by Rayna Tyler
Sloane waved what was left of the meat in front of her face. “I’ll bet spending the night in the cave had more to do with Cara finding out she’s Zaedon’s ketiorra than anything else.”
I coughed, nearly spitting out my most recent swallow. I had forgotten Sloane did not have a problem stating the obvious, and sometimes with great detail.
“Sloane, don’t you think you should have let Cara tell her grandparents herself?” Judging by the way Laria flexed her fingers, it was a good thing she was sitting on the opposite side of the table and couldn’t reach Sloane.
“Why?” Sloane reached for a pyteinna. “It’s not like Ellie and Isaac hadn’t already figured it out.”
“Speaking of figuring it out.” Cara sauntered into the room and dropped her travel bag next to mine, which was sitting on the floor next to the building’s rear exit. “Is there a reason neither of you gave me a heads-up?” The annoyed glare she gave Laria and Sloane did not possess any anger.
“Would you have believed us if we had?” Laria asked.
“Probably not.” Cara sat in the chair next to me, placing her hand on my thigh.
It was the first affectionate act she’d shown in front of her friends, and the simple gesture made my tail twitch.
“I don’t think any of that matters.” Ellie tsked. “What’s important is the two of you found each other and are together now.”
Ellie appeared quite pleased, and I had a feeling the older female had been in favor of our joining from the day I arrived. I would have stated my agreement, but Cara’s elbow was too close to my ribs.
Jardun put a halt to the conversation by standing. “If everyone is ready, we should go.”
With several affirmative replies, the members of our group said their farewells to Ellie and Isaac, then headed for the door. I would miss spending time with Cara’s grandparents, but was eager to return to my role as vryndarr. I was also anxious to learn what information Raytan had discovered about Doyle and how it would affect Cara.
Cara waited until the others were finished before pulling Ellie into a hug. “If you need anything, send word to Burke. He’ll know how to find us.”
Ellie nodded, then cupped Cara’s cheeks after she released her. “You be careful and look out for each other.”
“I will.” Cara blinked away the sadness filling her eyes.
She stepped away from Cara and gave me a hug as well. “Good, because I expect to see you both for the next harvest.”
“I would not miss it,” I said.
Ellie turned to grab a container off the counter. “It’s a long trip, so I made these for you.”
Cara smiled, rolling her eyes. “You don’t need to keep bribing him.”
“What bribing?” Ellie sounded appalled. “He’s a growing boy and will need plenty of strength to keep up with you.”
“I’m pretty sure he’s done growing, but the keeping-up part is right.” Cara winked at me, then grabbed her bag and rushed outside.
Ellie shook her head. “You best be getting after her.”
“Thank you, Ellie… For everything.” I hurried to grab my bag and race after Cara. I’d reached the end of the platform when I heard Isaac call my name. I turned to find him standing in the doorway.
“I know Cara can take care of herself.” Concern deepened the wrinkles around Isaac’s dark eyes as he watched his granddaughter follow after our friends. “But I’m still trusting you to look out for my baby girl.”
Now that I had found my ketiorra, I hoped to spend many years with her. Keeping her safe would always be my priority. “It is a difficult task, but you have my word that I will give my life if it means saving hers.”
“I know you will.” He scratched the top of his head. “Ellie and I kind of like having you around, so if you could both come back in one piece, we’d really appreciate it.”
During my time staying with the elderly couple, I had grown quite fond of them and looked forward to returning. “It is my utmost goal.”
“Good, then you better get going.” Isaac patted my shoulder. “The sooner you take care of whatever you and your friends are up to, the sooner we get to see you again.”
When I reached the others, they were standing next to a group of solarveyors, including Laria’s and the one they had arrived in.
“What do you mean we’re not taking Trixie?” Cara grasped her bag in one hand, the other planted firmly on her hip. “I finished all the repairs, and she’s running perfectly.”
“I know, but some of Doyle’s males might recognize her, and Jardun wants to slip into the city undetected.” Laria did not seem happy about the decision either. She moved next to her transport, pushing her lower lip out in an exaggerated pout as she ran her hand along the metal exterior of her treasured possession.
“What about Khyron and the others?” I asked, taking a spot on Cara’s right. “How were they planning to conceal their arrival?”
“Do you remember us telling you about Joe?” Sloane asked.
“Yes.” I had never met the male, but according to Celeste, he frequently sold things at the trader’s market in each of the human settlements, theirs included.
His life was ended, his vehicle stolen by another human male named Travis. The despicable male had tried to take one of the young ones in Harper’s care and help a group of luzardees get past the settlement’s perimeter in order to attack Khyron.
Fortunately, Trevor’s plan had been unsuccessful and Burke had confiscated the vehicle.
“They used his transport,” Sloane said.
“Burke gave us this one since it hardly ever leaves the settlement.” Jardun walked over to the vehicle, tapped a panel next to the access door, then moved to the side so Laria could enter.
Traveling under the guise of a trader was a good plan; so was using a vehicle no one would recognize. Though it would help keep Cara safe, I wondered if utilizing the old transport had been a wise choice. The dull metal exterior was rusted in places, and even I had doubts about its endurance. “Are you sure it will make it all the way to the city?”
“Nothing fell off on our way here, if that makes you feel any better.” Sloane giggled as she trailed after Laria.
“It does not,” I muttered.
“On the positive side, if something breaks down, you can help me fix it,” Cara said.
“How is that positive?” I could not resist pinching her backside when she hauled herself into the transport.
Chapter Thirteen
Cara
The trip to Aztrashar went by quickly without the older transport having any problems with its engine. The tension was minimal, the conversations light and playful, with everyone avoiding any topic that involved the reason we were returning to the city. Most of the time was spent catching Zaedon and me up on things that had happened during our absence from the settlement.
“How is Rygael doing?” The last time I’d heard anything about the albino ketaurran male who’d rescued Melissa from being kidnapped by Trevor, he’d been recuperating at Harper’s place.
“Oh, he went back to his cave,” Laria said.
After Rygael was injured, we’d learned he’d been living in the rock formations near the perimeter of the town.
“I thought for sure he’d take Harper up on her offer to stay in one of her spare rooms. What happened there?” I took a pyteinna from the container Zaedon had on his lap. He reluctantly agreed to share with everyone after I promised to cook him one of my special batches.
“Don’t know, but Harper wasn’t happy about it.” Laria shifted sideways in her seat. Since Jardun was driving the solarveyor, she’d taken the chair next to him.
Sloane looked up from sharpening one of her blades. “She even talked to Khyron and tried to get him to order Rygael to return.”
“Really, and how did that go?” I took a bite of my flat cake.
“Khyron refused, of course,” Laria said. “He told her he wouldn’t force the male to live anywhere he didn’t feel comforta
ble.”
Harper might not wield weapons or fight like the rest of us, but she was a strong, determined female who didn’t take no for an answer. “I’d be curious to see how long it takes before Harper does something else to get her way.”
“Yeah.” Sloane giggled. “Especially since her interest in Rygael is more than making sure he has a nice place to stay.”
“We are almost there,” Jardun announced before slowing the transport.
The mood inside the vehicle changed immediately, everyone alert and prepared for any challenge or problem we might incur.
Tension thrummed through my system, and I leaned forward to get a better view through the pane above the control panel. It was late afternoon, the sunlight slowly disappearing from the green sky, leaving portions of the city cast in heavy shadows. Jardun turned right onto a road that skirted the outside of the city instead of entering via the main access.
“Where are you going?” Laria asked.
“This way is longer but will get us closer to Khyron’s place without drawing too much attention.”
Most likely, Doyle’s males would be somewhere inside Aztrashar and concentrating on new arrivals. It didn’t mean one or two wouldn’t be watching alternative routes. It was how the two males who’d followed our group from the Quaddrien had been able to ambush Celeste and me on our way to the settlement.
Zaedon sealed the container and set it aside. His transformation into a warrior appeared with the subtle fading of his grin and a growing wariness in his dark turquoise eyes. He was so busy staring out the side panes that I wondered if he realized how securely his tail was wrapped around my lower legs.
We drove past the area used by the trader’s market travelers. We received a few curious glances from the handful of humans and ketaurrans who’d shut down for the day and were returning to their vehicles. I scanned their faces, watching for any change in expression or demeanor that signaled an alternative reason for their presence, and was relieved not to find any.
When we reached a guarded entrance near the rear of Khyron’s dwelling, Zaedon went outside to speak with the four males, all armed with swords and wearing the dark uniforms of the drezdarr’s soldiers. The conversation took less than a minute before one of the males motioned for Jardun to drive the transport inside.
I didn’t remember there being this much security the last time I was here, and wondered how much of it had to do with the additional situation Doyle’s bounty had caused. A situation that was putting the lives of the people I cared about in jeopardy.
“Cara, are you all right?” I hadn’t realized how tense I’d gotten, or that everyone else had exited the transport, until Zaedon crouched in front of me and cupped the side of my face.
I leaned into his hand, drawing strength from its warmth. “I’m fine.”
“I do not believe you are.” His tone held a note of understanding, as if he knew where my thoughts had taken me.
I was glad he didn’t say anything else, didn’t push for an explanation I wasn’t ready to give. After pulling our bags out from under the seat, he got to his feet, slinging the straps over one shoulder, then holding out his hand. “Ready?”
“Yeah.” I took his hand and let him lead me past an assortment of various-sized solarveyors. As we approached the rear entrance of the multilevel building, I took a moment to appreciate the structure and the ornate design of the terraces on the upper floor. Khyron’s dwelling was a lot fancier than any of the homes in the farming communities or human settlements I’d visited. The ketaurrans might not be technologically advanced when it came to communication or weapons, but they were excellent craftsmen. I was always impressed by the dwellings they’d constructed out of sand and stone.
I was fairly certain we’d be staying here a few days, and once I found out why Khyron had summoned us and got settled into our quarters, I planned to use one of the large carved stone tubs to take a long bath. I didn’t think I’d have to do much convincing to get Zaedon to join me since he hadn’t been happy when Sloane and Laria kept us from sharing a shower at my grandparents’ place.
Once we were inside, Zaedon and I followed the sound of Laria’s and Sloane’s voices and found them in the gathering room of the quarters we’d shared the last time we stayed here. Khyron and Celeste were with them, but facing away from us. Thrayn saw us enter the room and acknowledged our arrival with a nod.
“I see that Khyron does not bear any new knife wounds, so I assume all is still well between you.” Zaedon set our bags off to the side as he spoke to Celeste.
“It was one time.” Celeste slapped her hands on her hips as she spun around to face us. “And, if you’ll recall, my blade missed him by inches.”
I let go of Zaedon’s hand to return Celeste’s hug. My friend was an expert when it came to wielding blades. If she’d meant to hit Khyron, he’d be wearing a scar. She was a couple of inches taller than me and easily draped her arm across the back of my shoulder and smiled at Zaedon. “You’re alive, so either Cara hasn’t tried to kill you, or you finally told her.”
Zaedon grinned. “I have truly missed your humor, zyrdena.”
Laria told me that Zaedon had given Celeste the ketaurran nickname, which translated to “little princess,” after she’d fussed about getting sandy mud all over her favorite pair of boots.
“And yes, she is aware she is my ketiorra.” Zaedon took my hand again and pulled me closer.
Khyron walked over to Zaedon, clapped him on the shoulder, then offered me a smile. He had the same tall, muscular build as the rest of the ketaurran males, but his scales were a lighter blue than Zaedon’s. “I am very happy for both of you.” He shot a glance at Thrayn over my shoulder. “Now if I could find a female to keep Thrayn busy, maybe he would not have so much time to hover.”
Thrayn’s pale green cheeks flushed. He was the youngest of the vryndarr, had the least experience with humans, and was the easiest to embarrass.
Celeste nudged Khyron’s shoulder. “Just ignore him, Thrayn. You’re doing a great job.”
Footsteps sounded in the outside hallway right before I heard my name. I turned and smiled at the familiar ketaurran male with pale peach scales. Vurell was the drezdarr’s personal physician and usually traveled with Khyron. He wasn’t the most personable of males, so I was surprised when he pulled me into a breath-stealing hug.
We’d spent some time together when he’d been kept prisoner in Doyle’s compound and forced, via beatings, to work with the toxins and antidotes stored in one of the labs. The same lab I’d destroyed during our escape.
“I am glad to see you are well, and that this one”—he jutted his chin at Zaedon—“appears to be unscathed.”
I made a noise between a laugh and a snort. “So far, anyway.”
“Glad to see you two could make it.” Logan slipped into the room behind Vurell. He was Burke’s second-in-command and the only human male in the group, which was a little unusual since he usually kept his distance from ketaurrans.
He’d never said much about his life during the war, but I got the impression he’d suffered some losses and had a hard time trusting anyone. The short growth of hair on his chin, combined with his dark hair and eyes, gave him an ominous look that tended to keep people at a distance. Only my friends and I knew there was a softer side to Logan that he did his best to keep hidden.
“I’m surprised to see you here. I thought you hated the city,” I said.
He grinned. “I do, but since Burke couldn’t make it, you get the pleasure of having me around instead.”
I understood why Burke had been asked to stay behind. He had a history with Doyle, one that began during their time on the Starward Bounty and had gotten him injured during his mission into the wastelands. If anyone in Doyle’s crew spotted him and relayed the information to their boss before we had time to implement whatever Khyron had planned, we might lose our only chance to stop him. I, on the other hand, could be used as bait. And I would gladly do it to ensure the safety of
the people I cared about.
Logan had barely made it across the room and dropped onto one of the loungers when Jardun and Garyck arrived along with a ketaurran male I’d never met. I wondered if he was the Raytan the others had mentioned on several occasions. He was armed with a sword and had the same confident demeanor as the rest of the vryndarr.
His long, charcoal hair was secured at his nape. The edge of each pale green scale running along his arms and chest was unusually outlined by a darker color in the same shade. A shade that matched the vibrant intensity of his eyes.
“Raytan,” Celeste said. “These are my friends Laria, Sloane, and Cara.” She pointed to each of us in turn.
Once introductions were over, and before anyone had a chance to discuss why we were here, Garyck crossed the room to stand in front of Sloane. “Little one.”
Sloane was the shortest one in the group and had to tip her head back to see his face. “Did you walk all the way over her to tell me you missed me?”
“The only thing I missed was my armband.” He glared and held out his hand, the hint of a smile and the swish of his golden-scaled tail making me think he wasn’t as mad as he pretended.
Sloane rolled her eyes, then reached inside the bag draped over her shoulder and pulled out his band. “If you didn’t want to lose it, you shouldn’t have dared me to take it before I left.”
Garyck replied with his usual grunt. Unlike the rest of us, Sloane could actually interpret his meaning.
“Besides, it’s not like I planned on keeping it or anything.” She placed it on his forearm, gave it a gentle pat, then moved to the other side of the room next to Celeste, and leaned against a lounger.
The tension, though barely noticeable, between Garyck and Sloane was new, and I wondered what had happened in my absence. I gave Laria an inquiring glance and received a confused shrug.
Zaedon must have sensed the change in our friends as well. He gave my hip a squeeze and said, “Khyron, perhaps now would be a good time to tell us why we are here.”
***
