The line drip-feeds his emotions and thoughts. He wages a little war within himself, one side of him wanting me to stay here to fully recover, the other side refusing to leave me anywhere with him.
“I can do this,” I say confidently as I stand. The others are already outside, getting ready to leave, so I quickly dress and eat and we set off.
The soldiers send suspicious looks my way that are none too subtle. It’s okay, though. I totally get it. Haydn is his same new-to-me self. Ax looks like he has a million things he wants to say, but it’s me who needs to do the talking. “I’m dropping back to talk to Ax,” I tell Logan, letting go of his hand. “I have to tell him about his mom’s threats.”
“It would be best for everyone if Griselda just followed through on her threat.”
I gasp as Logan’s hideous thought reaches me through the Eterno connection.
“I didn’t mean it!” he says urgently, pulling me off to the side. “Honestly, I didn’t! The thought just slipped into my mind unbidden. I dislike him because he’s trying to steal you from me. But I don’t wish him dead. Please say you believe me.”
His emotions filter clearly through the line, and my anger disappears. “It’s okay. I know you didn’t mean it.”
He sags in relief. “Go talk to him.” He motions at Ax with his head. “You’re right, he shouldn’t be kept in the dark anymore.”
I lift up on my toes and brush my lips against his, almost like it’s second nature at this stage. When I think of how I used to shy away from any type of physical contact, I realize just how far I have come. And since our Eterno bonding, my craving to constantly touch Logan is at an all-time high. No one would ever have predicted I’d become the queen of PDAs. I smile quietly to myself.
Shaking the thoughts from my mind, because now is not the time to dwell on them, I refocus on the present. “I won’t be long.” Logan nods, walking on ahead without me.
Ax can’t keep the wide smile off his face as I hang back to talk to him. It does nothing to dampen my guilt or my discomfort. Can’t he see I’m with Logan now? I don’t understand why he’s still holding out hope. I wish he wouldn’t.
Logan casts a fleeting glance over his shoulder, and his frustration barrels through our connection. “I’m about two seconds away from wiping that smug grin off his face.”
I sigh. I am seriously fed up of all the hostility. “Logan.” My warning is clear. “I’m yours. Chill out.”
“Just hurry back to me.” He turns around, granting me some measure of privacy.
I shove my hands in my pocket as I wait patiently for Ax to approach. I fall into step with him a few minutes later.
“Are you feeling okay?”
“A little tired, but apart from that, I’m fine.” We are nearing the peak of the mountain, and though the sun has made an appearance high in the sky, it’s bone-numbing cold at this elevation. A thin blanket of snow coats the ground, and we have to slow our pace to ensure no one slips.
“I’m sorry she did that to you. I hate her for it.” His gloved hands twitch at his side.
“I hate her, too.” I glance sideways at him. “For so many things. But mostly for what she did to me, her vendetta against Logan, and because of what she’s … threatening to do to you.”
He stops abruptly, and the solider at his back narrowly avoids colliding with us. “Jeez, man. Could you give us a warning next time? I almost fell over the edge.”
I pull Ax into the side to allow the soldier to pass. “Sorry,” I say on Ax’s behalf.
“What did you mean by that?” Ax’s probing eyes penetrate mine.
“Let’s walk and talk,” I suggest, yanking on his arm. We can’t afford to be separated from the group. “I wanted to spare you this, but I can’t stay quiet anymore. Your life is in danger, Ax. Your mother has threatened to kill you, and it isn’t the first time.”
He slams to a halt again. His Adam’s apple bobs in his throat as I explain the recording I left for myself back on Torc and how she had threatened to kill her own son if I didn’t kill Logan. Then I fill him in on what happened in the early hours of the morning, when she tried to mind-jack me.
He is deathly quiet, and it worries me. “Now do you see why you can’t go back there? She’ll kill you.” Still he says nothing, shows no emotion. I’d be happier if he screamed or cried or cussed or threw something. This non-reaction is terrifying. “Say something, please.”
Ax claws his hands through his hair. “There was no point, was there?”
“I’m not following.” My brow puckers in confusion.
“All the years I spent trying to make her love me.” He pins me with a chilling look that freezes my insides. “While she was preparing to kill me.” His voice cracks at the end, and I don’t hesitate.
I pull him off to the side and wrap my arms around him. “She’s a monster, Ax. And she doesn’t deserve you as her son.” I look up into his blurry eyes, horrified to see tears forming. “You are everything she isn’t. Honest, good and kind and—”
“I’m fine,” he says, suddenly prying my arms off his waist. “I don’t care.” He takes a step forward.
“But, Ax—”
“There’s nothing more to talk about. Go back to Logan.” He batters his forearms.
“Ax.” I touch his arm, but he brushes me off. As he does, a small cylindrical metal object falls out of his jacket pocket. I bend down to retrieve it the same time he does. His arm is longer than mine, and he reaches it first, picking it up effortlessly. “What’s that?”
“Nothing.” His eyes shut down as he pockets it and tugs the zipper fully up.
I have an uneasy feeling, and I’m not usually one to ignore my instincts. “Why won’t you tell me?”
“I said it’s nothing.” His look holds considerable challenge. “Go.” He flicks his head up the way. “Go back to him. I want to be alone.” His tone is surly, but it’s nothing compared to the dark look in his eyes. I flinch, confused, and if I’m honest, a little bit scared. He looks so much like her—his mother—when he stares at me in this way. It sends shivers cascading all over my body.
I rejoin Logan without uttering another word to Ax. Logan was a silent witness to the whole epic fail, but he doesn’t bring it up and neither do I. We are only a few hours away from the Control Center, and I’d prefer to focus on that.
The sun is hovering at the mid-way point in the sky when Haydn stops to address us. We are back on solid ground again, having successfully navigated the second mountain. Grass feels spongy under my feet, and a warm breeze helps banish the stiffness in my limbs. We aren’t too far now and nervous anticipation buzzes around the group.
Haydn draws us into a crevice at the side of the mountain. Maintaining a deliberate low tone, he issues precise instructions. “When we round the next bend, the structure will be in sight. We are planning on approaching the Control Center from the rear. From our intel, there are only two soldiers manning the back entrance, so it should be easier to gain entry.” He pulls a black device out of his pocket and punches a couple of buttons. A holoscreen surfaces with an image of the facility layout.
It’s much smaller than I imagined though that does little to steady my nerves. Haydn continues his instructions. “Myself and the commander will hold fort at the front while the Narik guard will form a perimeter around the rest of you. Four of the soldiers will remain strategically hidden in the hills above the Control Center, with Izzy and Axton, to provide protection as we make our approach. They’ll maintain a close eye on our progress from a distance so they can intervene where or if necessary.”
Haydn sends a challenging glare in Izzy and Ax’s direction, almost daring them to argue with him. Clearly, he still doesn’t trust them, and he doesn’t want them anywhere near the building when Logan inputs the clearance code. Izzy opens her mouth to protest, but one piercing look from Haydn is enough to stop her dead in her tracks. She scowls unhappily.
I can understand her frustration. She’s a highly skille
d assassin, and she should be in that building with us. I send her an apologetic look. I’m surprised that Ax doesn’t complain about our separation, but he stares stoically ahead as if the statement has barely registered. Perhaps I should have waited until this was over before telling him about his mother. I was too impulsive.
“There are several more guards inside, so keep your weapons loaded and raised, your wits about you, and anticipate attack from every angle.” Haydn’s attention turns to me, and I brace myself. “Are you sure you’re up for this?”
I understand why he’s asking me that. I’ve made no secret of my loathing of weapons in the past. However, what Haydn fails to grasp is how much I’ve changed.
I get it now. And knowing that I’ve an in-built wealth of target and combat practice and experience buried somewhere inside me has boosted my confidence. That’s probably the only thing I can thank Griselda for. Safeguarding Logan so he can get into the control room to ground the Saven air fleet is my sole focus. I won’t let anyone stand in his way or hurt him.
“I’ve got this,” I say confidently.
“Make sure you keep it together,” he warns, acknowledging me with a brusque nod. “The last thing I need is Logan distracted trying to keep you alive.”
Blood rushes to my brain, and fury surges through my veins, but I show no outward reaction to his slight. I can take care of myself, asshat. Logan squeezes my hand as he fights a knowing smirk.
The commander distributes weapons while we deposit our bags and jackets behind a large rock. Ax, Izzy, and the four soldiers on protective detail are given long-range weapons and a quick briefing by the commander. Izzy yanks me into a hug before she leaves. “Keep safe, and don’t worry about sulky pants over there”— she gestures with her head toward Ax—“I’ll make sure he’s okay.”
“Thanks, and be careful.”
Ax doesn’t even look at me as he leaves with the others to scale the hill.
I’m checking my weapon when Haydn approaches. “Take these, too.” He hands me two small knives. Wordlessly, I accept the offering, tucking them into the little pockets either side of my boots. He looks like he wants to say more but thinks better of it. Perhaps he’s recalling memories of our training sessions in the woods, like I am. “Right, let’s move out. We’ll reconvene in this spot after we’re done. King Coryn will send a craft to collect us. Stay alert.”
I keep my gun clamped in my hand as we follow Haydn in single file around the side of the mountain. He stops and extends his palm, keeping us back. Ducking out of sight around the bend, he reappears a couple of minutes later ushering us forward.
“Stay right by my side. No matter what, we don’t split up.” Logan shoots me a serious look.
“I’m not planning on going anywhere without you.”
The ground is rocky and uneven and sloped downward toward a small hollowed-out basin. The curved roof of a small, flat, ground-level structure peeks out at us from its hiding place in the valley below. Sheer, sharp mountainous terrain borders it on all sides, and there’s a dense covering of tall, thick trees hiding the structure from plain sight. In contrast, the surrounding land—the parcel we are currently attempting to traverse—is wide out in the open, totally vulnerable and exposed.
On the one hand, it’s the oddest place to hold a Control Center, and on the other hand, it’s a genius idea. There is no way anyone can breach this facility without being detected, which is why, all of sudden, a huge ball of trepidation jumps up and slaps me in the face. I know Haydn said we are approaching from the rear and that it’s only manned by two guards, but I can’t believe that it isn’t being remotely monitored from somewhere in the facility.
No sooner has the thought crossed my mind than a volley of gunfire blasts from the building, running a trajectory straight for us. Fire ignites in my veins, and my body trembles with restrained power. “Down!” Haydn shouts, and we all drop to the muddy ground as Izzy, Ax, and the soldiers hidden in the hills retaliate. Shots crisscross over our heads as we shunt forward using our elbows and bellies.
Adrenaline surges through my veins, mixing with the caged fire-power of my incendio gift, and it’s a potent combination. When we reach the edge, we flip onto our backs and slide down the incline, landing in the small forest that borders the unit. The sound of impending footsteps has everyone on high alert. I clasp my weapon firmly in my hand, my finger poised over the activation button. Garish voices accompany a small unit of armed guards as they emerge from a clearing up ahead. Haydn and the commander immediately open fire, and we follow their lead. The guards duck and dive for cover behind trees. I shove Logan off to the side, and we conceal ourselves behind the blackened trunk of a particularly large tree.
Retaliatory shots ping back and forth until our enemy is quieted. We’ve lost a couple of men in the shoot-out too. I make a conscious effort not to look at their faces as we step over them.
Haydn races through the forest as if he’s running on battery-operated limbs. He is a few paces ahead of us, having dropped out of sight, when more shots ring out in proximity. My heart beats furiously in my chest. Logan and I exchange worried looks.
We both emit sighs of relief when Haydn resurfaces. “They’ve sent more guards to the back entrance, so we’ll have to fight our way in. Keep alert,” he cautions everyone. “You three”—he points at Logan, me, and Fern—“Stay at the rear.”
Crouching down in a huddle, we carefully inch our way forward as a group. Haydn stops at the corner of the unit, speaking in hushed tones with the commander. The commander takes off, with a handful of men, back the way we just came. The remaining soldiers form a line in front of us with Haydn and Rylan. They converse in low tones, then Haydn waves his hand through the air, and they dart around the bend. Shots are traded and my heart is in my mouth. It feels wrong to be hanging back while the others are risking their lives. Fern’s eyes are awash with alarm. I squeeze her hand.
Another volley of shots dispenses from close by. Bullets whizz by us in rapid succession, and we flatten our backs to the side of the unit. A sharp crack behind us spurs me into action. There isn’t time to think, only act. Raising my weapon, I whip around and fire off three rounds. Two rounds ricochet into empty space, but the third one hits its mark, lodging firmly in the skull of the guard sneaking up on us. A tiny movement out of the corner of my eye snags my attention in the nick of time. I fire at the second guard at the same time he fires. “Get down!” I yell at Logan and Fern.
The guard howls, falling to the floor, as he clutches his knee. He’s injured but not incapacitated. Heaving himself up at the waist, he points his weapon straight at us. Cold, dark eyes spear us with the extent of his hatred. Before he can get off a shot, a bullet embeds in his chest, and he slithers to the ground, stone cold dead. I look up at Logan with his arm still outstretched, his finger hooking around the trigger of the gun.
Silently, he helps Fern up as Haydn comes careening around the bend. He visibly exhales when he sees we are okay. “Come on, we’re in.”
We sprint behind him and step cautiously through the busted rear doors. Bodies of dead guards litter the passageway. The stark, vacant eyes of a Narik soldier stare up at me, and I offer up a silent prayer for his soul. The commander and six of his mean are standing with their backs flat to the wall, at the end of the corridor, on either side. He mouths instructions at Haydn, and then they charge around the corner, shooting indiscriminately. Haydn motions at Rylan and he moves to take up position behind us. Turning, he keeps his eyes firmly on the rear entrance, ready to deal with any unwanted surprises. We edge slowly forward behind Haydn.
“Clear!” comes the directive from up ahead, and Haydn hurriedly steers us forward. More bodies, both Saven and Narik, lie motionless on the ground. I avert my eyes again as we step over them.
“Your Royal Highness,” the commander says, addressing Logan formally. “The staff have barricaded themselves in the control room with the last remaining guard.” Fixing a round chip onto the wall beside
the door, he presses his finger into the center of the device, right where a flashing green light flickers on and off. A holo of the interior room gradually appears in front of our eyes. Two men sit on seats in front of a digital display frantically pressing buttons and issuing pleas for help.
“I don’t want to blast the door as we’ll probably kill them all, and we risk damaging the equipment.” A petite woman with wide, scared eyes trembles as she cowers behind a rigid guard. His weapon is raised and pointed squarely at the door. The commander clears his throat. “I can override the control room communications system if you would like to appeal to them.”
“Do it.” Logan’s tone is urgent. The commander nods and Logan starts to speak. “This is Prince Logan. Please listen to me.” All four people in the room stop and stare all around them. “We do not wish to harm you. That is the last thing I want. But we need access to that room because it is my intention to reclaim my throne and to bring peace to our planet. The fighting must stop before more innocent lives are lost. I am asking you to lay down your weapons and open the door. If you don’t, I will have no choice but to permit the soldiers to force entry into the room. Please give me your cooperation. I don’t want anyone else to die here today.”
They look hesitantly at one another, and the woman springs into action. Stepping out from behind the guard, she stalks toward the door and opens it. The guard readies his weapon and takes aim, but a bullet lodges in his skull before he has even had time to depress it. Haydn keeps his weapon elevated, training it on one of the men at the desk. “Step away from the desk.” He gestures with his gun. “Over there, all of you.”
They get up and shuffle into the corner. One of the Narik soldiers steps forward to monitor them as Logan races to the control desk. His fingers fly fluidly over the control panel. “Do you see that large black unit over there?” he calls out to Haydn without looking up from what he’s doing. “Destroy it.”
Saven Defiance (The Saven Series Book 4) Page 23
