Chapter 34
Security lets us in the gate and motions Azrim to a building down the street, beside a landing pad filled with a variety of starships. Moments later, Zorin bursts out of the door and scans the area. When he sees us, he breaks into a run.
Azrim sets me down.
“Tessi!” Zorin picks me up and hugs me.
“Easy!” I hate that I have to quell his excitement.
Rhysan pokes his head out of my armor.
Zorin, his lips parted in shock, gingerly reaches in and pulls Rhysan out of the furs. “How did you get him back?”
“He found me in the woods.”
“Right before they were attacked,” Azrim gruffly adds.
Zorin looks at him, squints, then peers down at Radar who licks him furiously. “Like someone dropped him off as bait?”
“That’s what I’m thinking, too. Someone down here on Mindor knows Nebs want the gifted ones.” Azrim’s voice growls with frustration.
I glance between them. “There’s a traitor in the pack? I thought they wanted him because they thought you were insufficient.”
“That doesn’t mean there isn’t someone in the Morrawyn Pack, trying to wipe us out of existence.” Zorin kisses Rhysan’s face. “Probably a hidden Luna trying to get rid of him. Emarza wouldn’t let that happen. Which means they tricked her, or they hurt her.”
Azrim tells Zorin about the Myndrous and Denarso we encountered.
“Where did you stay last night? I looked everywhere,” Zorin remarks.
“My cave. South hills.”
Zorin looks at me, then back at Azrim, sniffs the air, and doesn’t seem to find whatever it is he’s searching for. “Alright, come on. We’ve got to get ready. Flight leaves in thirty.”
“Wait, what?” I ask. “You’re not both going are you?”
Zorin draws me against him. “We have to. It’s the only way to stop Myndrous.
Isonians aren’t equipped to fight them, not hand-to-hand infiltration like we are.
They are built more for space battles. And the three Neb ships that have arrived in orbit need to be taken out.
Viriden can’t get close enough to fire on them from his ship because the Nebs always bring massive numbers of star fighters.
So Isonians handle them. We take down the mothership. ”
Zorin calls someone on his earcom as he leads us into a building where the rest of the crew is. Radar stays close beside me. I don’t think he likes the commotion either.
Carnas and Spike are with Marne’s and Zorin’s crews.
Zorin waits for Azrim to walk off and speak with a Shifter in a shiny officer’s uniform, then kisses me. “I’m so glad you’re okay. How were things with my brother?”
“He was fine. Cared for us. But a bit grouchy.”
He smiles. “Sounds about right.”
“How can I help?”
“By staying safe.”
I slump. “Zorin, I am not good at sitting still. Don’t make me stay here.”
Azrim walks up to us in a fresh uniform and motions for Zorin to hand Rhysan off to me. “You two stay.”
Zorin chews his lip and shakes his head. Azrim’s jaw muscles flex, but he only spares Zorin a glance before stalking off.
Zorin waits until almost all of the other Mindoran soldiers have left the supply room, and then he follows.
“I love you, Tessi. Stay with Sky. We’ll be back as soon as we can be.” He draws me in for one more tender kiss.
This is all happening too fast. I’m not ready. “Zorin, please.”
“We have to go, Tessi. The Nebs are destroying Viriden’s fleet. Your people are dying. Ours are being taken.” Zorin kisses my temple, then Rhysan’s head, and hurries after his crew, up the ramp of a dark, angular ship, and stands on the deck beside Azrim as they rise into the air.
I hate it. I watched Caden leave the same way. And I watched him die.
“I never like it either,” a woman says, walking up to me.
She’s dressed in gray coveralls that are dirty with grease like she’s been working on engines.
“I’ve fought up there with them. And I would go if I wasn’t nursing our daughter.
Corzin is on Carnas’ crew, but the two of them are all that’s left.
Azrim just summoned me on his earcom. Said you might need milk for a pup. ”
“They let you fight with them?” I ask.
“I chose, but it was also time critical, from the battle that dropped all this debris on our world. But we are still human, Tessi. We are and always will be protected by the Earthen Rights contract with the federation. Just like Mindorans have certain humane treatment rights when they’re in our solar system.
They cannot take away your autonomy. If you want to go, you can.
Might piss off a few alphas. But, you know…
” She shrugs. “Mindorans are so overprotective of their females.”
“How did you meet your mate?” I ask
“Abr. I was a blue band, believe it or not. Mindorans have a way of…drawing the fire out of us.”
Sky waggles her head, sending her long dark braid swinging. “But really… I couldn’t stand the idea of him fighting up there without me. This is his world. Our world now. I just had to decide what purpose I wanted my life to have. We all have natural affinities. How we apply them is up to us.”
Sky motions for Rhysan. I gently hand him over. “Ooh baby, you’re a light one. We’ll get you caught up while your mama’s fighting for your father.”
Sky doesn’t know our situation, but hearing her say it like that makes me certain, I’d like that someday.
“Tessi…”
I turn around. A Mindoran officer walks out to me. He’s young and sinewy and extends a wristband to me. “Onidus left this for you. It’s for your ship. He had to make a few modifications to make sure it would meet his standards for an Isonian.”
I take the iridescent wristband and thank him. “But it’s all the way at my mate’s house.”
He eyes the bite on the side of my neck.
“My promised one.”
“Ah. Right. Well it’s a Cosmic Spear so you can summon it to you.” He dips his head and returns to the building.
Sky follows me out to the landing pad, clutching Rhysan close. “I’m not sure you should go into this alone.”
“I don’t know where I’d go. But I want my ship here, so if something goes awry I can get to them.”
I open up the wristband, and command my ship to my position.
Cosmic Spear: En route. ETA Five minutes.
“Sky, there’s something you need to know about Rhysan.” I turn around and see Sky’s eyes widen. Bullets cut through the air from soldiers that spill out of the ramp of a different ship. Radar barks furiously.
I hunker down and pray we’re not hit. I can’t see through the blazing light where to run. All I know is that males surround Sky, shielding her and Rhysan with their bodies, but none of them make it all the way to me.
A hand grabs the shoulder of my armor and tugs. Vibrant blue light surround me, and I’m drawn into darkness.
“Tessi!” Sky screams.