“Quit smiling like that,” she says. “You look like a cat with a mouse.”
“What is a… ‘cat’?” I ask.
She rolls her eyes. “Forget it.”
“Sir,” Vae says.
“Report,” I say.
“The Invaders are surrounding our location,” he says. “And the ship… is moving towards us as well.”
Cold and silence greets his words. My stomach tightens and a chill races down my limbs.
“Options?” I ask.
“I can get the missiles online,” he says. “I think.”
“Thinking isn’t called for here,” I snap. “Yes or no?”
“Yes sir!” he exclaims, snapping to attention.
“Do so,” I say. “Now.”
He whirls around and sets to work. Rosalind and Visidion approach. Rosalind’s brow is furrowed, and she looks angry.
“You not only knew about this bunker, but your guys know how to fire the weapons?” she asks.
“As you can see, not exactly,” I say.
Her eyes narrow. “Do not play word games with me.”
I meet her stare. She’s much shorter than I am but she has a presence that fills the space around her, making her an equal, no matter the height difference between us.
“Of course,” I acquiesce. “We didn’t have hard data on this, no, but we did have some tech still, which Vae is skilled in operating. He should be able to extrapolate from what he knows to make this work. Or so I hope.”
“So say we all,” she mutters. “So say we all.”
A loud thump echoes off the walls seeming to come from all around us. It’s followed by another and another in fast succession. It’s as if some giant child is banging the sides of a box, using the bunker as a makeshift drum.
A human rushes into the command room, eyes wide with sweat pouring down his face. He looks around wide-eyed until spotting Rosalind, and then he runs toward her.
“Rosalind,” he huffs. “They’re attacking the doors.”
“Shit,” Rosalind curses, looking at Visidion, then me. “We need to put warriors on the doors. If they break through before we end this, we’re in trouble.”
“Agreed,” I say.
“I agree, my love,” Visidion says.
“Order!” I call out and all my males come to attention.
“Tribe!” Visidion barks and his males do the same.
“You know our duty,” Visidion says. “Our mates, our families are in danger. We must protect the doors while these others attempt to bring weapons on-line.”
The males nod understanding and then slam the hafts of their lochabers on the ground. The sound echoes and ends with a sudden, final silence.
“Well? What are you waiting for? Go!” I say.
They run for the front doors, leaving only the leaders in the command room.
“Vae, report,” I say.
“Almost there,” he says. “I think I’ll make it.”
As if in response, there is a loud screech of metal on metal and then sunlight streams in through a crack in the ceiling. As the ceiling parts open, an amber force field springs to life around the pit.
“There are only two missiles,” Vae says.
“Then don’t miss,” I say.
Anna squeezes my waist tighter. She fits against me perfectly. Her head rests on my chest and her arm rests perfectly around my hips. As if she was designed exactly for the space. My treasure, my mate, the love of my existence.
Smoke rises inside the force field, then a rumble so deep I feel it in my bones. I step back, pulling Anna along with me. Even as we do, a shadow falls across the opening in the ceiling.
“The ship is almost in position,” Visidion says.
“It’s also unloading a lot of warriors,” Rosalind says. “My god, how many do they have?”
“There is no shortage,” I say. Anna trembles in my arm.
“Sir?” Vae asks.
“What is it?” I ask.
“It’s ready,” Vae says.
“Fire,” I order.
There is an intense roar as flames pillar up and press against the force field. The temperature in the room rises and then the missile comes into view, fighting gravity. It’s as if it moves in slow motion, clawing its way up with destructive intent.
Cold assails my chest and limbs. I turn my back on the monstrosity and wrap my arms fully around Anna. Doubts and fears tear through my thoughts. Resting my chin on her head I close my eyes and lean into my training to control myself.
This is everything I’ve fought against as a member of the Order. A weapon of destruction so vast it defies all I know to be true. The rumble shakes me to my bones as it rises. I hold my treasure tight, praying to Tajss that this is the right thing.
23
CALISTA
“No, you don’t get to run off again,” I say, grabbing Ladon’s arm and jerking until he turns to face me.
“Cal, my love,” he says, stopping, and I don’t miss the wince of pain when I pull. “Now isn’t the time.”
“Now is the only time!” I yell. “I thought I lost you!”
He grimaces, and his scales tinge with shame and regret. He bends down and his lips meet mine, his arms embracing me, and almost I forgive him. Almost. Breaking the kiss, I pull back.
“No,” I shake my head. “You left. You… you… died!” Damn it, the tears won’t stop. “I thought I’d lost you.”
“I know,” he whispers. “I am sorry.”
“You’re sorry?” I snap angrily. “Not good enough. Do you have any idea what I was going through? How was I supposed to tell Illadon that you weren’t coming home? I told you not to go. I knew something bad was going to happen. How did you survive? They said you were buried.”
“I was,” he says.
“How?” I ask.
He frowns and shakes his head. He opens his mouth to speak, then stops and snaps it shut. At last he inhales deeply, then pulls me out of the hall we’re standing in and into a side room. It’s a small room with banks of monitors lining the walls.
The sound of the Invaders beating on the doors to the bunker echo down the halls, but I don’t care. I need to understand this. The others can hold them at bay without Ladon. My stomach is still a tight ball.
He looks around as if making sure we’re alone, then guides me over to a seat. He takes a seat in front of me, head bowed, and studies the floor for a long time before he meets my eyes.
“Tajss saved me,” he says.
“Tajss?” I ask.
“Yes,” he says.
I wait for him to say more, to explain himself, but he doesn’t speak. He seems to be studying the backs of his hands where they rest on my thighs.
“And?” I ask, prodding him to continue.
“I don’t… know how to explain it,” he says, raising his gaze to mine. “I was buried, trapped, barely able to breathe. All I could think of was you and Illadon. How much I love you and how I couldn’t be there any longer….”
He’s a blur through the tears, barely an outline. Cold chills form pimples on my arms and even my breath feels as if I’m in a freezer. The emptiness I felt when they walked out of the tunnel and he wasn’t with them is back, even though he’s here with me now.