I feel a rush of anticipation as I arrive at the city. I just saw Fallon yesterday, but the cave system feels so empty without her there. I don't like not hearing her voice. Seeing her out and about doing her normal duties. And the fact that we still haven't reconnected after that night together makes me feel...unsettled. I need to see her.

However, my first stop needs to be to see Errol, to find out when we will be leaving. When I agreed to go on this trip to the mining settlement, I did not know that Fallon would be along for the trip as well. I cannot help but look forward to it more now, though I know the work we are going to do may not be the easiest or the simplest.

I find Errol easily enough—he and Kate usually stay in the same apartment when they come to the city.

"Was your journey safe?" he asks when he opens the door to me, clasping my arm warmly.

"Yes. How do you fare?"

"Well, well. But there is a slight delay—we will have to refuel the rover, and we also want to leave earlier in the day. I believe we will be leaving tomorrow morning rather than starting our journey now."

I nod. It does make sense. It is much easier to see threats approaching when the suns are high in the sky to light our way.

"Good."

We chat a bit longer, but then Errol must excuse himself to deal with preparations for the trip. And I am free to track down my favorite prey.

It does not take me long to find where Fallon is staying in the city. I arrive just in time to find her and other females she is clearly familiar with stepping out of the building and into one of the nearby rooms where food is served.

So I slip inside after them.

I find the familiar pale, shining locks easily enough and make my way over to her table. The female sitting across from her widens her eyes as she sees me behind Fallon.

"Good morning," I murmur quietly.

I see Fallon's shoulders stiffen as she hears my voice. She turns her head slowly, angling it up so she can see me.

"Arawn," she says, surprise flashing across her face. "Good morning. Did you just arrive?" she asks politely.

I glance around the table. This polite version of Fallon must be because she is around her friends. I am willing to take advantage of that fact. A Zmaj uses all the tools at his disposal. If he is smart.

"Would you mind if I join you?" I ask, directing the question at the entire table rather than just Fallon.

"Of course!" the female across from Fallon agrees, the others chiming in after her.

"Here, you can sit next to Fallon," the female with her hair wrapped in two braids offers, getting up and moving aside.

"My thanks," I acknowledge as I take the seat.

Fallon opens her mouth to say something, but closes it again without speaking. I keep my smile inside. I will take the small victory. So I sit down beside Fallon at the table and talk to her friends. All of them more welcoming than she, but she makes a valiant effort not to give away her feelings.

"Do you know a lot about kedis?" the female who gave up her seat for me, Lanie she is called, asks. "I've been working with them and learning about them, but I was just wondering if you've had any personal experience?"

"Ah. Yes, when I was young, there was a particular kedi that liked to follow me home..."

I regale the table with the story from my childhood, transitioning over to one about a hunt where a kedi was instrumental in my success.

"...and it ran right through the guster's legs, distracting it long enough that I was able to use my lochaber to kill it swiftly, before it was able kill my fellow warrior."

"Oh wow!"

"That's amazing!"

"I want a kedi now!"

I puff out my chest in pride at their responses and look out the corner of my eye to see Fallon's reaction. She does not look nearly as impressed as the others with my hunting prowess. Perhaps she is concealing her admiration as she concealed her reaction to my arrival from the others?

The food arrives as I worry at the problem, attempting different strategies to impress Fallon. But none seem to work.

And then the meal is over, and Fallon stands. "Come on guys, let's head out." She turns to me. "It was good to see you Arawn."

I nod, murmuring my goodbyes to the others as they also leave. Hmm. Fallon is a difficult one. But I will not cease my pursuit. Not when her actions earlier showed she feels the same desire for me that I feel for her. I simply have to help her acknowledge that fact. And to do that, I have to be in her vicinity. I nod to myself as I stand. That is settled then. I will endeavor to spend more time with her to help her see why she should desire me. So I make that my mission for the day.

I find her next at the market, where she wanders from stall to stall. But she is wily prey. When she sees me coming towards her, she ducks behind another stall, this one with many fluttering colorful fabrics that obscure her from my view. I hurry around the stall, but she is gone.

Vanished.

I smile.

Ah.

The female is an expert at evasion. But she forgets that even though I am a craftsman, all Zmaj males are hunters in our souls.

I feel the thrill of the hunt run through me as I walk through the market, careful to blend, to use cover. I find her again as she is speaking with another vendor, her eyes still looking around as she asks about a hat.

She does not expect me to appear from behind the vendor herself. Her eyes widen as I appear in front of her and sidle out to her side.

"Hello, Fallon."

"Hello," she murmurs, her jaw tight.

"You desire this hat?" I ask, gesturing to the female to hand it to me.

"No," Fallon murmurs. "Thank you," she adds, nodding at the other female as she turns to hurry away.

I do not bargain with the female for the hat, simply give her the asking price to secure it quickly. If Fallon desires the hat, I will procure it for her. I reach her quickly, my longer legs making quick work of the distance between us.

I set the hat upon her head. She glares at me.

"I said I didn't want it," she growls.

"Yes, however, I wanted you to have it," I coax. "I know your skin is delicate. Is more protection from the sun not good to have?"

She sighs, her glare fading.

"Thank you," she murmurs, softening slightly. "But I'm supposed to go meet with Addison now."

"I will walk you there," I say easily, keeping pace with her.

Rather than argue with me, she simply nods. And that is how the day continues. I happen upon her path throughout the daylight hours, despite her attempts to evade me. And I find myself having fun, enjoying the game of it. When I nonchalantly cross her path near the remnants of the central fountain, I relish the slight flush of exhaustion on her face at the game.

"Hello, Arawn," she greets me.

That is certainly an improvement. Perhaps I am slowly wearing down her resistance, so she will at least consider what is between us.

But I am wrong.

When the evening meal comes, I cannot find her anywhere, despite locating the other females she enjoys dining with.

"Where is Fallon?" I ask Lanie when I finally admit I will not find her myself.

"She wasn't feeling well so she stayed in her apartment," she explains. "Would you like to join us?"

"Thank you," I murmur, taking the seat she offers as my heart plummets at the news.

It seems as though Fallon has barricaded herself in her chambers. I do not believe she actually feels unwell. I am the reason she decided not to join the others for the meal. She seems quite dedicated to her avoidance of me.

"Is something wrong?" Addison asks, sharing a look with Lanie.

"No. I am simply pondering the upcoming journey we will be making to the mining settlement. Is there anything new you have heard of the place?"

I breathe a silent sigh of relief at successfully changing the subject as the two start to discuss the rumors swirling about the community that wants to keep their distance, despite the aid given to them.

Rather like a pouting child. Which, incidentally, is exactly how I feel at the moment. I thought Fallon was enjoying our game just as I was. But it is quite clear now that I was mistaken. She was genuinely attempting to avoid me.

The realization is...quite humbling. And it hurts. Feeling as though I need privacy to lick my wounds, I excuse myself as soon as the meal is over and go back to my own chambers. Sleep does not come easily despite the knowledge that I need to be at my best for the journey tomorrow. I finally do fall into a slumber, though when I wake, I do not feel all that rested.

That lack does not help my mood at all. Feeling sulky—a condition I have not felt since childhood long ago—I join Kate, Errol, and Fallon to pack up the rover Kate engineered.

It is a handy contraption indeed out in the desert, both increasing our swiftness and our safety with the metallic carapace we sit in. I can truly appreciate what feels like a luxury after traveling on wing and foot. It also means we will arrive at our destination relatively rested, which is good. I do not know exactly what we will find when we arrive.

"I already added the garbage. It's breaking it down and refueling," Kate explains as I carry out another heavy pallet of supplies to add to what we have already packed inside. "Fallon, could you show Arawn which of the packages we need to separate?"

Fallon nods, walking over to what has yet to be packed, not even sparing me a glance. I follow just as silently.

She hasn't said a word to me all morning. So I have followed suit. If she wishes not to engage, I refuse to keep chasing the interaction. Despite the ache in my chest.

She points out the packages and moves on to pick up some of the lighter items, still with no words. At one point while we are loading, she pushes a package towards me, and I acknowledge it with only a grunt. Somehow, we both manage to help pack the car without speaking to each other at all.

I see Kate and Errol exchange a look, so perhaps we are not being completely discreet about what is going on between us. Even as I see that, I do not attempt to engage with her. I have tried again and again to no avail. Perhaps I should attempt the opposite.

"We will eat breakfast and then we will begin the journey," Errol announces when we are done with the things we are taking.

Breakfast is more of the same. Fallon and I are both careful not to look at each other or interact directly as we eat. At this point, we are both almost completely silent, not even engaging in conversation with Kate and Errol.

The amused glint in Errol's eye now when he looks between the two of us confirms that they know something is going on between us. But the amusement tells me that he is mistaken as well.

Fallon has decided not to explore anything. This is not part of the beginnings of a mating.

Kate leans forward, towards Fallon.

"So, are you interested in getting some of the stuff they mined for yourself?" she asks, clearly trying to draw her into the conversation. Attempting to smooth things over, I believe.

"What do they have in the mines?" Fallon asks slightly grudgingly, her interest piqued.

"Oh, Arawn." Kate turns to me now. "I hear there is metal that is good for tech, but others that are good for jewelry and ornamental pieces. Do you know anything about that?"

It is a clear attempt to draw me into the conversation as well. But I am not so rude as to not answer, not when it is Kate and not Fallon attempting to pull me into speaking.

"Tajss has many types of metals, and I hear there is some variety in the settlement mines, but..."

I keep my answer short and concise, just as Fallon does. Between Kate's desire to have us join the conversation and our desire to be polite to her, we manage to have a stilted, dry back-and-forth that is almost more painful than the silence.

I shake my head as I continue to eat. This is not at all how I envisioned the beginning of this trip. It does not bode well for the rest.