Howling, Jaden clutched at his leg. Between Han lilting one way and Jaden curled protectively over his leg the other, they couldn’t defend against the Gaptor. It fell on them, beak gnashing, talons tearing, and stinger stabbing. Jaden’s smart suit kept him out of reach of most of the weapons, but Han had no such protection.
With extreme effort, Jaden rolled himself upright and stabbed at the monster. The beast shrieked as Jaden’s DD plunged into its chest, then ripped downward. The Gaptor disintegrated in a blinding flash.
Jaden almost whimpered; the next Gaptor was already taking a run at them. But a blurred streak cut through his line of sight—Atu, shooting a beam at the Gaptor as he passed. The Gaptor exploded.
They weren’t safe, though. Han was now at more than a forty-five degree angle. They needed to see to his wound, or they would follow the Gaptor’s fate.
Atu was way ahead of him. Aren’s wings appeared under Han’s injured side, lifting them level. Han groaned in pain and wobbled under Jaden, making Jaden wonder whether gliders ever passed out from agony. Such a strange thing to wonder about in the middle of a battle. He would ask Han when all this was over. If they made it.
A soft golden glow seeped from around the underside of Han’s wing, illuminating the shadowy crevices in the nearby canyon walls. Han’s sigh of relief told Jaden all he needed to know. Han abruptly straightened, and power surged under Jaden as Han flapped his massive wings. Bless Atu!
“Thanks, dude!” Jaden called, as Aren and Atu dropped clear and took up a position beside them.
“Anytime.” Atu grinned, but then his face sobered. “Seems that leg of yours needs help too.”
Jaden glanced at it. He couldn’t feel the pain anymore. Was that a bad sign? In fact, all he felt was cold. That thought made him realize how fatigued he was. He wanted to lean over Han’s neck and just rest a little.
He started to slouch forward, but jerked upright when Atu yelled at him. “Don’t do that!”
Jaden blinked, watching Atu with bleary eyes as Aren lifted higher. For some reason, Jaden’s head weighed a ton. He felt the jolt as Atu dropped onto Han behind him.
“Why are you here?’ Getting the words out was an effort. Why am I so tired?
“Just stay awake, okay?” Atu murmured.
Dully, Jaden observed the golden light that coated Atu’s hands. Was this what dying felt like? The light was so pretty. Then he gasped as icy fingers ran across his leg. His brain kicked back into action. For a moment, the pain was unbearable, but miraculously, it faded, leaving a soothing warmth in its place. Jaden moaned. Ah, that’s so much better. He blinked as whatever had been supporting him disappeared.
Turning, he caught sight of Atu landing on Aren’s broad back. Under them, Tinks and Iri fended off Gaptors trying to get close. Pallaton swirled overhead with some of the Legion, keeping them free of attack from above. They had been working as a team: the gliders above, Iri watching their six, and Atu supporting Jaden as he healed him.
Jaden glanced at his leg. The shredded smart suit was the only evidence of his grievous wounds. So why did he still feel so weak?
“You lost a lot of blood,” Atu told him over the comm, as though reading Jaden’s mind. “You’re going to feel weak for some time yet. Best you try keep your clashes with the Gaptors to a distance rather than up close and personal.”
“Hah, like I have a choice, but I’ll try.”
Iri cried out, snagging their attention. She was falling clear of Tinks. But why had she screamed? Then Tinks’s wing sheared off her body. More than her wing—her shoulder and part of her back too. Three Gaptors had their beaks, talons, and blades embedded in the segment. They had literally ripped Tinks apart.
Jaden retched. As he leaned over Han’s side, emptying his stomach, Jaden saw what was left of Tinks drop like a bar of lead. He was so stuck on Tinks that he wasn’t mindful of Iri. But Han was. He shot down to where Iri flailed, making Jaden snatch at fur to get a grip.
But Aren and Atu beat them. Atu reeled Iri in when Aren lifted to catch her. She was sobbing incoherently. Atu ran his hands over her as he searched for injuries, then folded her into his arms, comforting her. “She’s not injured,” he called.
Rushing air behind him made Jaden duck. Han dropped them down a few feet, and Jaden’s brain finally broke out of the haze cocooning it. “Han, get back up there. He’s going after Aren!”
Han did as commanded. Jaden’s DD sliced the stinger off the Gaptor about to attack Aren. Unbalanced, the Gaptor wobbled. Aren moved clear, and Jaden released a sizzling beam. He didn’t wait for the usual light and sound show, but swiveled, ready for their next opponent.
While they’d been distracted, the Gaptors had converged into a single group. The Legion were still launching stealth attacks, but they weren’t nearly as effective, and Iri was without a glider. Not that she was in a state to fight anyway.
That left him and Atu. They needed a new plan.
“Jaden?”
His comm crackled in his ear, startling him. “Sven?”
“I think we have that solution you were looking for.”
“You magnificent man!” Jaden crowed. “We’re on our way. Atu, we . . .”
“I heard,” Atu interrupted. “Not a moment too soon either. Let’s get out of here.”
Aren shot ahead of Han, closely followed by Pallaton and the Legion. Just as well we were on the right side of the canyon when Sven called. I don’t think I would’ve had the strength to fight or trick our way through all those Gaptors. Now we’re all lined up. Perfect!
They took the most direct path out of the canyon, to put a little distance between themselves and the Gaptors crowding behind. They cleared the canyon and angled west, skirting the other valleys that gradually gave way to Daxsos.
Jaden’s strength ebbed as they reached the pass that would take them up to Sven. He just had to hold on a few more minutes. Han and Aren shot up the valley, towards the narrow end curving into the mountains proper. The rise was gradual at first, but it was misleading. Sheer cliffs took over after a hundred horizontal feet, making the valley a dead end for anyone without the strength to scale the cliffs. Han sped along the tapering valley, and they were soon fenced in by massive granite slabs on either side. They reminded Jaden of a mortician’s slab. He grimaced. Why did he have to think that?
They crossed the imaginary line that offered sanctuary. Or so Jaden hoped. He urged Han onward; they needed to reach the cliff walls and curve back above the approaching Gaptors for their plan to succeed. Han accelerated. Then they were at the wall, and Jaden was second-guessing himself. He should’ve told Han to slow down, not speed up. They weren’t going to make it. They were going to smash into the mountain!
Abruptly, Han arced upward at an insane ninety degrees, taking them parallel to the cliff. Jaden fell flat, grabbing handfuls of fur to stay on. He tightened his knees around Han’s chest. If not for his smart suit, he’d be free-falling. Even so, he felt himself slipping before Han mercifully curled sideways and rolled them out of a backward curve. His new path took them back the way they came, now a few hundred feet above the Gaptors. Wheeling them back round to face the cliff, Han slowed as Aren, Pallaton, and the Legion followed his example. Together they waited and watched, anxious to see the results of Sven’s work.
The Gaptors were going too fast to change their trajectory. They attempted following the gliders’ lead, but they weren’t as acrobatic. The front lines crashed into the mountain, sending tremors up and down the valley. As they fell back from the cliff, a second wave crashed into the first, taking out another line. The third wave were just scrabbling out the way when a stream of light shot out from the cliff wall, hitting the remaining Gaptors. Radiance flared, booms reverberated, Gaptors disintegrated, and black ash filled the air.
Before Jaden could take a breath, another beam burst out, then another, and then several more. Sven had done it! Jaden whooped. The remaining Gaptors tried escaping, but Jaden and the others were waiting.
This time, they had the numbers. The Legion swarmed the surviving Gaptors, taking them out. Han and Jaden barely got a taste of the action. It couldn’t even be called a battle.
Not that Jaden was disappointed. He was so exhausted he didn’t even know if he could swing his blade, insignificant as its weight was. When the air cleared, the Gaptors were gone. Jaden searched the skies, sure he would find another squadron, but after ten minutes, he exhaled. They had done it.
But at what cost?
Jaden glanced at Iri, still huddled in Atu’s arms. Atu indicated he was going to land, and Jaden nodded, letting Atu know he would follow. As a precaution, Jaden asked Pallaton to post scouts at either end of the valley before allowing Han to glide down. As Jaden dismounted, his limbs protested, tired and stiff. Ugh, I haven’t felt like this since we first started training with the gliders. He stumbled to Atu, waiting with Iri, and took her in his own arms so Atu could to go to work on the fallen gliders.
Jaden dropped down, still holding Iri but too weary to even talk. It seemed Iri wasn’t in a talking mood either, so that was just fine.
“Dude!” Markov landed, dismounting from a glider. Whether that was Markov’s original glider, Jaden didn’t know.
“Yeah,” Jaden acknowledged.
“That was some idea you had! Getting Sven to turn our DDs into more missile launchers. I didn’t think he’d be able to do it. The man is amazing!”
Jaden only nodded. Words were beyond him. If Sven hadn’t been able to pull that rabbit out of the hat, they would all be dead.
His silence must’ve told Markov more than Jaden wanted to let slip. “Here, let me hold her,” Markov offered, taking Iri from him. Over Iri’s head, he mouthed, “What’s wrong with her?”
“Tinks didn’t make it,” Jaden mouthed back.
Markov winced and wrapped his arms around Iri more tightly. She didn’t respond, just stayed where Markov held her, her eyes vacant and staring. Hopefully it was only the temporary effect of shock and nothing more serious.
Others landed, and Jaden turned to see who it was. He almost groaned out loud when he saw Kayla’s parents. They rushed over, their faces worried. “Jaden, have you seen Kayla?” Mrs. Melmique demanded.
“The last time I saw her was before the battle. She was on her way home to you.” Jaden fought to stay calm. Confronted with Kayla’s absence, he was almost hyperventilating. He had to stay seated. His legs were no more stable than thin tubes of jelly. “Did you not see her when she got home?”
Kayla’s parents glanced at each other, then at him, and then back at each other. Why didn’t they answer already? Did he really want them to? Deep down, he already knew what they would say.
“Kayla never made it home,” Mr. Melmique said huskily. “When we left the house, the battle was already underway. If she left your house before it started, she should’ve been back.”
Jaden sagged. There. They confirmed it. Something had happened to Kayla. He should’ve gone with her when she’d left. He had failed at the one thing he wanted most to do—protect her. Crushing weight settled over him, making it hard to breathe.
“Where is she?” Mrs. Melmique wailed.
Mr. Melmique pulled his wife into his arms, dropped his head down to her ear, and said something only she could hear. Then he glanced back at Jaden. “You’ll help me find her, right?”
Jaden almost didn’t have the strength to reply. “Without question.”
Mr. Melmique nodded and went back to consoling his wife.
Jaden gritted his teeth. He knew exactly where they would start their search. That made him wonder how Taz was doing. If he was going to ask her questions, he would have to get back to her. Hopefully her condition had improved.
The sound of running feet made him turn his head a second time: Stovan, closely followed by Shianna and Tarise. Jaden didn’t know how much more he could take.
“Have you seen Bree? I can’t find her,” Stovan moaned.
Jaden’s work here wasn’t done. Rising on shaky legs, Jaden tottered over to Stovan and put a hand on his shoulder. Stovan’s face crumpled before Jaden even spoke. “I’m sorry. She didn’t make it.”
Stovan’s legs gave way, and he fell to his knees, his head in his hands. Shianna dropped down next to him. Her face was white, and her hands trembled as she rubbed Stovan’s back, trying to comfort him even though she needed comfort herself.
Tarise stared, her grey eyes opening even wider. “It wasn’t supposed to be like this,” she whispered.
At first, Jaden thought she was referring to the battle. “What did you think you were signing up for when you went to Sven’s for training?”
“Not that.” Tarise waved a helpless hand in the air.
“What then?” Jaden challenged.
Tarise blinked. She took a step backwards. “Uh, nothing, it’s not important.”
Jaden studied her. Tarise looked like she had said something she hadn’t meant to. No, she looked guilty. “Tarise, what is it?”
Impossibly, Tarise’s eyes grew even rounder. They filled her face, showing terror, and she took another step backward.
Jaden lurched over and gripped her shoulders. “Spit it out. What wasn’t supposed to be like this?”
By now, they had an audience. Tarise looked like she wanted the earth to swallow her whole. When she still said nothing, Jaden shook her.
“Easy, dude,” Markov cautioned.
But Jaden was beyond caring. In his bones, he knew Tarise was hiding something. Something to do with Kayla.
On cue, Tarise whispered, “He was only supposed to take Kayla.”
Jaden’s fingers dug into Tarise’s flesh, but he was beyond controlling himself, even when tears began trickling down Tarise’s face. “Who is ‘he?’”
“Jaden, let go. You’re hurting me!”
“Who is ‘he?’” Jaden shouted, not letting up.
Tarise whimpered. “You know, that scary dude. He said I should call him “Zubiaba.’”
Jaden released her in shock. “You mean Slurpy? You met with him? When?”
“I don’t know who Slurpy is. The person I met is the one sending Gaptors here,” Tarise mumbled, rubbing her arms.
“How did you get a meeting with him? No, that’s not important now. What deal did you make with him?”
Tarise looked uncomfortable.
“Well?” Jaden took a step towards her, fists clenched and jaw set in a tight line.
Tarise backed up again and hurriedly said, “That he would take Kayla away.”
Jaden lunged for her, not sure of his exact intentions, only aware that he wanted to hurt her. “You selfish little—”
Markov stepped in front of Jaden. “Calm down. You don’t want to do that. This isn’t you.”
“You don’t know what I want,” Jaden snarled, shoving Markov. But Markov transferred his weight to the balls of his feet, ready for any run Jaden might make at him.
“I understand better than you think.” Markov’s voice was quiet, but it held finality.
Jaden weighed his chances. On any day, Markov was a formidable foe. Today, though, he definitely had the upper hand. Scowling, Jaden stood down. Glaring at Tarise, he spat, “What did you have to do in exchange for betraying Kayla?”
Tarise cowered behind Markov. Her voice was barely above a whisper. “I sabotaged the missile launchers.”
“You! It’s your fault Bree’s dead!” Stovan made his own run at Tarise.
Tarise clutched Markov’s back, huddling behind him. “I’m so sorry, Stovan. It wasn’t supposed to be like this,” Tarise mewled.
“And just how did you think it would go without those defenses?” Stovan demanded, looking for a way around Markov.
Shockingly, Atu stepped up next to Markov. “There’s no need for violence. And you’re right. Without Sven’s missiles, we didn’t have a chance. But Jaden came up with a plan and we survived. Let’s not defile Bree’s memory by attacking someone who was misguided. Let’s make sure we win this
battle and honor Bree that way.” His calm voice had the desired effect. Stovan looked confused for a moment, then stomped away with a disgusted grunt.
Jaden watched him leave, then looked at Tarise. Her face was an odd mixture of defiance and despair, but the despair won through.
“He’s going to kill me for this.” Without warning, she clutched her hand, and her eyes widened. “He knows!”
Markov gaped at Tarise. “How do you know?”
“My hand,” Tarise sobbed. “It’s on fire where he touched me. It’s what he threatened to use to keep me in line. It wouldn’t be burning like this if he didn’t know.” She was howling in agony now, curling in on herself as she cradled her hand.
Jaden eyed her coldly. She had brought this on herself. Truthfully, nothing in him felt anything anymore. How was he going to do this without Kayla? Ignoring Tarise’s suffering, Jaden said, “I assume Kayla’s still alive?”
“That was the plan—he was keeping her alive, so he could get to you,” Tarise sniveled before dissolving into fresh wails.
Jaden turned and stalked away. He wasn’t going to give her another second of his time, positive or negative.
“Jaden, don’t leave—please,” Tarise begged.
Her pleas fell on deaf ears. As though he had known Jaden needed him, Han hovered nearby. Jaden smiled at his glider. There were still some good things in this world.
Jaden’s smile didn’t erase Han’s frown. “You need to forgive her.”
“Maybe I will when I get Kayla back. Shall we go see how Taz is doing?”
At the mention of Taz’s name, Han’s face brightened. “Yes, let’s.”
Han arced away into a sky streaked with the indigo hues of approaching night. The light was fading, and Jaden had to squint to catch Han as he darted back for the pickup. As Han lifted them away from the depressing scene below, Jaden couldn’t help but feel alone. And afraid. And despairing.
Destiny Series Boxed Set Page 87