"Thank you all," I say, leaning back against the seat. "The four of you are amazing. Someday you'll be legends. Ooh, we can come up with legendary names for each of you! Like Reya, the Singer of Souls. Ridley the Protector, Vissa the Far-Sighted—"
"Ugh!" Safi winces. "I reserve the right to come up with my own legend name."
"I'm not going to be a legend," says Reya. "I'd rather not. And after tonight, there won't be anything legendary about me."
I turn to her. "What do you mean?"
"You've all seen what I can do. All the vid cameras in that building will have recorded it, too. By tomorrow, everyone will know. Do you really think they will let me walk around unsuppressed, working my will on people?" She smiles.
She's right. They're going to lock her up, or force her to accept a suppressor. "Reya—" I lay my hand on her arm, but I'm not sure what else to say, except— "You could come with us, me and Rak. I could find a way to work it out."
"It's all right," she says. "I would have the suppressor put back in myself, even if no one else insisted. This power I have—it's too much. If I use it, I'll become someone else, someone I don't want to be. I could feel her inside me, tonight. No, I'd rather go back to being just Reya, a good singer who may or may not be Evolved."
"And that," I say, "is what makes you amazing." I kiss her cheek and squeeze her shoulders, fighting the surge of emotion in my heart. I will miss her—all of them—so much.
But I have to leave. It's the only way to give Rak the freedom and safety he deserves, and give myself the chance for a future I can be proud of.
I straighten, pulling out my com device again. There's one more call I need to make.
By the time we reach Rak and Alik's hideout, I've established that the coach from North Dixan still wants me to play for his team, despite rumors of my insanity. A thorough explanation from me convinces him of the facts; and he doesn't appear to care that accepting me on the team might upset my father. In fact, he doesn't seem to like my father's politics or personality at all. Another point in his favor.
The building where Rak and Alik are hiding is even older than Rak's place. It's a gigantic, shambling nest of slipshod stories stacked one upon another, connected by narrow staircases and twisted hallways. We worm our way deep into its gloomy bowels, until Safi raps in a calculated rhythm on a smoke-streaked door.
Alik opens the door, his golden hair and blue eyes looking dramatically out of place in the dingy surroundings.
"Zilara," he says, and wraps me in a hug. Not a lecherous, groping hug—a tight, comforting, brotherly hug. The kind of hug I've always wanted from my real brother Emret.
When he releases me, I blink rapidly to clear the tears from my vision.
"I'm not the one you really want to see," Alik says, and steps aside.
On a threadbare brown sofa lies Rak, his leg propped on two pillows. He sits up and reaches for me. I'm in his arms the next second, folded into him, my face buried in his shoulder. I breathe his scent, and then I kiss him, again and again.
"You're all right," I whisper. "You're not in prison."
"I seem to have a knack for narrow escapes." He grins, dark eyes twinkling.
"But your leg—"
"Nearly healed."
"Good, because we have to leave Ceanna, tonight. Now. The travel papers are still valid. We have to go before my father realizes I'm out of the Institute and figures out that I might leave the country."
I turn back to the others. They are all watching us—varying shades of sympathetic joy, resignation, and sadness on their faces.
"I wish we could have a longer goodbye," I say. "But this will have to do. I can't express how grateful I am to every single one of you—"
"Spare us the farewell speech, Princess," says Alik. "It's terribly awkward."
"We're happy to see you go," says Safi. "Maybe now we can get some peace around here. No more crazy illegal missions."
"Don't bet on that," Alik says, giving her a sidelong glance. "Gareth and I were just chatting about our business plans today. He wants to bring you in on the action."
"Not a chance," Safi says.
"Are you sure? He seems to be quite smitten with you."
She leans against the wall, her long legs crossed at the ankles. "Doesn't mean I have to join your little crime team."
"Crime team?" Vissa quirks an eyebrow. "Sounds exciting. I've developed a taste for excitement lately."
"Not me," Reya says. "I like it quiet."
"If you're looking for security on any level, my services are available," says Ridley to Alik.
I raise my eyebrows.
"You?" Alik smiles. "Aren't you the Magnate's hired goon?"
"Not anymore," Ridley admits. "And after tonight, I doubt I'll be able to find honest work in this city."
"Well, if you're looking for dishonest work, I'm the man to see about it." Alik nods to her. "We'll talk."
"Talk after we leave, yes?" says Rak. "I think we'd better go now." He moves his leg off the pillows and stands stiffly. "Alik, the cane?"
Alik tosses him a smooth metal cane, and Rak shifts his weight to it as he walks.
"Safe travels, rebel," says Alik, punching him lightly in the shoulder.
"Same to you, thief."
"Wave us tomorrow," I say. "All of you. I want to know everything that's going on here."
"I expect you back here in couple years, Zil," Vissa says, squeezing me. Reya wraps her arms around both of us.
"Come," says Ridley. "We need to hurry if you're going to make that transport."
"Goodbye," I whisper.
And then Rak and Ridley and I are in the hallway, and the door shuts behind us, and my friends are gone.
During the ride to the transport station, Rak tells me about the raid by my father's men. How he managed to hide from them and then drag himself, bleeding, to Safi's place for help.
"I can't believe they actually shot you," I say.
"I don't think it was intentional. Most of them were sending stun blasts after me, and I think the one who got me forgot to set his gun in the right mode." He chuckles.
"And you still got away. You're amazing."
"Tell me about your time in the Institute. What happened?"
"I'll tell you later," I say. "Once we're safe."
But as I gaze at him, at the face of the man I love more than myself, something inside me shatters, sending a flood of tears to my eyes—the tears I've been fighting all night. "I won't leave you again," I whisper. "I won't put myself or my country before you again. I'm so sorry. I should have waited, I should have spent that one night with you after we pledged—"
"Zilara—"
"No, I was wrong. I was selfish, impatient. And I want you to know that when you're done with your training, if you want to go back to Emsalis, I'll go with you. We'll go there first, and help your people—I swear it."
He gathers my hands in his. "Thank you."
"I'm sorry," I say again. "I'm so sorry."
"If you don't stop apologizing, I'll have to shut you up." He gives me a roguish half-smile.
"I'm sor—"
His lips cut me off mid-phrase.
At the entrance to the transport station, we disembark, and Ridley escorts us inside, right up to the travel clearance chute.
"This is as far as I go," she says.
"Take care of them for me," I tell her. "And take care of yourself."
"I will." With a wave, she turns and walks away, with that purposeful gait I know so well.
Rak and I wait as the travel security agents check our holo-docs. They perform routine body scans and look through our bags. A few minutes' more, and then we're walking through the chute to the air transport, yielding our luggage to the attendant, and buckling ourselves into the seats.
I reach for Rak's hand. "We're actually doing this. You and I, going out on our own. Aeroball and politics for me, medical school for you."
He shakes his head. "It feels like a dream."
"I know."
The transport's engines are gearing up, their pitch rising in preparation for takeoff.
"Do you think we'll solve the world's problems someday?" I ask.
"Probably not," he says. "But we can be lights in the dark."
When the whine of the engines reaches peak pitch, we shoot straight up into the atmosphere. The ascent takes several long minutes, during which Rak grips my hand as if he's afraid gravity will jerk me away from him.
Once we level out, he relaxes, stretching out his long legs. "Why are there no windows in these air transports?"
I stare at him.
"What?" he asks. "I think there should be windows, so we can see everything down below."
"I love you," I tell him, and I cover his lips with mine.
THE END
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Princess of Lies and Legends (The Evolved Book 2) Page 28