The shopkeepers, those that lived on Nimida, watched the travelers pass, leaning outside their shops, talking to one another, passing a long pipe that smoked between them. When someone entered their shop, they’d help them and once they left, they’d go back to smoking and chatting.
A simple way of life, she supposed. Wonderful in its simplicity. She could do with a simple life from now on.
And we’ll have it. Together, she thought, her grin widening.
Then she saw something that wiped that grin clean off.
Val felt the color drain from her face.
Down in the corridor, she caught sight of flaming red hair.
The color of rubies and bright blood.
Shimmering in Nimida’s early morning sunlight.
Valerie’s breath left her and she froze, her limbs going cold, her heart stopping in her chest before beginning to beat wildly.
“No,” she breathed, pressing closer to the window, praying to all the gods and goddesses in the universe that her eyes were playing tricks on her.
But when Madame Allegria stopped in front of the inn they were staying at, when her color-altered blue eyes flashed as she peered up at it, frowning at the sign, Valerie knew that this was real.
Her aunt had found her.
Which meant that the tracker in her shoulder hadn’t been destroyed as Dravka, Ravu, and Tavak thought. Which meant that Valerie had ledherright to them.
This was what she’d been afraid of. All her worst fears crossing over the barrier into her reality.
Behind her, she heard Dravka still in the shower tube. Down below, she saw Madame Allegria motion to two human guards she’d brought with her, waving her hand to the inn. So, she knew where they were staying. Of course the tracker had led her here.
Madame Allegria and the two human guards strode into the inn and Valerie lost sight of them.
And she knew what she had to do.
Valerie spun in place, knowing she didn’t have much time. She felt determination rise in her.
She can’t find them, she knew.
Madame Allegria would have them arrested, especially if she knew about Gabriel. Her aunt would take any excuse to take possession of the Keriv’is again, herKrave.
The thought made Valerie sick.
She couldn’t find them…but for the first time, Valerie knew that she would fight like hell so that Madame Allegria wouldn’t gethereither.
Her words to Dravka returned to her. That for once, she wanted to be optimistic for their future together, that she didn’t want to constantly be thinking that the worst would happen.
Well, the worsthadhappened.
Madame Allegria had found them on Nimida.
But Valerie would do everything in her power to ensure that she would be leaving on that vessel for Nzonito at the sixth bell.
Her eyes landed on the only small table in the room, laden with an empty tray of food, spare bandages, more numbing injections, a vial of pain medication…and the last sedative injection that Tavak had given Dravka from the med kit in case she needed it. The first two had been used on Gabriel, the third had been used on her on their journey to Nimida.
Right then, Valerie pocketed the last. The water was still running in the shower tube but she knew that Dravka would be done soon.
After a moment of hesitation, she unlocked the door and left the room. If he looked at her face, he would know something was wrong. He couldn’t be involved in this and Valerie was determined to make it back to him.
They would figure out the tracker in her shoulder once they landed on Nzonito. Valerie would cut it from the bone herself if it meant that they would be safe, that Madame Allegria would never be able to locate them again.
