Resonant: Book 3 in the Invasion Day series

by LC Morgans

  “Thank you, sir. We’ve had some hard times, it’s no secret, but we’ve made it through,” she replied, and she stared him in the eye as she spoke in a bid to show him that while nervous, she was still more than worthy enough to be part of his tribe. “But now we’re together and stronger than ever.”

  “I can see that,” he replied, offering her that warm smile again. Kyra felt her trepidation begin to dissipate. Thrayke’s father seemed to be everything he’d described him to be and she was glad he seemed so ready to accept her as Thrayke’s betrothed. She was then introduced to his mother, Sascha, who was just as welcoming as her husband. Kyra remembered from Thrayke’s stories how she and Queen Adora had been friends, just like he and Kronus were, and she offered her a kind, sympathetic smile.

  “I’m sorry for the loss of your friend,” she said. “The death of Queen Adora is a tremendous tragedy and one even my kind won’t forget.” Sascha seemed taken aback by her words. She looked from Kyra to Thrayke and back again in shock. Kyra wondered if she’d said something wrong and was about to apologize, when Sascha grabbed her and pulled her in for a hug.

  “Thank you,” she told her, crushing Kyra against her as she sobbed, and it was a long time before she let her go. Sascha was surprisingly straight-faced when she pulled away, seemingly having forced aside her pain, while Kyra felt like a nervous wreck. She then gladly followed Thrayke’s lead when he directed her away. They followed his parents in silence and, after walking through the maze of tunnels within The Hub for a short while, they came upon a private elevator Thrayke told her would take them up to the homes of the Kings Guard. Kyra knew to expect luxury and grandeur, but gasped when they arrived at a door adorned with stunning gilded filigree. Inside was no less lavish, and their apartment seemed to follow the same theme as the doorway, decorated with gold in abundance. It was bright and spacious, yet every wall had stunning artwork as a centerpiece, along with oddly shaped sculptures and ornaments.

  “Not what you expected of the Lawbringer is it?” Thrayke whispered in her ear, leaning in close so that they weren’t overheard.

  “Not what I expected at all,” she conceded and turned to him with a smile. “Did you grow up here? I want to see your room,” she asked and Thrayke nodded.

  “Oh you’ll see it,” he quipped. “But later…”

  ***

  Thrayke adored how Kyra seemed to find his parents surprisingly easy to get along with, and was glad when she quickly seemed comfortable and welcome in their home. He had to admit, even after his father’s words of encouragement and support over his life, he’d still expected a fight with them over the issue of him marrying a human. However, Kyra had been her normal self and had won them over right from the start, but he hadn’t doubted that she could. His mother had indeed lost one of her closest friends, and yet it wasn’t their custom to address her grief, especially in renowned warrior tribes such as theirs. Even still, Kyra had stepped right up to her and told her that she understood the pain behind her smile, while both Thrayke and his father had been shocked to watch her crumble. Within moments, his mother had been back to her usual, calm self, but the interaction had been a sight to behold, and Thrayke knew it’d cemented Kyra in his mother’s favor, whether she’d meant for it or not.

  He watched her chat with them for a while, only barely dipping in and out of the conversation when his input was asked for, but he simply wanted to observe. Kyra had her tells, like anyone else, and he knew she still didn’t quite know how to act or what to say when it came to his parents, but she seemed to be holding her own. She never had been part of a family, he could see that now, and as she slowly began to settle into the relationships he could see beginning to form between them all, Thrayke watched her start to glow from the inside out. When Kyra was happy, she exuded it, and it was his favorite sight in the entire world.

  After a hearty meal and them finally reaching the end of the tale of when Kyra met Thrayke, he watched as his father leaned a little closer to her and took Kyra’s hand in his. Thrayke knew that look. It was his most official expression. He’d seen his father in action many times over the years so knew what was coming next, and yet he didn’t stop him from uttering the words he knew might make Kyra’s walls go right back up again.

  “Tell me,” the old, wise man Thrayke looked up to more than anyone else in the world said. He switched to a calmer, gentler expression, while Kyra visibly curled in around herself in a protective pose Thrayke had noticed humans often embodied. But, like the budding Draconian she was, she didn’t shy away from his intense stare. “Tell me what happened aboard that ship, and afterward. Tell me the story of how Thrayke found his way back to you again…”

  She took a deep breath. Her eyes dropped to her hands, which twitched as if she had to force them not to sign her words. Kyra had still been mute back then, and Thrayke knew they’d both never forget the conversations they’d had without words spoken aloud, only using gestures or by the reading of her lips.

  Kyra told Thrayke’s father everything. She didn’t attempt to hide so much as one of the smallest details from him and Thrayke was glad she’d remembered not to bother trying. King Thrakor’s number-one Lawbringer was not a Thrak anyone had ever successfully lied to, not even his own son during his rebellious teenage years. His wife couldn’t get away with a simple white lie, and they’d each learned to stop trying. Kyra didn’t so much as attempt it. She was an open book and Thrayke could tell his father was impressed by her innocence and honesty.

  He watched her tell the story of how Rasmos had beaten her during her captivity. He held his breath when she explained how he’d then sold her to Greegis after their swift negotiations. Thrayke forced himself not to lash out when she described how the scientist had then given her more of his strange treatments, enhancing her as per his preference, before then forcing away her memories via the strange nano-technology he’d trialed.

  “I slept soundly for the first time in years, and had nothing on my mind apart from my master and his needs. In many ways it was freeing. Letting go of the pain and heartache was a kind of bliss I hadn’t wanted, yet embraced. I had no choice,” Thrayke heard her tell him, and his father simply nodded in understanding.

  While it was hard to hear her retell her ordeal, Thrayke also found it interesting to watch his parents’ reaction to her words. His mother could hardly hide her disgust, while his father kept his cool. Thrayke knew he had to have heard similar stories no end of times during his long career as one of the highest standing members of the Thrakorian government, however the tells were there in him too. His lips were pursed and his eyes were wide. He was angry.

  Kyra was giving him her testimony ahead of the trial, whether she knew it or not, and Thrayke was pleasantly surprised to see for himself that the infamous Chief Lawbringer was already on the verge of seeking vengeance in her honor. “Having my memories back again was a bittersweet experience. I was bombarded without warning with every thought and memory his technology had suppressed, but I wouldn’t have let him take them away again if he’d offered. They’re mine, love them or loathe them. I wanted to remember the people I’d loved and lost. I wanted to remember your son. I had to believe I’d see him again.”

  “And you did. He found you,” Thrayke Senior replied, and they both looked over at where he was sitting, still silent.

  “He most certainly did.” Kyra’s smile was back and Thrayke adored how resilient she had somehow managed to become. She didn’t hide from her past, or hide her scars regardless of her now flawless skin, and yet they neither made her weak nor feeble. She took strength from everything she’d overcome, and he knew he’d never respect or care for another woman the way he did her.

  “I’ll always come for you, Kyra. I’ll always find you,” he told her, but she knew. She always knew. His parents left then them, evidently understanding Thrayke’s unspoken need to have a moment alone with his betrothed. When they finally got it, he placed a kiss on the lips he’d wanted to feel pressed against his al
l day and groaned. “When will you cease to amaze me?”

  “Never, or so I hope…”

  “Never sounds about right to me.”

  Chapter Eighteen

  The foursome spent the day like a traditional family of mourning Thrakorian’s. Thrayke’s parents and him spoke of the dead, reminiscing over the life and experiences they’d each had with Queen Adora while Kyra listened intently. She wasn’t bothered that she had no stories of her own to tell, but instead immersed herself in the tales of old along with their experiences from the past two decades after Adora and Sascha had bid farewell to their two young sons.

  Later that afternoon, the rest of the Draconian tribe arrived to offer their heartfelt stories and attend the mourning. Kyra met Thrayke’s younger brothers and sisters at last, who welcomed her without a care for her race or how small she was in comparison to their huge Thrakorian builds. Like Thrayke, they weren’t the tallest she’d known, but they were still far bigger than her so Kyra certainly felt overshadowed in their presence. She expected them to jeer and make fun of Thrayke’s choice of partner, but none of them uttered a word. They simply congratulated them on their engagement and set about getting to know Kyra better.

  “We thought he’d never settle down,” his brother, Kallam, said over drinks later that night while Thrayke was deep in conversation with his father in one corner. “An eternal bachelor, we all took him for a soldier first and red-blooded male second.”

  “I thought you Thraks were all the same on that front?” Kyra joked in response, making Kallam smile. “We both tried to keep things casual but I have a habit of getting myself in trouble so he’s had to develop a skill for getting me out of it.”

  “Ah, the damsel in distress? No wonder he fell for you,” their younger sister Aisla chimed. She had their father’s violet eyes and Kyra peered across the table into them, feeling so mesmerized by that stare and she had to smile.

  “Yeah, but he loves it. Gives him something to do otherwise all that paperwork would drive him crazy,” Kyra then told them. The other two siblings turned to join in the conversation, finally throwing some banter Kyra’s way and she let herself enjoy their easy back and forth.

  Thrayke came over to join in after he’d finished his discussion with his father and he seemed pleased that she’d settled in so quickly with the other members of his family. He had to have overheard their jibes at his expense, but didn’t seem to care. In fact, he joined in with their joking the moment he sat down.

  “Humans actually do have a sense of humor, who knew?” he teased, kissing Kyra’s temple. He then told his brothers and sisters all about how they’d met and fallen for one another, while they each listened intently, respecting their eldest brother’s position as head of their generation of Draconian’s.

  “I’m looking forward to becoming part of your family,” Kyra told them all when Thrayke had finished. He turned to her with a frown, making her worry she’d said the wrong thing for a moment, before he leaned in closer and took her face in his palm. The others each then wandered away, giving them a moment’s privacy without Thrayke having to ask for it.

  “You already are, don’t you see?” he asked, and she followed his gaze around the room at the smiling faces of those who had welcomed her in with loving arms without her properly realizing it. Kyra had never had a family before. She had never truly trusted others to care for and keep her safe—only herself. And yet, Thrayke had become her family and in turn, his had become hers. She’d gained half a dozen siblings and a set of parents overnight and while it was scary, Kyra was also incredibly comforted by the reassurance that this family was exactly what she’d hoped to be. A tribe of Thraks she could count on when she needed them. Her tribe.

  “I’m human. I guess we’re just born riddled with self-doubt and fear. I’ll learn to forget. To trust and to have faith in them, like I have faith in you.” She stood, leading him over to the window so that she could peer out at the huge city all around them. “But first, I have to find that warrior you’re convinced is buried within me. I have two demons to slay…”

  ***

  After the mourning period was over and the Thrakorian world went back to normal, Kyra’s heart still continued to ache for her dear friend who had lost his mother. A time of sorrow meant nothing when it came to coming to terms with the loss of someone who had meant the world to you. His mourning period would surely never end. Even though Kronus and his father had remained locked away with their remaining family so she hadn’t seen him, she often thought of him and whether he was okay.

  Kyra got her answer early one morning when a squad of Sentinels whose sole job was to provide security to the King and his tribe roused her shortly after dawn. Thrayke immediately jumped up out of their shared bed to attention upon hearing the door being pounded on, ready for action, while she pulled on her clothes and clambered to her feet, stumbling in shock.

  “What is it? Is Kronus okay?” she asked the woman at the head of the group.

  “He’s well, General. It is the King who needs your assistance,” she answered, handing Kyra her boots and jacket. As well as for Greegis and Rasmos’s trials, she and Thrayke had stayed in the Thrakorian capital after the mourning period in case they were needed by any of the royals for a transfusion and it seemed they’d been spot on to assume so. Following the same timeline as Kronus, Kyra was right to believe King Thrakor would need her help again a couple weeks after Kronus had needed a second dose. The time had come for them to make a plan, or at least a schedule to help ensure the longevity of their healthy period, but first, Kyra would do her duty and give what was needed from her.

  The squad led her and Thrayke out of his father’s quarters and they arrived at the same residence she’d been taken to the first time within minutes. Feeling much less wary, Kyra took it all in this time. She noticed the art and small touches that shone beautifully in the otherwise stark and empty home with a sad smile. They were Queen Adora’s touches. They had to be.

  “Kronus,” she whispered on a gruff sigh as they rounded a corner and he came into view. Her dear friend had a thick beard again and he looked drawn. Saddened to his very soul, she thought. Kyra ran to him, pushing her way past the Thrakorian soldiers escorting her in a bid to reach her friend faster. They let her, evidently having been told to relinquish their tight circle once they’d delivered her safely to the royal quarters.

  Kronus sighed and let his head fall onto her shoulder the moment Kyra reached her arms up around his and held him tightly.

  “He needs you, Kyra. He needs you to help him, but I fear he doesn’t want to be saved this time…” Kyra knew that feeling all too well. As if the world weighed heavily on his shoulders and he’d lost the only person who made that burden a bearable weight. King Thrakor didn’t want to be saved, just like Kyra had thought she didn’t want to be saved up on that rooftop back in Los Angeles. But, like always, Thrayke had stormed in and saved the day—and her—regardless of what she had thought she’d wanted. Kyra was determined to do the same for their leader now.

  “Take me to him,” she said, and felt Kronus nod from within their embrace. She let him go and turned, not failing to notice the scowl Thrayke wasn’t even trying to hide. He didn’t say a word though and she was glad to see he had learned to trust that her closeness with Kronus meant nothing more than a deep and meaningful friendship to them both. At least, that was what she still hoped.

  King Thrakor wasn’t as bad as he’d been the first time she’d been taken before him, but his stare was still just as vacant. His mind had closed off in his grief and so his body had evidently followed. Kyra sat down on the bed, taking his hand in hers. She then rolled his sleeve, prepping him for the injection of serum and impending transfusion from her, but he pulled his arm away.

  “No,” he demanded, making her jump. Thrakor rolled to his side, curling away from her, but Kyra scooted closer. “Leave me, girl. Forget this old fool and let me die. Let me be with my wife in whatever world comes after this lif
e has ended.”

  Kyra’s tears flowed without her being able to stop them. She heard Kronus catch a sob in his throat behind her and was glad when Thrayke went to him so she could remain focused on the despairing King. She remembered the stories Thrayke and his parents had told her. She knew the legend of Queen Adora and her kindness and strength. Of her loyalty and reportedly unending warmth to any who might need it. But, there was one story of Queen Adora’s that was Kyra’s own. She hadn’t shared it with Thrayke’s parents because she hadn’t felt it was her place to speak of a Queen she hadn’t known, but now it felt right to honor her in Kyra’s own way.

  She took a deep breath and opened her mouth, moving her lips over strange sounds and words that held no meaning to her, but meant everything to the grief-stricken man lying before her. Kyra recited the song she’d heard Adora singing via that recording back on Earth on Kro Island. Her memory of it was spot on, even if her voice wasn’t half as beautiful as its original. She lowered her voice, humming and singing to him, putting her hands to work while she started again on his sleeve.

  King Thrakor cried his heart out beside her, but didn’t stop Kyra from injecting him with the serum, nor did he refuse her when she found a vein and connected it to hers via the transfusion tube.