Her hands began to glow. A bright, eye-searing gold.
The escape ship faltered midair. It stopping rising, and started to fall back toward the ground. It began a sickening spiral.
The murmurs in the crowd were a mix of horror, shock, and excitement.
Hunt knew Relda heard them because he saw her shoulders hunch a little. But she kept her focus on the ship.
Timothy Li’s ship hurtled back toward them. Hunt heard his deputies directing the crowd to move back, but Hunt just watched Relda.
She was magnificent. Was there anything more attractive than a strong, powerful woman?
Suddenly, the escape ship slowed. Relda moved her hands, like a beautiful dance, and the ship stopped. She moved her arms toward an open area free of ships not far away.
And set the ship down.
Then she was striding over to it, and Hunt was one step behind her.
The cockpit opened and a slender, black-haired man crawled out, collapsing on the ground. He was sobbing.
Relda bent and snatched the Trojan Moon from around his neck. Then she leaned closer and whispered to Timothy Li. “Never mess with a Vega-Lyran. I could kill you in a blink.” She clenched her hand into a fist, and Timothy Li flinched. “You mention me to anyone, come after me or mine again, I will snuff you out.”
Li’s terrified eyes turned to Hunt, and seeing the uniform, he started blathering. “She tried to kill me! Arrest her!”
Hunt’s jaw cracked under the tension tearing through him. He kept his voice low. “You almost killed my woman. You blewup my apartment. You carried out crimes inmycity. You. Almost. Killed. My. Woman.” Even Hunt heard the towering rage in his voice. “You’re lucky I don’t just let her kill you right now.”
Behind him, Hunt heard his deputies running up. “Marshal!”
“Deputy Hasan, arrest this man. I want him locked in a cell.” Then Hunt turned to Relda.
She was watching the crowd. He moved closer. He knew what she saw. Confusion, awe, and fear.
“Relda, give them some time?—”
“I have to go.”
His gut clenched. She wasn’t talking about going back to her house. She was talking about leaving. Leaving Souk. Leaving him. “No.”
“Not your decision, Marshal Calder.” She took one step, and he saw her wobble.
He’d been expecting it, and when she collapsed, he scooped her into his arms.
He didn’t spare the crowd another glance, just said to Hasan, “Contact me if you need me.”
CHAPTER EIGHT
Relda woke to dappled sunlight on her face and the sweet scents of fresh water, green grass, and jasmina blossoms. She opened her eyes, taking a second to orient herself.
She was dressed in a simple, white linen shift that was soft against her skin. She lay nestled amongst a mound of pillows laid out on a blanket at the edge of Lake Gameelah. She saw her small, tidy lake house with its lovely cream walls, black iron accents, and a green jasmina vine climbing up the side of the house. The large glass doors were thrown open and white, gauzy curtains fluttered in the light breeze.
Energy was zinging through her. Physically, she felt great, but inside, her heart was broken.
She had to leave all this behind.
She turned her head and saw him.
Hunt reclined on the cushions beside her, reading one of his books. As always, he looked ridiculously masculine. He was everything she’d ever wanted in a man.
She had to leave him behind as well.
