by LC Morgans
“You’re here because of Annabella, but why?” He had to know. “And why couldn’t Sylvana help you?”
“I’m standing here because I believe you’re the only one who might understand my reasons for having sneaked her aboard, and I’m hoping you and your mute might be the only people we can turn to for help. I’ve wondered for months if you acted in the same way as I did—if you felt the same about her as I did Bella. After seeing you in Sylvana’s office I was sure I was right, but had to know for sure before I could ask her to help.”
“You needed to know? Why, Minic?” Thrayke growled and he shuffled back and forth on his feet while looking around shiftily.
“She’s a woman, so she’ll help with womanly things, yes?” Thrayke had no idea what Minic was getting at, and scowled.
“Let’s say, hypothetically of course, that Kyra is aboard illegally. How would you deal with her presence? How could I be sure of her safety once she gave you what you wanted?”
“I’ll pledge via a solemn vow to protect her with my life and I’ll make sure you’re covered, too. I’ll do all of this because Bella is my life and I’m willing to do whatever it takes to keep her safe.” Thrayke understood completely. He still needed to see for himself that this woman really existed and Minic’s promises were true, but hope speared within at potentially having an ally in the same boat as him and Kyra. Thrayke actually welcomed the chance to confide his secrets in another of his race and sincerely hoped Minic wasn’t double-crossing him.
“Show me, then we’ll talk,” he offered, and followed his friend’s lead back out of his quarters into the hall without so much as a look back at where Kyra was thankfully still hiding.
Chapter Three
Kyra wanted to scream and chase the pair of them out the door. How could Thrayke just leave her there with no answers or indication of what he wanted her to do about this supposed other stowaway aboard? He had given her no other orders than to stay hidden, and while she hated it, she continued to sit silently in her spot for what felt like hours in the hopes they were returning soon. In all likeliness though, it was only minutes until the door opened again and Thrayke came back inside with the Lawbringer.
She watched them both intently via the small holes in the metal, looking for any sign of treacherousness toward her and Thrayke. Despite Minic’s words of adoration and heartfelt pleas for help, she was still scared of him. Kyra knew it was because she’d heard many stories about his swift and merciless sense of justice while she’d been living covertly among the rebels. She found it hard to believe he’d left that darkness he had within him back on the scorched and imploded Earth, so waited until Thrayke opened the closet and held out his hand before moving a muscle.
“She needs you, Kyra, and we don’t have much time. I want you to please come with us,” he said and the seriousness in his tone let Kyra know this wasn’t a joke, nor was it a ruse Minic had used to lure her out of hiding. Whoever this woman was, she really did need help, and it appeared they believed Kyra was the only person able to give her it. “Tell her what you told me,” Thrayke added, looking over at Minic while holding her close protectively.
“When we came on board, I went to see a lady called Sylvana in the stasis bay. She’s a half-breed we’ve both learned can be trusted with our secrets. I asked her to put the woman I love, Bella, in stasis for me so I could sneak her to Thrakor and she agreed. We then performed the preliminaries and sedated her. While then running the pre-cryo health checks, Sylvana discovered something and I was forced to make a choice,” Minic said, and he swallowed the lump that’d clearly formed in his throat. Kyra was fascinated by his story and was desperate to hear the rest.
Behind her stood the man she loved and who had protected her in so many ways, while in front of her stood one of the most powerful and intimidating Thrakorian’s below the King. And yet, he was evidently doing the exact same thing for the woman he loved just like Thrayke had done for her no end of times. She’d never met him before, but the Lawbringer was far from what she’d thought he’d be. His pain was etched so clearly on his face that Kyra immediately forgot all about the stories she’d heard. Whoever he was back on Earth, he wasn’t that person any more. He couldn’t be.
“What choice?” she asked, and he jumped at hearing her speak.
“You’re not mute?” he asked as he stared at the scar that ran from the base of her neck down into her shirt as though checking she really was the human he thought she was.
“I heal incredibly fast and it seems even injuries we all thought might be permanent turned out to be curable with the right trigger.” Kyra took a hesitant step closer and placed her hand on Minic’s cheek. “What choice did you have to make?” she asked again. He nodded.
“To keep her in stasis and flush her system, or wake her back up and keep the child growing within her.” His breath hitched and she knew without him having to confirm which choice he had made. Minic had taken Bella out of stasis and hidden her away like Thrayke had done, but now she needed help, and Kyra could guess why.
“Is she birthing?” she asked. Minic paled.
“I don’t know for sure, and because she’s human I have no way of guessing how long the pregnancy should take. It’s been ten months, so maybe. She is in pain, I know that, and it’s increasing in intensity with every passing hour. Please, can you at least try and help her?” he pleaded and Kyra dropped her hand from his face.
“I’m no midwife, but I’ll try. Can we get me to your quarters safely?”
“How do you feel about a quick ride in the suitcase?” Thrayke asked from behind her, and Kyra groaned but agreed. If her two companions thought they could get away with it, then she’d go—for Bella’s sake.
After a bumpy few minutes spent cramped in the case, Kyra was let out inside a room exactly like Thrayke’s bedroom. She guessed these must be Minic’s private quarters and looked around, spotting the same bland décor and manly items they had in their room as well. She was about to ask where Bella was, when Minic pointed to an air vent very much like the one she usually hid in from the cleaners. She opened it up and crawled inside, expecting to find a cramped space like she was used to, but instead she discovered a secret room. It was small, but still big enough for her to stand in, and there were loud whooshing noises coming from behind each of the thick metal walls. It seemed the perfect place to hide a baby and Kyra was glad the noise of whatever engine or machinery was all around them would mask any sounds coming from within. Minic had done well to procure a safe place for his family and she respected him even more for his clearly pre-determined choice of living quarters. She could’ve done with this room to hide in where necessary, rather than the cramped air vent, but couldn’t deny that a pregnant woman and her child deserved the space far more than she did.
Lying on a cot in the center was a frail but alert woman she guessed must be Annabella. She seemed around the same age as Kyra and was clearly in quite a great deal of pain, despite trying her best to hide it. They had a small stock of towels and fresh sheets to one side of the bed and a basinet made from crates and blankets on the other side. The baby was coming and clearly Bella had known it. Kyra kneeled beside her and placed a hand on her shoulder, trying to soothe her as best she could.
“Hello Annabella, I’m Kyra. Minic and Thrayke are up in the main room and have asked me to come and help you,” she told her after the most recent contraction seemed to have passed.
“Thank you so much, I don’t know what I would’ve done if you weren’t here. And please, call me Bella,” she replied. She then grabbed Kyra’s hand, squeezing it hard. “Minic keeps panicking and asking if I’m okay. I want to scream at him that clearly I’m not okay, but for all of our sakes I’m determined to try and stay calm.” Kyra had to laugh. She knew she wouldn’t be the same if she were in this position, but nodded her head to show her understanding.
“Men have no idea about any of this stuff. But I have to admit, I’ve no experience either. I promise to do everything I c
an to help you, though,” she said, and was relieved to see her new friend smile. “Where are we at, Bella?”
“The contractions are roughly six minutes apart, and have been for hours. I’ve felt the baby move, but I’m scared its taking too long.” Kyra climbed back and went to the edge of the small bed, intent on checking out what was happening, but she really had no clue, so came back to Bella’s side.
“Let’s just keep you comfortable and when you feel the urge to push, you tell me and I’ll make sure someone’s there to catch it,” she said, handing her a small cup of water. She took it and drank it down, while Kyra just sat there feeling like a spare part. Bella seemed glad that she’d come to help though, however useless she might actually be, so she remained by her bedside and held her hand in the hope that everything would be okay.
Hours passed and while Bella wasn’t in a very talkative mood, she made it clear she needed the distraction from her pain and worry. She also seemed to enjoy hearing Kyra’s stories of her life, however dark some of them were, so she indulged her as best she could. It’d been so long since she’d spoken with anyone other than Thrayke, so it felt amazing to have a new friend to chat with. She talked and talked for so long her voice went hoarse and Bella surprised her with how easy she was to chat to. Kyra opened up about everything, even her time spent with Kronus, and then finally about the main man in her life—Thrayke. Speaking about him that way, she knew she was truly in love with him and didn’t doubt for a moment that she had made the right choice in the end. Bella smiled knowingly and Kyra knew she had to have felt the same about her own Thrakorian lover.
“Minic was the kindest person I’d ever met, despite being so scary. When he told me he wanted me, I thought it was just for a fling, but we quickly realized it was much more than that. I’m so glad I have him, but I’m also pleased you and I now have each other as well, Kyra. They’ll keep us safe, but we’ll keep each other sane,” she said with a dry laugh, and Kyra agreed.
They were still talking quietly when Minic came in to check on her again. As with each time before, Bella’s face lit up. Her happiness was infectious and his presence helped distract Bella enough so that Kyra could focus on the child that was due to be born at any moment.
“How are my two most important people?” Minic asked, kneeling beside Bella’s bedside.
“The contractions are getting really close now. I can feel pressure like I’m almost ready to push,” she replied, and then groaned in pain as another one hit. He leaned back, as though readying himself to leave again, but Kyra stopped him.
“Don’t go now, she needs you to stay. It doesn’t matter if it’s cramped in here, we’ll manage,” she told him and Minic nodded. He settled down by Bella’s side and kissed her cheek tenderly while she writhed on the bed and Kyra checked her progress. “I can see… something. It must be the head. Push if you’re ready, Bella,” she instructed, and she did.
It wasn’t long before Kyra was holding their huge baby boy in her hands. He was slimy and gooey, but still beautiful, and he wailed like his life depended on it before settling in his mother’s arms. Minic was crying, as was Bella, but they were happy tears, and Kyra’s eyes soon blurred with her own tears as she watched them.
She made sure they were both clean and well, and then climbed back out into the main living quarters so the three of them could be alone. Thrayke met her there and she hugged him tightly to let him know that all she could think of was how much she adored him. A new life had just started before her eyes and it was such a beautiful sight she didn’t ever want to forget it. It’d truly been wondrous sharing in Minic and Bella’s joy.
“You’re an amazing woman, Kyra,” Thrayke said. He rubbed her back gently while she sobbed in his hold, unleashing her pent up emotion without a care. “Minic was a mess. He should’ve been strong and taken care of his family, but he caved and was in desperate need of help. I’ve never seen someone so scared.”
“His entire world was down in that room, and if he lost them…”
“He’d never be able to live again,” Thrayke finished her sentence for her. Kyra nodded. They then held each other for a long time. Thanks to having been cooped up in that tiny room with Bella for so long, she realized she’d lost all concept of time but didn’t care if it was dawn or dusk.
“Would you have done the same, if it was me in that cryo-chamber and you discovered I was pregnant?” she asked. Kyra didn’t know why she’d even considered it. She figured it was because of what she’d just been through with Bella, but for some reason the possibility of having children of their own was suddenly at the forefront of her mind. It hadn’t been something she’d wanted before thanks to her always having put her career first. Kyra had also suffered with erratic periods, but all of her hormones seemed to have bubbled over in response to seeing Bella and Minic’s baby coming into the world.
“No doubt about it,” Thrayke said and he kissed her. “Thrakorian’s aren’t only fierce when it comes to their lovers, you should see us with our children. It’s a wonder we’ve managed to evolve so well considering the strict courtship rules most fathers enforce when it comes to letting their offspring explore their choices. We don’t tend to date like you humans and the highest in society certainly don’t allow relationships outside of wedlock. They’re betrothed for centuries before finally marrying and are expected to remain loyal to that one partner in the meantime. You’re lucky you ended up falling for a commoner who thinks nothing of defying convention and falling in love with a human.” He laughed.
“You’re far from a commoner, and you know it,” Kyra replied with a wide smile. She could never understand why he always dulled down his standing in Kronus’s hierarchy and the history they shared. She knew the pair of them were close friends and had apparently been so while growing up, so she assumed King Thrakor wouldn’t allow just anybody to befriend his youngest heir. “Chief Thrayke, didn’t he say?” she reminded him of Kronus and his words that first day aboard the mother ship. He shied away from her comment, but couldn’t hide his grin.
“We’ll see.”
***
Kyra and Thrayke spent the next few hours with Bella, Minic, and their son, whom they’d named after his father as per Thrakorian tradition. They were both doing well and luckily the huge baby seemed to settle to the sound of the whirring around him, so barely cried. After checking that the coast was clear, Thrayke zipped Kyra away in the suitcase again and took her back to his quarters. They were lucky to make it back without crossing paths with anyone again and she thanked the stars for bringing little Minic Junior into his parents’ lives safely. She wasn’t sure when she’d get to see him again, but hoped it would be soon.
When she climbed into bed, Thrayke immediately pulled her to him. Tiredness washed over her, but she had to ask one last question before drifting off into the void.
“No matter how beautiful he is, Junior’s one huge baby. Are you all so big?” He laughed and shrugged his shoulders.
“Welcome to our world, where even the babies are as big as footballs regardless of their midget human mothers,” he teased in response. She sucked in her breath on a hiss.
“Remind me of that the next time my hormones flare up and I go all broody,” she replied and then snuggled back into his embrace. Thrayke had never called her a midget before and it reminded her of the life she’d had so very long ago before he and Kronus had forced their way into it.
Tarquin McDermott had used to call her that. As his face came to mind, she wondered what his life might be like once they reached Thrakor. Would he be a trusted ally if she reached out to him? Would she even be able to? She guessed every move would have to come from Thrayke rather than her now, just like how Minic had needed to be the one to approach them for help with Bella’s labor. It was nice having one trusted friend, though, and she hoped he wouldn’t turn them away if she ever had to reach out for help in return.
As she drifted off, Brona’s face came to mind, as did Silas’s. She wondered if they
were in love and happy. Kyra hoped he had treated her kindly, not forced his needs on her like he had with her during their relationship. She would never forget the day he’d punched her square in the face and tied her hands behind her back rather than let her finish her secondary training in the top five. It ranked as one of the worst moments of her entire life, which was saying something considering she’d lived with a rebel leader for months who had been intent on owning her by any means necessary. Kyra’s last thought before drifting off to sleep was that she had to know, and see for herself that Brona was safe and happy. If she wasn’t, Silas would simply have to get put in his place again and she would be more than willing to do it if it meant protecting her old friend.
Chapter Four
They had three days left to push. Just three days to go and Thrayke could get off this ship, breathe in the fresh air of home, and take his precious cargo as far away from prying eyes as possible. There were so many things from his home he wanted to share with her, but first he’d simply settle for getting Kyra somewhere safe.
He’d received a memo earlier that morning instructing him to meet his team at the Gentry cryo-chamber after breakfast, where they were to catalogue and double-check the status of each of their specialized unit members in preparation for their arrival on Thrakor. It was all to ensure the arrival sequence went smoothly and although he knew it would take all day, it was another day knocked off before they could be free again so he didn’t mind the hard work.
Thrayke stroked a stray lock of her dark brown hair behind her ear and then kissed Kyra on the forehead, and she stirred but remained sound asleep. She rarely slept late so he decided to leave her, but couldn’t resist watching her for a few seconds before he then traced the cross shaped scar on her cheek with a frown. Every time he gazed upon her beautiful face, he saw the reminder of her connection to Kronus, but now that ache was finally dulling from within and he believed it when she said she was over him. He took one more look, stepped away and closed the bedroom door. Soundlessly, he then left for the day, but was sure to lock the main entrance behind him as always.