The Invisible Planet

Part 25: Sediment

Angeline gasped as Shay grabbed her wrist and pulled her quickly across the sand. "I thought you said never to run from a Goliath," she protested.

"I said to hide," he called over his shoulder, leading her quickly toward a small canyon of rocks. "We're in the middle of the bloody open."

She looked back in worry as the tremors grew stronger.

"Don't. Come on, through here," he said, leading her into a small canyon. He stopped short at a crevice in the wall. "Get in."

She quickly climbed into it and he squeezed in after her, pressing her between him and the side wall. Her eyes were level with his lips, and she wondered for a moment what it would feel like to kiss him. The thought startled her and she quickly looked away.

"Sorry," he muttered. He winced and slid his arm between them to clutch his left rib.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

"I'll survive."

The shade did little to ward off the desert heat. While her skin no longer felt like it was being slow roasted on a fire, the air was much harder to breathe. The pungent smell of the Goliath's breath still clung to both of them, amplified by their close quarters. The tremors grew stronger as the beast drew closer.

Angeline looked out at the sand in worry. "What if it—"

Shay's hand clamped over her mouth and he shook his head, staring at her with his red eyes wide. He glanced outside for a split second as another footstep landed alarmingly close, then back to her again.

Control it.

She clamped down on her breathing, forcing her emotions down. She wasn't sure if the Goliaths could smell fear, but on the off chance they could, she didn't want to give them a reason. She looked up to see Shay staring at her with a puzzled frown.

The tremors stomped slowly past, gradually fading away.

"How did you do that?" he asked quietly, removing his hand. "It's like you turned your fear down, like a dial."

"It's, um... something I learned at the orphan farms. Charlotte taught me, to fool the ComWatch sensors. If you have a steady chart when the agents are scouting, you're more likely to get picked. And less likely to get caught for murdering your foster parent."

"Mmm." He glanced at her lips and she felt her heart skip. "You are," he began, taking her lower lip between his thumb and index finger, "covered in spit flakes." He gently pulled, coming away with a noticeable piece of the transparent sediment.

She felt the sudden urge to throw herself out into the open and let the Goliaths have her.

A slight smile curved his lips. "It's not that embarrassing. I'm covered in it, too," he said.

"Is it gone?" she asked.

"No," he began, reaching for her face, "you've still got—"

She grabbed his wrist with a glare, and he grinned.

"Yes, the Goliath seems to be gone."

"Good, 'cause you smell like the back end of a Kespan hogwyrm." She squeezed out of the hiding spot, pushing down her embarrassment as she waited for him.

"So do you. Hey, my cloak!" he exclaimed happily, picking the torn and sandy garment off the ground.

"You're not putting that back on," Angeline said, more of a plea than a statement.

"No, of course not. I'm going to use it to keep the Sunstone cool. We're almost there," he said, heading through the canyon, "and then we get to trek back."