Page 46 of Enslak

Enslak fit in the small cargo area, but just barely. We secured him with straps to keep him from rolling during flight, and I checked them three times to make sure they'd hold.

"The autopilot's already programmed," Binwee said, showing me the controls. "Flight deck has me logged for a routine maintenance run—they won't suspect anything. Just press this when you're ready to launch. The ship will handle the rest. Flight time is about six hours."

"And Avalon?" I asked.

"Beautiful," Binwee said. "Lush. Peaceful. Lots of fresh water, edible plants, game if you can hunt. The perfect place to heal."

"Or die," I said quietly.

Binwee's expression softened. "You're not going to die, Niki. And neither is he. You're going to reach him. I know you will."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because I saw the way he looked at you on Merisalle," Binwee said. "He wasn't just protecting you. He was seeing you. And that means something."

George approached, holding out the injector I'd left on a tray in the medi-bay. "Remember. If you can't reach him—"

"I will," I said, taking the injector and tucking it into my pack with shaking fingers. "I have to."

George nodded. "I've included instructions for his care—how to manage the sedation, how to wake him safely, what to watch for. Read them carefully."

"I will."

"And Niki?" George's large eyes were serious. "Be careful. Even sedated, he's still dangerous. If he wakes confused or frightened, he could hurt you without meaning to."

"I know."

"Do you?" George moved closer. "Because I need you to really understand. The Enslak you met on Merisalle—the one who protected you, who held your hand—he might not be the one who wakes up on Avalon. The walls in his mind are strong, and breaking through them could release things that are difficult. Violent. Painful."

"I understand," I said, though I wasn't sure I really did.

George studied me for another moment, then nodded. "Good luck, Detective. I hope you prove me wrong about everything."

"Me too."

Binwee pulled me into a quick, fierce hug. "I'll give you thirty days," she whispered. "Then I have to tell the Prime. I'm sorry, but—"

"I know," I said. "It's okay. Thirty days is enough."

It had to be.

Chapter 11

Niki

The descent toward Avalon felt like falling through a dream.

I sat in the pilot's seat—not piloting, the autopilot handled that—but I couldn't sit anywhere else. Couldn't stop watching the viewscreen as the planet grew larger, closer, more real with every passing second.

My hands gripped the armrests so hard my knuckles had gone white.

Behind me, in the small cargo area, Enslak lay sedated on a narrow bunk. I'd checked on him twenty-eight times during the six-hour journey. Counted his breaths. Watched the rise and fall of his massive chest. Pressed my fingers to his throat to feel his pulse—strong, steady, alive.

But what if the descent killed him? What if atmospheric entry, the gravitational shift, the stress on his healing body proved too much?

What if I'd stolen him from his family only to watch him die?

"Stop it," I muttered to myself. "He's fine. He's going to be fine."