Epilogue
QUIN
The twin suns were beginning their slow descent as I stepped through the palace's heavy double doors, my bio-analyzer tucked beneath one arm while a folded blanket and basket of snacks balanced comfortably against my hip.
The great fountain beyond the palace doors surged skyward in choreographed arcs before they cascaded into the expansive basin below.
Warriors, females, and younglings moved along the stone walkways surrounding it, their conversations blending with the steady rush of falling lood as Huren settled into the evening.
Somewhere beyond the rooftops, I knew Vennox would already be waiting at the training field beside the bubble craft.
I couldn't keep the smile from my face.
Over the past two weeks, our evening excursions into the Huren jungle had become my favorite part of every day. What had begun as a promise had turned into a routine I found myself looking forward to from the moment I woke.
Today, I secretly hoped we'd see another rexose.
The first time I'd laid eyes on one, Vennox had settled the bubble craft above the jungle while the enormous predator emerged from beneath the towering blue canopy.
It lumbered through the undergrowth on thick, blue-scaled legs, its massive reptilian head swaying with each earth-shaking step.
Rows of serrated teeth flashed whenever it parted its jaws to scent the air, and I couldn't stop staring until it disappeared beneath the trees.
It had been equal parts terrifying and magnificent.
Smiling to myself, I continued down the walkway toward the training field.
Every excursion brought something new to discover, and my silver companion made for the perfect tour guide.
He seemed to know every trail, every creature, and every plant in the Huren jungle, and no matter how many questions I asked, he answered each one with endless patience, as though seeing his world through my eyes delighted him as much as discovering it delighted me.
Movement near the large rectangular structure beside the palace caught my attention.
I had learned it served as a spacecraft hangar, but today it was far busier than usual.
Warriors hurried in and out through its massive open doors while others clustered outside in animated conversation, all glancing skyward as though expecting something to appear at any moment.
"Quin!"
I looked toward the hangar as Holly broke away from the crowd, waving enthusiastically. I lifted a hand in return and kept walking.
"Wait up!"
With a sigh, I slowed to a stop. I was already running later than I'd intended after detouring through the cookery to pick up fresh sweet bread and a covered pitcher of vernbury tea. Vennox's favorite. I knew he'd be at the training field, and I hated keeping him waiting.
Holly hurried the last few steps toward me, slightly out of breath. "Have you heard?"
I frowned. "Heard what?" I lifted my chin toward the unusually large crowd gathered outside the hangar. "What's going on?"
Holly's grin widened. "They found them!"
"Found who?"
"The Lizordian who went searching for his brother found the missing rescue vessel!" The words tumbled out in a rush. "They're on their way to Valose now, and you'll never guess what else they found."
I blinked. "What?"
"Another Moktian craft." she said excitedly. "Just like the one that crashed on your scary-ass planet. With the cloaking technology, that means we can go home. Back to Earth."
Home.
The word struck me like a physical blow. All the blood rushed from my head, leaving me momentarily dizzy as a thousand emotions crashed together inside me. Hope. Relief. Joy.
"Holly?" Her smile faltered. "Are you okay?"
The weight I'd been carrying finally lifted.
"I... I need to find Vennox." I looked at her, but my thoughts were already somewhere else. "I have to tell him..."
My words dissolved as I dropped the blanket, basket, and bio-analyzer where I stood and took off running toward the training field.
I barely noticed the startled faces of the warriors stepping aside as I ran.
Before I reached the training field, I saw him.
Vennox was already striding toward me, concern etched across his handsome features.
Through the bond, I felt his growing unease as he searched my face for the source of my distress.
I threw myself into his arms, and he caught me effortlessly, wrapping me against his broad chest as though he feared I might fall apart if he let go.
"Quin." His voice was low and urgent. "What has happened?"
I clung to him for another heartbeat before he gently eased me back onto my feet. One hand remained at my waist while the other brushed windblown strands of hair away from my face. His thumb swept across my cheek, wiping away my tears.
"Tell me."
My breaths came in short, uneven bursts.
"H-Holly..." I managed, struggling to draw in enough air to speak. "She said... the Lizordian..."
I swallowed hard, my chest rising and falling rapidly.
"They found them." I searched his eyes. "The rescue vessel... they found it... and..." My voice broke as another rush of emotion overwhelmed me. "They found another Moktian craft."
I shook my head and reached for him, my trembling hand settling over the glowing shawra on his chest. "You don't understand."
His confusion replaced the quiet sorrow I still felt echoing through our bond. Tears blurred my vision, but for the first time since arriving on Valose, I could see with absolute clarity.
“I'm not happy because the craft is coming.” My fingers spread over the radiant mark beneath my palm. "It made me realize that what I truly wanted has been standing right in front of me this whole time. I was just too afraid and too stubborn to see it.”
His eyes searched mine as though he feared he had misunderstood.
"I never believed myself worthy of a female such as you." His voice roughened. "Every dark hur when I close my eyes and the memories haunt me still unless you are there to call me back."
I reached up and cupped his face in both hands.
"Vennox..." I waited until his silver eyes locked with mine. "Do you know what I see when I look at you?"
He gave the smallest shake of his head.
"I see the strongest, kindest male I've ever known." I smiled softly. "There is nothing wrong with you."
Wonder gave way to raw vulnerability.
"You were abducted. You were imprisoned." I held his gaze. "Your nightmares are a normal response to surviving something no one should ever have to endure. They don't make you weak, and they certainly don't make you unworthy."
I rested my forehead against his.
"Every day since I met you, I've watched you reclaim little pieces of yourself. Not because the memories are gone, but because you refuse to let them decide who you are."
I let the words settle between us. He had never told me all of what had happened during his captivity. Whatever the Queen Uri had done to him remained locked behind walls he wasn't yet ready to lower.
"I didn't fall in love with the male the Gorken tried to destroy." My smile trembled. "I fell in love with the male who survived them. After all, you are my silver slayer.”
"No." His hand covered mine where it rested over his shawra. "You are the slayer of what haunts my dark hurs, Quin.”
“It is my honor to be your shield, warrior.”
A smile unlike any I'd seen before slowly spread across his face, free of the guarded sadness that had always lingered behind his eyes. "And it is my greatest honor to belong to you, my most cherished love."