Chapter 46 #2
Annika stays two steps behind me, both of us pausing once to breathe and take a sip of water before we run again.
My lungs burn, and my legs protest, but when the academy comes into view, I sigh in relief.
We both find the energy to sprint the rest of the way to the academy grounds, the wards making my skin tingle as we cross them.
She falls behind, but I don’t slow. Once on campus, we sprint past three other dorms and arrive at the Center.
Once the control tower is in view, I push myself, throwing open the doors and praying to Astor that I make it up the stairs without puking.
I make it to the last landing when I hear Chancellor Xara talking. I push open the doors and fall to my hands and knees, gasping for air. Ezra steps in behind me.
“Raea,” Ryker is at my side first, the Chancellor gasping somewhere above me. Every breath burns, and my throat is raw, but Trysten needs help—immediately.
“Trysten,” I rasp. “He’s hurt.” Ryker helps me stand, keeping an arm wrapped around my waist, the only thing keeping me up. “Traps.” My vision blurs, and I bend over, finding a waste bucket.
“Traps?” Chancellor Xara gasps.
Professor Ainslyn speaks next, or at least I think it’s him explaining that it could be traps from the village. It’s all I hear before Ryker is rubbing my back and instructing me to slow my breathing.
Annika finally makes it to the room and drops into a chair. “Sorry,” she wheezes. “I couldn’t keep up.”
I shake my head, allowing Ryker to help me stand. He helps me to a chair, turning a fan on me. “Did you just run the whole way?” he asks. I nod, and then he tells me our flag was dropped five miles off campus. That makes sense since we started the hike from the stadium.
“Healers. He needs healers now, Ry. His leg.” My vision swims again. It’s so damn hot. Ryker nods but keeps his gaze on me before pulling me from my chair and into the bathroom, closing the door behind us.
“What are you—” My shirt is ripped off, so I’m only standing in my corset, but he makes quick work of the laces, loosening it until we can pull it free. I instantly cool ten degrees, and I can breathe again.
“You just ran five miles in a corset,” he growls.
He flips on the water, running it cold while I rest against the cool tiled wall.
I can’t find it in me to care that I’m standing here in my bra or that my professors are on the other side of the door while Ryker is in here with me.
Cold towels are draped around my shoulders, the water soaking my bra, but it’s enough to bring my temperature down and my heart rate back to normal.
He’s gentle when he cleans off the blood from my hands. “Let’s get your hair clean.”
I lean over the sink, dipping my hair into the basin and watching the red float on streams that disappear down the drain.
I sigh as my adrenaline fades. “I have to go with the healers.”
“I’ll come with you, and we can take the pod.”
An hour later, Ryker sits beside me in Trysten’s spot. Trysten is sedated after the healers cleaned his wounds and stitched him up. Thankfully, the spikes missed his artery and didn’t fracture any bones.
“I don’t freaking get this. These coordinates lead to nowhere,” Tate growls in frustration. We’re all holed up in the transport, while our team tries to decode the coordinates they received from Cas and the other Intel team.
I keep banging my head on the console in frustration while Ryker tries to hide his amusement.
“Ashton, call Intel back and ask them if this is right. Tate’s right, there is nothing here,” Freya says. Ashton and Ciara exchange a quick glance and then call Cas, who reads off the same exact coordinates as last time.
“Ryker, seriously?” Tate huffs. “What is this shit?”
When I look over at him, he shrugs and ignores Tate, kicking his feet up on the console.
I can’t help but raise a brow in question.
He only shakes his head, crossing his arms over his chest. My gaze falls to his right arm, thinking about the tattoo that was inked there in the vision.
Was it a mating mark? The thought makes me blush.
The idea that his will be visible for all to see makes me feel possessive.
Typically, with the Lumos Bond, only the women’s marks are visible.
His hand interlaces with mine a moment later.
“Damn, this is annoying,” Ciara groans.
“Guys, why don’t we just fly there, and we can look around,” I finally suggest. It won’t hurt to just look. The information is either incorrect, or the computer is malfunctioning. Most likely the first, but it’s better than sitting here.
“Fine, but I’m telling you. There’s nothing,” Tate sighs.
“Ryker, get off my transport,” I tease with a grin. “Ciara, clear us for takeoff. Ashton, we’ll see you when we get back.” When I look back at Ryker, he’s already buckling his harness and slipping on a headset.
“I’m actually staying.” He clips in as he says, “I can’t help, but I’m here just in case.” I scowl at him. I already have one guard. “I won’t say a thing,” he promises with a chuckle. I roll my eyes and go back to the console, sliding the switch for launch.
“All clear, transport five,” the tower says.
The console illuminates with a soft hum as it angles us.
“Take us up, Raea,” Ryker orders.
I lift my brow again. “You aren’t here, remember. My transport, now shush.” Ciara chuckles behind me.
“You two done flirting up there?” Tate asks. I roll my eyes and hit the launch button a second later.
When we reach space, our team works seamlessly, navigating around the Westsea Cloud and the Lynx Asteroid field. We reach the destination forty minutes later, and all I can do is chuckle.
“Hey, hey, guess what’s here,” I tease Tate. “Feel free to say I was right and you were wrong.”
Both Tate and Freya groan, and Tate mutters what sounds like, ‘You were right,’ back to me, much to my surprise. Everyone gathers around the front window to see the buoy that’s been dropped here with a box we have to retrieve.
I line up the transport and let Ciara use the claw to reach out and grab hold of it, storing it in the compartment below.
“Hell yes,” Tate whoops.
“For Trysten,” Ciara claims. I turn to Ryker and wink before bursting into giggles. I think I love flirting with him.
“You’re amazing.” He reaches for me. Everyone is still talking behind us, but I unbuckle and step closer. I lean over him, kissing him, and when I feel the delicious slide of his tongue against mine, a warmth blossoms in my stomach.
Ciara whoops the loudest while Tate yells, “Finally.”
I smile against his lips, kissing him again before whispering, “I really, really like you.” He echoes the sentiment. “Okay, settle down,” I laugh, getting back in my chair. “Tate, route us home. I’d like to be back before dinner.”
That night, Ry delivers the news that our team won not only against the other dorms, but against the other Taeolyn teams. As a reward, our team was awarded a free day pass to leave campus.