Jorusk looks back at me from the copilot’s seat with flaming red eyes. Fieri, beside him, looks like he’s planning to kill someone.
“Yes,” Eluni says. “And don’t mind the devil and his advocate. They just usually look like that.”
“Oh.”
She encourages me up to the cockpit to sit behind Jorusk.
“Are we going to get Aura?”
“First, we free Talros,” Allele remarks. “He isn’t far. Then we’re going after Aura.”
Stars, Tal. What did you get yourself into?
Blaize takes a seat across the aisle from Eluni and me. “The portal that opened is one of our own. We don’t know which ship they’ve taken Aura to, but we have informants throughout the fleet who are sending us updates.”
“Fieri of Amphir, ABR Port Security, you are not cleared for launch.”
“Well, hurry it the fuck up! My Protected has an emergency back home.”
“I can safely launch us,” Allele remarks.
“No.” Fieri taps through the controls, easing our momentum. “We cannot afford another intergalactic incident. A prince abducted by his own people from the races will be bad enough if word gets out. Did you say anything, Jovie?”
“No. RAM locked the guards out. But there was a cameradrone in there, smashed to bits. I can’t say what it captured.”
“Allele?” Blaize asks.
“Working on it.” A screen beside us illuminates, showing Aura rescuing the meratadon and noticing the door was left open.
“I bet that was Pronkus,” Eluni remarks. “He always takes the missions where he has to collect Royals and for punishment. Loves setting little traps like that. Plays to our true nature and then captures us when our guard is down.”
“Had a run-in with him?” Fieri asks.
“Once or twice.”
When ABR gives us the all-clear, Fieri launches us fast. “By the way, Jovie is staying with us.”
“You can’t do that,” the security officer retorts.
I strain against my belt. “I consent. Can you tell him I consent?”
The com opens again. “Understood, Jovie Nevaté. Please contact us if you require assistance returning to Earth. I will inform the head of ABR.”
“Thanks.” I swing around in my harness as we race through the lunar shield and clutch the shoulder straps, trying to steady myself and wrap my head around the idea that I’m in an alien ship, in space, on a double-rescue mission.
“Where’s Tal?” I ask.
“Denarso took him.” Eluni offers me a hand. “First time?”
I swallow against my nervousness and nod.
“Deep breaths. Lean with the ship any time you can. We’re going to get them both back.”
“How can you be sure?” I ask.
Jorusk glances back at us. “We are few compared to the masses that are choosing to follow Aura. The trick is going to be rescuing him without causing civil war.”
24: Aurelius
