by LC Morgans
She could hear the air filling and leaving his lungs, and the rhythmic sound lulled her into a happy and relaxed state. The craziness of the past few weeks was left behind, and despite them still being at the facility, that too felt blissfully far away.
“Where were you on Invasion Day?” she asked, and snuggled deeper into his hold.
“I invaded Europe. The Tower of London was an unfortunate hit, but unavoidable as the human parliament were hiding out inside it in an attempt to escape. During my reconnaissance visits, I’d always visited England, and while I hated destroying vast areas of it, I enjoyed taking control of it and building anew. The Tower was my creation, hence why I insisted I live there and keep a team of my most valued advisors within its walls.”
“Whoa, that’s incredible,” she replied, and stared off at the tree in the distance. “I was in Los Angeles. My parents were killed in the blast and I was taken into foster care. The rest, as they say, is history, but I always knew I wanted to serve.” No matter how close they’d gotten, she still couldn't find it in her to tell him the truth about the roses and Kronus’ treatment of her that night. She wondered if she’d ever tell another soul about it, or keep it with her until the day she died, whenever that might be.
“I saw your file. Even through school you excelled in computer science, and I’m pleased you had a strong ambition to enlist. The Intelligence Division is where you belong, not the L.A slums.” Thrayke kissed the top of her head, while Kyra wrapped her arms tighter around him.
“Forgive the intrusion, sir,” a voice them chimed from a few yards away, and she looked up to see one of Thrayke’s soldiers standing to attention in wait for his superior’s reply. He was clearly uncomfortable, and she wondered if he’d been the unlucky soul who’d drawn the short straw, and had to be the one to disturb them.
“What is it, Sentinel?” he asked, but didn’t let go of Kyra right away. He took his time releasing her, and it was a surprise, because normally he wouldn’t show her any care or affection in front of the others if he could help it. They both stood and she quickly saluted the Thrakorian soldier. No matter her rank in the human army, any Thrakorian was classed as above her and deserved her respect.
“Good morning, General Millan,” he said with a smile, and then turned back to Thrayke. “We’re needed back at The Tower. Some time-sensitive intel has been sent in from Bangkok, and the soldier’s are on their way to rendezvous with us in London now.”
“Very well,” he replied, and turned to Kyra. “I have to go, I’ll send the ship back for you in a few days.”
“No, I’m coming,” she insisted. There was no way she was going to stay behind, absolutely not. “I can recuperate at home from now on, and I’m certain I no longer need to stay here. Please.” She knew she was downright begging, but also that she’d get on her knees and beg harder if that was what it took to get her on that craft. The sheer thought of staying behind in Lorde Greegis’ care made her want to cry, and Thrayke seemed to sense it. He stepped closer and spoke quietly in her ear.
“Why don’t you want to stay? Has something happened?” He was bristling with anger, and she forced herself to smile and shrug off her worry.
“I just want to come home, that’s all,” she assured him, and Thrayke nodded, but didn’t seem completely convinced. He took her hand and led her back to the facility, where she packed her things while he cleared her discharge with the scientists. Lorde Greegis wasn’t pleased, and insisted they give her a once over before they left, much to Kyra’s dismay. He was rough with the needles as he drew her blood, and lacked any bedside manner when he poked and prodded at her, but in the end she didn’t care.
Climbing aboard the hovercraft was one of the best moments of her life, and she didn’t look back. By the time they were airborne and on their way back to London, the tense fear snaking in her gut had subsided, and a genuine smile was on her lips. Home was good. It meant safety and security, work and routine—and she couldn't wait.
Chapter
Twenty One
Despite her elation at having left the facility behind, being back at The Tower also meant Thrayke was too busy to spend time with her. He was off with his Thai-based comrades being filled in on whatever it was they'd discovered there. He had to keep the details quiet though, and was his usual secretive self with cases she wasn’t working on, but Kyra could understand his reasons for not letting her get involved. It would be seen as a huge indiscretion on his part to allow a human officer, even Gentry, knowledge of a case she had no business working on, so she never pried, and Thrayke seemed to appreciate it.
After a few days of quiet solace in her room, she took a walk and ended up on the roof of the huge skyscraper. It was cold and windy atop The Tower, but the view was fantastic, and Kyra loved the thrill of being so high up. She stood there for a while, until the cold started getting to her, and then climbed the stairs all the way down to her floor, rather than take the elevator. She then headed to the gym, canteen and back to her room again, and by that point had decided it was time she returned to work. Boredom was not what she’d signed up for, and she set her alarm for early the next morning.
Kyra went for a run and had a power bar for breakfast, and then went back to work. Starting with simpler tasks, she set about catching up on mail and any leads regarding her current cases. With fresh eyes she was able to spot new clues, and knew her heightened brainpower was thanks to her treatment more than the respite. Kyra was soon absorbed in her work, and quickly spotted flaws in the systematic code-breaking skills she’d previously used. She suddenly knew better than to stick with the simple methods and protocol, and let her mind wander. It wasn’t long before she found connections she had astonishing explanations for, but they were there, and the logic worked in decoding the clues based on her findings.
By the next evening she’d discovered what she thought might be a new coding system being used by the rebels, and sent a request to the Besieger’s office asking for a meeting with him to discuss her breakthrough. During working hours she always maintained her professionalism, and knew Thrayke appreciated her going via the right channels in requesting a meeting with him. Their private lives were nobody else’s business, and she was as keen as he was to make sure it stayed that way.
The following afternoon she had a reply from Thrayke’s secretary, and was invited to visit his office an hour later. Kyra accepted, and then got back to work. She re-checked her data and by the time she was heading upwards in the elevator to see him, was convinced her findings were correct.
“I didn’t know you’d gone back to work?” he asked when she’d shut the door behind her, and she could tell he was angry at not having been informed of her movements.
“I didn’t know you were back from Thailand,” she countered, and watched as he dropped his dominant façade and regarded her with a smirk. “Laying low in my room just wasn’t for me, I needed to get away from those four walls.”
“I don’t blame you,” he said. Thrayke beckoned her over to him, and she stepped into his outstretched arms. “It’s good to see you busy. The spark is back in your eyes, and I can see you’re excited about something. What is it?”
“I think I’ve cracked one of their symbols, not just the use of it, but what it actually means.” Kyra stepped back and peered up at Thrayke with a smile. “I think this could be something groundbreaking.”
“Show me everything you’ve got,” he answered, and they both quickly slid back into work mode. Kyra laid out her files on the desk and showed him a symbol much like the others they’d found around the rebel-infested areas. These markings had been spotted all across the world, and each time the soldiers had tried to figure out where they’d led, the trail had gone cold.
“They aren’t directions or markers like we’ve normally seen,” she told him. “They’re an invitation.”
“How?” Thrayke asked, and she could tell he was excited by the possibility of her being right.
“The variations aren’t dire
ctional, they’re a code. None of our computers could crack it, and I thought for a minute I might’ve been wrong, but then I considered they might be using more primitive approaches to confuse the technological code-breaking equipment. I spent all night going through every possibility imaginable, and came up with this,” she said, and handed him a scribbled sheet with her workings out on. To anyone who didn’t know the codes or systems used by their Division, it would’ve seemed like a mess of numbers and letters, but as he read it Thrayke’s eyes widened. He looked back across at her, and positively beamed.
“They’re coordinates and dates.”
“Yes,” she agreed, and showed him her clearer sheet of answers. “All across the world on different dates. I think these are invitations for people to join them, and now we know where and when.”
“I need to take this to the Chief of Defense, Kyra. This is big,” he replied.
“Told you,” she said, and squealed in surprise when he yanked her across the table and into his lap. “Why, Besieger Thrayke, this is rather inappropriate behavior, don’t you agree?”
“I don’t care,” he retorted, and his mouth locked over hers. She was up in his arms before she even knew what was going on, and in his bedroom seconds later. This was it, the moment they went from casual attraction to something more, but Kyra was more than ready to take that leap at last. “I’ve waited a long time for this,” he murmured against her lips as he placed her gently on the bed.
“Then don’t wait a minute longer,” she answered, and he didn’t.
***
Early the next morning, Kyra stirred and opened her eyes to look out the window at the incredible view from Thrayke’s top-floor apartment. She was surprised to find him standing there, staring out at the city around them, and she drank in the sight of him. His muscles were defined and rock-solid, and every contour of his body was perfect. Thrayke was a powerful and strong man, but a gentle one too, and she smiled when she thought back to their night together the evening before. She could see him better in the dawn light, and had a clearer view of the array of nasty scars over his back. They were deep, and went all the way from his neck to his thighs in clusters of lined scrapes. Kyra watched him for a while, and saw the beauty in him regardless of those scars, just like he seemed to have done with hers.
“Morning,” Thrayke said, and turned to look back at her with a knowing smile.
“It sure is,” she replied, and took a long stretch. Her body felt amazing, like she’d unwound in ways she hadn’t even realized she’d needed, and she was surprised by how awake she felt after just a couple of hours sleep. She climbed out of bed and pulled on her shirt, and then padded over to join him by the huge window. Kyra felt light as a feather, and floated around him so she stood between Thrayke and the thick glass. She then pressed her back into his stomach while he rested his chin on the top of her head. “You’re up early?”
“I don’t sleep much, plus I love to watch the sunrise,” he answered, running his hands up and down her arms. “And I had important work to do. I’ve sent a message to the Chief of Defense asking for a meeting, and hopefully he’ll see us today.”
“Us?” she asked, feeling sure she shouldn’t be present during a meeting with the highest-ranking Thrakorian officer below the King, but Thrayke nodded.
“Of course. This is your discovery, Kyra. You deserve full recognition if your theory is correct,” he told her, and she trembled against a cold chill that swept down her spine from out of nowhere. The last of her visions during her treatment suddenly returned, and she remembered the warning the dead rebels had given her. She knew they weren’t real, but still the message was from somewhere deep within her psyche, and it’d warned her to be careful of being too good at her new job. She wondered at what point her inquisitive mind might be deemed a threat rather than a useful tool at their disposal, and hoped having Thrayke on her side would help prevent those questions being asked of her if they ever arose. He had stopped her from being dissected in the Thrakorian lab after her treatment, and she had to believe he would do it again if her integrity were ever called into question.
“Will you take care of me?” she asked timidly, and gasped when he turned her to face him in one quick and effortless move.
“Of course I will, but why would you ever think you might need protecting?” he demanded, and pulled her close. His lips caressed her neck, and then lingered of one of her scars from the rose thorns. “Where did you get these scars?” he whispered against the silver mark.
“On Invasion Day,” she answered bluntly, and then peered up into his eyes in search of answers. She had to trust him, she knew that, but she also needed to know he wasn’t keeping her safe just for his own personal thrill. She had to trust he truly believed in her as a soldier and code-breaker, and so would warn her if she ever crossed the line and became a target. “I often feel like there are things I’m not seeing, Thrayke. Important things. I can’t know everything, I get that, but I need to know that you’ll keep me safe from harm, no matter what happens. Like you did with Greegis.”
“You know about that?” He seemed genuinely shocked by her admission.
“Yes, and sometimes I’m scared of being under another magnifying glass in case…”
“In case of what? You’re seen as a threat rather than an asset?” he asked, and then leaned in closer. “You can talk to me openly.”
“It’s something like that, yes,” Kyra admitted, and Thrayke sighed, but didn’t deny the possibility that it could happen. For the first time she let herself say aloud some of the things she’d wondered throughout the years, and hoped she could trust him not to freak out or cart her off in chains for talking like a rebel. “I often wonder if the human race wasn’t just colonized on Invasion Day. The weakest were wiped out, and those incapable of change followed slowly after, because of their resistance. Those humans weren’t wanted or needed in our new society, so an evolution of sorts stepped in. Only the strongest survived.” Thrayke nodded in understanding, but stayed quiet while she finished her thought, and she was glad. Part of her wondered how she even had the nerve to speak her doubts aloud for the first time, and it was painfully ironic that she was saying them to a Thrakorian. “What’s left is now a living, breathing civilization, working for survival and under one goal—to serve our King.”
“And?” he asked, leaning even closer as though he might be bracing himself for what she was going to say next.
“I can’t help but wonder if perhaps freedom is really just an illusion? We’ve been conditioned for the past eighteen years to serve willingly, but what if it’s a lie? I know you can't tell me yes or no, but I guess I just hope that the day I do discover the truth, I’ll be on the right side of the great divide—whatever that might be.”
“I’d make sure of it. I’ll never let anything bad happen to you, I promise. Don’t doubt your safety ever again. I swear I’ll protect you, on my honor,” he replied, and climbed down onto one knee. She’d heard about their solemn oaths, but had never seen a Thrak give one before, especially not to a human, and she choked on her acceptance of his immense pledge.
They were back in bed before she could say another word, and Kyra felt on top of the world. Thrayke showed her just how much she meant to him, despite his previous promises of offering her nothing more than a bit of fun. She loved whiling away the hours with him while the sun crept up over the city and everyone below them got to work, but they were in no rush to leave the comfort and warmth of each other’s arms.
***
“Did you have a run-in with some barbed wire?” Thrayke asked later, and he ran his hands over some of the scars on her back. Kyra shook her head no, and looked up into his eyes from where she lay on his huge chest.
“Thorns. I got tangled in a bush trying to escape the fighting, and they cut me,” she answered, and still couldn't tell the rest of the story, regardless of how strongly she felt about him. “What about you? Where did you get your scars?”
“Various ba
ttles,” he told her with a thoughtful sigh. “The worst were after I fought a huge beast on the planet Prothas, now ruled by Kronus’ sister, Queen Digrea. It plucked me right off the ground, and dragged me across sharp rocks in its talons.” She gasped loudly, unable to hide her shock, but Thrayke just smiled and carried on with his tale. “The animal was intent on eating me for dinner, and it very nearly did. My back was left in pieces, but I had enough strength to finish the beast off before it could devour me. I was fortunate to be alive, and took many days to heal. Some of the wounds were as deep as the bone, but now I feel no pain thanks to the marvels of our medicine.”
“You were very lucky,” she said, and watched him in awe. He’d mentioned wars and battles before, but never in great detail, and she appreciated him telling her a little more about his past. “Do you have a family back on Thrakor?” she then asked before she could stop herself, and he let out a gruff laugh.
“Yes, but only my parents and siblings. I’m not married or betrothed, if that’s what you were wondering,” Thrayke teased, and although he was exactly right, Kyra shook her head in defiance.
“No, it was an innocent question. I want to know more about you,” she retorted, and giggled when he pulled her up for another deep kiss.
“Ask me anything and I shall answer truthfully,” he told her, and she believed him. Before she could ask anything else though, their conversation was interrupted by an incoming call to his personal line.
“I’ll remember that in the future,” she said while he jogged over to his desk, and Thrayke gave her a wink before grabbing the handset from its dock.