They walked for several minutes as Jade retraced her mental map. Keeping a steady pace despite the awkwardness of holding the man against her chest, they moved toward the outer hull of the spaceship.
Jade’s fear that she was too late gnawed at her, making her nauseous. Finally, they cleared the living quarters and entered the maintenance bay.
A loud bellow echoed from around the corner, startling her.
Gus elbowed her in the ribs.
Jade cut his throat and sprinted toward the refuse bay.
26
As Dragon launched himself at one of the rebels, Valerian charged another one.
“Shoot them!” Crane shouted.
Shots echoed in the antechamber. Hit twice, Valerian collapsed to the floor, shivering. Before the astonished eyes of the rebels, a large dragon appeared where a man had stood a moment earlier.
Weakened by Valerian’s wounds, his dragon couldn’t fight for long, but there was enough space for him to hiss two volleys of flame against the approaching men. The smell of charred flesh stung Dragon’s nostrils as the thought of Jade spurred him toward the leader. His enemies came at him, two and three at once.
Dragon’s fists smashed jaws and broke bones. His powerful legs trudged forward, opening a gap through the wall of surging men. Blades pierced his skin and blood soon covered his body. The coppery scent and the pain from his wounds enraged Dragon’s beast. His dragon roared and lent him the energy he needed to reach the other side of the room while still conscious.
Valerian’s beast fired one last time, burning two of the men attacking Dragon. Consumed by the flames, the rebels stomped around, hitting their companions in their vain attempt to extinguish the blaze consuming them. Their mad trampling propagated the fire across the room. A moment later, men screamed as a red inferno engulfed them.
As had happened in the kitchens, the ship activated its safety measures, and water flowed into the room, flooding the chute as well. With the hatch door open, the water didn’t rise above ankle level, but it still doused the flames.
Now unhampered, Dragon resumed his march across the antechamber. His eyes locked on Crane’s.
Shouting, “For the Front Pro Humanity!” the man raised his gun and fired at Dragon as he charged at him at full speed.
The first shot sliced Dragon’s right shoulder. The second hit his left side. Crane made to fire a third shot, but Dragon was on him, bashing his arm and shoving his weapon out of the way. His dragon’s rage roared through him, and he slammed the man against the floor, his fists pummeling his face to a pulp. He only stopped when the man gurgled his last breath.
Raising his bloodied hands over his head, Dragon roared his war cry.
One final shot rang out. The bullet embedded itself between Dragon’s shoulder blades, perforating bones that altered its trajectory and deviated its course toward his heart.
27
Pumping her legs as fast as she could, Jade ran toward the refuse chamber.
Her side hurt and her lungs burned, but she didn’t slow her pace. Clearing the corner with her heart lodged in her throat, she was confronted with a scene straight out of her worst nightmare.
Dragon was in the middle of the antechamber, his back to her. Lauren’s hand shook as she took aim. Jade ran faster. The gun fired. A small, circular hole appeared on Dragon’s back. A trickle of blood poured from the wound. Dragon collapsed on top of the still body of the rebel leader.
Lauren stepped forward, ready to fire again.
Ignoring the pain tearing her apart, Jade dashed toward Lauren, launching herself at the woman.
Lauren looked over her shoulder, her eyes wide in shock when she saw Jade, her mouth agape.
Jade’s hand swung down, and her dagger cut deep into Lauren’s neck, severing her carotid artery.
Lauren’s shrill scream became a gurgle as her hands rose to staunch the mortal slash, but blood gushed from between her fingers in an unstoppable jet. Her face paled, her eyes became glassy as her legs gave away from under her and she fell forward. The water still pumping into the room mixed with her blood, and a pink swirl ebbed away from her.
The only one still standing, Jade ran to Dragon, but he was already shifting. She blinked, and his beast had taken his place. Sitting by his large body, she rested her head against his flank and took a long breath, filling her lungs with oxygen. She could barely think straight, but Dragon was safe for now and that was the only thing that mattered.
When the pain in her side finally subsided, she took in the carnage. Everywhere she looked, corpses lay on the flooded floor. Valerian’s dragon occupied the opposite corner, his hind legs and tail stretching onto the chute’s floor.
With the leader and Lauren both dead, the ship had been successfully defended against the attack.
Jade would have rejoiced at the realization, but a powerful cramp stole her breath. She rode the pain with tears in her eyes. When the wave passed, she gasped. The terrifying certainty that she had to find a way to stop the contractions or she would lose her baby filled her mind, sending her heart into a galloping frenzy.
Another cramp hit her. And another after that.
Mommy.
She heard the soft voice calling from inside her mind. Her hands shot to her belly. Tears welled in her eyes as she spoke with her unborn child, pleading with the universe to keep her baby safe in her womb.
Dragon’s beast stirred. His soft, triangular head pushed at her. Like a warm blanket, calm descended upon her, banishing her panic. The dragon nudged his nose again her belly, and her baby moved toward it. A bump appeared on her stomach, the subtle imprint of a miniscule hand emerging as her baby pushed against the dragon’s nose.
A strong emotion overcame Jade, bringing tears of joy. Love stronger and purer than she had ever felt before filled her heart.
Safe. The dragon’s warm voice rumbled in her mind like a soft roar.
Daddy. Love. Mommy. Love. Her baby’s laugh reached Jade’s heart, dissipating the last of her worries.
“I love you too, Baby,” she whispered, pressing her hand against the small hand.
Her baby pressed back.
Safe, the dragon repeated before his wing covered her, cocooning her body tightly against his.
Another wave of love radiated from the big beast to her. Her pain lessened. Jade slowly drifted into a slumber and dreamed about her beautiful child and Dragon.
28
“High Lord—”
Lewis’ voice reached Dragon as if from a great distance, waking him with a start. His body hurt. His dragon hadn’t had enough time to properly heal him. Something must have happened for his beast to cut the healing time short.
Still dizzy, it took him a moment to make sense of the scene in front of his eyes. He was in the refuse antechamber, the lighting was back to normal, no pulsating red colored the space any longer, and the blaring siren was now silent. Jade lay by his side, her arm circling his chest. The last time he had seen her, she was in the command room. On the other side of the chamber, Valerian’s dragon snored peacefully.
“High Lord?” Lewis’s voice resonated to his right.
Without disturbing Jade’s sleep, Dragon turned toward Lewis. The man was looking at him with worry etched on his face. A pair of boots on top of a neat pile of clothes rested in his arms.
“High Lord, are you okay?” Lewis asked.
“I’m fine,” he answered. “Did we take the ship back?”
“We did,” the man answered. Despite the news being positive, he didn’t look cheerful. “After you killed their leaders, the remaining attackers surrendered.”
Jade stirred and opened her eyes. Dragon gently pulled both of them up to sit.
“Lady Jade,” Lewis greeted her. “I’m relieved that you are okay.”
Jade thanked him. After looking around at the clean room, she asked, “You’ve removed the dead and washed the blood already… How long have we been sleeping?”
“Two days, and we tried our best
to work around you and Sir Valerian’s dragon. We had to move him to use the refuse chute,” Lewis answered.
“I slept for two days?” Jade looked at Dragon with a worried expression.
Dragon caressed her arm. “I felt my dragon using his healing powers on you, too.”
“Did he make me sleep all this time to heal me?” she asked.
Nodding, Dragon answered, “That’s how his power works.” He hugged her tighter. “We defeated the Front Pro Humanity,” he said, looking at the immaculate floor.
For a moment, Jade seemed pacified by his words, but her body stiffened against his. “It’s not over yet, though.”
Dragon sighed. “No, it isn’t. We still have to deal with the Academy.”
Lewis moved, drawing their attention back to him. “And that’s the reason I’ve been trying to wake you, High Lord. Besides the rebel vessel that we blew up yesterday, there’s now a second spaceship orbiting Glory. It appeared a few hours ago.”
“Do we know from where the ship hails?” Dragon asked, standing.
Lewis handed him the folded clothes as he answered, “They keep sending the same signal over and over. A purple light followed by a black flag.”
“It’s Maarlo’s ID. He’s waiting for the rebels to hand me over to him. That must’ve been the agreement he had with the leader.” Jade stood. “It’s time I stop the Academy once and for all.”
“It’s time we stop the Academy once and for all.” Dragon lowered the shirt over his head, then pulled on the pants and the boots. “Where are the remaining rebels being held?”
“We put them in the cargo bay,” Lewis answered. “I’ll show you the way.”
After a short trek across the ship, they reached the cargo bay landing and climbed down the narrow ladder that led to the lockers.
“We brought the wounded to the infirmary and secured everyone else inside that container over there.” Lewis pointed at a large crate with a metal door that towered over the rest of the boxes.
Dragon opened the door and peered inside the container. About two dozen men looked back at him, uncertainty on their tired faces.
“You—” Dragon pointed at a young-looking rebel who looked like he was about to cry. “Come with me.” He turned and heard the timid shuffling of feet.
“Please, don’t kill me. I beg of you,” the young man said. “I’ve got family waiting for me back home—”
“You should’ve thought about them before joining the rebels.” Dragon gestured for Lewis to close the container and kept walking toward the stairs. Jade trailed behind the rebel.
“I’ll do anything you ask of me, but please let me live,” the man cried.
Dragon let the rebel babble about his wife and ailing parents the entire time they crossed the length of the ship. When they finally reached the command room, Dragon spun around to face the man who immediately fell to his knees and started sobbing.
“Enough.” Dragon motioned for him to stand up before pointing at the communication console. “You’ll contact the assassin’s ship and tell him you’re ready to deliver Lady Jade to him.”
The young man stared at Dragon as if he didn’t understand what he had asked him to do.
“Do you want to see your wife again?” Dragon stared at him. When the man nodded in between sobs, he said, “Then you’ll stop crying long enough to listen to me.”
29
Sitting in the captain’s chair in the command room, Jade watched on the security screen as Maarlo’s ship docked with Glory. The assassin commanded his vessel with a sure hand, attaching the landing arm seamlessly and without causing a minor quake as had happened when the rebels docked.
“I’d better get ready,” she said, rising from the chair.
Moving from the corner where he was talking to Lewis, Dragon stood behind her, his hand on her shoulder. “I still don’t like your plan.” He kneaded her flesh in a soothing caress.
“We’ll never have a better chance than we do now—”
“I know, but I don’t have to like it.”
She stirred in his arms and locked eyes with him. “I’ll be fine.”
His hand reached lower to her belly. “If anything—”
She rose to her tiptoes and grabbed him by his hair to pull him down to her. “We’ll be fine.” Her lips found his, and she kissed him fast and hard.
The skeleton crew Lewis had put together while she and Dragon were healing shuffled around, reminding her they weren’t alone in the command room.
Leaning away, Dragon smiled at her. “Ravishing you will have to wait.”
Jade huffed and rolled her eye. “Just to be clear, when this is done and over, I intend to do all the ravishing.”
“I am but your humble slave,” Dragon said, before leaning forward again and whispering to her ear, “In and out of the bed.”
“Good.” She nodded. “As long as we understand each other, we might get along just fine.”
Dragon laughed and made her smile. She needed the easy banter because she liked the idea of meeting with Maarlo even less than Dragon did, but she wouldn’t tell him the truth. Their future depended on this last mission, and she was at the same time terrified and eager to finally fight the assassin who had caused her so much grief.
Breathing in Dragon’s scent, she drew strength from his massive form that surrounded her slender body. “You are my anchor.” She wanted to say more, but it would have to wait. “How long before you can open the hatch?” she asked the new chief engineer working on Maarlo’s docking procedure.
“As soon as the tunnel is pressurized, you can go.” The man looked up from the screen. “Fourteen minutes.”
“Ready?” Jade asked the young rebel who was waiting in the corner.
The rebel silently nodded, but when he saw Dragon stalking toward him, he hurried to say, “Yes.”
“You’ll keep your cool and walk Lady Jade to the assassin as I’ve told you to do,” Dragon said, towering over the shaking man.
The rebel frantically nodded. “I’ll do exactly like you said.”
“Stop sweating, or you’ll give us away.” Dragon’s voice was hard, and Jade knew he was worried about her. “Remember what you need to say?”
“Yes, I do.” The rebel shook like a leaf.
“This won’t do.” Jade grabbed the man by the lapels of his jacket. “You must look in control or Maarlo will kill you the moment he realizes something’s wrong. Do you understand?”
The rebel nodded again, this time making an effort to stop his shaking. “I’m ready,” he finally said.
“Okay.” Jade turned and brought her fingers to her temple to salute Lewis. “See you later.”
Lewis brought his fisted hand to his heart and bowed at her. “Good luck, Lady Jade.”
She gave Dragon a glance and he smiled at her. “Let’s do this.”
An ominous silence followed them throughout their brisk stroll across Glory’s hallways. The spaceship was now fully functional, thanks to Lewis and his crew. They had patched the sections damaged by the rebels in record time.
As they approached the connector to the docking landing, Jade mentally went through her plan once again. She steadied her breathing and centered herself. At her side, Dragon reached out and took her hand in his for a soft squeeze. He didn’t try to dissuade her from going through with her mission, and she couldn’t help but smile at him.
“Did I tell you how much I love you in the last five minutes?” She squeezed his hand back.
“I don’t think so,” Dragon replied with a serious tone, the corner of his lip curving up.
“I love you, my beautiful dragon,” she said, grabbing a handful of his shirt and pulling him closer so that she could kiss him.
“I adore you, my intrepid assassin,” he said against her lips.
“The hatch is opening in two minutes…” Lewis’s voice echoed in the hallway.
“I’ll be here—” Dragon leaned his forehead against hers.
“And Lewis is
watching from the command room.” She stole one last peck before turning to walk in front of the hatch door. “I’m ready.” She moved her arms behind, crossing them against the small of her back. Dragon grabbed her wrists and loosely tied them with a coil of rope. She wiggled her fingers, brushing the handle of her dagger hidden beneath the waistband of her pants.
“You know what to do,” Dragon said, addressing the rebel who had begun sweating again.
The man looked even younger than a moment ago, his face etched with terror.
“Think of your wife. Do your part, and this will be over soon.” Jade tilted her chin down, pointing at the length of rope trailing from her wrists to the floor. “I’m your prisoner,” she reminded him.
Straightening his posture, the man picked up the end of the rope and wound it around his hand.
Dragon handed him the gun he had programmed to stun. “If necessary, aim at her shoulder.” He then moved around to face Jade once again and taped her mouth. She nodded. Before letting her go, he gently brushed the tape with his lips.
The rebel positioned himself a step behind Jade and tugged at the rope as he raised the gun to her back.
Show time. Jade stepped forward as the hatch’s mechanism whirred.
She waited until there was enough space for her to climb over the retreating sections of the door. The soles of her boots slid over the smooth flooring of the long tubular arm protruding from Maarlo’s ship. As soon as the hatch closed behind her and the rebel, the door on the opposite end of the corridor opened.
The rebel’s steps were as soft as hers as they moved forward. At the other end, Maarlo’s tall figure came into view, first his chest, then the rest of him as the iris mechanism of his door revealed what lay behind the metal hatch.
Almost as tall as Dragon, the assassin looked as formidable as she remembered him. Their last encounter at the Academy had left a permanent mark on him, though. During their previous fight, she attacked him with a mechanical arm equipped with needles, aiming it to his face. Now, ridged scars framed his eyes which had been replaced with synthetic orbs protruding from his eye sockets. The glowing blue of his gaze made him look less human and more like the merciless torturer he was.
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