by Calista Skye
Adaar bent down beside her. “I’m sorry, Lana,” he said gently. He lifted a finger to her chin. “I should never kept it from you. Are you okay?”
What the hell kind of question is that? She wanted to scream at him. Lana’s chest shook as she fought to control herself. She couldn’t let him see. Couldn’t let him know how much she cared.
“We have to keep moving,” he said. “It won’t be long until they’ve cleared the crowd and realized that we’re not there.”
She knew he was right. It wasn’t safe to stay there. If the guards caught up with them, they’d break more than her heart. She swallowed hard, stuffing her feelings back down inside her, just as she’d done a thousand times before. She drew a deep breath and pulled off her heels, tossing them over the railing into the abyss below. “Let’s go,” she said.
Ahead, the passage opened up into a large, cavernous room. A deep ravine hugged the edge of the path, and the roar of rushing water heading out to sea masked the sound of their footfalls as they continued onward. The massive rocks were enough to keep her focused on the path ahead. This wasn’t the time to lose control.
As they neared the end of the room, their precarious sense of safety was shattered by the crackling of a rifle blast as a pulse projectile hurled past Lana’s ear, shattering a large stalactite ahead of her.
Adaar pulled her to the ground on the far side of a rock.
“Stop!” The soldier’s voice echoed out through the room, muffled by the crashing water below.
Lana peeked out around her limestone cover as three more soldiers filed into the room, weapons drawn and ready.
“The tunnel branches off just ahead,” said Adaar in a low voice. “No chance for us to lose them, but we can buy some time.”
The group of soldiers pushed forward steadily in formation, their pulse rifles trained ahead. The lights on their barrels painted the walls as they scanned the room, searching for their hidden quarry.
Adaar grabbed a hunk of fallen rock from the floor and held it tightly in his hand. “Fifteen yards back to the tunnel,” he said. “Can you run?”
“Of course I can run.”
“Listen,” he said. “I’m going to cover you. You have to get out of here. Whatever happens, whatever you hear, don’t stop until you’re safe. Will you do that for me?”
Panic filled her body. Her legs quivered as the adrenaline shot through her. “What are you going to do?”
Adaar shook his head. “I’m going to buy us some time.” He snatched a second hunk of rock from the floor and held it in his hands. “As soon as I throw this, go.”
Lana’s eyes widened. “You’re not going to…”
“Just get yourself to safety. I can handle my own.”
She swallowed hard and nodded.
The quartet of soldiers pushed forward steadily as Lana braced herself.
Adaar sprung up from the beneath their cover, hurling one of his stones past the quartet. It ricocheted off the wall, echoing behind them.
The soldiers spun on their heels and opened fire, peppering the wall with their blasters. Lana raced for the corridor as Adaar charged the nearest soldier, plowing into the man’s body with the full force of his weight.
The pair rolled as they hit the ground. Adaar reached for the fallen soldier’s side arm and pulled it free from its holster, firing a pulse into the man’s core.
His body toppled backwards under the force of the blast, spinning the light of his rifle into a wide arc that illuminated the room.
Lana reached the edge of the passage and stopped in her tracks, hidden safely around the corner. Her body screamed at her to keep running. To flee as fast as she could. But her feet didn’t respond. She couldn’t tear herself away.
Shielding himself behind the body of the fallen soldier, Adaar snapped up the fallen pulse rifle and aimed it up at the nearest soldier. A spray of pulses burst from the weapon’s tip and into the charging Kamaran.
But the two remaining soldiers closed in from the sides.
“No!” Lana shrieked, charging back into the open room.
Thrown by her outburst, the soldiers shot their heads towards her.
The moment of distraction was enough. Adaar whipped the butt of the pulse rifle out in a large arc, catching a soldier with a solid blow to the ankle. As the man fell, he unleashed a cluster of shots that shook the stone from its foundation.
“Lana, get back!” he yelled.
Lana tripped forward over a stalagmite protruding from the floor. She lurched forward, bracing herself to break her fall as she toppled to the rocky ground.
Scraped and bruised, she saw the final soldier with the tip of his pulse rifle pressed into Adaar’s temple. The bright circle of light from the end of the barrel illuminated his face like a morbid spotlight.
“One wrong move and you’re dead,” said the soldier as he kicked Adaar’s weapon out of the way.
Lana crawled forward on her belly, quietly as she could, oblivious to the pain of the debris digging into her soft flesh.
“I should just kill you,” said the soldier. “They want you alive…but only the gods know why. Nothing would give me more pleasure than ending you right now.” He kicked Adaar hard in the ribs. “Give me an excuse.”
Lana reached the fallen soldier, extending her arm across his blood-soaked body, fumbling for the pulse rifle still clutched in his hands.
It was heavier than she expected, but she didn’t need to pick it up. She angled the weapon over to where the soldier stood, towing above Adaar.
The weapon might have had a safety. But there was no way it was still on; the guy had shot at them only moments ago. Lana inhaled deeply as she aimed the rifle up at the Kamaran’s chest.
Adaar grunted as the soldier kicked him again.
The others would have heard the gunfire, she thought. She knew she didn’t have any time to hesitate.
She took a breath. Steadied herself. And squeezed the trigger.
The pulse rifle kicked back hard into her shoulder as a fury of bolts erupted from its tip. They ricocheted off the walls, igniting the room with fire and sound.
The soldier stumbled back; at least one of her shots had landed. His weapon clattered to the ground as he lurched backwards and dropped to the cavern floor.
The crashing water below still roared through the room, an ominous white noise that shielded Lana from her thoughts.
She shot a man. To save Adaar.
With a low groan, Adaar pushed himself to his feet and stumbled forward, gripping his chest. His breath was labored as he worked his way through the room, leaning against the wall to support his heavy frame.
“Adaar, are you…”
He placed a cracked hand up on her shoulder. “You saved me, Lana,” he said.
Through teary eyes, a faint smile emerged. “That’s twice now.”
Adaar shook his head and smiled back. “This time it counts,” he said.
Lana hugged him tightly. The anger boiling up inside her was overpowered by her relief. She wasn’t going to lose him. He didn’t deserve to die.
“There will be more on the way,” he said. “We have to move fast.”
Adaar picked up the flashlight that had dislodged from the fallen soldier’s pulse rifle. “This should be helpful,” he said, placing the sturdy steel tube in Lana’s hands. “You lead the way.”
Lana turned on her heels and headed back toward the small tunnel. She was surprised by the relief she felt at his safety. After everything he’d put her through. She had fallen for him harder than she’d imagined, harder than she’d thought possible.
What would she have done, if she had known the truth about him from the start? She detested the rule of the Kamaran Empire. Adaar gave up his claim to the throne to escape it. And he was working to undo the damage that their rule had caused.
And he cared about her, too. He had risked his life to protect her, time and time again. The passion in his eyes was obvious, but his need for her body didn’t overpo
wer his decency, his respect for her. The only man she’d ever known who deserved to wear a crown was the one man who passed it up.
If only he had been honest with her. The poison of betrayal coursed through her, even as her feelings for him grew.
“We’re almost to the entrance,” he said. “We lost radio contact with Ja’al when we came into this place. Seems that even our tech is no match for thousands of meters of stone. But the crew will be there with the shuttle.”
“Shit!” The cry echoed through the cavern behind them. “What the hell?”
“Sounds like they’re closer than we thought,” said Adaar. “Let’s move.”
The sound of approaching footsteps grew louder behind them, echoing through the halls of the cavern.
The pair quickened their pace, winding their way down through the steep grades of the cavern. The moisture hung heavy in the air as their descent continued, leading them ever further into the darkness. A brilliant glowing blue and fuchsia covered the rocks ahead, iridescent in the darkness. The luminous clumps of algae led them onward, shepherding them along the narrow path.
Ahead, Lana heard the crash of a waterfall. As they rounded the corner, she saw the surging jets of water spilling out over the entrance to the cave. The radiant light of the evening sunset pierced the waterfall’s flow, painting a rainbow mist of prismatic colors on the wall.
Lana scanned the path ahead of her. The cavern came to an abrupt stop, its easy natural exit eroded away by years of the surging current.
“I don’t see a way out,” said Lana, stopping abruptly at the edge of the passage.
Adaar shook his head. He scanned the room, looking up to where the waterfall broke through into the cavern. It was easily a hundred-foot climb, and the rock face was worn smooth. Even with the proper gear it would be difficult. Unprepared, it would be damn near impossible.
Just then, a tight group of laser bursts hammered the cavern wall.
The roar of the falls had masked the sound of their pursuers. A small squadron of soldiers rounded the corner and filed into the room, weapons drawn and ready.
“Give it up,” their leader called out, his voice barely audible over the crashing falls. “You’re outnumbered and trapped.”
“We’ve killed soldiers now. They’re not going to let us go,” said Lana.
“If they know who I am,” said Adaar, “they were never going to let us go, anyway.”
Lana wondered whether he was referring to his royal blood or his years of piracy. Either way, the result was the same.
The crew of soldiers filed forward, the barrels of their rifles aimed at the pirate’s heart.
Lana froze. This was the end.
Adaar gripped her arm firmly. “Do you trust me?” he said.
Lana’s eyes went wide. Are you fucking kidding me?
Adaar squeezed her arm again, harder. “Do you trust me?” he asked again. The raw urgency in his voice demanded her attention. She didn’t have any options. The soldiers were closing in. She had to act.
“Lana?”
“Yes.”
He dug his hand in beneath her shoulder and jumped from the side of the path. Taking Lana with him as they leapt from the edge, they disappeared into the waterfall’s misty spray as they plummeted to the water below.
Chapter 16
Lana’s eyes shot open. The fiery taste of salt water spilled over her lips as Adaar pressed his hands into her chest, forcing the water from her lungs.
“Lana.” Adaar’s voice called her back from the void of blackness.
She coughed and sputtered. Her soaking body ached. The bright light burned her eyes as she shook, and she saw Adaar standing over her. A firm pair of straps held her fast as she tried to keel forward.
“What happened?” she said as the memories flooded back. The soldiers were closing in. And they jumped. “Where am I?” she gasped.
“Lana,” said Kira, charging to her friend’s side. “Thank the gods! I was so worried about you.”
“Shhh, Lana. Everything is okay,” said Adaar, cupping her head in his hands. “We’re safe. We’re back on the Vendetta.”
Adaar stared down at her, lines of relief forming on his cheeks. “The doctor examined you thoroughly,” he said. “You’re going to be okay.”
As Lana’s awareness crept back, she heard the familiar sounds of the Vendetta around her. The low, soothing drone of the engines calmed her racing mind.
“That was seriously insane, Riley,” said Kira as she held her friend’s hand. “I can’t believe you’re the one who went cliff diving.”
Her face cracked into a painful smile. “It wasn’t like we had a choice,” she said.
“I’m just glad you’re safe.”
“Yeah,” said Lana. She looked up at her friend, and then over to Adaar.
“You should rest, Lana,” said Adaar. “We have a lot to talk about. You probably have a lot of questions. And I will answer them for you. Those that I can, anyway. If you need anything, just call.”
She smiled as he turned and left the room. The reality of the situation hit her harder than she expected.
“How’re you feeling, Riley?” asked Kira, dragging a chair across the floor and taking a seat by Lana’s side.
Lana shook her head. “I don’t even know,” she said. “How am I supposed to answer that? How much do you know?”
“I’ve got the gist of it. When you guys went off-comm, Ja’al filled me in.”
Lana squeezed her eyes closed. The whole thing seemed like a nightmare. Like it had never even happened. “So you know that he’s…”
“Yeah.” She chuckled softly. “I told you a prince was going to rescue you.”
“You’re not serious.”
Kira shrugged. “Why not?”
“You are serious. Why are we even friends?” said Lana.
Kira squeezed her hand. “Because I love you, Riley. Besides, without me, you wouldn’t have anyone to save you from yourself. Just look at what you get up to when I’m not by your side. Jumping off cliffs like a maniac. Between that, flying through the Dennegar belt, and your stunts on the magnecycle, I’d almost think you had a death wish. You don’t, do you?”
“I’m not even going to dignify that with a response.”
“That’s my girl,” said Kira. “Just double checking. I wasn’t sure how you were going to take all this.”
“Yeah. I’m still figuring that part out. Gods dammit, Kira. It was stupid to ever get mixed up with them.”
Kira shook her head. “No, Lana. It wasn’t stupid. Risky? Definitely. But not stupid. Think about how much good you did down there. Princess Ellistra did call of the wedding. Anara won’t be joining the Kamaran Empire any time soon. What you did down there was heroic, Riley. Think about all the suffering you prevented. All the lives you saved.”
“But not Tanner’s. We didn’t get the serum. We didn’t get the money to pay to for any serum either. And worse, The Kamaran High Command is going to be looking for me now. And the Consortium isn’t going to be too likely to trust us with their high-priority cargo anymore. There’s no going back.”
“We can always stay here. Join the Raiders for real. If you’re not convinced yet that they’re good people, then there really is no hope for you.”
“I don’t know if I can do that.”
“Sure you can. We can get a message to Sakaj. We’ll talk to the crew about smuggling Tanner off the planet, and we’ll find a way to get him treated. Hell, you just made friends with Princess Ellistra. If she can’t get you the serum, then no one can.”
“I don’t think she’s my friend. She sent the guards after us.”
“I’m sure there was more to it than that.”
Lana shook her head. “It doesn’t matter anyway. I can’t stay with the Raiders.”
“Why not, Riley? What’s the problem?”
“Because I still don’t believe I can trust him.”
“You understand why he kept his past a secret, right? He
was trying to protect you.”
“And it almost got us killed. But more importantly, why spend all this time running?”
“He’s been doing his best to make things better for everyone.”
“But he was the prince. Why not use that? Behind his bravado, Adaar is a coward.”
“I think must have hit your head harder than you thought, Riley.”
“Maybe. I guess we’ll find out soon.”
“You’re planning something.”
“I just need some answers.”
***
Lana slept fitfully, starting awake in a cold sweat. She couldn’t get the image of Tanner out of her head, staring back out at her through the open window of their little clay home back on Tarksis. He was a tough kid, and he had Onni to help take care of him, but Lana had already been gone for too long. And he didn’t need any more trouble than life had already given him.
Tanner wasn’t the only one. And Tarksis wasn’t the only world. As the Empire grew and spread, things were getting worse. She had to help her brother, but it wasn’t enough. It would never be enough. The sheer terror of helplessness spread through her. Some things in the universe could be chocked up to fate. Or to simple bad luck. But injustice? That was more than she could bear.
The moment of clarity hit her like a herd of stampeding morgelo. She realized what had been bothering her. She had to talk to him.
Lana bolted upright and drew a deep drink from the bottle of water that Kira had left at her bedside. Pulling the drip-needle from her arm, she worked her jumpsuit over her legs with purpose and certainty.
The halls of the ship were deathly quiet as she walked through the darkness to Adaar’s cabin. The crew’s celebratory game of Traps long since finished, no one haunted the corridors, though the faint smell of cooked meat and liquor still lingered in the air.
Before she could talk herself out of it, she lifted her palm to the wall panel outside of the great cabin and waited.