Page 100 of Cheating Fate

We agreed to make it happen either way, whether they flew their ship to Veredia or Rhadames scooped them up again.

The journey home was uneventful but quite busy. I loved the debriefing and post mortem analysis we performed regarding this first mission and how we handled everything. I hadn’t realized how torn my mate had been regarding healing at the end of a battle. None of us had ever had to even consider that.

We agreed that such a decision would be handled on a case-by-case basis and only considered if we had the field secure and that caring for wounded or dead enemies wouldn’t jeopardize our safety. As the healer, we would defer to Zhara’s judgment for such decisions.

Trehvus and Dhaxius once more impressed me. They both put the psychological training they’d received from their mother to good use, doing a mental health check with everyone. I had already been in previous battles, killing enemies. For all of them, it was their first time taking a life—in this instance, multiple lives.

Did it make us psychopaths that none of us curled up in a ball with major trauma? I remembered feeling no distress or remorse beheading the assassin who came after Keran when we rescued both him and the Braxian hybrids on Haven. Truth be told, I didn’t really care. What mattered to me was the incredible, almost symbiotic collaboration between us all. Everyone protected everyone. Each member used their unique abilities efficiently to the benefit of the entire team. No one froze or balked. Few people made me feel as safe as this team did.

And my fellow Braxians shared that sentiment. On the field of battle, it was extremely hard to get my people to see other species as equals in combat prowess. But our mini clan truly was in awe of our teammates. It helped me look at our grim future with optimism.

But that meeting with Coron made it clear we had a lot of work to do defining exactly how the Vigil would operate. And that kept us well occupied until our arrival back home.

Our families and friends gave us a hero’s welcome when we landed with hugs all around. I couldn’t help chuckling at the Braxians unable to decide whether to puff out their chests in pride or be moved by such accolades. Our people were quite stingy with those unless you did something extraordinary. I was grateful for how it helped build up their confidence and sense of belonging. We came here hoping to earn our place and not shame our respective clans and planet. And now, we were finding a home, building true friendships, and bridging the type of cultural gap that caused so much senseless wars and animosity between peoples.

As we mingled with the guests gathered in the massive backyard of the Praghan estate, I caught Vahl casting many confused looks at his younger brother. After a while, he seemed to make a decision and resolutely marched towards Tharek.

He stopped next to him, and Tharek gave him an inquisitive look.

“What’s up?” he asked his older brother.

“Are you okay?” Vahl asked.

Tharek blinked “Yes. Why do you ask?”

“I’ve been back for over an hour, and you haven’t tried to kill me yet,” Vahl said as if it was a normal question to ask a relative.

I snorted, nearly choking on my drink. But I instantly sobered seeing the very serious look Tharek gave him.

“And I won’t do that anymore,” he replied in a calm voice.

Vahl slightly recoiled, his body stiffening as he studied his brother’s features with a mix of confusion and worry.

“Why? Did I upset you?” he asked carefully.

Under different circumstances, it would have been hilarious to hear someone argue as to why their attacker would no longer try to murder them at random times. But I understood that it had almost been a bonding thing between them since Tharek’s birth.

“No, you did not,” Tharek replied in a reassuring tone. “But you are the Great General now. You need support, not senseless distraction from me. This silly playtime is over.”

“I don’t mind it,” Vahl argued.

Tharek smiled. “I know. But I’m your Shadow. My duty is to be there for you and to protect you. You were here for me when I couldn’t control my primal impulses. Now, it’s time for me to be here for you. When you see me, I want you to feel safe. I want you to know I have your back, like a good Shadow does. You will have enough to deal with out there. When you’re with us, when I am near you, I want you to know that you’re in a safe haven. I will protect you like you’ve always protected all of us.”

He stared at his younger brother, his wheels spinning. He was likely trying to assess if he was being honest or only giving him an excuse to hide the true reason for this sudden change of behavior. Tharek held his gaze unwaveringly. The insane level of maturity he displayed in that moment took my breath away. Those Titans truly did possess old souls.

The sincerity of his words finally seemed to sink in, and Vahl relaxed. The look of pure love he leveled on his younger sibling clutched at my heart.

“I know you will,” Vahl said affectionately as he clasped a hand behind his brother’s nape before drawing him into his embrace. “I love you, Tharek.”

“I love you, too, brother. Thank you for always being there for me,” Tharek replied.

The people around us who had been discreetly spying on the interaction looked as moved by this scene as I felt. Amalia—her eyes a little too shiny from what I suspected were repressed tears—approached us with a proud smile filled with love.

“And he will definitely have your back,” she said enthusiastically. “You should look at his latest scores in the combat training modules. He’s breaking one record after the other!”

“Really?” Vahl asked, glancing at his brother with excited curiosity.

Although they kept mostly silent about it, his siblings had worried about his inability to overcome what should have been simple issues quickly fixed by proper training.