Thyros’ head whipped toward me. “By the darkness, no. Not happening.”
I turned slowly and met his burning crimson-gold stare. The golden thread between us yanked hard, but I refused to flinch.
“Excuse me,” I glared at him. “Last I checked, I don’t owe you anything. I go where I choose.”
His jaw tightened, his aura flared with frustration and something darker, something that looked a lot like fear for me. The bond pulsed between us, hot and insistent, reminding me exactly how aware my body still was of him from the shuttle and the fight. Not to mention how hot he looked right then. All bothered god and energy.
Ella’s face lit up with hope. “Naeris, you’d really come?”
I gave a single sharp nod, even as part of me wondered what by the seven suns I was doing. “If there’s anything left of my ancestors down there… I want to see it.”
Xandros muttered a curse under his breath. Ashley grinned like she’d just won a bet. Nadine was already checking power cells on her scanner.
Thyros stepped closer, his voice dropped to a rough growl only I could hear. “You are going to be the death of me, little rebel.”
I lifted my chin, ignoring the way my pulse jumped at the low timbre of his voice. “Good. That’ll keep you out of my way.”
But even as the words left my mouth, I knew I didn’t mean them. The truth was the universe would seem a lot more boring without his overbearing presence.
I watched the four massive males face off—three golden gods and one Supreme Commander of the Imperial Forces—and almost laughed at how ridiculous they looked, all puffed up and glowering like someone had stolen their favorite weapons.
“If we’re doing this,” I said, loud enough for everyone to hear, “then my men come too. Rylan, Jax, Marek, gear up. You’re with us.”
Thyros muttered a dark curse behind me. I didn’t bother turning around.
Ella’s face lit up with pure glee. “Great! Where are the explosives?”
Ashley was already moving toward a supply crate, shaking her head with a grin. “I’ve got them. I’ll set a clean breach charge. No cave-ins, I promise.”
Zapharos, Dravok, Xandros, and Thyros stared at each other in heavy silence for a long beat.
Zapharos finally broke it. “Are we really going to let them do this?”
Dravok’s shadows lashed. “Into tunnels still crawling with hostiles. While we stand up here like helpless statues.”
Xandros rubbed the back of his neck. “My mekarry is not reckless, but this…”
Ashley’s head snapped up. “Wow. I’m going to pretend I didn’t just hear the wordletcome out of any of your mouths.”
Ella hid a smile behind her hand. Nadine coughed behind her hand. I thought I heard the wordChauvinist, but I wasn't sure.
Thyros stepped closer to me, voice low and vibrating with barely contained anger. “You are not going down there.”
I turned slowly and met his burning gaze head-on. “And what are you exactly going to do about it, big guy?”
His crimson-gold aura flared brighter. For a second, I could practically see him calculating whether he could physically haul me back to the shuttle. “By the darkness, Naeris?—”
“You can try to stop me, Thyros,” I cut him off, stepping right into his space. “But you won’t survive it. God or not.”
The air between us crackled. Electricity sparked as much as anger. My traitorous body remembered exactly how good his arm had felt around me… and I hated how much I wanted to feel it again.
Thyros’ jaw flexed. He didn’t back down, but he also didn’t grab me. None of them did.
Because they knew—gods or not, Supreme Commander or not—they had to live with us afterward. Xandros finally exhaleda long, defeated breath. “We are not forcing anything. We all have to sleep next to these females tonight.”
Zapharos growled. “I am aware.”
Dravok just muttered something that sounded suspiciously like a prayer for patience.
