I’m sitting on the cold floor of my cell, feeling sorry for myself, when a loud crash interrupts my thoughts. A giant man, at least seven and a half feet tall, tumbles into the lockdown area and engages the royal guards in fierce combat. He barely breaks a sweat and pummels them with ease. He quickly disarms each of them and renders them unconscious with an easy toss headfirst into the stone walls.

I don’t know who this guy is but I’m happy to see him

Then he turns to address me and my breath catches in my chest. It’s Ramyx. But it’s not. More like Ramyx after an Incredible Hulk type metamorphosis. Except he’s not green, and he’s not uncontrollably angry. Actually, if I’m being honest, he seems rather pleased with himself and happy to see me.

I’m happy to see him, too. And not just because of his extra muscles, or because he showed up to save me (although that certainly helps). Mostly I’m happy to know he’s safe and he’s willing to fight for me. To fight for us. To fight for my crewmates and the people of Earth. To fight for what’s right.

“I’m going to get you out of here. Stand back.” He reaches through the metal bars of my cell and brushes the back of his hand against my cheek as he speaks.

“I don’t know where the key is,” I say.

The corners of his mouth turn up in a cocky smile. “I don’t need a key. Not anymore.” As if to demonstrate, he grips the bars with his now giant hands, flexes his muscles, and bends the bars as if they were nothing more than pipe cleaners. His face brightens and I can tell he’s amazed by his own strength. He offers his hand and helps me through the opening he’s created. “We must move quickly,” he says.

“What do we do now?” I ask. “How are we going to get out of here?”

“I’ve got a plan,” he says as he tosses me a pile of clothing he brought with him. “Put all of that on. As much as you can stand,” he says. “We’re going outside the wall and you need to be dressed warmly if you’re going to survive.”

“What about you?” I ask.

“The warriors who are members of the Attalan guard are impervious to the cold. I suppose I’m one of them now that I’ve undergone the same transformation.” He pauses and stares at his hands. “Although I suppose they would argue it takes more than a simple injection to create a member of the guard.”

“Will you be able to transform yourself back?”

It takes him a moment to answer. “No,” he says. “But I wouldn’t want to, even it was an option. It’s time for me to start moving forward with my life. To start making the right decisions.” He pauses and looks at me. His eyes are heavy with emotion. “This as a good decision. No regrets.”

I jump into his arms and hold him close, resting my head against his chest. “We’ll have plenty of time for this later,” he says as he gently pushes me towards his pile of winter clothing. “You need to get ready to move now. Reinforcements could arrive at any moment.”

I quickly slip on the clothing he has provided. Heavy lined pants, warm shirts and sweaters, wooly socks, heavy outerwear, and a hat and gloves. While I’m doing so, he strips one of the royal guards of his uniform and changes into the horrid thing. Luckily, the long cape that goes with the ensemble hides how ill-fitting the uniform actually is.

“Now, climb into this,” he orders as he holds out something that resembles a burlap sack.

I hesitate. “Are you sure this is necessary?” I ask. “It looks really dark and uncomfortable and airless.” He furrows his brow and his lips press together in a tight line. Message received: it’s necessary. He holds it open while I climb inside.

“I cut slits in the fabric so you can still breathe,” he assures me. “You need to be disguised if I’m going to walk out of here with you.”

“I have to be honest. Dressing up as a sack of grain is the least exciting costume I’ve ever worn,” I say as he cinches the fabric over my head and hefts me over her shoulder with surprising ease. “So you’re just going to walk out the front door?”

“No,” he says, “but I think this ruse will at least ensure we can sneak out the back way undetected.” He shifts my weight around until I’m resting in a manner that’s comfortable for both of us.

I can’t see a thing through my burlap shroud, but I feel the movement of the transportation pod after a moment. And then I feel Ramyx move on foot. I’m jostled around as he turns and crouches and climbs through different passages. It feels like it’s taking forever but that’s probably just because I’m so damn nervous we’re going to be discovered. I keep waiting to hear someone yell for us to stop. It’s a problem that never materializes. It’s probably just as well since I think it would be hard for anyone to stop Ramyx in his current state.

Finally, we’re free of the city. I still can’t see a damn thing but I feel the drop in temperature clear as day. The icy wind whips through the sack and chills me to my bones. I wish I had more clothing on now, even though I was overheating just a few minutes earlier. I’ve never felt cold like this before.

“We’re free of the wall now.” Ramyx has to practically shout to be heard over the howl of the wind. “Let’s get you out of this.” He sets me carefully on the ground, making sure I’m balanced on my feet before he lets me go and begins to strip away my grain sack disguise.

The wind is so cold it’s hard to breathe. I’m able to take in a quick survey of the all-white landscape before my eyelashes freeze together.

“Here,” he says as he wraps me in the cloak he requisitioned from the royal guard. “Can you handle being carried over my shoulder for a while longer?” he asks. “It’s not the most comfortable but it’s the fastest way to get us to the outpost.”

I nod my head yes because my teeth are chattering so hard it’s impossible to speak.

“Just give me a kick if you get too cold or you need me to stop. For any reason at all. Otherwise, I’ll go for speed over comfort. We need to get as far ahead of my brother as possible.” He lifts me gently and settles me across his shoulders. And then he takes off at a run. And I mean a real run. A full-on sprint across the winter landscape. I don’t know how long he keeps it up but our journey seems to last forever. My bones ache and I feel like I’m going to throw up. At least I’m not cold, though. Having Ramyx near is like having my own personal furnace. The heat practically radiates off of him.

Just when I think I can’t take anymore, when my muscles are cramped up and I have to pee and a brutal headache is setting in, he finally stops.

“We’re here,” he announces as he lowers me to the ground and holds me up next to him. He turns and leans close, until our faces are practically touching. “Now, before we see the others, there are a few things I have to tell you.”