Sky pictured Jo’s scowling face as she recounted Rana’s message. Everything in Sky’s life had shifted one way or the other, but Jo would forever remain steadfast.
“You don’t have to sound so put out,” Sky mock-scolded. “Rana has learned a lot, but she’s not battle-hardened like us. Plus, I’m sure there were all kinds of horrors going through her mind when I was taken.”
“Were any of her imagined horrors reality?” Jo’s voice bled concern and Sky smiled up at Phoenix, who leaned against a tree watching Sky with amusement. Sky was infinitely glad that she had shared her history with Jo not long after she opened herself to Rana. Sky’s past had softened the captain’s views a bit.
“It wasn’t as bad as it could have been. I may lose a few hours of sleep, but eventually it will be just another memory. In fact, you in particular may find my incident rather interesting. I spent a good portion of my capture asking myself what would Jo do?”
Jo snickered. “If you truly followed that path, that bastard would have a blazer hole between his eyes and one where his man bits should be.”
Phoenix’s laugh exploded from him. His shoulders shook as he bent at the waist. Sky chuckled, knowing that Jo wasn’t kidding, but amused all the same by Phoenix’s outburst. When he finally calmed down, tears streamed down his cheeks.
“Oh, I like your captain,” he said.
“Is that your lover boy?” Jo snickered. “You haven’t told me much about him, but Rana has been an open book. I have never enjoyed gossip as much as I do when it’s about you, Sky.”
“It’s going to be like that, huh?” Sky cut her eyes at Phoenix, who stared back in confusion.
“Payback is a bitch,” Jo answered.
There was a ping on Sky’s UAB that matched an echoing one from Jo’s end. Sky swiped at the incoming message and sagged in relief at Rana’s confirmation that she reached the hideaway safely.
“Did you get that message from Rana?” Sky asked.
“Yes. Hold on.” Sky heard Jo mumbling grumpily to someone else on the Kismet and took the moment to study Bludhaven. Many of the smaller buildings were destroyed, including the repositories that Sky and Rana had scouted. There was a large group of people being herded away from the village and toward the base of the mountains to the north. Sky hoped there weren’t many injured and made a mental note to make sure medical relief came quickly.
“Sky, your father is on my comm. He sounds irritable and is demanding I land my ship immediately. Apparently, your little mission wasn’t sanctioned by the ruling government of Kore and neither was my arrival. Why Sky, I have never been so proud to be your captain as I am in this moment.”
Sky pulled her shoulders back and smiled. Jo hardly ever granted compliments, and that was practically a verbal standing ovation.
“They will change their attitude when Phoenix and I arrive with Beast and proof of his treachery.”
“Well, let’s go face the music, my dear security chief. The Deliverance is hovering just out of orbit, and I don’t think Deviant is able to hold on to his patience any longer. His precious rebellion figurehead was in danger and he’s concerned. You haven’t had the pleasure of meeting an irritated Deviant. It’s not a pleasant experience.”
“The jolly insurgent has a dark side?” Sky mused. “Interesting.”
Jo snorted. “Grab Rana and get back to your father. I have no desire to take him on without you.”
“Aye, Captain.” Sky killed the comm. Before she could ask, Phoenix was there, his hand gripping hers tightly. Sky wanted to apologize for ignoring him while she bantered with her captain, but his amused grin said that an apology wasn’t needed.
Sky had an overwhelming urge to burrow herself in Phoenix, so she pulled him closer and tucked her back against his chest. His free hand slid across her stomach, and he pressed in closer until almost every inch of their bodies touched.
Sky tilted her head up and smiled. “Let’s go.”
Rana was pacing outside of Phoenix’s home when they rematerialized. Sky had barely let go of Phoenix when she was nearly bowled over by Rana.
“I am so sorry, Sky.” Rana’s voice was scratchy from either yelling or crying—if her puffy, red eyes were any indication, it was most likely from both. “If it wasn’t for my mistake, you would have never been captured. Please tell me he didn’t hurt you, because if he did, I could never live with myself.”
Sky grabbed Rana by the shoulders and shook. Rana’s terrified eyes wandered over Sky’s face and she crumpled in on herself. Sky shook her again.
“Rana! Calm down. It’s okay.”
“It’s okay? He didn’t…” Rana sniffed.
“No. He wanted to, but I got away before anything could happen. I’m okay, really.”
Rana sagged in Sky’s arms, and Sky held her friend as she released all her pent-up fear and frustrations. She rubbed Rana’s back until the hiccups turned into soft sniffles.
“Feeling better?” Sky asked.
Rana nodded and turned to Phoenix. “I led the prisoners to the path that would lead them to Erswood without coming near to your hideaway.”
“Thank you,” he answered, giving Rana an indulgent smile before turning to Sky. “Could your captain pick them up so the council can see the faces of those Beast would have sold?”
“I’ll send her the message now.” Sky typed out a quick message with coordinates to Jo and didn’t have to wait long for the reply. “She said they’ll be happy to.”
Rana snorted. “Yeah, right.”
Sky shook her head and tried to hide her grin, but failed miserably. Sky would never be able to convince Rana that Jo was anything other than a hardened, cantankerous floozy, but at least Rana understood that although her assessment was absolutely true, their captain was fiercely loyal to those she considered hers. Sky and Rana were damn lucky to be among the few under Jo’s protection.
Loyalty was what endeared Jo to Rana in the beginning, and it was the binding force that prevented Rana from accepting the truth behind her Elitian lifestyle.
Would she still feel loyalty to her people when Sky told Rana of her father’s involvement in her attempted murder?
Sky didn’t want the responsibility. She would rather die than break Rana’s heart, but she couldn’t escape the feeling that Rana must know of her father’s treachery and that she had to accept it in order to step into her destiny.
A warm vibration numbed her shoulder in agreement.
Sky opened her mouth to reveal it, when her UAB chimed. I’m here and you are not. Your father’s face is purple with anger, and I’m at the end of my patience in dealing with him. If you don’t want me to knock him out, then I suggest you arrive five minutes ago.
“We need to get to Erswood. Jo has arrived and is having issues keeping the elders placated,” Sky announced.
“Oh no,” Rana murmured. “Phoenix, you better hurry and grab Beast before our captain starts a diplomatic incident.”
Phoenix laughed, but sprinted off when neither woman joined him. In seconds, he returned with an unconscious Beast in tow.
“He can’t still be out from my attack?” Sky wondered aloud.
“No, I gave him an injection when I dropped him off. He was combative, and I wanted to hurry back to you.”
“I’m not sure how the other elders will react when we arrive with one of their own tied, gagged, and drugged.” Sky stepped to Phoenix and wrapped her arms around his waist. His free hand reached out to Rana.
“Can you travel with four people?” Rana asked, unsure, but still slipped her shaking hand into his.
“There’s only one way to find out,” Phoenix stated as they slipped into the darkness.
Twenty-Eight
There was no standing room at the Hub in Sky’s home village. A familiar deep voice boomed over the murmuring, followed by a low, raspy reply. Sky didn’t have to hear what was said to understand that tempers were coming to a boil. When they emerged from the shadows with Beast bound and gagged, th
e entire complex stilled.
“Daughter, what have you done?” Titus’s voice exploded from the center of the crowd.
“Only what the council should have done,” Sky asserted as she led her small group through the crowd. It wasn’t difficult—the people in her way jumped back as if Sky were infected with a deadly virus.
“We already discussed the lack of proof.” Titus softened his voice as Sky emerged in the center of the Hub, his eyes locked on the wounds marring her face. Under his scrutiny, her bruises began to pulse painfully along with her heartbeat.
“We brought proof. More than my own ocular recordings. I have files from Beast’s personal network that show financial transactions and communication logs between Beast and Eltanin,” Phoenix stated.
Titus and the elders huddled together on one side of the clearing while Jo stood next to Raiden with the shaken captives from Beast’s compound on the other. “You have shamed our family by sneaking into the Bludrun clan and assaulting their elder.”
“Sky didn’t assault Beast. He assaulted her,” Rana growled. Her tiny hands clenched at her sides while her mechanical eyes whirred uncontrollably due to her heightened emotional state.
“Explain,” Lark demanded as she stepped around Titus. She gave Rana a soft smile before turning to Sky. “From the beginning.”
Rana stepped back and dipped her chin. Sky took a deep breath and started from when they arrived outside of the Bludrun clan’s village. When she got to the part that involved the captives, Sky made sure to open the floor to allow a representative to explain their side of the story.
An elderly couple came forward and shared how none of them remember how they were captured, but they detailed the mistreatment from the Bludrun warriors and overhearing how they were to be sold to the Elitians. They finished their statements with a blood oath swearing that what they said was truth.
Cries of outrage and disbelief warred with each other when the couple finished their account. Sky waited for the crowd to calm before continuing her narrative. When she got to her own abduction, she met her father’s gaze and made sure to detail the experience.
Titus kept a stoic expression throughout Sky’s report. Sky wanted him to feel something, but the lack of reaction only showed he didn’t care about her wellbeing. That his earlier reaction to her wounds was a fluke. Titus’s lack of empathy for his daughter would never change.
“Is that all?” Lark asked, her lips pulled in a severe frown.
“There’s one thing I left out, but it involves my friend and I don’t want to share her business with the entire clan,” Sky answered. She tilted her head toward Rana and ignored her friend’s shocked expression.
“I believe it would benefit your standing with the clans if you are open about everything,” Lark stated softly. “By the testimony of the captured, there will be an inquiry into the Bludrun clan’s activities no matter what else is said, but I want your involvement to be remembered as heroic, and that will only happen if we know everything.”
Sky nodded at the female elder and turned to Rana. “This news is disturbing, and if you want, I will ignore their advice and tell them in private. You make the choice.”
Rana’s eyes swirled as she met Sky’s gaze. “Whatever you must say, just say it. I want your status among your people to be a positive one, and if this is the only way, then I’ll endure a million public heartaches.”
Sky pulled Rana into a tight embrace and in that moment, Sky poured out all her love and appreciation for her friend. When Sky pulled away, she held tight to Rana’s shoulders and told her the horrible truth.
“What I failed to mention earlier was that when Beast agreed to unchain me from the wall in exchange for my cooperation, I also demanded information about how he personally got involved with the Elitians. He told me everything. After I left the twin moons, he followed. Eventually, he was captured by the GCA and approached by Eltanin. Eltanin admitted that together he and the chancellor are planning to abolish the consulate and to have your father enthroned as king of the system. I know there is no proof to corroborate this, but I don’t see why Beast would have lied. In a way, it all makes sense. Do you know what that means, Rana?”
“My father knew about—and most likely had a hand in—my attempted murder,” Rana stated with her chin lifted nobly. Her voice quivered, but it wasn’t loud enough for anyone other than Sky to hear. For everyone, it must look like Rana was handling the news rather well, but Rana’s hands shook as she clenched Sky’s jacket.
Rana held on to Sky as the silence around them grew, everyone waiting for Rana to do something. Sky kept her eyes trained on her friend and was the first to see the shift in her demeanor. It was slight, just a tick her in jaw and a slight flare of her nostrils to hint that Rana was migrating from hurt to angry. With a small smile of encouragement, Sky stepped away and folded herself into Phoenix’s waiting arms, leaving Rana the floor.
Everyone’s eyes were riveted on Rana as she stepped gracefully to the center of the circle. “Friends, thank you for allowing me refuge on your wonderful moon. I have learned so much from studying among your great warriors.” Rana lifted her arm and motioned to Barrow and Fern. She allowed them a warm smile before turning back to the crowd. “While studying the ways of the warrior, I have discovered much about myself. When I arrived, I held on to the beliefs that my people were just when they interfered with the lives of others. I chose to ignore so many red flags, but the time I’ve spent separated from that life and the people I’ve met since my awakening have opened my heart to change.
“I refuse to be a member of a broken society that allows their government and corporations to subjugate the rest of the system. There needs to be a change in the way our people are governed, but I will not allow my father to rip apart the consulate and proclaim himself king. I’ve been asked by the leader of the Common Citizen’s Insurgence to help them make a way for change. There has got to be a better way for the system. We have to do this—together.”
Sky wiped the tears pooling at the corners of her eyes when Rana finished speaking. In this moment, Sky could picture Rana leading the planets in victory and being the person to completely unite the system under a fair government.
“Well said, Rana,” a young male elder shouted before the people roared in agreement.
Rana’s shy smile endeared her even more to the people, and soon the voices rose demanding a feast.
Titus stepped forward and raised his hands, calming the crowd. “We will have a feast this night to honor Rana, Sky, and Phoenix for their heroic actions for their actions in liberating our brothers and sisters. Tomorrow the elder council will converge to analyze the evidence from both the testimonies of the captives and my daughter and the information brought to us by Phoenix from Beast’s personal network. For now, let’s—”
Jo stepped forward with Raiden close behind, his hand still hovering over his blazer. “Elder Titus, if I may interrupt?”
“Yes, Captain.”
“The Deliverance has arrived and is in orbit around Kore. Deviant has requested permission to bring himself and a small security team down on his shuttle. He would like to check up on Rana and Sky, as well as speak with the elders of a possible alliance with the CCI.”
Titus glanced over his shoulder at the rest of the elders before regarding Sky. Sky had never been able to decipher her father’s thoughts or emotions, but she did see a flash of curiosity in his eyes before his lips turned up slightly. When Titus faced Jo again, the neutral expression he typically wore was back in place.
“Yes, we would be honored to meet with him.”
Twenty-Nine
After a long, much-needed shower, Sky emerged from the lavatory in her family’s cottage and stopped in her tracks. In the common area sat two men Sky would have never pictured together in such a casual situation. She toweled her hair and watched Phoenix and Titus from the doorway.
“Will you pursue my daughter?” Titus asked, his hands steepled together under his chin
.
“If you are asking if I will ask your permission for a union, then no.”
Sky’s stomach fell at Phoenix’s words. She had never wanted to unite with another—her soul belonged among the stars. No respectable man among the clans would have a partner who was never home, and Sky would never put another in that position. Yet, now that Sky had legitimate feelings for Phoenix, she could picture herself taking that step one day. Not today, or even this rotation or the next, but Sky enjoyed the idea of maybe one day.
“Do you mean that you plan to have a casual relationship with my Sky?”
Phoenix rose from his relaxed position and crossed his arms menacingly. “Nothing about how I feel for Sky is casual. I love her with every beat of my heart, and every breath I take is because she is the other half to my soul. I cannot survive without her.”
“Then why?” Titus asked. He hadn’t reacted to Phoenix’s posturing, and Sky had to smile at her father’s levelheadedness. She would expect nothing less from the man who raised her.
“Because she isn’t property to be bartered. If I want a union with her, I will speak with her alone, and if she will have me, then together we will tell you of our plans.”
Sky’s heart soared, and she couldn’t hide in the shadows any longer. Ignoring her father’s imploring gaze, Sky approached Phoenix and pulled his lips to hers. She let her heart guide her movements, forgetting about her father. This kiss was unlike the passionate one they had shared in Phoenix’s kitchen or the small pecks of affection they shared since. This kiss was rough, as if they were trying to meld into one being.
“What was that for?” Phoenix asked breathlessly when Sky pulled away, rubbing at her swollen lips.
“Because you see me. And I love you too.” Sky grinned at her shadow man, loving the way his scent of sunshine and clay wove around her.
Titus coughed as he stood. “Well, that was a little too much for this old man.” Sky’s father paused, his brows pinched together almost as if he was in pain. He met her inquisitive gaze with one full of regrets. “Sky, I am sorry for everything. I hope one day…” Titus coughed and then unnecessarily cleared his throat. His eyes glistened with unshed tears, and Sky’s heart leaped in cautious optimism. “One day, I hope you will find it in your heart to forgive me.”
As We Rise: Savage (As We Rise Saga Book 2) Page 16
