Page 65 of Rebels Rising

‘I don’t think so, lady,’ I practically snarled, moving Bal away from her again. I didn’t know what her end game was, but this wouldn’t end well for her. Not if I was forced to get Artemis involved. And I would if I felt she was a big enough threat to the sweet boy snoozing peacefully in my arms, drool dripping from his open mouth and pooling in the fabric of my jumpsuit.

‘Mother, what are you doing?’ Tormik asked, as equally as baffled as me.

‘He needs to be with the other children until we can get him back to his mother,’ she snapped. ‘Tor, he needs to be in our care. How can we protect him if he’s not in there with the others?’

‘He’s not going anywhere with you,’ I stated clearly so there could be no misunderstandings. ‘Artemis,our captain, tasked me personally with his care, so until she says otherwise he stays with me.’

‘And how is a puny thing like you going to protect this boy, hmm?’ she asked, her derisive tone and comments causing me to grind me teeth as I fought back my own responses. I wasn’t large like a Tornu, but there was nothingpunyabout me.

‘That is none of your concern,’ I bit out.

‘That boy is most definitely my concern. I happen to know his mother, and he deserves to be taken care of by someone who cares about him,’ she said, and my head started throbbing as my blood rushed up in my anger. By now, I was likely turning purple.

‘Mother, it doesn’t work like that,’ Tormik attempted to calmly deescalate the situation, but it was clear it wasn’t working.

‘Of course it does. We were the ones who tried to free her in the first place. Even though we failed –especiallybecause we failed - the least we can do is ensure her son is returned to her safely and in one piece,’ she responded, her nose in the air so she could look down on me as she spoke. I wanted to punch that superiority complex right out of her, maybe break her face a little in the process.

‘Look, lady. I don’t care who you are or what you believe you’re entitled to, but unless you’re a cyborg named Artemis then I’m not handing him over to you.’

Morgrid stepped forward, her posture aggressive, a menacing glower twisting her brutal features. Tormik wedged himself between us again, his hands out to block his mother’s progress.

‘Mother,stop. This is insanity. You have no right to take Baldr, and I’m sure ArtemisorLiberty wouldn’t be too pleased if you tried. You’re not a kidnapper, mother. You’re better than this.’

‘I can’t in good conscience leave this young boy in the care of a woman who has never known anything beyond The Program and its whims and pawns him off on random men, Tormik,’ she snapped at him, the words slashing like a whip. I had never hated someone so much as in this moment, and I’d been held captive by evil scientists.

‘Watch how you speak of her,’ he growled, a dangerous note to his voice that had the older woman immediately backing away in caution. ‘She and Liberty raised that boy inside The Program for an entire solar. How dare you accuse her of being incapable. Artemis has sacrificedeverythingfor the people she loves, including Baldr, and you are not in any position to deny that. As of a few days ago,wewere the bad guys from her perspective. She has no reason to trust us, and you have no right to try to take Baldr into your care and further that distrust in the process.’

‘Tormik,’ she exclaimed in disbelief.

‘No, mother. You have gone too far. I understand you’re grieving the loss of Father, but this is too much. You need to back off.’

‘Tor,’ she tried gentling her tone. ‘I know you love her, but that love is blinding you. Your father would not stand for this. She let them take him once, proving she is incapable of keeping him safe, and your father was killed because of her actions. I can do it. I can protect him. You know this is the right thing. For the boy.’

‘His name is Baldr, notthe boy,and he is not yours to take,’ I spat out.

‘You don’t understand,’ she tried again, and this time Tormik physically restrained her from getting any closer with his arms wrapped tight around her torso before tossing her away from us.

‘Go lay down, Mother. You’re not thinking straight,’ he ordered her.

‘Tormik…’

‘Now, Mother. Before you do even more irreparable damage. Go sleep it off.’

‘But… the kids…’

‘Will be fine with the rest of us watching over them. Just go.’

She sniffed, her nose raising even higher in the air as she dusted herself off. ‘Fine.’

She stormed off down the hallway without looking back, and I knew then that whatever that had been about had nothing to do with Baldr specifically.

Tormik turned to me, his expression pinched with distress but apologetic, nonetheless. ‘I am so sorry. I know she was behaving completely irrational, but please give her some grace. She has just lost her mate and isn’t taking it well.’

‘Clearly,’ I grumbled.

‘Please, forgive us.’

I sighed, the entire confrontation depleting me of mental energy. ‘You’re not to blame here Tormik. I should be thanking you for stepping in.’

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