Chapter 12

The following evening, our crew is reunited at the base of the northwestern mountain. Pearl City’s drones continue to survey the area, their handlers desperately looking for me farther and farther out. It’ll be a while before they realize it was all a ruse. By then, hopefully, their hangar and precious starship will be blown to smithereens.

I’m nervous. I didn’t get much sleep, either—then again, Yossul and Fadai are partially responsible for that, albeit in the best way possible.

There’s a lot of uncertainty ahead, the kind that made me renounce my original principles of keeping everything friendly between us. We could die tonight. It’s an undeniable fact. We’re painfully aware of that. Oddly enough, it has made our bond stronger.

“What’s the plan, then?” Dayan, one of our Yellow Gang men, asks me, his gaze occasionally bouncing between the Kreek brothers. “Those drones seem to be moving southward.”

“They are,” Selly, his younger brother, confirms. “For the past hour, I’ve noticed a shift in their pattern. They’re probably thinking you’re headed south toward the Sun River Plateau.”

“We need to get back into the city,” I say, looking toward the northern gates. “That’s for sure.”

We’re wearing Sky Tribe uniforms for the job. We scavenged radio transmission devices from our previous skirmishes, their circuits reconfigured to patch into the Sky Tribe’s main comms lines. We’ve got badges and shoulder tresses that will allow us safe passage into and through Pearl City.

I’ll be secret cargo this time, hiding at the bottom of a peppered wine barrel. Dayan brought one over from the southern Fire Tribe nations. It’s big enough and has a fake bottom to keep me from being seen.

Yossul looks at me hard. “We’ll have to move quickly either way. The Sky Tribe will be suspicious of anybody coming in.”

“Which is why Lieutenants Hass and Kiel are coming back to Pearl City with this gift for Shaytan and Blaze,” I reply with a cold grin, pointing at the barrel. “We know they haven’t reached out to Ruby City about yesterday’s events. They’re too ashamed to admit they literally had me in their clutches and lost me—again. Shaytan won’t be able to bear being embarrassed. They’ve probably kept their communications with Ruby City to a minimum, so seeing Hass and Kiel come in with a barrel of fine wine for the big kahuna won’t be worthy of their suspicion.”

Of course, we’ve been scanning whatever frequencies we could find for this particular matter, and aside from coordinates bouncing back and forth between the lower-level search teams, there has been no mention of my name whatsoever.

“Selly and I should come with you,” Dayan says. “You’ll be in the barrel, and we’ll be assisting Lieutenants Hass and Kiel with the delivery.”

“I appreciate the support, but I need you two, Rupi, Geras, Manny, and Jay-Jay, to stick together and go through the eastern gate. You’ll pose as merchants coming from Emerald City,” I say, looking at the rest of our crew. “You’ve got everything you need, right?”

Rupi opens one of the two coffers they’ll be carting into the city. It’s loaded with precious beads and hand-sewn silks, jade and obsidian combs, fine oils, and other decorative goods we’ve gathered from merchants who move between cities and who have yet to declare their allegiance to either side. Why would they, when they’re happy to take money from both?

“We’re good, yeah,” Rupi says. “I’ve got my northern accent down, as well. They won’t look twice my way, for sure.”

“Jewel has already explained the hangar’s general schematics,” Fadai says, giving me a soft smile before he shifts his focus back to the Yellow Gang. They all look weird and uncomfortable in Sky Tribe colors, but they’re fine with it as long as they get to blow up another starship. The hunger in their eyes is downright palpable. “We need to get to the service door,” he adds, using a stick to draw in the reddish dirt between us. “We’ll be coming down this alley, supposedly headed toward the command center. Given that we already have Pearl City credentials from our first mission, I doubt guards will accompany us all the way through.”

“And what if they’re extra paranoid?” Geras asks.

“Then we’ll kill them,” Fadai replies, “quickly and quietly down one of these alleys.” He points to the northern section of the hangar’s drawn area. “Our main goal is to get there, one way or another. You boys will come through here. You’ve got the explosives underneath all those fancy jewels, and you’ll be the first to access the service door. I suppose you know the drill once you’re in there.”

“We’ll follow the parameters of past missions since we didn’t get eyes inside this one,” Rupi says with an uncomfortable shrug.

“I agree. It’s not the best scenario, but it’s the better of poor options,” Fadai says. We’ll make do. What matters is that you place the explosive charges at all four cardinal points, as close to the fuel tanks and the motherboard circuits as possible. This starship is the same as the others, so at least there’s that.”

I listen quietly as Fadai and Yossul talk the boys through the rest of the mission, admiring their strong, chiseled profiles as they speak. As the minutes pass, anxiety starts creeping its way up from the back of my head to the front, transmitting all kinds of confusing signals to the rest of my body. I shiver as we get up and prepare for what’s next. I’m scared. We’re so close to the finish line. The stakes are so high; it’s an all-or-nothing kind of moment.

Sensing my concerns, Fadai inches closer and gives me a subtle nudge. “It’s going to be fine,” he says in a low voice. “We’ve got you, Jewel.”

“I know you do,” I reply, smiling softly.

It’s their way of reassuring me, and such words are sorely needed. I don’t know if they’ll keep me sane throughout the rest of the mission, though. However, I find comfort in knowing my military brain has a way of kicking my gears into motion when push comes to shove.

My body knows what to do before my reason gets the better of me. Any sane woman would panic at this point. She’d run in the opposite direction as fast as her feet could carry her.

But I’ve got too many people relying on a positive outcome, relying on me.

I think of Amber and her kids, Cynthia and her family, and Alicia and the twins. I think of the Fire Tribe nations and the people they lost while fighting the Sky Tribe—not just for dominance over Sunna but for our safety and our liberty, too.

I think of the few Sunnaite women left in this world and the fear they must be living with on a daily basis. It cannot be easy to wake up in a breeding center and find your womb occupied against your will and forced to bond with the seed of strangers for the survival of your species. It’s wrong, and it’s cruel.

We’re putting an end to that.

Once we’re in our disguises and ready, we head for Pearl City. Rupi takes the crew down a side road leading to the eastern gate while Yossul, Fadai, and I head for the northern gate. My pulse races as I get into the barrel through a fake bottom, briefly soothed by the strong smell of peppered wine.

I would’ve loved to spend the rest of my day drinking this stuff, but perhaps we’ll get to enjoy a fine glass of our own when it’s all done and dusted.

“Hold your breath,” I hear Fadai say as they approach the gates.

It’s quiet out there, with the exception of drones buzzing above and the thudding of soldiers’ boots as the guards come closer. My guys know what to do, though, and I have absolute faith in them.

“Who the hell are you?” the guard asks.

“Lieutenants Hass and Kiel. We’ve come back with a gift for Shaytan Hull,” Yossul says. “We received a message from Ruby City yesterday, asking us to pick up a barrel of Keurian wine from the northlands for the general as a thanks for his work. Our superiors figured he’d welcome this treat so he, too, can celebrate the capture of the human whore Jewel.”

“The human… oh,” the guard replies, his voice low. I can almost see him dropping his gaze in shame.

“What’s wrong?” Fadai asks. He must be holding back a grin.

“Nothing. It’s... We may have misplaced the human,” the guard says.

“What do you mean misplaced the human?” Yossul snaps. “What the fuck did you people do? We brought you, Jewel; we brought her all the way into the cells of your command center! We did your work for you!”

The guard exhales sharply. “Hey, man, don’t bite my head off! I don’t know the details yet; I just know she’s gone missing.”

“That explains the increased drone activity,” Fadai says. “How long has she been missing?”

“Almost a day.”

“Shit,” Fadai mutters. “All right, let us through. We’ll deliver this barrel to the command center and join the search as well.”

The guard knocks on my barrel, startling me. I suck in a deep breath, fully aware that he might catch my scent if his senses are sharper than the average Sunnaite’s. “What wine is this, again?”

“Keurian,” Yossul says. “A rare and expensive vintage. The higher-ups have a reserve hidden in Oman Town, six miles north of here. We were instructed to drive over there and bring a barrel of the stuff down here.”

“We’d let you taste it, but the cork is sealed and engraved by the winemaker. If we tap into it, General Hull will realize the wine cask’s been tampered with. We can’t risk it,” Fadai adds. “Come on, man, let us through. We need to join the search and track the bitch down before she gets too far!”

The guard sounds hesitant, nervously circling the barrel. It’s making my stomach churn as I struggle to hold on to this lungful of air. I need him to get farther away so I can breathe before my face turns blue. “I don’t know, we weren’t told you’d be coming.”

“You didn’t even know we’d left,” Yossul scoffs. “Listen, the situation is dire enough as it is. If General Hull hears you turned his wine away while his human prize is also missing, it’ll be your head that falls, not ours.”

“Fine,” the guard says.

I let a breath out ever so slowly as the buggy starts moving again. My barrel is strapped to the back seat while Yossul drives, and Fadai sits in the passenger seat. We make it past the gates and slowly move through the city.

“Are you okay?” Fadai asks in a low voice. I knock on the barrel once to confirm. “Good. We’ll be ready to deploy in about two hours after nightfall.”

“We’re parking the buggy as close to the hangar as possible. The alley should be clear,” Yossul says. “We’ll cover it with a tarp for good measure.”

That’s fine, I tell myself. I’ve sat in darker and tighter places for longer over the years. This is more or less a cakewalk. My joints hurt as I slowly shift my position, trying to get more comfortable while I wait.

The buggy comes to a halt somewhere eerily quiet. We must have reached the alley. I listen to the sounds reverberating around me. I hear Fadai and Yossul getting out. Their boots sound on the cobblestone as they circle the vehicle and double-check our position.

“We’re good,” Fadai says.

They pull the tarp over the buggy. Their receding footsteps echo in the back of my head. They’re going to survey the entire neighborhood to make sure everything else is just as we left it. The hours pass slowly as I wait.

Countless scenarios cross my mind, some of them worse than others. I realize that I used to be a lot more optimistic before—war fatigue is real, and it can warp a soldier’s mind and reasoning over the years.

We’ve been at this for too long. No wonder I’m exhausted.

I try to imagine a future where we’re safe and happy. Fadai and Yossul lead a city of their own on behalf of the Fire Tribe. The Kreek clan is settled perhaps in Emerald City. It’s the prettiest city of them all, in my humble opinion, and their military base is one of the highest ranking in Sunna, even today. I teach engineering and flight at the royal academy, spending my days training future soldiers while the evenings are reserved for fiery lovemaking.

The nights flow by sweetly as Yossul and Fadai share my body and my soul, fucking my brains out until I scream their names and ripple in pure ecstasy. Maybe we’ll have a child or two. Kreek warriors to be, with my gray eyes and their rich, black hair. Or maybe they’ll have red eyes and my brown hair. There’s no telling, given the genetic lottery at play between two different species.

I hold back a laugh as I imagine Yossul and Fadai running after our boys under the warm light of Sunna’s twin suns. They’re teaching the kids how to ride bikes. What a sweet dream to have in this tight and sullen darkness. Something to hope for, I guess.

A knock on the side of my barrel startles me. I gasp and quickly cover my mouth.

“Sorry,” Fadai says. “We’re back. All clear.”

They let me out, and I take a few minutes to stretch my body, my limbs taut and my joints aching and crackling with every movement. “Jesus, it took you forever,” I grumble.

“We had to make sure it was safe,” Yossul replies, giving me a worried look. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, just stiff as a board,” I say. “What about Rupi and the guys?”

“I’m not sure yet,” Yossul mutters. “We haven’t seen them.”

Fadai shakes his head. “It’s taking them longer to reach the eastern gate. Maybe there’s a checkpoint there. They won’t have our credentials for easier access, but I trust they’ll get through.”

“They’ve passed tighter spots,” I say, then look around with a furrowed brow.

The alley is dark and narrow, tall buildings rise on both sides. Most of the lights are out. I don’t think many people are living here anymore—not since they built the hangar, anyway. I imagine the army evicted everyone or relocated them elsewhere in the city. This works to our advantage, however, since we’re able to be here at this hour and this close to the starship.

City lights glimmer between the buildings and passing drones flash. We hear orders being barked in the distance. The sounds fill me with angst as I turn to face Yossul and Fadai. “They’re still looking for me, huh?”

“Yeah,” Yossul replies. We asked around and struck up conversations here and there. They’re keeping the news of your escape under wraps. They don’t want anyone to know you’ve escaped, and they certainly don’t want rumors reaching the Fire Tribe.”

“We’re counting on their inflated egos, then,” I chuckle dryly.

“The hangar looks pretty clear. They probably don’t think you’re nuts enough to try to get in there all on your own,” Fadai says. We counted three dozen soldiers guarding the exterior. Shifts change with those guarding the interior every hour or so. If we move now, we’ll catch a shift change in about five minutes.”

“Good, then let’s go,” I say. “Rupi said he’d meet us by the service door, anyway.”

Fadai frowns slightly. “We should wait another hour until we spot them, too. They’ll be in their merchant disguises. We can’t go in there without explosives ready, Jewel.”

“What if they’re already inside, waiting for us?” I ask. It could be wishful thinking, but Rupi has proven himself especially resourceful in similar situations. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s already charging the explosives on all four sides of the starship while the three of us stay out here, wondering whether we should go in or not. “And if they’re not, we’ll wait for them inside. It’s easier to hide in the hangar than in any of these alleys where guards might come looking.”

The Kreek brothers exchange nervous glances and ultimately nod in reluctant agreement as we gear up and leave the buggy behind. I’ve got the detonators and the appropriate wiring in my bag, along with two laser pistols and two long knives for close combat, though I’m hoping I won’t need them.

We approach carefully and head toward the square where the hangar rises ominously. I’m covered with a dark brown cloak, and I stick to the shadows while I keep up with Yossul and Fadai, watching as several guards move along and around the central structure.

My heart is racing as we get closer.

I can see the service door.

All we need to do is catch one of the soldiers going in or out so we can snag his access card. It should be easy enough. Yossul bolts forward and tackles an incoming grunt. He snakes an arm around the guy’s neck and drags him out of the light. Once the guard is in the shadows of the alley, he’s done for.

I should feel bad for him, but he chose his side long ago.

Yossul retrieves the access card from his coat pocket, and we’re ready to dart forward and through the service door. Yet, as soon as we set foot outside the alley, we find ourselves surrounded by Sky Tribe soldiers, pointing their automated laser rifles at us.

“Oh, shit,” I hear myself whisper as I grasp this new reality.

We knew it was a risk. We didn’t expect it to happen so soon, though.

“They were waiting for us,” Fadai concludes.

“Hands up. Don’t move,” says a familiar voice emerging from behind the soldiers.

I look around, my eyes jumping all over the place as shivers run down my spine. Dread grips me by the back of the neck once I see Blaze Pyrin walking toward us. There’s a bandage wrapped around his head.

I guess he didn’t die in that cell, the motherfucker… and now, we’re screwed. My worst nightmare is resurrected and with a vengeance. There’s no way out of this. Yossul’s and Fadai’s covers are also blown.

“It takes a lot more to kill the likes of me,” Blaze declares with a satisfied smirk.

His skin is paler than usual. I assumed he lost plenty of blood while languishing in the command center’s basement until the guards found him. But he’s still standing, donning his fancy black leather tunic with gold-plated tresses, hands in his pockets as he casually approaches us.

“It didn’t take long to figure the two of you out, though,” he adds, narrowing his eyes at the Kreek brothers. “Something about you irked me, and once I woke up in the infirmary, I knew I had to follow my instinct.”

“Forgive me if I’m not impressed,” Yossul mutters, a muscle twitching furiously in his jaw. “You were dumb enough to think you could defile Jewel like a mindless beast.”

“And truth be told, you went down so easily. Like, all it took was a conk on the head to debilitate you,” I say with a sneer.

It’s enough to piss him off, especially as we hear some of the soldiers snickering behind his back. “Keep your weapons up!” he barks at them, then looks at us and grins coldly. “Yossul and Fadai Kreek. In the flesh. Had I known who you were from the very beginning, I would’ve held a feast in your honor. You’ve been formidable foes up to this point, but you got greedy and stupid. I suppose that’s what happens when you let your feelings get in the way of your mission.”

“If only you’d died,” Yossul hisses, “the world would’ve been a better place.”

“Alas, the universe still thinks I’m useful,” Blaze retorts. “Otherwise, we wouldn’t be here on this most auspicious night. I presume you were trying to get in and blow up my starship.”

“You are right, Fadai. He’s super smart,” I say, prompting another round of chuckles from Blaze’s own people. It’s obvious he doesn’t have their respect. All he has is the authority bestowed upon him by his association and camaraderie with Shaytan Hull, but the Sky Tribe grunts have grown increasingly dissatisfied and disillusioned with the brass over the past few years. “Somebody give this boy a prize already.”

“You won’t be laughing by the time I’m done with you,” Blaze says.

He moves even closer, prompting Yossul and Fadai to move, but the clicking and clacking of loaded weapons stop them both in their tracks. They can’t do anything as Blaze reaches me and grabs me by the back of the head, his fingers clutching a hefty clump of my hair, his grip so tight it makes my scalp hurt.

“Come on, honey, it’s time to go back home where you belong,” he says, mercilessly dragging me away from the Kreek brothers.

“Don’t tell me you gave up on this whole nonsense, and you’re finally letting me go back to Earth,” I manage as I struggle to walk on my own while also being pulled by the hair in a different direction than what I’d hoped for.

I glance back at Yossul and Fadai, my heart hammering in my chest as I recognize their silent fury, their emotions flaring fiercely in the red pools of their eyes. Blaze laughs hard as he tosses me in the back of another buggy. One of his personal guards slaps a pair of cuffs on my wrists, making sure to keep me secured in my seat. They know me well enough by now to understand that I will take any opportunity to try and escape, no matter how risky.

“The only home you’re going to is the one you’re going to build with Shaytan and me,” Blaze says. “I made you a promise, and I intend to keep it.”

“Oh, I reckon I’ll get to keep my promise first,” I reply.

I will kill this fucker. It’s an oath, and I will fulfill it. Until then, however, I’m his captive once more, forced to sit in the back seat of his buggy as he drives us away from the hangar.

I helplessly watch as his guards put cuffs on Yossul and Fadai before I lose sight of them. At least they’re being arrested, not executed on the spot.

It doesn’t do anything to quell the fire in my chest, to soothe the terror that is turning my very skin into cracked ice.

I don’t know what happened to Rupi and the others. I don’t know if our last messages reached the others in Sapphire City. There’s a lot I don’t know, and it scares the shit out of me.

“Sit tight, sweetie. Shaytan will be thrilled to see you,” Blaze says.

I have a mind to curse him out, but I’m in deep enough trouble as it is. If there’s one thing I’ve learned from my friends, it’s that captivity entails a completely different mindset. I can’t fight these fuckers on my own. I just need to figure a way out.

Ideally, before more of my worst nightmares come true.