A week after Sasha brought the females to the City, the females were calm enough as a group that she and Zev could travel to Yhet’s Cave for the meeting with the Creatures. The morning before Nick had taken his first trip through the Gateway to connect with the humans. Sasha and Zev had agreed they wouldn’t leave until he was back and there was no obvious sign that the humans were coming with him.

Sasha found herself both nervous and excited on the night before they would leave. On the one hand, it would be the first step towards victory over the humans—every creature that passed through the gateway and into the Safe Place was one less Chimera that would ever be harmed by human hands.

On the other, Zev and the others had warned her that most of the creatures were coming—and none were entirely human in their appearance.

But during that night, Sasha woke with a start from a nightmare of standing in a circle of aggressive, half-insect, and half-serpent Chimera, descending on her because she was human and unprotected.

It had taken a long time to get back to sleep. But she’d curled up against Zev’s back and reminded herself that this trip also meant they would get some time alone—and at Yhet’s cave.

That was worth the nightmare, she decided.

When the day dawned that they would travel, Sasha was hopping, like a little kid. They wouldn’t meet with the Creatures until the following night, but they were going to take the opportunity to have some time to themselves.

Both of them were pinched and exhausted. Sasha could barely wait.

They’d had several Chimera to talk to, so didn’t start on their way until mid-morning, and they were caught by Oska, the Hare Alpha as they stepped out of the City.

Sasha muttered a curse under her breath when he called their names from behind them, and Zev nudged her.

Stupid Chimera super-hearing.

They turned to find the male running up behind them, beaming. “Sasha-don, I wanted to assure you before you left, my fastest messengers are at the ready to get news to you if anything untoward should happen. And Ernie is assisting us, staying close to Nick to keep him distracted while you’re gone.”

Sasha thanked the male, who preened under her approval. “The Hares serve their Alphas. We’ll send a messenger to the valley at dusk and dawn—should you need to get anything to us, just tell them. They can make the run far faster even than you, Zev.”

Zev nodded. Like Sasha, he was reluctant to engage the male in a conversation. Oska was lovely, Sasha knew, but he had a lot of words.

Thankfully, either he was busy with his responsibilities, or he’d realized they were eager to get away because he bowed and gave them both jolly farewells.

Sasha turned, the skin on the back of her neck tight as Zev took her hand and they started down the trail. She was waiting for another interruption—or worse, a reason they had to stay.

But when no one had rushed up to them half an hour later, she began to relax.

”Where’s the meeting going to be?” she asked Zev hesitantly. “Will they be gathering in the valley? Will we see them when we arrive?” she was worried they would get held up on their way to the cave.

But Zev shook his head. “We’re going much further down the valley. Those with the sharpest scents will know when we’ve arrived, but they’ll leave us alone. The Creatures live out of the City for a reason. They won’t bother us,” he said, squeezing her hand.

Sasha smiled.

But then Zev went on. “There’s a larger clearing about twenty minutes walk for you—beyond where we ran into Minos. The valley is a lot wider there, and the River deeper and flows more slowly. There’s a lot more room both in the water and on the land. Some of them need a lot of room.”

Sasha swallowed nervously.

But Zev just chuckled. “You don’t need to be scared, Sash. They all know about you and they’re interested, not upset. They’re glad you got some of the females back. Plus, I’ll be there,” he winked.

”But why does it have to be at night?” Sasha asked.

”We’re less likely to be interrupted. Plus, some of the nocturnals can’t be in daylight, but all the daylight creatures can be in the dark.”

Sasha shuddered, her nightmare flaring back to life in her head. The idea of strange creatures surrounding them at night. It was one of the few things about Thana she really didn’t like, she realized. It seemed like eyes and ears were always on them. As if it was near impossible to be private—even when they were in a cave or a home, others could hear them from outside.

”Why does that bother you?” Zev asked, curious.

Sasha frowned. “Didn’t you live that way in the human world? Privacy is very important to us. Space to be… sacred. Where you can rest alone or with your family and no one else needs to know what’s going on. I never feel completely free unless I’m certain we’re alone. It’s just what I’m used to, Zev.”

”Well,” Zev’s voice got deep and suggestive. “I’m glad we’ll have some private time at the cave.”

Sasha grinned. “I’m glad too.”

With Zev uninjured and carrying their bags, and moving in daylight instead of night, Sasha found the trip to Yhet’s cave seemed to pass much quicker this time. She was pleasantly surprised when they turned into the valley floor, then up between the two sides of the mountains, passing that space where they’d made love in the shadow of the rocks.

She looked at Zev and his gaze got heated, but neither of them said anything. He took her hand as they climbed, wending their way up the side of the little canyon to the mouth of the ice cave.

Sasha felt like she took her first, full breath in a week when they walked inside and the gorgeous ice cave curled around them.