“Someone wants the medallion?” she asked.
I looked over my shoulder at her. Her cheeks were pale, her eyes wide. I enjoyed seeing her face flushed with passion and need instead of this haggard concern and confusion. As soon as we were back on Trion, I was healed, and whomever was trying to gain access to my medallion was dead, I was going to fuck her for a week.
“Why do they want this medallion?” Warden Egara asked.
“It is a key to the subterranean vault on Trion for the southern continent. Each councilor holds a key for a vault in their part of the planet.”
“What’s in the vaults? You mentioned it, but not specifically,” Natalie said.
“Weapons. Technology. Wealth. We live a simple life, but that does not mean we aren’t prepared for a Hive attack.”
Warden Egara harrumphed. “Apparently, someone wants to use the weapons to conquer Trion instead.”
“That’s my problem. The spy in your program, is yours, Warden.”
“A mole,” Natalie said, using an Earth term I’d never heard before.
The warden looked grim. “You take care of your problem, Councilor, and I’ll take care of mine. He won’t live long. Not now that I know I need to hunt him.”
“The transport is ready, Warden.” The dark-skinned soldier interrupted our conversation. “Councilor, they said to tell you that a Doctor Brax is on standby with Seton and a medical team.”
“Excellent.” Time to go home. I moved to rise, Natalie helping me.
Miranda handed the baby over to my mate, tears in her eyes her only goodbye. We were going across the universe and never coming back.
“You must come with us,” Natalie told Miranda, grabbing her hand. She turned her head and looked to Warden Egara. “She’s coming with us.”
“What?” Miranda asked, her eyes wide, shaking her head. “I can’t. I’m not matched. I can’t go to Trion! It’s not like a quick trip to Florida.”
“We’re not coming back. Please come with us. I’m selfish and I need you.”
“She isn’t matched,” Warden Egara said. “As Councilor of Trion, Roark could grant permission. But you—” she pointed at me, “—can’t wait any longer for that pod.”
The ReGen wand’s effects were waning again. I did need the pod.
“Roark, please.”
“It’s not up to me. I will do whatever makes you happy, gara, but Miranda must choose for herself.”
“Come with us,” Natalie pleaded. “It’s lovely there. We will find you a mate. You have no one here. No family. Take a chance. I did, and look what I have.”
Miranda looked scared.
Warden Egara told the woman. “There is no time. You must choose now. I can’t allow a Trion Councilor to die on my transport pad.”
Miranda nodded fervently. “All right. I’ll go.”
Natalie grabbed her hand and pulled her toward the transport pad. I ensured we were all together, that the baby was settled in my mate’s arms. Through gritted teeth, I thanked the warden.
She nodded once. “Good luck. May you find happiness in the universe. Your transport will begin in three… two… one.”
***
Natalie
The transport was a blue flash of light like the last time, but I didn’t have a murdering madman after me. This time, I wasn’t crying because my mate was dead. I wasn’t screaming for the doctor and the guards who’d protected me. I had my mate and my son with me. I had Miranda. And the little dagger Roark had given me in the oasis was tucked snuggly into my boot. I wasn’t getting near a transport center again without the weapon. Roark didn’t need to know my anxiety since he was injured, but I felt better knowing I could keep us all safe if something happened.
We were going back to Trion, to doctors and guards and Roark’s people. But we weren’t safe yet.
It felt like I drifted in and out of consciousness for hours, holding tightly to Noah where he rested in my arms. I had no idea how much time had passed when the lights and pressure faded. I woke lying on a hard floor, Noah resting on my chest. Miranda appeared to be sleeping a few steps away, and Roark’s blood already soaked the pad beneath his back.
I opened my mouth to scream for help, but the med team surrounded Roark at once. I eyed them all, thinking one might be the mole. But they didn’t want him. No, not now that it was known I had the medallion. They wanted me.
“Councilor.” A man close in age to Roark came to him at once. He was tall, dark and handsome, of course. His pants were black, as was his tunic, but he had some sort of colored insignia on his chest, and the men surrounding him obeyed his commands. “Roark, my friend, you always show up bleeding and half dead. It’s not funny anymore.”