It was her purloined fork, the one she’d used to stab Gav. The prongs were twisted and covered in muck.
“You do pick interesting weapons,” Ved murmured, a softness to his voice that hadn’t been therebefore.
“This, at least, was better than a book,” she replied, holding the fork up.
“She is magnificent,” Kravis breathed. Then, quieter, he huffed, “A stars-damn fork.”
Ved shifted, and she could tell by the tension in his body that he was back to all business. “I have to take her back to her planet.” His voice was rough, yet it lacked emotion again, as if he were purposefully ensuring he had full control of himself. “I need you to return to Cleave and let them know we live. My communication system is still down. Exxo can’t figure out the problem.”
Kravis gave a single nod. “I’m taking the ship they used to transport me. It should have my armor and other effects on it.”
Isobel felt strange and out of place as the two Xaal picked up Ved’s weaponry and armor, speaking in rumbling murmurs to each other. She made a point not to look at the dead in their various states of butchery as she walked the length of the island to a waiting boat.
She was forever changed—in more ways than one. She wasn’t quite certain how to come to terms with it. The person she’d been just weeks ago was gone, and the daring escapades within the books she so loved had nothing on her current reality.
Since she’d met Ved, she’d experienced things she hadn’t thought possible. Men falling from the skies, vicious Kroids, fiery desire.She’d witnessed gruesome violence and stabbed a Xaal with a stolen fork.
But as she watched Ved stalk toward the boat, she couldn’t help but think it had all been worth it.
More than worth it.
It had been fate.
Chapter 39
Isobel
Despite her protests and concerns about hurting him further, Ved carried her all the way across the foreign land and to the ship she had come to know well. He’d washed some of the gore from himself with swamp water, but it barely did any good. They were both sorely in need of a hot bath.
The general waited outside while Ved deposited her inside the familiar space. “I’ll be back,” he said and, without waiting for her response, left to meet Kravis.
Peering out the hatch, she watched as they spoke in low rumbles but with the passion of an argument. At one point, Kravis threw up a hand and gestured to the ship. Her intuition told her that they were speaking about her. Discomfort washed over her.
After they pulled each other into what she could only describe as a rough, brotherly embrace, Kravis took off at a jog in another direction.
As Ved boarded the ship again, he simply said, “Follow me.” The hatch shut behind him with a groan. He led her through the bridge, pressing some of the nodes glowing in the once dark table she’d lookedat dozens of times. A sound like violent wind started and grew in intensity as the ship rose from the earth.
But they didn’t stay to watch as it did. Instead, he led her into the belly of the ship, where she’d only been once before. A door slid open to reveal his bedroom. It felt like forever ago that she’d been in this room with Ved.
So much had happened since then. So much had changed.
A compartment hidden in the wall opened as Ved approached it. He dug through it before pulling out a folded piece of material.
“Ved—” she tried, wanting to speak to him now that they were alone, but he interrupted.
“Let me take care of your neck, and then you can bathe,” he grumbled.
Something dropped in her stomach. Was he upset with her? When she didn’t move, he motioned for her to follow him into an adjoining room. It was dimly lit with lights that turned on as they entered. The lights gave off a soft amber glow that gave her a sense of warmth and safety. Although, some of that could be due to the very large and very warm Xaal warrior.
Ved leaned into a booth with a drain in the center of its floor and tapped against the sleek wall. Seconds later, rainfall released from above.
She marveled at the technology; it still felt like magic. Revolutionary inventions, truly. The people of Dorsent would do anything for such advancements.
Opening another compartment seamlessly built into the wall, Ved withdrew a wand-like instrument. It was small, and the tip of it glowed bright white. He pressed it to her throat without preamble. There was a sudden heat—though not to the pointof burning—then a pinch and pull on her skin. It wasn’t painful, just uncomfortable as it crossed the shallow wounds.
“Is this how you healed the wound on my temple, too?” she asked as she looked into his dark eye shields. Somehow, he felt more distant than he’d ever been.
“Yes,” he said. “It is good for minor cuts and bruises.” He moved around her just as she lifted her hand to touch his arm.
