Chapter 8
8
RYZ
G wen must not want anything to do with me.
It’s already midlight, and she hasn’t sought me out.
Can I really blame her?
I was a callous oaf, and I let my anger get the better of me. Again.
While basking in the afterglow of a mind-blowing orgasm, I lost my head. Instead of telling her how hurt I was that she’d used me, I chose to hurt her in return, driving home the point that I wouldn’t be sending out a search party for her friends after all.
But lashing out at her didn’t yield the satisfaction I’d hoped for. In fact, it only left me feeling guilty for ruining what had felt like so much more than just sex…no matter what it started out as, for both of us.
And so, as soon as I woke up, I went to meet with Takizet, my best tracker, and had him gather a small search team to depart immediately. Despite any misgivings, I wanted to make good on my promise.
I enter our suite, ready to swallow my pride. Whatever it takes to fix this.
But walking through the rooms, Gwen’s nowhere to be found.
I call out her name. No answer.
Then I connect to the comm she agreed to have implanted in her wrist. She doesn’t pick up. And for some reason, there’s no location information on her.
I hastily message Zadren for help, staring out the window into the changing violet sky. Where could she have gone?
“Commander,” Zadren’s voice booms through my wrist. “I have bad news.”
“What is it?”
“The Queen is on a craft moving away from Ydris. Fast.”
“What kind of craft?” I ask sharply.
“Ocrevv.”
A chill runs through my body, and I take a shaky breath.
An Ocrevv ship? How did they hook their dirty claws into Gwen? Or did she take matters into her own hands and contact them herself?
My brazen bride. She’s nothing if not feisty to a fault. It’s one of the reasons I’m so enamored with her.
But this… This could get her killed.
Ocrevv don’t play fair.
“Did you know anything about this?” I ask him, after sprinting to the control room.
Zadren slams a fist to his chest, then bows so deeply that his horns touch the floor.
“Commander, I know nothing other than what I have learned in the last few moments. I may be Ocrevv by birth, but I am loyal only to you and the Queen, and the good people of Ydris. I swear?—”
“It’s all right, Zadren,” I say, smiling. “What did you learn?”
He straightens up again. “Her comm’s been shorted, but we were able to track its location just before that happened. She was right outside the Palace grounds at the west gate, facing the hedgestone. The guards say they saw an unidentified ship speeding away. They followed initially, but it disappeared. They were, however, able to extrapolate the trajectory. They’re heading to Qoth.”
I curse. Qoth is at the center of their planet conglomerate.
“We’re going after them. You and I. Tell Xi. She can manage in our absence.”
He nods. “Yes, Commander.”
“Ready the craft. If we leave immediately, we can catch them. I’m sure of it.”
But that’s about the only thing I’m sure of.
* * *
Zadren and I have only been airborne for a short time before we catch sight of the Ocrevv craft.
“Keep at this distance,” I say. “We don’t want them to see us.”
He punches commands into the ship’s control console. “We can stun the shields and board without them knowing right away. The electrical short will alert them, though.”
I point at the map. “But off to the right there’s a magnetic field. If they stay on this path they’re going to hit it. If we short it right then, they’ll think it’s the field that caused it.”
Zadren nods. “And we’ll have about ten mini moons to get in.”
“Plenty of time,” I say with a smile.
Inside, I’m not as composed, but there’s no time for hesitation. If the Ocrevv ship makes it to Qoth, I’d need armies to get Gwen back.
Zadren glances at me. “I admire what you’re doing, Commander.”
I clap him on the shoulder. “Don’t you think it’s time you started calling me Ryz?”
He stiffens. “The royal standard mandates that the Head of Security address you as Commander…Commander.”
I grin. “Sometimes a bit of rule breaking is a good thing. I’d prefer to go into this mission with a friend who calls me by my given name.”
“Very well…Ryz,” he says, smiling hesitantly. “We’re coming up on the field. When you give the signal, I’ll send out the short.”
I stare out at the stars. “Sounds good.”