Chapter 15

Chapter

Fifteen

Maxxon

B eing rescued was what I'd wanted. It was what I had hoped would happen. So why did my stomach sink when Torven had stepped into the cavern? Why had my feet felt heavy with each step I took from the caverns?

"Ready?"

I jerked my head up, staring at Dakar as he sat across from me in the transport. Although the glossy black interior was familiar and comforting, I was not as relieved to be returning to the station as I should have been. Even the crisp, sanitized air of the ship—which should have been a welcome relief from the steamy, smoke-filled air on Earth—brought no comfort.

Dakar motioned to his safety straps, and it hit me that mine were not fastened, even though the ship's engines were firing up and the floor rumbled beneath my boots. I snatched my straps from overhead and hooked them across my chest and waist, giving them a tug before slumping back into my seat.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Dakar asked as the transport shook and lifted off the ground.

I blinked at him a few times. Did he know what consumed my thoughts? Had he seen the way I looked at Allie, even though I'd tried to hide my feelings?

"You must have seen a good deal of the invasion," Dakar added. "I'm sure it was hard to see the world you've been visiting so often under attack."

I released a breath, although I realized that he was right. It had been painful to watch the Kronock rain destruction on the peaceful planet, and I shuddered to think about the people who had perished in the onslaught. How many of the people I'd walked past in the small town had died during the invasion? How many of the small shops and neat homes had been obliterated?

I suppressed a growl of rage. "Do we know the number of casualties?"

Dakar frowned. "It's too soon, but our response was able to prevent a great deal of carnage."

"And the humans helped?"

"Governments from all around the planet accepted our call and joined the fight." Dakar sat back and tightened his top knot. "They might not have our technology, but they have heart."

"They were fighting for survival."

"Just like you when you saved the female and hid her underground."

I flicked my gaze to the Drexian and then away. He knew. He might not say anything outright, but I was certain that Dakar had picked up on something between Allie and me.

I thought back to saying goodbye to her in front of her building after marveling that the brick structure had remained intact. Aside from broken windows and plenty of grime, the building still stood when many others had fallen.

A tear had rolled down her cheek when she'd realized that her belongings weren't buried under rubble, and she wouldn't have to live in an evacuation center. "I can't believe it's still here."

I'd swept my gaze down the street that was strewn with debris and dotted with holes blasted into the ground. "You were lucky."

She nodded and glanced down at the dog which hadn't left her side since we'd emerged from the caverns and the cat poking her head from the bag over her shoulder. "I'm not the only one."

"You are keeping him?" I asked, patting the dog's brown, furry head.

She shot me a scandalized look. "Of course, I'm keeping him. Besides, Dinah seems to like him, and she's an excellent judge of character."

It pleased me that she was keeping the dog. Maybe he would be able to keep her safe.

Since you won't be able to, a little voice whispered in the back of my brain.

I shook the thought from my mind, catching both Torven and Dakar waiting behind me. Torven shifted from one foot to the other, his impatience clear, although Dakar seemed as relaxed as if he was on a pleasure cruise.

"You should go," Allie said before I could speak. She motioned to the Drexians behind me. "They're waiting for you."

I nodded, but I couldn't seem to make myself move. "You will be all right?"

She laughed, although the sound was tight. "You don't need to worry about me. I've taken care of myself for a long time."

What I truly wanted to know was if I had made a mistake, if we had made a mistake. It had seemed right in the moment, but would she regret it? Would she regret meeting me, trusting me, giving herself to me?

But it wasn't my right to know any of that since I couldn't stay. Whatever she thought, now or in the future, would be a mystery to me. The only thing I knew for sure was that I did not regret any of it. And I would never regret coming to Earth and stumbling across her instead of the tribute bride I'd been tasked to find.

"Take care of yourself, Maxxon." Allie stepped forward and gave me a hug that was so quick and perfunctory that I barely had time to lift my arms. She pecked me on the cheek and pulled back before I could pull her close to me.

But maybe that was best. If I'd held onto her, I might never have let go.

Then she'd turned and walked briskly into her building, the dog trotting by her heels. The only one of the group who'd given me a final glance before they'd vanished inside had been the cat, which was a good thing. If Allie had looked back or hesitated at all, I might not have been able to leave.

Even now, I touched my hand to the cheek she'd kissed, sure I could detect the warmth of her lips. I closed my eyes as the transport rocketed through Earth's atmosphere, away from the planet, and away from Allie. My chest constricted tighter and tighter the farther we flew until I was barely able to draw breath.

I had been so concerned about her being fine, that it hadn't struck me until that moment that I was not.