“You have?”
“Yeah, the Aethari tricked us. But now it's a colossal mess. We've been at war so long that—”
“Destra,” Thaxvarien said from the door.
They both spun to see the massive Aethari man, wingless but more powerful than any Aethari alive, including the Speaker of Icara.
“Lena, thank the Sources you're safe!” Thaxvarien rushed over and hugged her.
Lena stiffened, surprised by the hug, but then hugged him back. “Thank you, Thaxvarien.”
“We've got to go,” Liria said.
“It's all right.” Thaxvarien stepped away from Lena. “The fortress is secure. There's a team working on repairing the barrier as we speak.”
Lena swayed on her feet.
“Lena!” Liria steadied her. “Come and sit down.” She helped her to the couch.
Lena sat down and stared straight ahead as the reality of the situation rushed through her, stealing her strength. Vor was gone. And she loved him. She had thought she was in love before, but after Vor, Lena knew she had never come close to true love before him. It had taken barely any time at all for Vor to slip past her defenses and claim her heart. It was his now, taken underground with him, making it impossible for Lena to ever love again.
“Lena?” Liria laid a hand on her shoulder and leaned over to look at her. “Thax, can you pour her a glass of water?”
“Of course.” Thaxvarien went to the dining table, where a jug of water and two glasses always waited in case Lena got thirsty.
Vor had made sure that Lena's needs were met, no matter how small they were. They had just made love that morning. They'd been one person, joined physically and mentally. Perhaps even their souls had merged. That's how profound making love to Vor had been for Lena. Her old enemy, now her greatest love. Taken from her the day after they had confessed their love to each other. He was gone, a barrier of convergence and miles of rock between them.
A glass of water appeared before Lena. Rage filled her at the sight. She grabbed it, stood up, and screamed as she threw it against the wall. It made a satisfying shatter, echoing inside Lena as she continued to scream as if someone were attacking her. Arms straight down at her sides and hands clenched into fists, Lena Drask used her powerful voice to purge the fury from her soul.
Soldiers rushed into the room, looked from Lena to the wide-eyed Thaxvarien and Liria, and then backed out.
Lena kept screaming. She screamed and screamed until her throat went raw, and then she fell to the floor to curl into a ball and weep.
“Lena!” Her father came running into the room and fell to the ground beside her. “Lena, are you hurt?” He slid his arms around her.
“He's gone,” she whispered as she clutched at her father.
“Who, honey?” Her father tucked her in against his chest and rocked her.”
“The only man I'll ever love.”
“Oh, sweetheart. It's going to be all right.”
But Lena knew nothing would ever be right again.
Over the sound of her weeping, Lena heard her sister's communication device crackle. Someone spoke through it, and Lena cursed. It was Rallorival. He had escaped during the attack. Lena didn't care. She hated the man, but she was so deep into her grief that nothing mattered. The Sources would surely see to Rallorival's punishment. They'd punished Lena, and she had done nothing wrong. Surely, he would pay for destroying the chance of peace on Para.
Chapter Forty-Three
Lena
The next day, Paradefense secured the fortress, repaired the barrier, and packed up to leave the freed soldiers in charge once again. A crew had even cleaned the scorch marks from the buildings. Lena's father hadn't left her side. With an arm around Lena, he helped her onto an erial. Liria and Thaxvarien climbed in after them. Lena barely spoke, doubtless worrying her family, but she couldn't bring herself to care.
Was she being selfish? Maybe. But Lena had found and lost the man she loved, all within a month. Under the weight of a lost future, she couldn't rise. All she could do was flop into her erial seat and let her father strap her in as she stared blankly out the windshield.
They were in the air a few minutes later, soaring toward Thennis. Lena didn't care where they took her. It didn't matter. Neither did her father's indistinct murmurs, nor Liria's constant chatter. She tuned them out. So lost was Lena to thoughts of Vor that the explosion didn't register at first. She frowned as the people around her panicked. There were loud sounds, and the erial descended rapidly and erratically.
“Lena, hold on!” her father shouted.
