I’d lost before I’d even begun.
“This meeting is concluded,” I said, my voice hollow.
As I left the chamber, Zelana caught my arm. “You love her,” she said quietly. “I can see it in the way your marks blaze for her. I believe she loves you, too. It’s in her gaze whenever it falls on you. She will learn that sometimes love means making the hard choice. Give her time, Rezor. She will see that staying will keep her safe. It will keep all of us safe.”
“And if time does not ease her mind?” I asked. “If her love turns to hate?”
“That female cannot hate you.” Her expression was gentle but implacable. “She may be angry, but eventually she’ll understand.”
I was not so sure about that, and Zelana’s analysis sounded more self-serving than like sound advice. I shookmy head and walked away, through the village toward the guest quarters, dreading this conversation. How did I tell them the council had refused? How did I tell Cleo that her desperate hope to reach her crew had been denied?
How did I watch her light dim further?
I was halfway there when a guard ran up to me, his eyes flashing black. “Lord Rezor. Convoy approaching from the northern tunnel. Multiple vehicles. Vikkat’s warriors and…others.”
My blood went cold. “Others?”
“Strangers. We don’t know who they are.” He was breathing hard from his run. “The guards at the tunnel sent word. They’re requesting to enter the valley.”
For a moment, I couldn’t move. Vikkat was here. Now. Before I’d had a chance to tell Cleo about the council’s decision. Before I’d had time to think about what this meant.
“How many?” I asked, already moving toward the northern passage.
“At least two dozen. Maybe more.”
An invasion force. It had to be. Vikkat had never approached with more than a handful of guards for the occasional meeting. This was something else entirely.
“Deploy the warriors,” I ordered. “Full defensive positions. But no one attacks unless I give the command.”
I ran. Through the village, past surprised citizens, toward the mountain passage that separated our valley from the outside world. Two guards fell in beside me as I moved, forming a protective unit without needing orders.
It was not a short distance, but when we reached the tunnel’s exit, I could see them. The convoy had stopped justoutside the boundary of our territory, close enough to be visible but far enough to avoid direct provocation.
The vehicles were Vikkat’s crawlers—armored transports designed to navigate and withstand the storms. But beside them stood a group I’d never seen before. Destrans—easy to identify by their build and coloring. And humans.
My heart stopped.
There, at the front of the group, stood a human female with hair the color of sunlight. She was small compared to the Destran male beside her, but her posture radiated determination and barely contained fury. The tall Destran beside her had to be her mate, based on the protective way his body angled toward her.
And behind them, the mix of everyone else.
My chest contracted. This was no invasion force. This was a rescue party. Cleo’s crew had come for her. Of course, they had.
My guards moved into defensive positions, weapons ready but not drawn. I moved forward, aware of every eye on me, and studied the group carefully.
The human female locked eyes with me, and I saw the same fierce protectiveness there that I felt for Cleo. This was someone who would fight to the death for the people she loved.
This was likely Zara, Cleo’s close friend.
“I am Rezor,” I said, my voice carrying across the distance. “These lands are mine. The three who fell from the sky are under my protection.” My gaze moved from the human to the Destrans, and finally settled on Vikkat, who I recognized by the emblem burned into a medallion that hung fromaround his neck. “I thank you for ending the weather corruption. My scouts report towers have gone silent across all territories.”
“The valley looks like it was never affected,” the human—Zara—said, her voice tight with tension.
“The tower in this valley fell during a landslide many hundreds of sun-cycles ago.” I gestured behind me. “Still, the end of the towers benefits all. For that, you have my gratitude.”
“Then show that gratitude by releasing our people,” the protective Destran male said. His voice carried the authority of command. A captain, perhaps. Or a lord.
Something that might have been amusement flickered through me despite the tension. “Your crew members are cared for, fed, and have all they need. They are part of my clan now.”
