As Vor's army vanished down the tunnels, he paused, staring back to the surface where he had left his heart with the only woman he had ever loved. “Goodbye, Lena. Goodbye, my everything.” With tears streaming down his cheeks, Vor disappeared into the darkness.
Chapter Forty-One
Rinna
She'd done it! Rinna's convergence had worked. With the frequency overpowered, the ward fell, and a massive group of soldiers, including her friend Liria, rushed through the escape tunnel and into the fortress. Liria was without Thaxvarien, who had stayed with the camp to launch an attack as soon as the ward fell. The general had likewise remained with the bulk of the army to create a distraction, but that was only until Rinna's team reached the gate.
Under heavy fire, Rinna raced for the gatehouse where the control panel waited. Laroc was right beside her, raising his wings to take any projectile sent their way. Feathers left a trail behind them, but Laroc didn't falter. Didn't even wince. He alternated between shielding her and firing at the Nethren on the wall, shouting as he sent blast after blast of converged energy toward their enemies.
Then Rinna was in the gatehouse, abandoned at their approach. She pushed the button to open the gate and rushed out of the gatehouse. This wasn't her only mission. Around the side of the main building, off the west courtyard, was the stockade. Laroc was still with her, clearing the path for their team as they rushed the stockade doors. The Nethren on duty fired their projectile weapons, but did so as they retreated fromthe greater force. They made it to the stockade. Rinna flung open the doors.
Laroc gave chase.
“Laroc!” Rinna shouted. “That fucking idiot,” she hissed, motioning at her team to continue with their mission as she ran after him, firing her pulser at the retreating Nethren.
Laroc spun with a shout and dropped to the ground. The Nethren ran into a building.
“Laroc!” Rinna dropped to kneel beside him. “Laroc.” She rolled him onto his back, his wings flapping oddly. There was a growing red stain on his tunic, but it was high, near his shoulder.
“Rin.” Laroc grinned. “Did I get them?”
“You source-damned moron! You never leave your team! That's how you get killed.”
She pulled out a first aid convergence and tore open the hole in his tunic. A ragged wound bled beneath, nothing like the cauterized holes pulsers left. This wound was wicked, made by a piece of metal that had pierced Laroc's flesh and lodged in his muscle. The first aid device whirred to life when she set it upon the wound. Laroc groaned as it went to work, locating the metal and removing it through magnetic expulsion. Next, it filled the wound with an antibiotic, then seared it closed. Laroc grunted and ground his teeth at the burn, but it would keep him from bleeding out until he got to a healer.
Behind them came the sound of running feet as the released prisoners rushed to join the fight. With their numbers added to those of the Paradefense army streaming through the front gates, and Thaxvarien attacking from above with his livingconvergence, the Nethren didn't stand a chance. So, Rinna didn't feel bad for taking the time with Laroc.
Grimacing, Rinna realized she would have stopped to help Laroc even if the world was going to shit around her. She loved the big idiot.
“Get up,” Rinna huffed. “We're not done yet.”
“Don't I get a kiss?” Laroc pouted. “I got injured defending you.”
“You got injured because you chased after a few Nethren who don't matter!”
“I don't mean this.” He motioned at the sealed wound as if it were nothing. “I mean my wings.” He lifted one to show her. “Look at my poor wings. I must have lost twenty feathers shielding you.”
Rinna rolled her eyes and stood up. “Come on, you fool. You're not getting a kiss until this day is over.”
With a dramatic sigh, Laroc got to his feet and then looked around. “Where is everyone?”
“That's what I'm trying to tell you! They left us to clear the fortress.”
“Damn, Rin! Stop lagging! We've got work to do.” Laroc ran off.
“Sweet Source help me,” she muttered and ran after the man she loved.
Chapter Forty-Two
Lena
Lena watched from the window as the freed prisoners rushed through the courtyard and into the main building. Shouts and booms came, the pops of Nethren darts the loudest. Converged weapons were much quieter. Although Thaxvarien's thunder was the loudest of all.
The Paradefense army cleared the courtyard in less than five minutes; the gates left open, and the camp beyond left empty. Somewhere above, Thax rained his wrath upon the Nethren, the only one keeping watch over the entire fortress. Her side had won, and that meant Lena had lost. She wanted to huddle up and cry.
But Lena wasn't that woman anymore. Vor had changed her. He'd given her strength and confidence. No longer did she cower and cry. Now, she was a woman of action, and she hated hiding behind a locked door. Vor needed her. Lena could sense it.
Just as she headed for the door, the handle jiggled. Then a knock came. “Lena!” Liria shouted. “Are you in there?”
