Lena slumped, the metal warming in her hand.
Then Vor's image appeared in her mind. She saw his determined gaze and knew that he wouldn't be unprepared. Vor would inspect the scene before he swooped in to save her. How he'd get to the surface, Lena didn't know, but she had faith in him. It was that faith that drove her to clasp the top of the disc between the fingers of one hand and the bottom with the fingers of the other. A soft click came as she spun the top and bottom halves to bring them back together again, looking as if nothing had changed. But Lena could feel vibrations coming from it.
With a smile, she tucked the disc back in her boot, undressed, and took a long bath.
Chapter Forty-Five
Vor
Commander Vor left General Ankeh's office with his face set in a blank expression. The general had been surprisingly understanding and agreed with Vor that retreat had been the best option. He was actually happy with the success of the mission, even if it had been temporary. This was their first time taking a fortress after all. Mistakes were to be expected.
A new mission was already planned. Vor would make another attempt to take a fortress, but it would be a joint effort with the Army of Xanver. The General of Xanver had been speaking with Ankeh, and they agreed that a doubled force would do better. They were already preparing to overload the barrier of the fortress nearest Xanver.
Vor didn't care. He had gone from bursting with emotions to utter numbness. It was the only way he could continue to breathe. If he allowed himself to wallow in the horror of losing Lena, he'd lie down and never get up again. And he couldn't do that. Not when there was a tiny chance that he would see her again.
During the retreat, Vor had forgotten all about the letter and tracker he'd left in Lena's boot. When he had his army safely home, it came back to him, and with the memory came a sliverof hope. If Lena truly loved him and found the hidden note, she might activate the tracker. If that happened, there was nothing under or above ground that would stop Vor from going to her. Even now, he had the tracker receiver in his pocket, just in case—
His pocket vibrated.
Vor jerked to a stop and yanked the device out of his pocket. He swayed when he saw the red, blinking dot on the screen. She'd done it! Lena had found the disc and activated it! His Lena still loved him. She wanted him to find her. Vor nearly crumpled to the floor in relief, joy, and gratitude.
“Thank you, Source.” Vor clutched the tracker to his chest. “Thank you.” Then he frowned at the screen. Lena wasn't in Thennis. Nor was she in Wexlen, her home. She had traveled several miles in the opposite direction, to a small town called Finnle.
A shiver ran down his spine. That was not where his Lena should be. And if that was not where she should be, then someone had taken her there. Her sister would have taken her back to Thennis. Her father would have taken her to Wexlen. Who would take her to Finnle?
An image came to mind, and Vor growled, his fingers twitching around the tracker. “If it's you, Aethari, you will die.” He strode out of the stronghold and into the city of Ranuvul. He had to find a team of Nethren soldiers to help him. People he could trust. “Don't be afraid, Lena. I'm coming for you.”
Chapter Forty-Six
Evellor
Emotions churned inside Evellor. He had returned to Thennis sooner than expected, which was wonderful. He and Mal had celebrated the night before, in their new home—a luxurious manor with a strip of private beach. But the next morning, while Evellor was checking on Middle Ground’s security, Thaxvarien arrived with his destra and her father, one in each arm as he flew with his unique type of convergence.
Rallorival the traitor had shot down their erial and taken Lena Drask.
It soured Evellor's stomach to think of the sweet woman in the hands of that lunatic. She'd been better off with the Nethren, and that said a lot. How tragic it was for Lena to be taken, freed, and then taken again on her way home. It was so unfair, but there was nothing Evellor could do about it. Not yet. They were still trying to find Rallorival and his friends, who had also disappeared. Until then, all they could do was wait. It was hurting Liria, and what hurt Liria, hurt Thaxvarien.
Evellor had once fancied himself in love with Thaxvarien Rennux. But he'd always known a relationship between them was impossible. Thaxvarien was straight and had never shown an interest in Evellor in that way. Now, Evellor loved Mal, but hestill cared about Thaxvarien as his friend and leader. Thaxvarien was a good man, and he was on the path to becoming a great leader. It was an honor to serve him.
Now that Evellor was with Mal, he knew that what he had felt for Thaxvarien was merely infatuation. It was a dull shadow of what he felt for Mal. His love for Mal was so great that even with the terrible abduction and Thaxvarien floundering under his destra's sorrow, when Evellor walked into his new home and found Mal waiting for him, a smile came to his face.
“Hello, lover.” Mal strolled up to him and wrapped his arms around Evellor's waist. “How was your day?”
“Awful until now.” Evellor nuzzled Mal's nose. “Yours?”
“Fantastic!” Mal took his hand and drew Evellor out onto their balcony. “I can't get over how beautiful the ocean is. It's just water, but it shines and moves as if it's alive. And the smells!” Mal turned toward Evellor with a bright grin. “I've never smelled so many smells, Ev. Good and bad, I love them all! I never want to leave.”
Heart bursting with joy and love, Evellor pulled Mal into a kiss. Their bodies instinctively pressed together, hardening in seconds as their tongues twisted and flicked. Mal groaned, the vibrations magnifying Evellor's lust. He needed this after a day of listening to Liria weep while Thaxvarien tried to console her. Oh, and let's not forget the times when she wasn't weeping. Those were even worse. That's when Liria would rage, her voice echoing through Middle Ground, vowing vengeance on the bastard who had taken her sister.
Mal pulled back and frowned up at Evellor. “You really did have a bad day.”
“I did, but it's so much better now.”
“They haven't found her?”
“No, and we won't anytime soon. We have little to go on. At least we know Rallorival won't kill her. He may do other terrible things, but he won't kill her.”
Mal grimaced. “She was safer with my commander.”
