Chapter Forty-Two
Lena
Lena watched from the window as the freed prisoners rushed through the courtyard and into the main building. Shouts and booms came, the pops of Nethren darts the loudest. Converged weapons were much quieter. Although Thaxvarien's thunder was the loudest of all.
The Paradefense army cleared the courtyard in less than five minutes; the gates left open, and the camp beyond left empty.
Somewhere above, Thax rained his wrath upon the Nethren, the only one keeping watch over the entire fortress.
Her side had won, and that meant Lena had lost. She wanted to huddle up and cry.
But Lena wasn't that woman anymore. Vor had changed her. He'd given her strength and confidence. No longer did she cower and cry. Now, she was a woman of action, and she hated hiding behind a locked door. Vor needed her. Lena could sense it.
Just as she headed for the door, the handle jiggled. Then a knock came. “Lena!” Liria shouted. “Are you in there?”
“Liria!” Lena ran to the door, unlocked it, and flung it open.
Seconds later, she was in her sister's arms, Liria weeping as she clutched Lena tightly.
“I'm all right,” Lena said as she pulled away. “What are you doing here?”
“What am I doing here?” Liria gaped at her. “I've come to save you.”
“I told you I don't want to leave. I want to help them, Liria.” Lena put her hands on her hips. “I'm staying.”
Liria bit her lower lip.
“What?” Lena growled. “They didn't shoot at those prisoners.”
“I know. It was Rallorival.”
“What?! If you know that, then why did you invade the fortress?”
“It was the general's decision. He wants a place of strength to negotiate from.”
“That's insane! You're attacking them so that you can talk peace?”
“I know!” Liria held up her hands. “I tried to talk him out of it, but he wouldn't listen to me. I'm sorry, Lena, but we have to go.”
“I'm not leaving Vor.”
“Lena, honey, he's gone. It's over. Vor ordered his army to retreat. He left you here.”
A horrified shiver raced through Lena as if someone had poured cold water over her head. Her hands fell to her sides, limp. “What?”
“I'm so sorry, Lena. He's gone. Now, come on. We've got to get you out of here. There may be stragglers.”
“You saw Vor leave? You're certain?”
“Not personally, but I have my communicator on.” She tapped a tiny convergence on her shoulder. “I heard the report. He was the last to leave.” She cleared her throat. “If it helps any, I heard he paused and looked toward this room before he left.”
In her mind, Lena saw Vor kneeling before her, telling her to remember that he loved her, no matter what happened. Their love was real. “He had no choice.” Lena squared her shoulders. “He would have come back for me if he could have.”
“Maybe.” Liria took her hand. “I believe he wanted peace, but Rallorival fucked us.”
“That fucking bastard! Why would he do that?”
Liria chuckled. “He says he did it for you. He believes you're his destra, and peace wouldn't have gotten you back.”
“What?!” Lena narrowed her eyes. “I'm not his destra. I don't even like him.”
“Yeah.” Liria smirked. “I told him as much. So did that Nethren of yours.”
“Vor told him I don't like him?”
“Yes, I think he really cared about you. I'm so sorry, Lena. You know you'll never be able to be with him.”
“A year ago, I would have said the same to you about Thaxvarien.”
Liria blinked. “Fair enough. But this is different. Thax wasn't my enemy. And he wasn't underground, behind barriers either.”
“It's not fair, Liria! We trapped them down there because of a lie!”
“I know, Sis. I've heard it from the Speaker himself.”
“You have?”
“Yeah, the Aethari tricked us. But now it's a colossal mess. We've been at war so long that—”
“Destra,” Thaxvarien said from the door.
They both spun to see the massive Aethari man, wingless but more powerful than any Aethari alive, including the Speaker of Icara.
“Lena, thank the Sources you're safe!” Thaxvarien rushed over and hugged her.
Lena stiffened, surprised by the hug, but then hugged him back. “Thank you, Thaxvarien.”
“We've got to go,” Liria said.
“It's all right.” Thaxvarien stepped away from Lena. “The fortress is secure. There's a team working on repairing the barrier as we speak.”
Lena swayed on her feet.
“Lena!” Liria steadied her. “Come and sit down.” She helped her to the couch.
Lena sat down and stared straight ahead as the reality of the situation rushed through her, stealing her strength.
Vor was gone. And she loved him. She had thought she was in love before, but after Vor, Lena knew she had never come close to true love before him.
It had taken barely any time at all for Vor to slip past her defenses and claim her heart.
It was his now, taken underground with him, making it impossible for Lena to ever love again.
“Lena?” Liria laid a hand on her shoulder and leaned over to look at her. “Thax, can you pour her a glass of water?”
“Of course.” Thaxvarien went to the dining table, where a jug of water and two glasses always waited in case Lena got thirsty.
Vor had made sure that Lena's needs were met, no matter how small they were.
They had just made love that morning. They'd been one person, joined physically and mentally.
Perhaps even their souls had merged. That's how profound making love to Vor had been for Lena.
Her old enemy, now her greatest love. Taken from her the day after they had confessed their love to each other.
He was gone, a barrier of convergence and miles of rock between them.
A glass of water appeared before Lena. Rage filled her at the sight.
She grabbed it, stood up, and screamed as she threw it against the wall.
It made a satisfying shatter, echoing inside Lena as she continued to scream as if someone were attacking her.
Arms straight down at her sides and hands clenched into fists, Lena Drask used her powerful voice to purge the fury from her soul.
Soldiers rushed into the room, looked from Lena to the wide-eyed Thaxvarien and Liria, and then backed out.
Lena kept screaming. She screamed and screamed until her throat went raw, and then she fell to the floor to curl into a ball and weep.
“Lena!” Her father came running into the room and fell to the ground beside her. “Lena, are you hurt?” He slid his arms around her.
“He's gone,” she whispered as she clutched at her father.
“Who, honey?” Her father tucked her in against his chest and rocked her.”
“The only man I'll ever love.”
“Oh, sweetheart. It's going to be all right.”
But Lena knew nothing would ever be right again.
Over the sound of her weeping, Lena heard her sister's communication device crackle.
Someone spoke through it, and Lena cursed.
It was Rallorival. He had escaped during the attack.
Lena didn't care. She hated the man, but she was so deep into her grief that nothing mattered.
The Sources would surely see to Rallorival's punishment.
They'd punished Lena, and she had done nothing wrong.
Surely, he would pay for destroying the chance of peace on Para.