Chapter 45
Vytln
There was nothing.
Vytln wasn’t sure how he was managing to breathe. How his heart continued to find energy to keep beating. It seemed completely pointless.
Vytln had lost everything once before. His life, his future, his mate all stolen from him. Banished to Rik-Vane, reduced to – he thought – nothing. He was sure there was no greater pain than that.
And maybe he was right.
Because this… this wasn’t pain. This numbness, this blankness, this emptiness. It was like there was no reason for him to try breathing. He had lost a lot before, but even then, he still had the urge for vengeance. The desire for revenge. The will to keep going.
Now…
He didn’t even want to keep living. He wished Kldyn would hurry up and end it. There was no purpose in revenge now. There was no point to vengeance.
There was nothing.
Nothing but the empty, scorched, broken trap he’d spent so long crafting for a female he’d never wanted. A pest that had snuck her way right into his heart. Who entrenched herself in him so deeply, now that she was gone, he didn’t even feel the physical pains in his body.
This was what it meant to lose everything. And it wasn’t worth standing back up again.
Let him die. Let it end. That’s all he wanted. That’s all he…
The shrill alarm of the ship was jarring enough it even penetrated the fog of despair that had fallen over Vytln’s mind. He didn’t care about it, but he couldn’t help but notice it.
And the fact that, after only a few rings, it was abruptly cut off. Not like someone had turned it off either. It glitched and the sound warped, like something had interfered with it.
A moment later, another alarm, a different one, did the same thing. It rang loudly, the room was filled with flashing lights, then it just suddenly stopped.
Maybe the explosion of the Humility had done more damage than they anticipated. It was almost funny. If his crew was able to take them down in death, then that would be justice in its way.
Even as he had that thought, the door was sliding open and Kldyn was running inside. Vytln knew him by the sound of his footsteps. He didn't bother to look away from the window, through which he could only see the shattered remains of his life.
Maybe he was finally coming to kill him…
“You!” Kldyn grabbed him by his horns and yanked his head back, forcing his gaze onto him. Kldyn’s expression was wild and crazed. “What have you done?”
Vytln didn't bother to respond. He had nothing to say to this male that had once been his brother. He had obviously done nothing. He wasn’t sure he could stand on his injured knee. Even if he could, he wasn’t sure he’d be stable on his feet after the blows to his head.
“You-” Kldyn sneered, furious at his silence.
“Kldyn!” Someone yelled from the entrance. “The air recyclers aren’t working. You have to get into an envirosuit. Now!”
“Do not tell me what to do!” Kldyn roared, dropping Vytln’s head. He glared behind him at whoever had spoken, then down to Vytln again. “You know what’s going on. This has to be one of those little pests you run around with. So, who?”
Pests…
Haven…
Vytln blinked, a horrible, painful, blooming hope bursting to life in his chest.
But his next heartbeat felt purposeful. Meaningful.
Haven was here. Of course she was. Who else would be able to sneak around and completely dismantle an entire ship? How did she get here? Were the others okay? He didn't know. It didn't matter. Because his mate, his youngling, was alive.
And she was doing what she did best: Being a pest.
The laughter that bubbled up in his chest was completely unintentional. He wasn’t mocking Kldyn, though he knew by the way his brother’s face twisted that it seemed like he was.
But it was funny. Just how wonderful she was.
Just how terrible. She’d cut off the air recyclers.
She had set off the alarms two different times already, though she’d turned them off right after.
What else was she doing? He didn't know, but he imagined it was catastrophic. One of the reasons he’d been so obsessed with catching her before he knew her was because he knew the damage an unchecked, uncatchable, uncontrollable force sneaking around a ship could do.
And she was unleashing all her powers on them. Proving she was alive by threatening all of their lives. Had he thought she wasn’t vicious or dangerous? He was a fool for ever having had that notion in his head. She was absolutely beautiful and demented.
“You-” Kldyn sputtered, furious at his reaction. “Silence, you-”
Pain burst over Vytln’s face. Right over the spot he’d been struck with a hammer. He felt his skin cracking and breaking further, heating blood pouring from the open wounds. It hurt, but it didn't stop the laughter that continued to rock his aching body.
Nothing could touch his relief. No pain, not even death, could disrupt this joy.
Kldyn was shaking now, his entire body vibrating with the force of his anger. Fresh blood stained his fist from where he had just punched Vytln across the face. He pulled his arm back, but before he could hit him again, that same male called out-
“Please, Kdlyn! You have to get the envirosuit on! There’s been a hull breech in multiple areas. We are not safe.”
“I am the leader!” Kldyn screamed, whipping around to him, eyes burning. “I am the one who gives the orders around here! You dare to tell me what I have to do?!”
The male stuttered and hedged, needing to insist that Kldyn take the obvious precaution, but scared to push him when he was clearly enraged.
The sharp click of boots announced the arrival of Yl’ln.
Vytln only glanced her way long enough to recognize her.
To catch her eye as she looked at him. Unmistakable satisfaction in her grin at seeing him broken on the ground.
He looked away first, breaking eye contact so he could look back at his trap, still floating out in space.
That wasn’t good enough for Haven. He built that with no intention of a female ever being in it. He could do so much better for her. He would do better for her. Once they were out of here, he would build her a trap every other female would look upon and envy.
“Kldyn,” Yl’ln called to him in a calm but commanding tone. “We have to get our envirosuits on. Let’s go. Now.”
Without waiting for him to reply, she turned and marched off.
Kldyn growled, but he trailed after her.
An obedient wylp coming at her call. Because he might be head of the family, but she was the one who controlled him.
Like Haven said, that was why she had picked him.
Vytln would not have come just because she ordered it.
He also wouldn’t have been so foolish as to refuse to put on the envirosuit out of pride. There were a lot of differences between them.
Another one being that he wouldn’t have left a prisoner alone. Even one he thought was broken and subdued. It was just an easier way to lose control of a situation.
Almost on cue, Vytln heard the distinct, harsh, and familiar sound of a metal cutter carving its way through a wall.
It was hard to track where it came from in this wide space where the acoustics were bouncing the sound off every direction before making it to his ears, but he didn't need to wait long to figure it out.
Heated metal glowed in a rough, uneven circle where it was cut through.
It began to warp and slide even before Haven kicked it out.
The wall piece bounced on one of the sofas along the wall.
Where it came to rest, the material of the sofa began to smoke and then burst into flames.
As it was burning, Haven carefully stepped out of the wall.
She was attaching the metal cutter back to her belt, moving slowly and cautiously.
Her suit was good against heat, but not quite against literal molten metal.
But she ignored the fire completely as she jumped from the sofa to the ground. As she stepped foot down, she was already running his way, reaching up to take off her helmet.
She was wearing her jacket over the suit. It was covered in dust and smudged grease. But her face was bright and alive and unharmed. Beautiful. Even with a look of worry and horror on her face, she was absolutely beautiful.
“Vytln! Are you alright?” She asked, sliding in on her knees, reaching for him with shaking hands. She dropped the helmet on the way over, wanting to be able to look at him. He wished she kept it back on for her safety.
“There you are,” he smiled, relieved beyond measure, beyond pain, beyond everything.
He still didn't know the fates of the others. He still had lost his home and his ship. But suddenly that didn't matter anymore, because the most precious thing had come back to him. “My perfect little pest. I don’t think I’ve ever loved you more.”
Haven blinked at him, then her entire face crumpled in annoyance. “Really?! Your face is shattered and that’s the first thing you saying to me?”