“We’ll meet up with Jaer soon, and his Anbas Warriors. They’ll take care of Birk.” Sean surveyed the surrounding trees.
Erynn followed his gaze.
Is Jaer out there, somewhere close?
She felt warmth radiate from her chest, up her neck, and climb into her cheeks.
Stop it. Stay focused.
“Then I can go home?”
Sean shook his head. “I’m afraid that’s not possible.” He wiped at the water trailing into his eyes. “It’s not safe for any of us on Korin. We must choose our battles and pick our time. This isn’t the time or the battle.”
“Battle? What do you mean?” Erynn’s gaze darted between Sean and Tiar.
“They’ve shown themselves—raised an alarm.” Water trailed down Tiar’s face from his saturated hair. “It will be necessary for this alien enemy to act and begin their assault in the open. They can no longer hide in the shadows of their puppets on Korin.” He took a deep breath. “Korin and Arranon are at war with a powerful and clever enemy. Korin is the objective for now.” His jaw muscles bunched. “They’ll get around to Arranon.”
“Worse on Korin? But my dad can…” Men in Korin’s military uniforms came to her mind, men that didn’t belong in those uniforms. She inhaled sharply, but her voice came out like the whisper of a ghost. “He can’t do anything, can he?”
Tiar dropped his gaze for a moment. When he glanced up, he locked on her eyes. “We here on Arranon kept watching, listening, and planning for this day. We knew it was coming.”
Erynn flinched and pushed up against a limb. “Why didn’t this get brought up during system council meetings?” she asked Tiar with a tenacity she didn’t completely possess. “How could it have come to this?”
“Many tried and were silenced, either by bribe, threat, or when those ploys didn’t work, death. What do you think Cale was doing on Korin? He was testing to see who could be trusted—preparing defenses. His attempt came too late. The fight has begun.” Tiar surveyed the dark forest. “I believe we can rally.” His gaze returned to her. “Those on Korin who knew, who were in a position to do something, to sound the alarm, chose to look the other way.” He paused. “I’d speculate that they’ve been richly rewarded, however short-lived. Your father was lulled into a false sense of security after so many years of peace and prosperity. He listened to and accepted as truth the lies of those who believe they will gain from this invasion.”
“Senator Drake,” Erynn whispered.
“He’s one. There are others in more powerful positions.” He looked down at her. “If you’re ready, we need to keep moving.”
Nodding, Erynn dropped her head. Shame colored her face and filled her heart.
Tiar took her by the shoulders, forcing her to look at him. “You’ve been given a second chance, Erynn. Don’t fail our people. Remain strong. There is hope.” Tiar turned to survey the night.
Tiar’s assurances lay dying in her mind. Dark-winged aleuns with beady red eyes and sharp curved beaks spiraled on the wind’s icy currents, seeking the rotting carcass of hope. They picked clean any glimmer she found.
Is my dad alive, fighting? Will I ever see him again?
When Tiar stepped away, Erynn followed, wiping the back of her hand across her eyes.
Sean walked behind. There was nothing to do now but see where this path would take her.
***
Erynn trudged on. The rain no longer tapped with harsh insistence on the canopy of leaves. The wind sighed in the treetops. She climbed over downed trees and pushed through branches that tore at her, accepting their sting and the ache of the cold taking up permanent residence in her extremities. Her thoughts churned. But not on the uncertain future she faced. They focused on her heedless past.
She watched Tiar walking ahead of her. He was an underlying part of the forest, a wraith in the dark. She heard Sean behind her. The snapping limbs as he pushed through them and the squish of mud under his boots sounded distant and muffled to her dulled senses.
Was it only yesterday I laughed and joked with my friends?
Her stomach contracted.
Friends? A traitor—an enemy among them. Were there others?
Heat rushed up her neck, into the icy skin of her face. Erynn squeezed her eyes shut against the idea. She opened them when a leaf brushed her cheek. Her worlds teetered on the precipice of collapse while she ignored the warnings.
I was content in my privileged life, believing nothing could touch me.
She thought about the past and tried to remember any suggestion that all was not as it should have been. The truth had been there, but she’d closed her mind, unwilling to believe. She disregarded her talents and buried the truth.
Sean took her arm, pulling her to a stop. Erynn shook off her reverie. She brushed damp hair from her eyes. Several men in black, weapons holstered, grouped around Jaer. Her heart slid into her throat, thumping wildly.
Jaer strode forward, helping her into a jacket he held and securing the hood around her face. “You are freezing,” he said, brushing his fingertips over her cheek.
His touch was fire against her skin. He radiated heat. Erynn wanted to burrow in close—feel his strong arms around her.
Is it his warmth, or something more?
“I’ll be okay.” She didn’t recognize her thin voice.
Jaer reached into an inner pocket of his jacket and pulled out a flask. He held the small opening to her lips. “Take a drink.”
She tipped liquid into her mouth. Fire erupted, burning down her throat. The heat hit her stomach and flared. She coughed, thrusting the flask back at Jaer. “What is that?” Her voice was strong, forceful.
“That is better,” Jaer said. “Arranon oakale brandy. Want more?”
“No. No more.” She shook her head and pushed the flask away, touching his fingers. Static popped.
Jaer smiled, glancing at his hand. “Are you sure?”
She coughed and nodded. Her throat still burned. “I’m sure,” she croaked.
The men formed a circle around her and laughed. Jaer handed the flask to Tiar. He drank and handed the brandy to Sean.
“We need to get moving,” Tiar said. He surveyed the woods again.
“Where? Where are we going?” Erynn asked, glancing around at the men so she wouldn’t stare at Jaer.
Jaer’s in his element, in control. He radiates power and confidence.
“These are my best people,” Jaer said. “We will make sure you get to Glaskra, to Leathan.”
“Leathan?” Erynn’s gaze locked on Jaer’s dark eyes. His lips tightened under the neat black mustache.
“Many years ago Leathan Tal was a good friend of your father’s.” Jaer’s voice was so smooth, never as deep as what she expected from this impressive man. Jaer motioned to the men. They took up positions around her. “Tiar is right. We need to hurry. We do not have much time, and there is a long way to go.”
Erynn wanted to ask more questions. She was more than curious about when and why her father had come to Arranon. Jaer turned away before she could ask him what he knew. Compelled to keep moving, she swept low boughs from her face and pressed into dark shadows. Some of Jaer’s people shifted deeper into the woods while others stayed in close. She could sense two of the men hanging back some distance behind them.
Erynn took a deep breath and straightened, starting to feel more like her confident self. She resolved to be more aware, wholly dedicated to this cause and her abilities.
Or is this newfound courage from the brandy?
***
The light of dawn approached in the same manner as the day surrendered to the night, by degrees. Faint gray edges outlined the tops of the tall trees. Quiet chirping broke over the silence, a song to the new day. A distinct, muted drone thrummed in the distance.
Erynn recognized the quiet rumble. “That’s a ship, flying low.” The sound passed far to the left. Jaer grasped her hand. He was warm, his touch gentle. One of Jaer’s men stepped in on h
er right, another in front of her.
They’re protecting me.
“This isn’t right,” she declared, glancing around at the men. “You’ll be killed if they catch you.”
Jaer smiled down at her. His features reflected amusement. “Then we will not get caught.”
Erynn was drawn into his depth. His dark eyes promised her sensations she’d never experienced. “How do you plan to pull that off? Do you have transportation nearby?”
“Yes. Now stop talking. You will need your breath. Time to run.” Jaer’s hand tightened around hers and his stride lengthened.
“Run? Where?” She would have asked more, but Jaer was right—she needed to breathe, not ask questions. The terrain was steep and heavy with brush. Erynn struggled, grasping at low limbs, digging her boots into soft soil, trying to keep a steady pace. After a long climb a wide trail appeared. She glanced about, winded and aching but no longer as cold. Several animals hidden under low branches stood tied at the edge of the path.
Ten men rushed forward, crowding her. She had sensed some far out in the woods.
How did they group back so quickly?
Jaer kept her close. He pushed away boughs, propelling her toward one of the tethered animals. The animal stood about two meters at its back with thick, brown fur covering the muscular body. The head was long and tapered with large, dark, round eyes.
Caporas.
Jaer slid between her and the capora. He jumped on. The capora danced with eager anticipation. Reaching down, Jaer pulled Erynn up behind him.
Tiar and Sean climbed on two of the caporas behind Jaer’s men.
Erynn put her hands on the sides of Jaer’s coat, grasping the pockets. Her breath plumed out in rapid blasts.
Jaer glanced over his shoulder. “No. Hold on. Like this.” He took her hands, wrapping them around his solid waist. His breath clouded around him, disappearing in lazy swirls.
Jaer’s heat rolled from him and mingled with the warmth that rose in her. Under her hands, Jaer’s muscles tightened as he nudged the side of the capora with his heel, turning the animal in a tight arc. She ducked her head, and her brow brushed against his back. More warmth crept into her face, burning her cheeks. At least in the dark, no one would see her blush.
Jaer chuckled, his stomach rippling beneath her fingers.
“What?” She jerked upright.
He shook his head. “Nothing. You are just very warm.”
“I’m not warm. I’m freezing.”
Jaer laughed again, lightly. He guided the capora onto the wide trail. The path ascended and wound inside the trees along the edge of a steep incline. Caporas squeezed in next to her as they rode at an unhurried pace.
The roar of the ship’s engines closed in.
“Shouldn’t we run? Scanners on the ship will locate us, and soon.”
“We cannot outrun them.” Jaer turned his head. “There are other ways to elude an enemy.” He nodded to his men. They maneuvered their mounts in a compact diamond pattern, maintaining their slow progression.
With the next pass, the ship would be overhead.
This is it. They’ll find a clearing, set down, and come for us, weapons firing.
“Let me go. If I surrender, you can get away,” Erynn said, releasing her hold around Jaer. “Give me a staser so I can take some of them out before—”
Jaer twisted his upper body, securing his arm around her, stopping her from sliding to the ground. “You are not going anywhere. I will handle this.” He again nodded to his men, and they moved even closer. Jaer gazed down at her. “Do not worry. I will get you to Leathan.” He focused on her swollen cheek. Anger clouded his face. His attention shifted away from the bruise to her eyes. “Trust me.” He smiled.
“I just, I don’t want, you getting hurt, or anyone… getting hurt, I mean,” she stammered. He held her so close. She could smell his spicy scent, and his warmth enveloped her. The intensity made her breath hitch.
His smile faded. “I am going to be fine and so are you. We all are,” he whispered. His hold tightened. “You will stay put? I do not want to have to chase you through the forest.” He grinned, released her, and turned his awareness back to the trail.
“But—”
“Shhhh.”
The ship was directly over them, above the cloud cover. The hum of engines hesitated. Erynn imagined the scan touching her, hot and stinging, setting her on fire.
Would they just start firing on us from the ship’s weaponry? Did they want me alive, or would my lifeless body be good enough?
Erynn glanced around and blocked the groan building in her throat.
Make that fourteen lifeless bodies.
She held her breath. The night stilled, and the air around her thickened with the scent of hot ozone. A low thrum reverberated in her bones. Her eardrums vibrated uncomfortably. Under the throb, she heard the droning rise in pitch. Engines accelerated. The distance between them and the ship quickly lengthened. The pulsing sensation in her ears eased. Erynn exhaled and glanced wide eyed at men on caporas packed in around her.
The ship scanned us and assumed we were one of the larger animals, or a herd. That was why we rode so closely packed.
“Camouflaged,” she whispered. “That was incredible.”
Jaer glanced back. “I told you I could take care of this. You should trust me.”
“I do trust you.” She jerked her head toward the sky. “It’s them I don’t trust.” Erynn recognized how badly this would have gone had they run as she suggested. “I would have never thought of trying something like that.” She craned her neck around his shoulder to peer at his face. “How do you know these things?”
He smiled. “On Arranon, you can learn from the life around you. Simple tricks. I have seen kinnen join a group of bonthar to escape a predator. The kinnen hop into the center of a family of bonthar feeding on grass and young leaves.” He shrugged. “Hidden. Nothing attacks bonthar. Not even the katjaramuud.”
Erynn tipped her head, still watching him. The sound of his voice resonated, touching a deep region in her she didn’t know existed. “Why?” She only expected one answer to this double-edged question.
Jaer laughed, further waking that unexplored territory in her. “Bonthar have barbed quills that carry a poison. This venom does not kill, but it will cause an unpleasant illness. They also release a thick, noxious spray.” He shivered, shaking his head.
“Ah,” Erynn chuckled. “Sounds like you’ve had a close encounter.”
“More than one,” he mumbled, still grinning. “As a child, did you… experiment with your surroundings, and get yourself into troubling situations?”
“Oh, constantly.” She laughed lightly.
“Yes, I believe you did.” Jaer’s amusement tickled along her nerves.
On the next pass, the ship was to her right, the course shifting away from them. The caporas continued their unhurried gait until the rumble of engines was once more only a distant low drone.
Jaer signaled to his men. “Hold on,” he said again.
Erynn put her arms around Jaer. The caporas separated. She felt the animal tense under her. Powerful muscles exploded into action, urged into a gallop. The gait was smooth and agile, the stride long. She held on, carried swiftly over the packed soil of the trail. They rode at this speed for a long time, the caporas never tiring.
The tops of the trees turned gold with the rising sun. Chattering and whooping sounds joined the soft chirping, keeping a rhythm with hooves on solid ground. Erynn was so intent on the colors and sounds of the dawn that she almost missed the first sight of the city.
Distant tall buildings connected to shorter structures ranged from soft yellows to creamy whites, their roofs muted reds and dusty pinks. The streets were silver ribbons, glossy from the rain and quiet at this hour. The sun burst over the scene. Storm-washed colors glimmered like jewels. Erynn’s breath caught at the dazzling splendor in contrast with the deep greens of the encircling forest.
“Be
autiful,” she whispered, her breath fogging in the icy air.
They rode to a stable, exchanging the caporas for two troop transports that would take them the rest of the way to the city. Erynn took one of the four seats along the left inside wall, Jaer next to her on the right. Sean, Tiar, and four of Jaer’s men took the six remaining seats, while the rest piled into the second transport. The hatch hummed into place.
From her left, Sean tapped her shoulder. “Buckle in,” he called, pointing behind her and pulling on ear guards.
The transport’s engine whined, rising to a high-pitched scream. Erynn glanced where he indicated and reached up and back for her ear guards. She drew the seat belts down and across, securing the harness at her sides.
Jaer turned to Erynn. He depressed a small button on the mouthpiece of his headset. His voice sounded in her ears, metallic but smooth. “This will not take long. Leathan has prepared for our arrival.”
Erynn frowned. “Prepared. Why…?” She didn’t hear her words and neither did Jaer.
Jaer raised his hand to her headset and twisted the mouthpiece into position. He reached down and took her fingers, showing her the button to talk. The transport lurched forward.
“Thanks.” Her voice sounded distant, metallic. “Preparing for our arrival?” Her forehead bunched.
“We are trying to keep you safe.” He glanced at her wet, muddy, and torn uniform. “And make you comfortable.”
Erynn glanced down. “Hmmm. If Major Kendal saw me like this, I’d be on report for a month.” Being put on report didn’t seem so bad now. The thought of her old life brought a bittersweet smile. “Guess I don’t have to worry about that anymore.” The smile faded.
Jaer sighed through the headset. “You look like a warrior arriving from a battle—a soldier. This Major Kendall should honor your actions.”
“I’m not so sure he would see it that way.”
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