Episode Forty-Four Flight Plan

A zael

I'm energized, excited. For the first time since we began planning, I believe we can succeed. It won't be a quick attack where we'll be vulnerable when we begin and even more vulnerable when we're done. This could forever end the reign of terror from Up Above.

"Forever," I whisper, as if the concept is so important it needs to be uttered out loud. "This could change things forever."

I gaze into Nadira's eyes. She's smart. This could work. We never could have done this without her. Our treasure.

"Thallose," she says. "Because you can fly, you've probably covered more ground than any of us. Do you know where the manufacturing plants are? Where they take the children?"

The male has been quiet since Dhar and I had our midnight attitude adjustment meeting with him. He's followed our demands, but he's been like half a male, sitting on the sidelines and watching. It's like he's waiting for something—I don't know what.

Not right now, though. Right now he's sitting tall, eyes bright, chest thrust forward as if he has something to live for.

"Do I know where it is? I've been there dozens of times. Always looking for a method to steal my sister back, yet never finding a way. I always knew it would be impossible without others. Many others. Even all the avians couldn't do it alone. None of us are as strong as the monks or orcs or wolven."

He glances at me, eyes filled with hope. "We can do this. We'll have to be smart about it, but for the first time, I believe we can rescue the slaves."

"All you'll need to do is draw us a map, so we have the layout of the place," Nadira says.

"I haven't been there in years," he says, sadly shaking his long-maned head. "It…" He stops speaking for a moment, too upset to continue. "Maybe I'm a weak male. I never went in alone, knowing it would be a suicide mission."

For the first time, I see an emotion other than anger on the face my mate considers handsome. His brow is furrowed in grief.

"I always hoped someday I could spring my sister, but I didn't want to die in vain and leave her there. Flying down there, seeing the conditions without being able to make things better, I just couldn't keep returning without the ability to free her. I don't even know if she's still alive."

The male is not in my good graces, but the agony in his tone, the vacant look in his eyes, reminds me there's a real person underneath all that anger.

"You remember the layout, though," Nadira prods. "You can draw what you remember?"

"I heard there was a fire. Buildings burned. Things have changed. You shouldn't trust my memory."

"Then you and I will go for recon," I say. "How many days to fly there?"

"I told you, Azael. I can't carry you or Dhar. Maybe one of the younger monks?"

"I'm going," Nadira says, chin up as if she's daring one of us to argue with her.

My beautiful mate has come so far from the fearful female I rescued from that assault. She'd been so beaten down by the human males she barely knew what she wanted, much less had the courage to ask for it.

As I figure out how to refuse her request, she watches me, her eyes narrowing.

"I'm going," she repeats, this time staring at me not as her mate, but as if we had never met before. "I'm going. I demand it."

She's daring me. Shit.

"I couldn't bear to lose you, Nadira," I say, my voice ragged.

"You will not go. It's too risky, 'Dira," Dhar says. He's not using his usual firm tone. It's like he already knows he's lost the battle.

"Now that I think about it, mayhap I could carry Azael," Thallose backtracks, his tone revealing his skepticism that he could make the trip with me on his back.

I wonder why he'd make such an offer. It certainly wouldn't be comfortable, not just physically, but because things are so strained between us. Is he willing to take me to spare himself being alone with Nadira?

"Neither of you can go." Nadira stands, stepping into her power. "Azael, do you want a young male to go on such an important mission? I'm the obvious choice. Besides, my loving mate Thallose wouldn't let anything bad happen to me, would he?" That last part was said with such a sneering tone it's obvious she knows how we've been lying to her these last few days.

Although I know I've lost the battle, I continue to argue. Not only Dhar, but Thallose chimes in squarely on my side of the debate.

Nadira never wavers, staring each of us in the eyes and repeating herself until we males give up.

We agree the two of them will leave tomorrow. It will be early, but only after Dhar and I take that male into the woods and explain to him exactly what will happen if she comes back with one scratch on her perfect, delicate skin. I shiver when a terrible thought flies through my head.

What if she doesn't come back? I will make him wish he'd never been born.