At his words, Maggie had a bad feeling settle over her that she couldn’t shake off. From what Hix had described, the landing field offered little to no cover for him if spotted. “Promise me you’ll be careful,” she whispered as she tugged him close. Pressing her nose to the center of his chest, she breathed in the scent of his leather tunic and patted her hand along the armored plates he’d sown into the fabric. She felt a tiny bit better at the physical reminder that he had some protection.
“I vow it,” Hix answered and wrapped his big arms around her. “I also found out some other information while out last night.”
Maggie couldn’t help but stiffen at the confession. Whatever it was that he stumbled across didn’t sound good if she judged by the tone of his voice.
“Kell has joined Traeger in the hunt.” Hix sat back, allowing her to meet his gaze. “I spotted the pair as well as four other Verge warriors as they walked through the market on my way back from the storage yard.”
“Is that why you were so upset this morning?”
“Yes. It is also why I wanted to get here so quickly.” Hix rubbed her arms where goosebumps had popped up at the mention of Kell and Traeger. “They were canvassing too close to our last refuge and it was no longer safe to stay there.”
Maggie looked around the room before letting out a huge breath of anxious air. “And this is safer.”
“I am hoping so.” Hix moved his massaging hands up to her shoulders, trying to loosen the stiffness he found there. “Traeger never visited this particular shop with me so he is unaware of my connection to Myrin.”
Hix began to pull bolts of cloth off the shelves. Lying them down on the dirt floor, he created a makeshift pallet. “I know that you were just resting but we may have to move again quickly, and I need you to try to sleep while I am gone.”
Maggie looked at the pallet and nodded. With everything happening, she was lucky to catch two to three hours of sleep at a time. She was more than tired but kept running into the same problem. Every time she tried to fall asleep, her body was willing, but her brain didn’t want to cooperate. She would lay awake for an hour or more trying to clear her mind enough to fall into a restless slumber.
In other words, she was exhausted.
Hix, on the other hand, was like a machine. Despite the dark circles under his eyes, he was able to somehow keep going. She had no idea how, considering he wasn’t sleeping more than two hours a day. They had fallen into an easy, although tiring, routine. Whenever he returned from scouting, he would go over whatever information he had found before snuggling into her side to sleep. It was those moments that had quickly become her favorite part of the day. Hix would wrap her up in his arms as they slept, and the comfort he supplied allowed her to truly relax.
When they woke up, it became a routine of wash, rinse, and repeat… or in their case scout, rest, and move.
Maggie knew they were running out of time. Hix had traded the last of his kurra juice two days ago so the safe havens that they were now staying in were personal friends of Hix…something he had hoped to avoid for the safety of themselves as well as his friends.
“You didn’t sleep at all last night,” Maggie protested when she saw him reach for the cloak he’d tucked away. As he swung it over his shoulders, she kept arguing. “You can’t expect to go search the landing field and the storage facility running on no sleep!”
“I do not have a choice,” Hix replied, his voice tired. “We are only assuming that the Djaromir bought the women. If they are not responsible for the missing crates, then the best option we have to find them would be to canvass the landing field. The crates went missing yesterday so there is a chance that the shuttle carrying them is still here. If I can find the shuttle and place a locator on it, we could identify and track them even if they do take off.”
“None of that will matter if you get shot because you’re too damn tired to function!” Maggie’s voice climbed higher along with her nerves. “It’s not smart or safe.”
Maggie blinked rapidly to avoid the threat of tears edging her direction. Hix caught on to her rising panic and squatted before her. Cupping her cheeks in his hands, he stared directly into her eyes.
Chapter Twenty-One
Hix knew that his human bride was struggling…and he understood why. For days they had been hiding, only moving when they had the cover of night to conceal their identities. The toll it had taken on Maggie was more than obvious by just looking at her. Her skin had taken on a gray pallor, which was most likely the result of exhaustion. It was one reason why he was always encouraging her to rest.
For the first few days, she had trudged along beside him without question, following his directions without argument. As time passed, he could tell she was coming close to unraveling. In fact, he was walking the edge as well. His body constantly reminded him that he needed more sleep and food if he wanted to keep going.
But there was no time for any of that. The kurra juice was long gone, leaving him to rely on old friends for shelter. He worried that Traeger would recall his old acquaintances and they’d be found out. It was a worry that he didn’t need.
Their food supply had been broken into rations to make it stretch as long as possible, which were far below his normal intake. He was low on energy, which was making him sluggish. That condition was deadly when added to the lack of sleep.
Now, holding her small delicate face in his hands, he remembered why he must continue.
She needed him. Not only did she need him, but he needed her…much more than he had ever thought he would.
“Maggie, I vowed to save those women.” When she opened her mouth to argue, he ran a finger over her soft pink lips. “I will save those women, but I need you to trust me.”
“Okay,” she nodded. Her eyes were wet as she blinked up at him. “What do you need me to do?”
“I need you to rest.” Hix leaned forward to kiss her on the top of her head. Inhaling deeply, he detected the slight scent of whatever soap she had used last on the silky tresses. “I do not know for sure that we are safe with Myrin considering I have a history of trading with him for textiles. If Traeger were to look at the logs, there is a chance he could track us down. Right now, we have no other place to hide so it is a risk we must take.”
Maggie inhaled through her nose, the sound heavy in the quiet space between them.
“I have also asked him to send a message to Phaeton One.”
Maggie was shaking her head before he had even finished speaking. “But didn’t you say that the Verge were probably monitoring all the channels? What if they intercept it? It could lead them right to us.”
“He will make no mention of either one of us, I promise. Myrin’s message will be addressed to a councilman and friend that I trust. He will disguise the communication as an invoice like many of the messages that he sends out daily. I am hoping that they look no further into the details of the transmission and we will get through to those that can help us.”
“And if it doesn’t?”
“We will deal with that if and when it happens. Now, I need you to rest and try to sleep. If Myrin does get through, then the Phaetons will need as much information as I can supply if they are to save the women.”
“Got it,” Maggie said with a weak smile.
“I will be back soon.” Hix dropped a kiss on the side of her mouth, knowing a full kiss would bring too much temptation to fight if he allowed himself to indulge. “Myrin will bring a cloth and water for you to clean up while I am gone.”
A dazzling smile lit up Maggie’s face right before she launched herself into his arms. “Really?” she cried.
“Yes, really.” Hix chuckled as he caught her easily. Sliding her down his body he groaned at the feel of her curves rubbing against his own. “I will hurry back as soon as I am able.”
Maggie used her grip on his tunic to pull him down and close to her face. “Promise me you’ll be safe.”
Staring into her eyes, he studied the blueish gray o
rbs that shimmered with emotion. Hix’s stomach warmed at her concern. Did that mean that she was just as bonded to him as he was to her? Or was what she felt simply gratitude for rescuing her from Prime and his struggle to keep her safe? He couldn’t wait to get her to Phaeton One and out of danger so he could find out for himself what he truly meant to her.
“I will be back as soon as possible,” Hix whispered before kissing the top of her head.
Before temptation distract him further, Hix moved to the door, anxious to get this over so he could get back to her.
Slipping outside, he kept his head down as he maneuvered away from their latest sanctuary and into the market. The smell of grilling meat filled his nostrils and his stomach rumbled. The hunger gnawing at his stomach was a distraction but he knew better than to use any of the electronic credits less the activity on his account give them away. Such a mistake would be deadly once Traeger eventually found them.
At the end of the row he was walking down, Hix spotted a large figure posted blocking his path. The warrior was not one of the Verge warriors with whom he had become familiar but from a distance, Hix couldn’t positively place the man. Hix stopped at a vendor under the guise of perusing the selection of breads and other baked goods. Partially blocked by the thick beam holding up the bread vendor’s awning, Hix took the opportunity to study the man.
“There are many of you wandering the market today.”
The observation was offered up by a small trader who was loading loaves into a basket. The stranger seemed harmless but shrewd as he looked Hix up and down.
“Many of who?” he asked.
“Phaetons…and also some like Phaetons yet not.” He tutted, handing Hix a small round biscuit. “Eat. I can hear your stomachs growling from here. It hurts my head to listen to it.”
He nodded his thanks. “You recognize them as Phaetons?” Hix asked quietly before taking a large bite of the soft disc. His eyes almost rolled back in his head at the delicious flavor that flooded his taste buds. This was far different than the tasteless dry crackers that they had eaten today. Hix savored the bite before carefully wrapping the rest of the soft biscuit and tucking it into his pack. He couldn’t wait to see the look on Maggie’s face when he presented her with the small treat once his scouting was done.
The small creature nodded once before adding, “And some that are not. You are the one they are looking for?”
“Possibly,” Hix hedged. “What can you tell me of the others?”
“The ones that are not Phaeton?” The alien squinted up at him, his wiry brows raised.
Hix nodded.
“They have landed more and more recently bringing foreign traders to our sector.” Tiny pink hands stacked rows of bread almost angrily. “Some of the traders do not understand how business works here.”
Hix caught a few biscuits that had begun to topple over on the table. “What do you mean?”
“They come and offer bad prices for our goods. When we do not agree they steal or destroy what is around them.”
“The Djaromir are not violent unless attack—”
“Not the Djaromir,” the small creature interrupted.
Before he could ask who had been stirring up trouble, Hix’s attention was pulled away. The man at the end of the stalls had been joined by a group of other warriors…and he recognized two of them.
Chapter Twenty-Two
“The market seems quiet today,” Rowe observed quietly, his eyes constantly scanning the shops lining the low-lit path.
“It is early yet,” Paine answered with a shrug.
“The smell of meat is already making me ravenous.” Axis tilted his head toward the vendor roasting a large hunk of browning meat on a rotating spit. “I cannot remember the last time I was able to partake of freshly prepared ramu.”
“We are not here for the food, Axis. Regardless, my stomach is still trying to recover from the smell of the slaughterhouse we walked past to get here.” Rowe stiffened when he thought he caught sight of their quarry. Bumping the other man with his shoulder, he called his attention back to the task at hand. “Stay focused.”
Paine, having been partnered with Rowe since they were young warriors, immediately picked up on the change in Rowe’s stance. “What did you see?” he asked as he scanned the growing crowd slowly filling the space.
Rowe narrowed his gaze as he looked further down the path. Shaking his head, he shrugged his brother off. “I believe I spotted the one we hunt for.”
“Was she with him?” Paine questioned as he focused his attention to the area Rowe was still studying.
“No. He was alone.” Rowe turned to Axis, happy to see that the other warrior was once again focused on the task they had been assigned. He had to admit, the smell of the meat cooking close by was indeed distracting. Rowe cleared his throat of the excess saliva flooding his mouth. “I have heard something which causes concern.”
Axis merely lifted a bored brow in his direction. The interrogator’s face showed no real emotion other than hunger.
“Traccorians have landed several battle shuttles in the past few days.”
“Traccorians? Really?” Axis asked.
“That is not good,” Paine said under his breath.
Paine was right… it was definitely not good. Traccorians were mercenaries who had no care or thought for anyone but themselves. The fact that they had landed battle shuttles wasn’t surprising considering the only shuttles they had at their disposal were always battle ready to support their trade tactics. Nothing was safe when a Traccorian mercenary was present. If they did not get their way when trading, there was usually bloodshed that followed, leaving devastation in their wake. They were so abhorrent that they often sold their own children into slavery, not caring about the fate of their progeny so long as it brought them coin.
“They are unwelcome, correct?” Axis questioned.
Rowe nodded. “The leader of the merchants contacted us almost immediately. They have expressed their displeasure with the head of the council and requested help in dealing with them before the sector suffers any more losses. Kaine has agreed for another group of warriors to shuttle down and police the area until they are cleared out.”
“What business do they have here?” Paine scanned the market. “The call of riches is the only mission they follow. This sector may be ripe with goods and whores but that would not call for their presence as they are aware we offer protection to those dealing here.”
“Whatever business they have, it is not pleasant. My guess is they are here for items of the black-market variety.” Axis propped his hands on his hips. “How many battle shuttles have landed?”
“At least a dozen if not more,” Rowe relayed.
Paine cursed quietly. “How long until our brothers arrive?”
“Kaine was already mustering a security team. Not long. We will have reinforcements soon enough.”
“Have we considered the possibility that the Traccorians are a part of our mission?” Axis rumbled out the question they were all thinking.
“Of course, they are,” Rowe admitted grumpily. There was no way that their presence was a coincidence. “And now our mission has become a thousand times more complicated.”
“You did not think this was going to be easy, did you?” Paine teased with a sly smile on his face.
“After meeting Poppy and the other human females, it was foolish for me to think that anything they are involved in would be deemed easy.” Rowe shoved Axis off balance when he laughed. “Regardless of how hard things may become we all swore to find Claudia’s friend and return her safely.”
“I know the mission, Rowe.” Axis straightened his tunic with a jerk on the hem. “I made the same vow as you. I owe it to Finch’s bride to succeed.”
“You realize that Claudia and Finch hold no contempt for you in your part of what happened, right?” Paine asked, causing both men to fall silent.
“I am as much to blame for her kidnapping as Heller and Bryton,” Axis
argued grimly. “Until I have repaid the damage I caused, I will be in their debt.”
Rowe looked over at Paine who was in turn studying Axis silently. The pair had both been present when Axis had tried to help right the wrong that he had participated in. When the warrior had allowed himself to be tricked by a handful of fellow Phaetons, Axis took the deception hard. As a master interrogator, his talent for ferreting out the truth had made him somewhat of a celebrity in the Skrammon circles. Those who were learning the skill sought him out often hoping to train under the master in that field. The situation he had not only allowed to happen, but also participated in, had changed all that.
Claudia praised Axis with helping rescue her although the big warrior chose to focus on the fact that he had been involved in her kidnapping to begin with. Rowe could partially understand the self-disgust that Axis was obviously still working through. He was sure that it had been a major blow to the man’s ego to knowing that his standing as a master interrogator was now in question after the poor judgement he had displayed.
“Then start by tracking Hix down.” Rowe nodded in the direction where he believed he had spotted his old warrior brother. “We need to know why the Verge kidnapped Maggie and if she is still alive. Hopefully he will cooperate and help us find a way to reunite her with Claudia. From the relay Finch sent me, they consider her a part of their family unit and an aunt to their baby.”
“I do not understand what that means.” Axis shook his head, his tone one of confusion.
“And if he does not cooperate?” Paine interrupted with the question they all were thinking.
“He will cooperate,” Axis answered calmly, seeming unconcerned. “Intel shows that multiple Verge have been spotted in the market over the last week. Vid captures of the market show a former Phaeton named Traeger has been here as recent as yesterday—”
“Did you say Traeger was seen here?” Paine cut in with a grimace.
Warriors of Phaeton: Hix Page 14