Chapter 23

Lise

Iused my time locked in my little house well. First, I put the flycam on the charger to get as much power in the thing as possible. It had a lot of work to do, and while it sat there, I pulled up maps of Mitra on my computer and found the nearest Thrail. It…wasn’t close. There was little wonder why this society relied so heavily on air travel to get around and had such an impressive space fleet. I edited the flycam recordings to include what we’d learned and what had happened with the Dessicans’ demands, and added a call for help. The flycam just had to get close enough to be in range of the neighboring Thrail—Thrail Crovax—to transmit the recording to their communications system.

And it had to get there before time was up here. Even flying at full speed, it was going to be tight. That was my estimation. I didn’t have time to do the math. When I cracked open my window and sent the flycam out, all I could do was hope that this would work. If it did, help might arrive in time to stop the Dessicans from killing Adrik and his fifty warriors. If it didn’t, I’d lose him forever, and I couldn’t even think about that.

I was expecting the knock at the door when it happened. Dikon was on the other side, looking grim. “Lise, I’m here to take you to your transport.” His gaze skimmed over the cat case I held in my arms and the small backpack that contained my equipment, Nugget’s food and some litter. “I see you’re ready.”

“Can I see Adrik before I leave?” I wanted to tell him about the flycam, but Dikon shook his head.

“I’m sorry, Lise. I truly am, but the warlord is deep in preparations for the evacuation. He’s trying to secure as many Mitran military files as he can and keep the rest of the empire safe. His explicit orders were to bring you to the transport.”

I nodded as we stepped outside and walked down the street. “I understand, Dikon. Thank you.”

The Thrail was in a state of chaos. People dashed about. Some looked like they were searching for someone. Others clearly had only heard part of the news and were looking for a complete story. It pained me to see this beautiful, happy place turned into this.

“What’s going to happen to Besi and her calves?” I asked.

“The entire ugris herd has been sent out into the Wasting Plains,” Dikon replied. “Don’t worry on their account. They lived in luxury here in the valley, but the plains are their natural habitat. They are best off as far from here as possible.”

I was relieved that the great beasts wouldn’t be here, and if the worst-case scenario didn’t happen, Adrik could retrieve his dear Besi. “It seems as though the warlord has everyone looked after.”

“That is the duty of a warlord.”

“Will you be staying, Dikon?” I asked softly.

“I will.” His chin rose. “At the end, our warlord will not stand alone.”

Ourwarlord. Yes, he was mine, too. “I would stay, too.”

He looked at me, eyes soft and surprised. “The words of a true mate.”

“I—I think that’s what we would have become,” I stammered out. “If things had gone differently.” My gaze scanned everything, searching for a glimpse of Adrik. That’s all I hoped for. Just one last look at him.

When we turned the corner, where the transports were beginning to assemble, I got my wish. He was striding from the medical lab in full, gleaming plastoid and metal armor. He stopped in his tracks when he spotted me, and my own feet became rooted to the ground. “Adrik,” I called out in a broken voice.

He changed course and came to me, nearly in a jog. When he got close, he took Nugget’s case from me, handed it to Dikon, then yanked me to him. His kiss tasted of war and fury and the fiercest of loves. I reached up and held on to his horns as I kissed him back with everything I had in me.

“I love you,” he said against my lips. “Whatever happens, wherever you end up going, know that.” He reached up and touched the stone I wore on my chest. “Get out of here and find happiness, Lise.”

“But—”

“No. Please, don’t make this harder.” He tipped his head down and rested his helmeted head on my forehead. “It is torture to leave you, but I know you’ll be safe.”

“I have to tell you—” But I didn’t get to finish before he pressed one last hard kiss to my mouth and ran off, back to his duties.

“He knows,” Dikon said solemnly, placing Nugget’s carrier back in my rubbery arms.

“No, he doesn’t,” I muttered, then pursed my lips. I had to tell someone. “I sent my flycam toward the nearest Thrail. It will send the recording it made of what happened here when it’s within range. Help will come.”

Dikon nodded, but his expression stayed solemn and sad. “That was good thinking, but that small device is no match for the wind on the plains. I fear it won’t get far before the sands devour it.”

My stomach knotted. He had to be wrong. He had to be exaggerating. But the ugris looked rugged and made for the barren, windswept look of those plains. My hope drained away. I followed Dikon as I fought back tears.

At the transports, women were being put on, but they lay on stretchers, still unable to move or speak. Their Mitran mates stayed at their sides. I looked up at Dikon. “It doesn’t seem right that I’m on the first transport. There are women who need to be evacuated before me.”

“The warlord’s instructions will be followed.”

I sighed. “This isn’t right. I can help, here.”

“You can help by getting out of here,” said Dikon. “The warlord will be more effective if he knows you’re safe.”

I shook my head and got on the transport—a huge, blocky thing with massive treads and a glowing blue propulsion system on the back end. Inside, it was dark and crowded. I found an empty corner and sank down with Nugget on my lap. He looked up at me through the mesh with wide, dilated eyes. He purred, but not because he was content. My cat was scared. So was I.

When the vehicle was as packed as it could get, it rumbled and began to move. I closed my eyes and allowed some tears to fall. With each turn of the treads, I was moving farther away from the beautiful valley I’d fallen in love with. Farther away from Adrik, the male I’d fallen in love with.