Chapter Fifty
Vor
Vor had done it! No, Tech had done it. Vor had followed its guidance and reaped the benefits.
Lena was sitting beside him, and they flying back to Ranuvul.
The only thing that dampened his joy was the spot of blood at the corner of her lips.
That bastard had hurt her! It made Vor want to turn around and kill him again.
But Rallorival was dead, and Lena was safe. That was enough.
Behind them, his soldiers celebrated their accomplishments, laughing about how they'd stolen an erial from under Paradefense's nose, bested a group of Aethari warriors, and retrieved Lena.
Yes, they were all happy to have her back.
Not for him, but for themselves. Lena would change everything, and they knew it as well as he did.
Vor reached over and took her hand, holding the wheel with his left hand . “Are you all right?”
“I'm fantastic.” Lena leaned over and kissed his cheek, sending thrills down his spine.
“I thought I had lost you forever, and then Rallorival took me. I was . . .” She looked away.
“Despondent. But then I found your note and the tracker.” She looked back at him.
“I knew then it would be all right. You'd find a way back to me.”
“Nothing could have stopped me.” He glanced at her lips. “You have some blood on you. What did he do to you, Lena?”
She wiped at her mouth and then stared at the blood on her finger. “This was from a slap. I was arguing with Rallorival. I called him a lunatic.”
Vor snorted. “You called me the same.”
“I believe I called you insane. And in his case, it was true.”
Something brightened in Vor's chest. “I love you, Lena.”
“I love you too.”
The men in the back went quiet, and Vor looked over his shoulder at them.
He expected to find horror on their faces.
Instead, they stared at Lena and him with hope and a little envy.
Vor blinked and then winked at them before focusing back on his Lena.
Even after all she'd been through, she was still radiant.
He couldn't imagine her despondent. That he had caused her despondency cut him deep.
“I'm so sorry I had to leave you behind.” Vor met her gaze. “I couldn't go back for you without risking my soldiers.”
“I know, and it's all right. I understand.” Lena squeezed his hand. “It's a good thing you're such a planner.”
“I despaired that I'd never see you again,” Vor whispered. “I have never felt such pain.”
“Neither have I. I couldn’t function. Barely spoke.
Liria and my father looked after me. They put me in an erial to fly us back to Thennis.
That's when Rallorival attacked. He shot it down and took me from the wreckage.” She blinked.
“Oh, sweet convergence! I've got to vid my sister. My family must be frantic with worry.”
“Of course.” Vor didn't hesitate to hand over his vidco—the Medean version he'd taken from the fortress.
Lena took it and tapped a number into its panel.
The screen went white, and then color infused it, focusing into a face nearly identical to Lena's.
But Vor saw the differences now. Lena's eyes were bluer than her sister's, and there was a fleck of gold in the right one.
Her forehead was a tad narrower than Liria's too, and her chin was a bit more pert.
“Lena!” Liria screeched. “Where are you?”
Vor grimaced as his soldiers went quiet. Lena's voice was sweeter than Liria's as well.
“I'm fine, Liria.” Lena held up a hand to ward off Liria's questions. “Rallorival is dead, but his friends are still alive.” She glanced at Vor. “Could I have the coordinates for the house?”
Vor nodded and pointed at the navigation screen in the dash.
There was still a marker for the house Rallorival had taken his Lena to.
As Lena gave her sister the coordinates and told her who had rescued her, Vor thought about the state of those Aethari they'd left behind.
They'd been bleeding from their ears and eyes when he entered the house.
Had Lena done that? It must have been her.
No one else was there. He had heard her scream before he burst through the door.
Was that how she'd hurt them—with her voice?
It made sense. Vibrations were neutral. They could be used positively or negatively.
“Liria, I don't know how Vor got to the surface, and I wouldn't tell you if I did!” Lena glared at her sister. “He offered you peace, and you attacked him.”
Liria sighed. “I told you I tried to convince the general to speak to Vor, but he refused. He wanted the prisoners freed.”
“Vor would have listened if you'd only given him a chance.”
“What are you talking about?” Vor glanced at Lena.
Lena looked at him. “It was Rallorival who shot at the prisoners you released. Evellor saw Rallorival with a Nethrren dart. When we confronted him, he tried to flee, but Thax caught him, Rallorival confessed to shooting at the prisoners to destroy peace talks. He knew that if there was peace between our people, he’d never get Lena. ”
“That fucking bastard!” Vor growled. But he also felt a strange relief that Paradefense hadn't tricked him. “Why didn't General Caden tell me?”
“I’m guessing pride.” Lena grimaced.
“He didn't think you'd believe him,” Liria said, leaning to see Vor.
“I would have.” Vor sighed. “And I will still agree to peace talks if they're offered. But I will have to do much to convince my general that Paradefense can be trusted.”
“I don't know if peace is possible now, but I hope it is,” Liria said. Then she narrowed her eyes. “Are you flying? Where did you get an erial?”
“I stole it,” Vor said. “I needed to get to Lena as quickly as possible.”
Liria huffed. “I don't know what to do with this information.”
“All you have to do is speak the truth, Liria.” Lena looked from her sister to Vor. “Tell Paradefense that we still seek peace. I'll keep in contact.”
“We?” Liria asked. “Lena, you can't seriously be thinking of going underground?”
“Why not? You did for Thaxvarien.”
“Not to stay! Lena, you'll never see the sun again.”
“Vor will be my sun. I need nothing else.”
Vor's breath caught in his throat, and his eyes watered as he looked at Lena. She smiled at him, love shining from her eyes.
“Lena,” he whispered. “I will be whatever you need.”
“I know. Didn't I just say so?” She winked at him.
“Fuck,” Liria growled. “All right. Fine. I understand. Go with him. I'll do what I can for you.”
“Thank you, Liria.” Lena touched the screen. “I love you. Tell Mom and Dad I love them too, but I've got to do this.”
“I know you do. I saw how you were without him. I just had to try one last time to bring you home. I'll miss you, Sis.”
“Hopefully, we won't be parted for long.”
Liria nodded. “Aim me at your man.”
Lena chuckled and turned the vidco so that Liria could see Vor.
Vor steadied their flight and then met Liria's stern stare. “Hello, Chief Drask.”
“I'm not a chief or a Drask anymore,” Lena said. “I gave up my career for my destru and took his name when we married. I helped him recover from what your people did to him. So, believe me when I say, I know what it is to suffer for love.”
Vor nodded. “I'm sorry for what happened to your man. But he seems to have come through it better than he was before.”
“That's right.” She grinned viciously. “Thaxvarien is powerful enough to blast a hole in the ground, straight to your city.
Which leads me to my threat. You will suffer to be with Lena, of that I'm certain. But if you make my sister suffer, Nethren, I will find you, and I will tear the metal from your flesh before beating you with it.”
Vor laughed.
Liria narrowed her eyes at him. “I can follow through on that threat, Vor.”
“Oh, I know you can.” Vor grinned. “What you don't seem to know is how much I love your sister. I would sooner cut my arm off myself and hand it to you than see her suffer.” He sobered to say, “I vow to you that she will be safe under my protection. I will look after Lena until I can reunite her with you and the rest of her family.”
“See that you do. Lena?”
Lena turned the vidco her way. “Liria, that went a little too far.”
“Just far enough. Now, take care of yourself, Lena. If he abuses you, you run for the surface, okay? You vid me, and I'll meet you at the barrier with my pulsers.”
“Liria, stop worrying. I'm going to be fine. He just saved my life.”
“I know. It's the only thing keeping me from going after you.” Liria grimaced. “Good luck.”
“I don't need luck. I'm following my destiny.”