“Give me that damn wand,” Roark snarled, grabbing it hastily from the man's fingers and waving it over my wrist. Amazingly, I could feel the bones knitting, healing. His head was lowered to tend to the task, but then his gaze lifted and met mine, watching me until it was completely healed.
“Better?” he asked and I nodded. God, I loved space technology.
Once satisfied I was whole again, Roark tucked me under his chin. “The traitor is dead.”
“I can see that.” Seton shoved at the medical officer who’d come in with a number of others now that the traitor had been uncovered. She was waving a wand of her own over him. He forced her to stop her ministrations, frustrated probably more by the fact that he’d been drugged than by her attentions, and I hid a grin. These Trion guys all thought they were super-human. Not unlike a lot of alpha cavemen on Earth.
But once again, my smile faded. “He’s dead, but what about the man who attacked us on Earth?”
Roark’s arms came around me and he nuzzled the top of my head. “We don’t know, mate. But Warden Egara is on her guard. She knows to watch for any more encrypted messages, to remain vigilant. We’ve done all we can do from here. We will interrogate the men we captured tonight and hope we discover his identity, although I doubt they will know anything. Earth is very far away, another planet.”
“But someone must know,” I countered.
“Yes. Warden Egara is an intelligent and formidable opponent. She will discover the truth.”
I nodded and tore my gaze from the commander’s corpse. Looking at the soldier nearest him, I cleared my throat. “That gold dagger is mine. I want it back.”
“Yes, my lady.”
Roark looked down at me. “I’ll give you a new one, mate. Leave that one be.”
I shook my head. “No way. That’s the one you gave me. That is the one that saved my life, twice now. I want it back. Cleaned, of course. I might never go anywhere without it, ever again.”
“Then you shall have it.” He looked to the soldier. “Remove it, once we are gone. Clean the blade thoroughly and return it to my lady first thing in the morning.”
“Yes, Councilor.”
Roark tugged me up to tuck me into his hold. After nodding to Seton, who was finally letting the woman heal him with the wand, Roark led me from the room, and I let him, eager to be away from the tension and blood. To leave it all behind. “Where are we going?”
“Home.”
Chapter Fifteen
Roark
I held Natalie in my arms as we gazed down on our sleeping son. My parents and Miranda were safe below, surrounded by two dozen guards. Commander Loris’ men were locked away, awaiting judgment. I would deal with them later, much later. Right now, I needed to stand silent in the peace and safety of my home, our home, and hold my mate.
Traveling from outpost to outpost the last few months had taken its toll on my body and my spirit. Home wasn’t a physical place. It was the people you loved. Seeing Noah asleep, his arms bent with his hands up by his ears, soothed my soul in a way I’d never expected.
This moment, with Natalie safe in my arms, looking down at the child we’d made, was a gift I would never take for granted. My mother would be pleased. My wanderlust was gone. There was nowhere on this planet, or any other, I wanted to be other than in my own home with my mate and son safely under my care.
It was time to settle in Xalia, to allow Natalie and Noah to know my parents, to become close. Noah deserved to know his grandparents, to be smothered by my mother’s adoration and taught about the world by my father. There would be no more outposts for any of us. If the tribal leaders wanted to see me, from now on, they could make the trek to Xalia or meet with one of my commanders in the field.
Natalie pulled away from me to reach down and stroke Noah’s perfect cheek with her hand. “He’s so beautiful. He looks like you.” She whispered the words into the quiet, careful not to disturb him. Her hand froze and she shook her head, her voice clogging with tears. “I have blood on my hands, Roark. Look at me. I shouldn’t touch him. Not like this.”
“Come, mate. Our son is safe and protected. Let me take care of you.”
I led her to the adjoining rooms and directly to the bathing chamber, stripped her bare. I walked around her, studied every inch of her skin, ensuring the doctor had been thorough, that her wrist was truly healed. I would allow no bruising to remain on her body, no pain. Seeing nothing but lingering blood, I stepped into the shower and pulled her under the warm spray. Using soap and gentle hands to wash away every bit of Loris’ blood, I was gentle, massaging sore muscles, worshiping her.