"To end this."
18
Janae followed Khalzin back to the transport vehicle they'd taken to the landing platform, the same one they'd been in when they flew to Terra North. Khalzin got in the back this time, and a guard was in the front. He'd spoken to the guard about what was happening, and point-blank asked him where his loyalties stood.
The guard, Janae learned was named Aster, had said his loyalties remained with Khalzin and Janae since Janae was his mate.
Aster glanced at her. "I will keep you both safe."
"I appreciate that. Thank you," she said.
He nodded and got them both in the transport.
She still wasn't sure she trusted him, but that came from living on the streets, and whenever guards watched her, it was because they didn't trust her, not because they were going to protect or help her.
And regardless of what Khalzin told her, she was pretty sure his mother would rip her apart. But regardless, she was not about to let Khalzin go alone to this. If he succeeded or failed, she needed to be there and see it for her own eyes.
Or die with him.
Janae's hand trembled. Because that's what was going to happen. They were going to succeed or fail. Live or die.
Finally, stakes she understood far too well.
He touched her hand, his fingers lacing with hers, and squeezed.
"What are we going to do?"
"Stop my mother and the Coalition."
She blinked. "Oh, is that all? I thought this would be hard."
He smirked as he went to work on his datapad. What he was doing, she couldn't really tell, except that he was attempting to reach out to someone.
"What is that," she asked, gesturing to the datapad.
"Gathering my notes. One needs evidence if they're going to accuse someone of treason. Even if it is one's mother."
She shook her head. "I'm sorry."
"If she is responsible for this, then she must answer for it. Threatening ambassadors is not permitted. Even if one is a member of the Coalition."
"How are we going to get to her?"
He glanced at the guard. "I have my methods."
Janae nodded. Not that she understood, but she trusted him. They would get this taken care of and sorted as soon as possible. She knew it. They would figure it out.
She felt a weird buzzing against her chest.
It was the communicator around her neck. "Oh, this thing does work!" she pulled it out of the top of her dress. It hadn't done anything since she got it and had only been wearing it like a piece of jewelry since she got it.
"Hello?"
There was a crackle.
Voices.
More crackled.
