Chapter 11

ELEVEN

M ila couldn’t help but feel that everything had changed. The danger was still very real, the conspiracy they faced just as daunting. But now, there was something else too—a connection, a partnership that went beyond their arranged marriage or their shared mission.

The intensity of his gaze made Mila’s breath catch. She’d come to Tharvis viewing their arranged marriage as a political necessity, nothing more. But now, after facing danger together, after seeing this different side of Roq... she wasn’t sure what to think anymore.

“So,” she said, trying to lighten the mood, “I’m guessing that wasn’t standard Tharvisian hospitality?”

Roq chuckled, the sound sending a pleasant shiver through her. “Not typically, no. I definitely wasn’t expecting them. Though I must say, it’s certainly made things more... interesting.”

Mila couldn’t help but laugh, the tension of the past few hours finally breaking. “Oh yeah, nothing says ‘welcome to the family’ quite like a midnight ambush.”

Their laughter filled the small alcove, a moment of lightness amidst the danger. But as it faded, reality settled back in. They were still being hunted, still in hostile territory with unknown enemies plotting against them.

Roq’s expression grew serious. “Mila,” he said, his use of her name sending a thrill through her, “those Drakanor... they knew where we were. This wasn’t random.”

Mila nodded, her own expression grim. “Someone knew we’d be out here. Someone wants us dead.” The weight of the words hung between them.

“But why?” Mila asked, frustration creeping into her voice. “We’re just studying the ecosystem, trying to solve the environmental crisis. Who would want to stop that?”

Roq’s brow furrowed in thought. “There are those on Tharvis who resist change, who see our efforts as a threat. The Drakanor clan has been fighting the royal family ever since the treaty with Earth was announced. There are also others who might benefit from the crisis continuing.”

Disgust flashed across Mila’s face. “Willing to let a planet die for their own gain. I guess some things are universal.”

“Indeed,” Roq agreed, his voice heavy. “But the Drakanor don’t act without high-level orders. Whoever is behind this has significant influence.”

“Didn’t the two people in charge already die when they targeted Raelee and Venus?”

“They are a family. There are others ready to take the helm.”

A chill ran down Mila’s spine. This was bigger than they’d realized, a conspiracy reaching into the highest levels of Tharvisian society.

“So what’s next?” Mila asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Roq’s eyes met hers, intense and determined. “We get back to the palace where you are safe.”

She plopped her hands on her waist. “And how do you plan on getting there since the bad guys are surely staking out the hovercraft waiting for us to return?”

His expression blanked. “Hadn’t thought of that,” he said. “Guess we’ll have to take the long way around.”

“What do you mean?” she asked.

“If we walk in that direction, we’ll eventually get back to civilization. It’ll just take a while.”

“Good,” she replied. “We can do some testing and experiments along the way.”

He let out a sigh. “Mila?—”

She lifted a hand to stop him. “Yes, I understand the danger we’re in, but no matter what we do, nothing can change that, so we might as well do what we can, when we can.”

He kicked at the dirt with his toe. “Not much choice.”

“Well,” she said, “I guess this means our honeymoon is going to be more exciting than we planned.”

Roq’s laugh was low and warm. “I suppose so. Though I admit, this isn’t quite what I had in mind when I imagined showing you Tharvis.”

“Oh?” Mila raised an eyebrow, a playful smile tugging at her lips. “And what exactly did you have in mind?”

Roq’s eyes sparkled with amusement, but there was an undercurrent of something more, something that made Mila’s heart race. “I was thinking more along the lines of the Floating Gardens of Asphodel or watching the Great Migration of the Luminary Herds. Significantly less mortal peril involved.”

“Hmm,” Mila pretended to consider. “I don’t know. Midnight chases and daring escapes have a certain charm. Very romantic.”

Their laughter filled the alcove again, but this time, there was a new tension underlying it, an awareness of each other that hadn’t been there before. As it faded, Mila found herself acutely aware of how close Roq was, of the warmth radiating from his body in the cool night air.

Roq’s expression softened, his eyes searching hers. “Mila, I—“ he started, then paused, seeming to struggle with what to say next.

Mila’s heart pounded. She wasn’t sure what she wanted him to say nor sure what she was feeling herself. This was all happening so fast, so unexpectedly. And yet...

Before either of them could say more, a distant sound caught their attention. Roq tensed, immediately on alert. “We need to move,” he said, the moment broken. “It’s not safe to stay in one place for long.”

Mila nodded, pushing herself to her feet. Her muscles protested, still sore from their frantic escape, but she ignored the discomfort.

As they prepared to venture back into the wild lands, Mila found herself watching Roq. He moved with purpose, checking their surroundings and plotting their next move. It struck her how much had changed in such a short time. When she’d first arrived on Tharvis, she’d seen Roq as little more than a political figurehead, someone she’d have to tolerate for the sake of diplomacy.

Now, she saw a partner. Someone she could rely on, someone who valued her skills and trusted her judgment. And if she was being honest with herself, someone she was starting to care about in a way that went far beyond their arranged marriage.

“Ready?” Roq asked, pulling her from her thoughts.

Mila took a deep breath, squaring her shoulders. “Ready,” she confirmed, meaning it in more ways than one.

As they stepped out of their temporary shelter and back into the dangerous beauty of the Tharvisian wilderness, Mila felt a mix of fear and excitement coursing through her veins. They were in danger, yes, but they were also on the verge of uncovering something big. Something that could change the fate of an entire planet.

And despite the danger and the uncertainty, Mila couldn’t help but feel a thrill of anticipation. This was what she lived for—the excitement of discovery, the challenge of solving complex problems. The fact that she was doing it alongside someone like Roq... well, that was an unexpected bonus she was quickly coming to appreciate.

The wild lands stretched out before them, beautiful and dangerous in equal measure. Somewhere out there were answers, and somewhere out there were enemies waiting to strike. But Mila and Roq pressed on, two figures moving in sync through the alien landscape, united in their quest for truth and their determination to save Tharvis—and perhaps, Mila thought with a mix of excitement and trepidation, to discover something more between them as well.