Why did he look so surprised by that sentiment?
“You’re a good male,” Rentir said, beginning to feel awkward. “I am grateful to you for your belief in me. I know that many called for my death after the rebellion. It would have been a simple thing to appease them, but you had faith that I could be of use one day.”
Thalen’s expression softened. “It was not that I had faith that you would be of use,” he corrected. “It was that I had faith there was goodness in you, too.”
Rentir’s tail lashed as his throat grew tight, and he found he could no longer meet the male’s eyes. “Thank you,” he said thickly.
Thalen straightened suddenly. “Do you hear that?”
Rentir held his breath, straining his ears to hear past the sirens, and sure enough, there was the faintest sound of boots over metal.
“They’re coming,” Thalen growled, drawing his blaster.
Rentir followed suit, and they flattened themselves to the wall on either side of the door, for what little good it would do them.
The door shot open in a gust of air. They turned toward the danger, bracing for blaster fire—but it never came. A shivering, bloodied Elten stood on the other side of the door, cradling an arm against his chest.
“I’m sorry,” he croaked, his one good eye flicking between them both. “Forgive me, please forgive me. They told me I would have a female, that I would never have to be alone again.” He slumped to his knees and sobbed, staring up at Thalen, who crouched before him.
“What happened to you?”
“I wanted to go home,” he said again, reaching out to clutch at Thalen’s sleeve. “But there is no home to go to. I understand now. Relden was my home, and he is dead.”
Rentir shared a look with Thalen at the mention of Elten’s twin, and he knew Thalen was thinking of his own brother. Pity welled in his eyes, and Rentir sighed in understanding. They were about to help this broken male, this traitor, and Rentir could hardly object, given his own history.
“We need to reach the bridge, Elten,” Thalen said slowly. “Can you help us?”
Elten shook his head, wide-eyed. “No, no, no, we cannot. The Lord Commander is coming. We must leave now. Must take a pod and run!”
“I cannot leave. My female is on this ship, and I will die before I leave her,” Rentir snapped, losing his patience.
Elten stared up at him in wonder. “You… you have a female?”
“Do you have clearance to open these doors during lockdown?” Thalen interrupted.
Elten blinked at him. “S-some of them.”
Rentir grabbed him by the shoulder and hauled him to his feet, dragging him down the hall toward the bridge.
“No!” Elten flailed, nearly taking out Rentir’s knees with his massive tail. “We cannot go this way! We cannot! They are?—”
He yanked Elten’s palm to the next scanner, wrestling the larger male as he struggled, and the door sprang open to reveal an empty corridor. Elten sagged in his grip with relief—at least until Rentir began dragging him along again. He loosed a stream of breathless protests, but Rentir was beyond mercy.Have to reach Cordelia. He slammed Elten’s hand against the next panel, jerking him back as it whooshed open.
Voices drifted from the left end of this forking corridor. It was the last between them and the stairwell that led to the next level. He shared a look with Thalen, and Elten used the moment of distraction to finally writhe out of his grip. He sprinted away before Rentir could react. Rentir’s body moved reflexively to reclaim his prisoner, but he stopped himself. There was no point.
They were nearly there. The guards ahead would have clearance to move through the halls, surely. His eyes flicked toward the scanner.
“We only need a hand,” Thalen murmured, sharing his very thought.
With a nod, he raised his blaster and led them forward. The corridor forked. He pressed himself against the left wall, straining his ears to hear past the sirens.
Soft chatter from guards—maybe two or three, at a guess. He looked to Thalen, who dipped his chin in a nod. He stepped around Rentir and raised the muzzle of his rifle, squeezing offthree quick shots before the murmurs of the guards rose to shouts.
Rentir shot blindly around the corner as Thalen ducked back behind the cover of the wall.
“Only one left,” Thalen said, popping the heat sink on his rifle.
Rentir waited for a pause in the plasma fire and leaned out. His eyes found the guard quickly, even in the strobing lights. He fumbled with his rifle, his hands tangling in the strap across his chest as he tried to pull it back around. Rentir squeezed the trigger, and that was the end of it.
