Page 74 of Mated to the Monster God
“I was wrong,” she says, and that stings more than any wound. “About Sagax. About everything.”
“You weren’t the only one,” I murmur.
“He saved us. You saved us.” She clears her throat. “I should’ve trusted you.”
Blondie steps closer, hesitant, and brushes my hair back from my forehead like she used to when I had fever sweats as a kid. Her fingers are callused, and there’s dirt under her nails.
“I’m proud of you,” she says softly. “So proud.”
The medpod tent flap rustles, and Rick stumbles in like a one-man disaster zone. His hair’s doing this mad scientist halo, and his shirt’s stained with grease and maybe blood. He’s cradling a half-empty flask like it’s a newborn.
“Alright, where’s our favorite war goddess?” he slurs, before spotting Sagax in the corner.
The big guy’s there, silent and still, like a statue carved from emerald fire and menace. His eyes lock on Rick, unblinking.
Rick raises the flask in salute. “Big guy! You did good. Real good.” Then he burps, loud and wet. “You ever need a mechanic, I’ll install rocket thrusters on your sexy tail.”
Sagax raises one brow ridge, clearly baffled. “I… do not require propulsion.”
I choke back a laugh. “He means thank you.”
“Yeah,” Rick nods sagely, swaying a little. “That. Thanks.”
Then comes the worst part of waking up—Morty.
The tent flap flaps again and in swaggers my hormone bomb of a nephew, shirt half buttoned, chin up like he’s auditioning for a holo-drama.
“Alright, alright,” he says, gesturing like he owns the damn place. “Let’s get one thing straight. If you’re gonna keep hangin’ around my Aunt Esme, you better treat her right. She deserves the best.”
Sagax tilts his head. “I am bonded to her in blood and mind. I would kill stars to keep her safe.”
Morty nods, trying not to look impressed. “Cool, cool, just… don’t get cocky, bro.”
Sagax’s growl is low. Not threatening exactly, but pure primal warning. The kind that makes predators freeze.
Morty turns pale. “Right, uh, message received.” He backs out of the tent with the speed of a guilty cat.
I can’t help it—I burst out laughing. It hurts, but it’s so worth it.
Tara’s grinning, Rick’s still belching proudly, and Blondie just shakes her head like she’s somehow still surprised by our family.
It’s a weird, beautiful moment.
But outside, Sweetwater isn’t cheering anymore. The mood has shifted.
I slip off the bed, ignoring every protest from my aching body. Sagax is instantly at my side, one hand on my elbow, eyes alert.
“I’m fine,” I say. “Just… help me walk.”
We step out together into the fading afternoon. The colony looks like it’s been chewed up and spit out. The east wall’s scorched. Several homes are gone entirely, just smoldering outlines in the dirt. Blood streaks the main drag, some of it human, some of it not.
There are bodies laid out in the square, wrapped in sheets, silent and still. A dozen? Two dozen? I can’t count. Some faces I recognize—others I don’t. Doesn’t matter. They were all ours.
The whole colony’s gathered. Tara hands me a torch, already burning low.
“You wanna say it?” she asks.
I step forward, barefoot and bruised, standing in front of our dead. My throat tightens.
