Chapter 18
Brivul
The predawn air carried a chill as Brivul and Mila stood with Ellri outside her hotel. The street lamps cast long shadows across the empty streets, their dim light barely penetrating the darkness.
“You’ve done more for us than we could ever repay,” Brivul said, towering protectively near Mila.
Ellri waved her hand. “Just promise to take care of each other.” She pointed to an approaching delivery truck. “That’s your ride. Quick now.”
Brivul helped Mila into the back of the truck before sliding in himself. The cargo space smelled of fresh bread and cleaning supplies. He positioned himself between Mila and the door, ready to defend her against any threat.
“This shortcut better work,” he whispered as the truck lurched forward.
“Ellri knows what she’s doing,” Mila replied, her shoulder brushing against his arm.
The truck stopped after twenty minutes. Brivul peered out, scanning for danger before helping Mila down. They slipped into a narrow alley that twisted through the underbelly of the city.
“Stay close,” he said, leading the way through the labyrinth of passages Ellri had detailed.
The shortcut took them through abandoned buildings and beneath crumbling infrastructure. Brivul’s warrior instincts remained on high alert, his body coiled and ready to strike at a moment’s notice.
“Look,” Mila pointed ahead where the transport station’s massive structure loomed. “We made it in half the time.”
“Ellri’s directions were perfect.” Brivul surveyed the station entrance. “Now comes the tricky part.”
They crouched behind a stack of cargo containers, watching the station’s security patterns. The morning shift was just starting. Brivul pressed closer to the containers, his scales scraping against the metal as he pulled Mila behind him. Two of Kurg’s guards passed within arm’s reach, their boots crunching on loose gravel.
“The cargo manifest shows three trains heading out,” one guard said. “We’ll need to check them all.”
Brivul’s muscles tensed. They needed to move now while the guards were distracted. He caught Mila’s eye and gestured toward the nearest freight car. She nodded, understanding his silent command.
“Stay behind me,” he whispered, his warrior instincts taking over as they crept from shadow to shadow.
The early morning bustle of dock workers provided cover as they darted between crates and pallets. Brivul kept Mila tucked behind his back.
“There,” Mila pointed to an open cargo door. “That’s our train.”
A guard’s voice rang out behind them. “Hey! You there!”
Brivul quickly spun around, raising himself to his full height as he shielded Mila from view. The guard’s eyes widened in recognition.
“It’s the—”
Brivul struck him before he could finish, his fist connecting with precision. The guard crumpled without a sound.
“Move,” he ordered, boosting Mila into the cargo hold before following. The space was cramped with crates, leaving barely enough room to maneuver.
“Behind those boxes,” Mila whispered, pointing to a dark corner.
They squeezed into the tight space just as boots thundered past their car. Brivul wrapped himself around Mila, using his larger frame to conceal her completely. Her breath came in quick bursts against his chest.
“Clear here,” a voice called from outside. “Check the next car.”
The footsteps faded. Brivul allowed himself to relax slightly, though he kept Mila secured in his protective embrace. The train lurched forward, metal wheels grinding against the tracks.
“That was too close,” Mila said, her voice barely audible over the growing rumble of the engine.
“We made it, though,” Brivul replied, fighting the urge to tighten his hold on her. “That’s what matters.”
The train’s rhythm steadied into a gentle sway, and Brivul finally loosened his protective hold around Mila. His scales caught the dim light filtering through the cargo car’s ventilation slats as he shifted away, though he kept one hand braced against the wall near her head.
“I can’t believe we actually pulled that off,” Mila whispered, a nervous laugh escaping her.
Brivul felt his own tension dissolve at the sound. “That guard never knew what hit him.” He allowed himself a small grin, his violet eyes meeting hers in the shadowy space.
“You moved so fast.” Mila’s shoulders shook with suppressed laughter. “Did you see his face when he recognized you?”
“Right before I knocked him out? Priceless.” Brivul chuckled, the deep sound rumbling in his chest.
The close quarters amplified his awareness of her—the slight tremor in her breathing, the warmth radiating from her body, the way her black hair caught the sparse light.
“We make quite the team,” she said, brushing dust from her sleeve. “Though I thought my heart would stop when those boots went past.”
“I wouldn’t have let them find you.” The words came out more intensely than he’d intended, but he meant every syllable. His warrior instincts had merged with his need to protect his mate, even if she didn’t know that part yet.
“I know.” Her voice softened, and something in her expression made his heart swell.
The train curved around a bend, causing Mila to stumble slightly. Brivul steadied her with a hand at her waist, his touch lingering longer than necessary.
“At least this cargo car smells better than the last one,” he said, trying to distract himself from how perfectly she fit against him.
“You mean you don’t miss that lovely combination of fish and industrial cleaner?” Her eyes sparkled with mischief.
Before long, the gentle sway of the train created a cocoon of privacy around them in their shadowy corner. Brivul watched Mila settle more comfortably against a crate, her movements graceful despite their cramped quarters.
“I was cleaning that alcove when I overheard Kurg,” she said, her voice soft but steady. “For years, I’d kept my head down, trying to be invisible. But that moment changed everything.”
Brivul nodded, remembering his own turning point. “I was just going through the motions at that clinic. Every day felt hollow.” He shifted. “Then you walked into that market.”
“I remember thinking you were different from the other Niri I’d encountered.” A small smile played on her lips. “Most wouldn’t have bothered helping a slave.”
“I was dead inside before that day,” he admitted, his eyes fixed on her face. “That mission, losing those civilians… it broke something in me. I couldn’t lead anymore, couldn’t trust my own judgment.”
Mila’s hand found his in the darkness. “Yet you didn’t hesitate to help me at the clinic.”
“Because for the first time since that mission, I knew exactly what I needed to do.” His fingers curled around hers, protective and possessive. “Watching Kurg hurt you… everything became crystal clear.”
“We were both lost,” she mused. “Trapped in our own ways.”
“And now?” His voice deepened with emotion.
“Now we have a purpose. A chance to take down Kurg and free my sister.” She squeezed his hand. “Hope.”
Brivul drew her closer, his warrior’s instincts singing with the rightness of having her near. “We’ll succeed,” he promised, his tone leaving no room for doubt. “Together.”
Brivul watched Mila as she soon laid her head against his shoulder. His heart ached to tell her the truth about their connection.
“You should rest, too,” she murmured, her eyes still closed.
“Someone needs to keep watch.” His thumb traced circles on her hand where their fingers remained intertwined. The simple contact sent sparks through him.
She shifted, looking up at him with those striking green eyes. “You’re always watching out for me.”
“That’s not going to change.” His voice dropped lower, more intimate. The confined space amplified the warmth of her body against his.
“Why?” The question hung between them, loaded with meaning.
Brivul tightened his grip on her hand. Soon, he would tell her everything—about mates, about the instant connection he’d felt in that market. But not yet. Not while they were still fugitives on a cargo train.
“Because you’re worth protecting,” he said instead, his violet eyes intense. “Because you’re brave and clever and stronger than anyone gives you credit for.”
A blush colored her cheeks, but she didn’t look away. “You make me feel safe,” she admitted. “I haven’t felt safe in… ever.”
His chest swelled with pride and possession. “Good.” He drew her even closer, his massive frame curling protectively around her smaller one. “That’s exactly how it should be.”
The intimacy of the moment wrapped around them like a cocoon. Brivul knew, with bone-deep certainty, that this woman was meant to be his. Every protective urge, every instinct to shelter and defend her—it all made perfect sense. Soon, when they were truly safe, he would explain everything. For now, he was content to guard her sleep and plan their future.