Brynna high-fives her while Elix looks over Zariah’s shoulder.
“Osiris, pod launching now,” Elix calls out.
Outside, a Drathious with rocket boots flies into space after the pod. He catches up, and seconds later, it blooms in a cloud of fire and parts. Another Drathious collides with Osiris.
“Got him. Returning toMesannok,” Vryskas reports.
Fire blooms in the hallway.
“Jeeze, watch it! Crazy female.” Fieri brushes ash from his hair as he steps into the room. “Aura. A hangar?”
Zariah keeps working on the tablet. “Opening bays with functioning sealscreens, now.”
Mother Cinuska sashays by Fieri with a smoldering glance over at him. Smoke trails her old-fashioned armor. When she sees me, she releases her mask back behind her ears and gently cradles one of my healing wings.
She closes her eyes. Her hands heat and make the flare of pain subside faster than I’m used to.
“What are you doing?” I ask.
She opens her eyes. “You are not the only Drath who is different. And I wasn’t leaving the last of my boys to fight out here alone.”
While Mother Cinuska heals my wings, I gather my strength. “Aura?”
He squats beside me. “My friend.”
“You tookMesannok.”
He draws my forehead to his. “We came for you. This was never the plan. Claiming the vessel is only a bonus to saving you.”
A crashing sound tears through the walls. I look up as a Talhuskin in a star suit smashes into Brynna. She screeches as he shoves her through shattering glass walls and down into the munitions cavern below.
I rip my wings from Mother Cinuska and am on my feet running toward the hole he’s made without a second’s thought. “Brynna!”
I dive below, spread my wings, and pray to Magmium that my Inferno is enough to carry my battered body to my mate.
My Inferno ignites, covering me in fire. My wings catch the air and burn as they launch me after her.
They cannot take her! Not now! Not after everything!
Everyone fighting in the lower munitions bay glances up as the Talhuskin strains to keep his grip on Brynna. She fights hard and curses at him as he darts around bend after bend, carrying her toward a hangar with a ship with a dropped ramp. It begins closing the moment we enter the hangar.
I’m going to be too late. My fire is present but not nearly enough.
Where, the fuck, are you when I need you?I growl at my Inferno.I don’t give a shit if you’re sick. He has Brynna! And she’s carrying our first egg!
Fire surges out from my chest as my Inferno finds its way through the poison. I race across the hangar, fold up my aching wings, and dart inside the ship. My momentum sends me careening into a hyperdrive system, sending it shooting sparks and cracking.
I fall to the floor. When I pick myself up, I see the Talhuskin with his arm around Brynna’s neck and a gun to her head.
“Finally got you, Drath.” The Talhuskin grins. “So predictable. Anything for a female.”
A frozen net captures me from the side, then another, sending sickening chills through me again.
I withdraw inside myself, find all the pain of fallen brothers and friends, and hold on to my purpose now: protecting my mate and our first hatchling.
Not this time.
My Inferno rises within me, roiling with fury, burning hotter, melting the ice, evaporating the poison, and freeing me. Maybeit’s the recent dose of medicine. Maybe my monster is finally stronger than their weapons.
