and sloped more steeply upward. My markings sensed fresher air ahead, the energy signature of the tunnel systems fading as we approached what had to be an exit.

"Almost there," I said, more to encourage myself than Varek. "I can feel the change in air pressure."

Varek leaned more heavily against me with each step, his breathing increasingly labored. The heat from his skin burned through our clothing, fever raging unchecked. I tightened my grip around his waist, taking more of his weight.

"Just a little further," I urged. "You can rest once we're out."

"I am... still functional," he insisted, though the words came through gritted teeth.

The tunnel ended at a heavy metal hatch set into the ceiling. I passed my light to Varek and reached up, searching for the release mechanism. My fingers found a recessed handle, crusted with decades of mineral deposits.

"This might be stuck," I warned. "Brace yourself."

I pulled with all my strength. Nothing happened for several seconds, then with a screech of protesting metal, the hatch broke free. Cool air rushed in, carrying the scent of rain-washed earth and sulfur. I pushed the hatch fully open, revealing a patch of gray dawn sky.

"We made it," I breathed. "Let me go first, then I'll help you up."

We stood together under lightning, soaked and bleeding, but alive. I felt his hand brush mine as we stared at the others, and I didn’t pull away. I didn’t want to.

I hauled myself through the opening, emerging onto a rocky hillside far from where we'd entered the ruins. The landscape spread out before me, scarred and steaming from recent geothermal activity. No sign of the settlement, but in the distance, rocky formations that might mark Hammond's territory. The twin suns had just begun to rise, casting long shadows across the unfamiliar terrain.

"Varek, come on," I called down, reaching back through the hatch. "Give me your hand."

With considerable effort, Varek climbed through the opening, his movements stiff and pained. The moment he reached level ground, his legs simply gave out. He collapsed to his knees, then would have fallen completely if I hadn't caught him.

"Whoa, easy," I said, lowering him gently against a large boulder. "I've got you."

His skin burned against my hands, golden eyes glassy with fever. The burns across his shoulder and back looked angry and inflamed, the edges weeping clear fluid. He needed medical attention - proper care from Kavan or Selene, not my limited field skills.

"Let me see what I've got," I muttered, digging through my small medkit.

Antiseptic wipes, sealant patches, analgesic tabs - not nearly enough for injuries this severe. I cleaned the wounds as best I could, wincing at Varek's sharp intake of breath when the antiseptic touched raw flesh.

"Sorry," I murmured. "Almost done."

My markings tingled, drawing my attention to a cluster of broad-leafed plants growing in the shadow of a nearby rock formation. Something about them... I reached out, brushing my fingers across the waxy surface. My markings flared, recognizing properties - cooling, anti-inflammatory.

"This might help," I said, gathering several leaves. I crushed them between my palms, releasing a sharp, medicinal scent, then applied the resulting paste to Varek's burns.

He exhaled slowly as the natural remedy took effect. "Tashin leaf," he identified. "How did you know?"

"I didn't. My markings did." I secured the makeshift poultice with a sealant patch. "Better?"

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