They put on their clothes, and then he helped her tie the laces of her bodice in an intimate gesture that warmed her heart.
“It’s going to be busy for a while, I’m afraid,” Tristin warned her, opening the door. “We have much to do to prepare for the king’s invasion. I’m fairly certain Aurora will be his next stop.”
“Do what you have to,” she replied as she followed him down the corridor. “Let me know where I can help.”
Just before the control room, he turned back, placing a quick kiss on her lips. “Here we go.”
“Here we go,” she echoed.
He held the door open for her, and a great cheer rose up from the control room when he entered. Casin and Corin were there, then the others, slapping his back and shaking his hand.
“What are you all cheering for?” he protested. “I didn’t do anything.”
“Bullshit!” the cyborg she recognized as Damian said. “You got the ships. You saved us all.”
“We all did that together.”
“But you flew your ship into the king’s warship. You were inches from death, my friend,” Mordjan said. “And that deserves a special thanks.”
“The way you can thank me,” Tristin said loudly, “is to help me defeat this king when he comes for Aurora. Make the resistance a thing of the past, so I can retire.”
The cheer that followed warmed her heart, and Kirelle watched him take the highest console with a fullness in her chest.
When he glanced down at her and winked, she felt heat rising to her face.
“We definitely need to talk more.” A sly voice in her ear caused her to jump and she turned to see Casin. “I’ve never seen him look at anyone that way before.”
“Yes, we definitely need to exchange stories sometime soon,” Corin seconded. “Give us something we can use for leverage.”
“My lips are definitely sealed,” she said with a grin. “You two are way too smart for me.”
Casin laughed, unabashed, linking his arm through hers. “Don’t worry, you’ll give us something eventually. Or we won’t tell you how to deal with Aunt Brittania.”
“Aunt Brittania?” For the first time, she felt a wave of trepidation. Tristin’s family ruled an entire system. She was going to have to deal with the family.
“Oh yes,” Casin said, warming to his topic. “Aunt Brittania is from the Cat’s Eye galaxy. Very hard to please. But we can help you.” He held a hand to his chest in an exaggerated motion.
Corin burst out laughing. “Yes, we can. But she’s not as bad as he says.”
“Don’t listen to him, Kirelle,” Casin warned. “Aunt Brittania is a dragon.”
“Hey!” Tristin’s voice came down over the crowd, making both his cousins straighten. They all looked up and Tristin raised a brow at Casin. “I believe it was Aunt Brittania who reminded me that all ships come with brigs in them.”
They both groaned and Tristin threw back his head and laughed.
The sound was music to her ears.
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Tristin
They were still thirty minutes away from Aurora when Tristin had time to contact his cousin again. He connected to the ship’s coms, running their last frequency silently through his chip so no one else could hear them.
“Hello?” The sound was muffled.
“Juordin.”
“You’re alive?” His cousin’s voice rose and he sniffled. “You bastard! You’ve been gone for weeks! I shed actual tears for you.”
“I apologize.” Tristin replied. “But your tears weren’t wasted.”
“Oh gods.” Juordin took in an audible breath. “Who?”
“Andraya.”
There was a long silence, then the sound of another snuffle. “Casin and Corin?” Juordin asked finally.
“They’re here with me. But Juordin,” he didn’t know how to tell his cousin the rest, “they’re not the same. I’m not the same. We were captured by the Ardaks. They turned us into cyborgs.”
“What? Oh gods! This is all my fault. I never should have started the ARF.” The pain in Juordin’s voice echoed clearly over Tristin’s chip.
“No, that’s not true. You did what was right. We’re all doing what’s right. Listen, we’re going back to Aurora and my communication is going to cut out shortly. For some reason, their planet blocks our frequencies from getting in.”
He could almost feel his cousin switch into business mode, saw Juordin straighten in his mind’s eye. “Let’s make it quick then. What are your plans?”
“We’ve completed the mission and stolen the ships from the moon base. Casin and Corin have had a rough ride. I’m going to send them back to you almost as soon as we arrive on Aurora. They’ll have the Ardak device I got from X-Blade and one of the Ardak ships.”
“How many ships did you steal?”
Tristin brought the grid up on the monitor before him. “There were five hundred, but now it looks like there are three hundred and seventy-three left.”
Juordin whistled loudly. “You’re my hero. This changes everything.”
“Several hundred cyborgs came with them, as well,” Tristin said. “I’ll have an accurate count when we reach Aurora and I’ll send the information back with Casin and Corin.”
“When are you coming home?”
Tristin paused. “I want to. I miss you, and Tuorin Andala. But there’s something going on here. There were hundreds of ships on that base, and a veritable army of hundreds of cyborgs.”
Juordin took in a breath. “That’s more than we thought. A lot more.”
“Yes. And he was making them right in Aurora’s backyard. The king has it in for Aurora, and I want to find out why.”
“Be careful, cousin,” Juordin replied. “I wasn’t kidding when I said I regret starting this resistance. You’ve had too many close calls for comfort. And Joachin is watching your planet and the rebuilding of the domes, but he isn’t you.”
Tristin blew out a breath. “Understood. I’ll be back directly after this war.” He paused. “And maybe I’ll even be bringing someone.”
“Who?” Juordin’s voice turned crafty. “I’ve wondered when someone was going to steal your heart. She must be one special lady.”
Tristin stared down at Kirelle, and she happened to look up at him at the same time. Almost as if she knew he was talking about her. “She is pretty damn special,” Tristin agreed. “Almost like magic.”
“Wait!” his cousin cried, “Is she an elf?” At Tristin’s silence, Juordin began to laugh. “Oh that’s great, I can’t wait to see Aunt Brittania’s face –”
Tristin let static scramble the frequency. “Oops, you’re cutting out, Juordin.”
“You asshole – you’re doing that on purpose.” His cousin grumbled through the static. “You stay safe over there, you hear me?”
“I will. Bye, cousin,” Tristin said.
“Bye.” Juordin cut out with a stream of curses.
As he disconnected from the frequency, Tristin couldn’t help the grin that crossed his face.
“What are you smiling at?” Kirelle jumped up onto the console beside him, her glowing eyes bright.
He put an arm around her, staring out the viewscreen at the hundreds of ships ahead, making their way toward the glowing planet of Aurora in the distance. “I have no idea what tomorrow will bring, or how we’ll win this war. But after everything we’ve been through, to be right here, right now, with Casin and Corin, the people of Aurora, and you. . .” He choked up for a moment. “As unbelievable as it is, for the moment, I’m happy.”
The End
And to be continued . . .
Tristin and Kirelle are together for the rest of their lives, but how long will that be? If you’ve enjoyed this series so far and want to experience the stunning conclusion; join all of our former heroes and heroines in the final war for Aurora against the Ardaks in Zordan: Book 8.
Author’s Note
Are you wondering how all sixteen of our he
roes and heroines, along with their caves, ships, cyborgs, tech and magic are going to wrap up in the final book? Well, so am I.
Just kidding.
Believe it or not, I’ve already written Zordan (Book 8) and it’s in the middle of three months of editing to make sure I’ve got the storylines all wrapped up with a satisfying ending.
But in the end, only you can be the judge of that!
Thank you for sticking with me almost to the very end – and I wish you and yours all the best for the coming holiday season.
As always, I hope that you loved reading this book as much as I loved writing it.
All the best,
Immortal Angel
About the Author
Immortal Angel’s first true love was Han Solo – of course, that was before she discovered she wasn’t really a princess. But from that heartbreaking realization came a lifetime love of reading and watching science fiction, fantasy and romance. Once she began to write, those translated into epic adventures that cross time and space, with a little romance thrown in for good measure!
Immortal Angel loves to hear from her readers, and of course, she wants to hear from you! Feel free to contact her by any of the methods below:
E-mail: [email protected]
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/immortalangelwrites/
Website: http://www.immortal-angel.com
Tristin (Cyborg Warriors Book 7) Page 18