Page 41 of Naga General's Mate

The footsteps faded. Brivul allowed himself to relax slightly, though he kept Mila secured in his protective embrace. The train lurched forward, metal wheels grinding against the tracks.

“That was too close,” Mila said, her voice barely audible over the growing rumble of the engine.

“We made it, though,” Brivul replied, fighting the urge to tighten his hold on her. “That’s what matters.”

The train’s rhythm steadied into a gentle sway, and Brivul finally loosened his protective hold around Mila. His scales caught the dim light filtering through the cargo car’s ventilation slats as he shifted away, though he kept one hand braced against the wall near her head.

“I can’t believe we actually pulled that off,” Mila whispered, a nervous laugh escaping her.

Brivul felt his own tension dissolve at the sound. “That guard never knew what hit him.” He allowed himself a small grin, his violet eyes meeting hers in the shadowy space.

“You moved so fast.” Mila’s shoulders shook with suppressed laughter. “Did you see his face when he recognized you?”

“Right before I knocked him out? Priceless.” Brivul chuckled, the deep sound rumbling in his chest.

The close quarters amplified his awareness of her—the slight tremor in her breathing, the warmth radiating from her body, the way her black hair caught the sparse light.

“We make quite the team,” she said, brushing dust from her sleeve. “Though I thought my heart would stop when those boots went past.”

“I wouldn’t have let them find you.” The words came out more intensely than he’d intended, but he meant every syllable. His warrior instincts had merged with his need to protect his mate, even if she didn’t know that part yet.

“I know.” Her voice softened, and something in her expression made his heart swell.

The train curved around a bend, causing Mila to stumble slightly. Brivul steadied her with a hand at her waist, his touch lingering longer than necessary.

“At least this cargo car smells better than the last one,” he said, trying to distract himself from how perfectly she fit against him.

“You mean you don’t miss that lovely combination of fish and industrial cleaner?” Her eyes sparkled with mischief.

Before long, the gentle sway of the train created a cocoon of privacy around them in their shadowy corner. Brivul watched Mila settle more comfortably against a crate, her movements graceful despite their cramped quarters.

“I was cleaning that alcove when I overheard Kurg,” she said, her voice soft but steady. “For years, I’d kept my head down, trying to be invisible. But that moment changed everything.”

Brivul nodded, remembering his own turning point. “I was just going through the motions at that clinic. Every day felt hollow.” He shifted. “Then you walked into that market.”

“I remember thinking you were different from the other Niri I’d encountered.” A small smile played on her lips. “Most wouldn’t have bothered helping a slave.”

“I was dead inside before that day,” he admitted, his eyes fixed on her face. “That mission, losing those civilians… it broke something in me. I couldn’t lead anymore, couldn’t trust my own judgment.”

Mila’s hand found his in the darkness. “Yet you didn’t hesitate to help me at the clinic.”

“Because for the first time since that mission, I knew exactly what I needed to do.” His fingers curled around hers, protective and possessive. “Watching Kurg hurt you… everything became crystal clear.”

“We were both lost,” she mused. “Trapped in our own ways.”

“And now?” His voice deepened with emotion.

“Now we have a purpose. A chance to take down Kurg and free my sister.” She squeezed his hand. “Hope.”

Brivul drew her closer, his warrior’s instincts singing with the rightness of having her near. “We’ll succeed,” he promised, his tone leaving no room for doubt. “Together.”

Brivul watched Mila as she soon laid her head against his shoulder. His heart ached to tell her the truth about their connection.

“You should rest, too,” she murmured, her eyes still closed.

“Someone needs to keep watch.” His thumb traced circles on her hand where their fingers remained intertwined. The simple contact sent sparks through him.

She shifted, looking up at him with those striking green eyes. “You’re always watching out for me.”

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