“Plan first,” Fieri grunts in irritation.
“There will be resistance from Royals and their guards,” Blaize offers.
“Undoubtedly.” Jorusk shifts like he’s uncomfortable. By the way that his wings are bound and crushed against the seat, I’mcertain he’s in pain. But he doesn’t complain. “Your people do not strike me as instinctively vengeful.”
“Iam,” Eluni mutters. “I want to take some heads.”
Jorusk nods. “Rightly so. But I have seen civil war. We used to live under the rule of Talhuskins. Served them. Paid taxes to them. They did nothing for us but let us live.”
“How did you become your own colony?” I ask.
“We waited until one of their holidays where they get utterly shitfaced, then we quietly took all of our belongings, our people, and left. We stole their best warships, and we got as far away from them as we could.”
“Talk about a rude awakening in the morning.” Talros scratches his chin like he’s thinking hard. “Doesn’t really work when the fleet is already pulling apart.”
“How do you know?” I ask.
Talros darts his eyes to mine. “Allele and I have been talking for a few days. I’m aware of what’s going on.”
I rack my mind for helpful ideas. “Is there a place the Storm-faithful can go that Royals won’t or can’t?” I ask.
Fieri gives Blaize a glance.
Blaize shrugs. “Allele is the only one who would know the way, who can navigate the nebula. So it’s up to her.”
“Aura found her,” Fieri counters. “Someone else must be able to.”
“I called him to me,” Allele states. “I was dying. Aurelius was, too, after a crash during Sol Federation operations. I can find my way. But I will not go without Aura.”
I’m a little jealous of the ship’s connection with my mate. It seems special in a way none of us can understand.
“We have to spread the word of our plans quietly,” Eluni remarks. “We need to give people time to get their things in order.”
Talros grins. “I have the perfect tools for the job.”
26: Aurelius
Icyarrestis terrible, but the desolation is worse. I cannot speak to anyone but myself. The world is a blur around me except for the nearby chamber monitors outside the base and the cable and hose at the top of my cell.
My body feels drained, weak, and so very cold. I am losing hope the attendant will return for me. I cannot expect her to.
Maybe I should have led a real revolution. Perhaps we could’ve had more effect, and I wouldn’t be stuck here, unable to help my people.
Every breath requires focus. The cable assembly has won our fight and injected me with drugs that make me sleepy. A deep sense that I have been forsaken by my father and my people, that I may never see or hold my beautiful mate again, and she may have to go on without me, sinks me into an abyss of self-loathing misery.
How was I not smart enough to see this coming? Why didn’t I just take her away from here?
When the negativity starts to wear on me, I decide I’ve had enough and choose better thoughts for the last months or years that I’m stuck in here.It’s what Jovie would do.
I’m desperate for anything that reminds me of her.
I focus on the memory of her warm skin against mine and descend into my mind so I don’t have to be aware of the emptiness that is my eternal tomb.
Her beautiful brown eyes looking up at mine with that playful quirk that says she wants me— I’d give anything to see them again. I try desperately to sharpen the image, fearing it will fade with time.
Hours pass, and no one enters the room. I think back to falling here and the others who drift like me in suspended death, starving, and being drained of their power. I don’t know how many of us there are, but it’s thousands more than I ever believed. And I bet a lot of them are here for reasons like mine.
How long was I lied to about our system of order? Who all is dirty?
