Arilee

ARILEE

T he shuttle's engines thrummed beneath my feet as we soared through the inky void of space. Rokan sat beside me, his jaw clenched, eyes fixed on the control panel. The silence between us stretched taut, heavy with unspoken words and fears.

I stole glances at him, drinking in the sharp angles of his face, the delicate markings on his gray skin.

My sweet, savage hunter.

Could we really pull this off?

Had these last few days with him been nothing but a brief respite in my time in hell?

"," Rokan's words shattered my thoughts. "I need to say something."

I turned in my seat to face him, noting the tension in his shoulders. "What is it?"

He hesitated, his gaze searching my face. "This plan... It's dangerous. If anything goes wrong-"

"Don't," I interrupted, reaching out to touch his arm. "We've come too far to back out now."

I couldn't tell him what I felt. My doubts shouldn't weigh on him.

But my fears wouldn't let me go.

The communicator crackled to life, startling us both. A gruff voice barked out coordinates, and Rokan's fingers flew over the controls, adjusting our course.

"The Krelaxian Training Grounds," he muttered. "We're to land on the far side."

As we descended through the planet's atmosphere, my stomach churned.

It was a trap. We knew it.

But was there any other way to end this?

The facility loomed before us, a sprawling complex of imposing structures and barren training fields. Steel and concrete stretched as far as the eye could see, as if the Krelaxians in this sector needed to prove something to someone.

Rokan guided the shuttle to a landing pad on the perimeter of the complex. As the engines powered down, I twisted my fingers together.

"Ready?" Rokan asked, his hand hovering over the door release.

I nodded, not trusting my voice. We stepped out onto the landing pad, the acrid smell of fuel and scorched earth assaulting my nostrils. The facility seemed deserted, an eerie stillness blanketing the area.

Then I saw him.

Gorin stood at the side of the landing pad, his mottled brown skin gleaming in the harsh sunlight. I fought the urge to shrink behind Rokan, forcing myself to stand tall.

"Well, well." Even his voice made me want to throw up. "The prodigal slave returns."

Rokan stepped forward, his posture relaxed but alert. "We're here to negotiate, Gorin. Nothing more."

Gorin's lips curled into a smug smile. "Negotiate? And what exactly do you think you have to offer me?"

"Credits," Rokan replied calmly. "Enough to make it worth your while to release 's contract."

I bit my lip, watching the exchange. Gorin's eyes narrowed, glinting with amusement. He was toying with us, I realized. My heart pounded in my chest as I waited for his response.

"And how much do you think she's worth?" Gorin asked, his gaze sliding over to me. I fought the urge to recoil.

Rokan named a sum that made my eyes widen. It was more than I'd ever dreamed of being worth. But Gorin just laughed.

"Double it," he demanded.

To my shock, Rokan didn't hesitate. "Done."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

Through the bone conductor communicator, I hissed, "Rokan, don't be crazy. It's too much!"

His reply was immediate and firm. "I'm not."

Gorin's expression shifted, a calculating look crossing his face. "Well, well. It seems the little human has quite the admirer." He paused, pretending to consider the offer. "You know, I'm not sure credits alone will suffice."

Before I could process what was happening, Gorin made a subtle gesture with his hand. Suddenly, the air was filled with the sound of weapons being primed. Dozens of Krelaxian soldiers materialized from their hiding spots, surrounding us.

My hand flew to the pendant at my throat, fingers curling around the cool metal. Davor's words echoed in my mind:

"This will keep you safe when Rokan can't," he'd said, pressing the necklace into my palm. "It's a force shield. One touch, and you'll be protected."

I'd stared at him, confused. "Why are you giving this to me?"

Davor's amber eyes had softened. "Because Rokan cares for you. And I care for him." Then that stupid sarcastic smirk. "And I doubt you're much of a fighter."

Now, as chaos erupted around us, I activated the pendant. A shimmering blue field enveloped me, humming with energy.

Rokan's hand shot to his belt, triggering the pulse disruptors. A wave of electromagnetic energy surged outward, and every weapon in sight went dead. The Krelaxians paused, shocked by their suddenly useless firearms.

Rokan didn't hesitate. He launched himself at the nearest soldier, his fist connecting with a sickening crunch. The Krelaxian dropped, and Rokan whirled to face the next attacker.

I watched, heart pounding, as Rokan tore through the enemy ranks. His movements were fluid, precise, each strike calculated for maximum damage. A Krelaxian lunged at him with a knife, but Rokan caught the enemy's wrist, twisting until bones snapped. He used the momentum to throw the screaming soldier into two of his comrades.

"Kill him!" Gorin bellowed from the sidelines. "I want that Vinduthi's head!"

Three Krelaxians rushed Rokan at once. He ducked under the first punch, driving his elbow into the attacker's solar plexus. As the soldier doubled over, Rokan grabbed him by the back of the neck and slammed his face into an oncoming knee.

The third Krelaxian managed to land a glancing blow to Rokan's jaw. Rokan's head snapped back, but he recovered instantly. His eyes blazed with fury as he seized the man's throat, lifting him off the ground with one hand.

"Rokan!" I shouted. "Behind you!"

He spun, using the choking Krelaxian as a shield. Another attacker's fist connected with his comrade's face instead of Rokan's. Rokan tossed aside the first opponent and delivered a devastating uppercut to the newcomer.

Bodies littered the ground around him, but more kept coming. Rokan stood in the center of the storm, his gray skin glistening with sweat, chest heaving. Blood - both his and others' - spattered his clothes.

I glanced at my wrist display. Fifteen seconds until the pulse disruptors wore off.

"Rokan!" I called through the bone conductor. "Weapons back online in fifteen!"

He gave a sharp nod, redoubling his efforts. His fists were a blur as he pummeled a Krelaxian into unconsciousness. Another tried to grab him from behind, but Rokan drove his elbow back, shattering the soldier's nose.

Ten seconds.

Gorin's bellowed through the chaos. "You can't win, Vinduthi! Give up the girl, and I might let you live!"

Rokan's only response was a snarl as he kicked a Krelaxian's legs out from under him.

Five seconds.

Rokan's movements slowed, his eyes losing focus.

Oh no. Oh no, oh no, oh no.

The poison I'd slipped into his drink back on Guilgar was still affecting him.

I'd been such an idiot.

Then I saw it - a tiny red dot dancing on his chest.

My blood ran cold. A sniper. Waiting for the weapons to come back online.

Three seconds.

"No," I whispered, my voice breaking.

Two.

I couldn't let this happen. I couldn't let Rokan die for me.

One.

"Stop!" I screamed, deactivating my shield. "I surrender!"

The fighting ground to a halt. Rokan whirled to face me, eyes wide with disbelief.

", no!" His voice crackled through the bone conductor. "I can handle this. Let me fight for you!"

I shook my head wildly, tears stinging my eyes. "I can't. They'll kill you, Rokan. I won't let that happen."

"Listen to the girl," Gorin sneered, striding forward. "She knows when she's beaten."

Rokan lunged toward me, but two Krelaxians grabbed his arms, holding him back. He roared in frustration, muscles straining against their grip.

", please," he begged. "Don't do this. We can still win."

I met his gaze, my heart breaking at the desperation I saw there. "I'm sorry, Rokan. I can't lose you."

Gorin's laughter sliced through me as he approached. "How touching. The slave loves her new master." He reached out, grabbing my arm roughly. "But you belong to me, girl. Always have, always will."

I flinched at his touch, nausea crashing through me. Still, I managed to stand tall, chin raised in defiance.

"I'll go with you," I blurted. "But you have to let Rokan go. Unharmed."

Gorin considered, then nodded. "Fine. The Vinduthi can leave. But you?" His grip tightened painfully. "You're coming home."

As Gorin dragged me away, I caught one last glimpse of Rokan. Our eyes met, and in that moment, I saw a thousand unspoken words, a lifetime of possibilities slipping away.

"I'm sorry," I mouthed.

Then Gorin shoved me into a waiting transport, and Rokan disappeared from view.