“If you say so,” Lena muttered.
They went through the gateway and across the courtyard, Vor's soldiers in formation behind them. Men and women saluted Vor, and he nodded back. The further they went, the more attention they garnered, or rather, Lena did. People stopped to watch them, gathering in groups to whisper. ThenLena smiled at them, and everyone dispersed, eyes averted. Vor chuckled as he led her to a platform that waited at the bottom of the building, beside the front doors. Vor stepped onto the platform, drawing Lena with him.
“Thank you all for your help,” Vor said to his soldiers. “I will inform the general about your performance and ensure there's a bonus in your next pay.”
“May we tell others about Lena, Commander?” Lieutenant Greis asked.
“Yes, tell everyone. It will take time, but I want everyone in the city to meet her.” Vor waved them off. “Now go and enjoy your time off, you deserve it.”
“Thank you for saving me,” Lena said to them.
“Thank you for all you've done for us, Miss Lena.” Greis bowed. “I look forward to hearing you sing again.”
Lena smiled. “Maybe I can find some musicians to accompany me.”
Greis blinked and looked at the other soldiers.
“What?” Lena looked from them to Vor.
“We don't have musicians here, Lena,” Vor said. “We don't have music.”
“You don't havemusic?” She gaped at him. No wonder the Nethren had seemed so enthralled when she played for them. “How can you not have music?”
Vor shrugged. “It's unnecessary.”
Lena chewed at her lip. “Maybe I can converge an instrument. Wait. Can I converge down here?”
“Your sister did. I think Tech will help you.” Vor pressed a button on the platform's post, and it lifted them up the side of the building. “Dismissed!”
The soldiers saluted him and then watched them for bit before turning around and leaving the courtyard. Lena clung to Vor again. Rising was worse than descending. The city pressed in around her, offering her new views of its grandeur and blatant tech. It really was astounding. Vor had told Lena his home was beautiful, but she hadn't expected this.
The platform slowed to a halt hundreds of feet from the ground, and a panel opened in the building. Vor led her inside, and Lena breathed a sigh of relief when the panel shut behind them. It would take a while for her to get used to those lifts.
Uniformed people passed by them as Vor led Lena through a corridor and down to a wooden door with a metal plaque on it that read, “General T. Ankeh.” Without knocking, he went into a waiting room with chairs on one side and a small desk on the other. A uniformed man sat at the desk before a cacher screen, typing on a sleek control panel. The man looked up when Lena entered the room, his eyes widening. To the right of the desk, an open door revealed another room with another Nethren man seated at a larger desk, conversing with someone on a type of vidco. He looked up, light catching on the silver gears in his left cheek and the gray at his temples, so bright against his dark hair. His eyes widened when he saw Lena, and he stood up.
Simultaneously, the man at the smaller desk stood up and saluted Vor. “Commander, General Ankeh is just finishinga vid.” He glanced through the door, and the general motioned at him to let us in. The man turned back to Vor and glanced at Lena. “He'll see you now, sir.”
“Thank you.” Vor ushered Lena through the doorway with a hand on the small of her back and then closed the door behind them.
“I've got to go.” General Ankeh glanced at the screen propped on his desk. He hit a button and came around the desk to stand before them. “Is this her?”
“Yes, sir.” Vor motioned at Lena. “This is Lena Drask. Lena, this is General Ankeh of Ranuvul.”
“Hello, General.” Lena held out her hand.
The general's green eyes went sharp as he looked from Lena to her hand. Squaring his shoulders, he took her hand in a firm grip and shook it. On the uplift, he flinched. Lena felt the jolt go from her to him. The general gaped at her. Then he let go and stumbled back.
“Great fuck,” the man whispered.
“Sir?” Vor frowned, his hand still on Lena's lower back.
The general cleared his throat and straightened. “Sorry about that.” He came forward. “You . . . did you do that on purpose?”
“No, sir.” Lena glanced at Vor, who smiled reassuringly. “I don't know how to summon it. It just sort of happens. I have more control when I sing.” She glanced at Vor. “I assume he told you about my singing?”
“Uh, yes. I understand.” He looked at Vor. “And I see why Tech sent you to her. What I don't understand is how she's here.”
“I gave Lena a tracker before I left. She activated it. Tech guided me to build a machine that digs tunnels just large enough for a man to crawl through. Source assured me it wouldn't compromise the underground. After building the digger, I took a team with me and dug a tunnel to intersect the fortress's escape tunnel. The ward was down, so my team and I stole an erial and flew to Lena's location, where she was being held against her will by a group of rogue Aethari, one of whom was the man I told you about—the one who coveted Lena. I killed him, secured Lena, and brought her back here.”
