Chapter 29

TWENTY-NINE

As the final remnants of the Axis’ artificial storm cleared away, revealing a brilliant emerald sky, Ellion stood in the shadow of the mountain and his smoking fortress. Turi stood beside him, small in comparison to his non-dragon form. She was in this field the night he first saw her rescue the cibrat family, surrounded by sogfrut plants that rustled softly in the breeze.

“Look,” Turi said, turning a leaf over in her fingers. “The crops will grow well now that the sky is clear. They only ever got a few hours of direct light.”

He nodded, his chest still aching from the exertion of shifting back. “Without the Axis taking all of it, your people will thrive,” he replied, his voice still rough from shooting out so much fire.

They stood in silence for a moment, enjoying the peace that had finally come to their home. It was a feeling that Ellion never thought he would experience.

“Do you think they’ll come back?” she asked in a small voice.

“The Axis have retreated from the planet,” Ellion said finally, breaking the silence. “Yuric sent the remaining guards back to the Axis with a message—‘tell your client their contract is fulfilled and canceled.’”

“They’ll agree to that?”

“I believe so.” Ellion let out a deep breath and rolled his shoulders. “They lost control over the settlements. All four know the Axis held them as prisoners, now. Getting them back in line and on the track of slow degradation would be impossible. Plus, the Hecrons took the ships and weapons that could be salvaged and added it to their own arsenal. When the fortress is operational, the Axis would have a challenge to reclaim the colony.” Just saying the words were strange and foreign. He never imagined he’d be free of the Axis’ control, but here they were. Free.

“Good,” she said, looking out over the field. “I hope they never come back.” Turi wrapped her arms around Ellion’s waist, her head resting against his chest. “We did it, Ellion,” she whispered. “We’re finally free.”

Ellion allowed himself a small smile as he held Turi close, soaking in the warmth of her body against his. He was relieved that the Axis were gone, but he couldn’t shake a lingering feeling of unease. His thoughts kept drifting to the brothers he barely remembered—some pieces of his memory had returned, and were still returning—but his childhood was still lost to him. All he had was a brief mental image of standing in a line with five other Zaruxian youths. They were in a cold, dark room. Afraid. Shaking. He wanted to find them and learn the parts they played in the Axis’ prison conglomerate. Were they overseers like himself? Had they fallen completely under the control of the Axis, like Enforcer 258, subset D?

“We will begin repairs on the fortress when we return home,” he said, his voice a low rumble in Turi’s ear, then made a mental stumble. “That is, if you still consider the fortress your home. Things are different here. I would understand if—”

Turi turned to him and placed a finger over his lips, her brow creasing in concern. “You are my home, Ellion. And so is the fortress. If you think I’d leave you now, you’re mad.”

He smiled and bent to kiss her, but noticed two figures walking toward them. Turi’s parents walked slowly, even though her mother no longer wore hobbles. Her father’s face was somber, but he offered Ellion a nod of respect. Turi’s mother, on the other hand, looked relieved and grateful.

“Thank you, Ellion,” she said, taking his hand in hers. “You’ve saved my daughter and the rest of the Terians on this planet. You are a son to me now. You must call me Aila.”

Ellion dropped his gaze, feeling a rush of emotion at someone calling him “son.” What happened to his own mother was a mystery he hoped to one day solve. “I only did what needed to be done,” he muttered.

Turi’s father cleared his throat, pulling him from his thoughts. “Ellion, I apologize for my treatment of you.”

Ellion looked at him, surprise written on his face. “It is not I who deserves an apology,” he said, standing straighter. “It is Turi. And Aila. And every female you helped send off to mates who treated them badly.”

Tregit’s shoulders sagged and he rubbed a hand over his face. The weight of the years and hardships pulled down on his bony shoulders. “I should have treated you better, Turi. You, your sisters, and your mother. Your mate is right. I—all of us—fell into the Axis’ plan, but we are not beasts. We are Terians, and we have a society to rebuild.”

“You do,” Turi said, expression unreadable. “And I hope you do, for the sake of every Terian. All of our people—females and males—should choose their mates and their lives.”

Turi’s mother glanced at her bondmate with an unreadable expression, making Ellion wonder if she planned to give the Terian male a chance to redeem himself. Only time would tell. Time would also tell if Turi and Tregit could mend their relationship. One thing he did know was that it would take many generations for the scars of this time period to fade.

Turi turned to Ellion and squeezed his hand, offering him a smile. “Come on, Ellion,” she said softly. “Let’s go back and see what our Hecron friends are up to.”

As Ellion and Turi approached her family’s house, he could hear Yuric’s deep voice carrying across the yard. The masar stood among a group of Terians. His presence was commanding and he held the attention of the eight Terians who’d gathered around him. Fortu stood beside him, her orange hair gleaming in the sunlight. He remembered the female, who’d lived at another settlement, as being quiet and withdrawn, but like everyone else, there was a lightness to her that made him smile.

“Your people have an innate talent for farming,” Yuric was saying, gesturing to the fields. “The land you work produces more than any other region, even when the Axis obscured the light. These lands were ours, before the Axis took them, but we will not drive you off. If you wish, you may continue to live and work here, but as free people, not prisoners. In exchange, we can offer protection and trade.”

Some of the Terians nodded, while others looked skeptical. One of the farmers stepped forward. “And what of the Riests? What will become of our traditions?”

“Your traditions are yours to keep or discard,” Fortu replied, her voice steady. “But they should be based on truth, not the lies of the Axis.”

Yuric placed a hand on Fortu’s shoulder, his expression softening as he looked at her. “The Hecrons respect your right to govern yourselves,” he added. “We seek only cooperation and mutual benefit.”

Ellion watched the exchange with interest. The Terians were already changing, standing straighter, speaking more freely. It was as if a weight had been lifted.

“Ah, Ellion.” Yuric excused himself from the farmers and put a hand on Ellion’s shoulder. “Your fortress will need extensive repairs,” Yuric said. “And my people will help with that. Once it’s operational again, I hope you mean to keep your word about giving my people a means to travel off-world.”

Ellion nodded, his wings rustling. “I always keep my word. I am also eager to search for my brothers.” He looked at Turi, his expression hopeful. “Would you come with me when the time comes?”

Turi smiled up at him, her heart full of love and adventure. “To the stars, my love. To our next adventure.”