Page 55 of Queen Isabella

The queen’s eyes widened. “Not if I am able to keep resetting the timer.” She anxiously bit her lip.

Hope surged in Artifex at the brilliant idea.

“Do you think you can do that?” Phara asked, his expression equally hopeful.

“I can try. I think it’s our only option.” She smiled tentatively at them.

“Then we must make haste!” Artifex declared and Bellator nodded.

Phara

I don’t like this!Phara reluctantly lifted their queen over the basket wall into the produce carrier.

Isa crawled across the large basket meant for hauling grain and vegetables from their growing fields to the hive. He cringed as she sat next to the weapon that was strapped down, hating that she’d be riding the whole trip with the blasted thing.

They’d settled on this method since they needed to fly to theignivoto get there in a decent amount of time. The produce carrier was large enough to hold the weapon and was conveniently stored nearby at the terraces rather than all the way back at the hive. They could’ve fused together to make one largerscreoto carry the missile, but then their queen couldn’t easily access the weapon every span. Also, carrying their queen in their talons was not an ideal way to travel. That left them riding in a basket with his queen sitting next to the cursedweapon. It was far from perfect, but nothing about this horrible situation was.

“Are we ready?” Queen Isa asked as Phara dropped some rope and other supplies into the basket.

“Yes.” He nodded then climbed in since he was taking the first shift sitting with their queen.

She grew quiet again, her gaze glued to the changing display, the way it had been for the last span. She was watching for the weapon display to reach a particular symbol then she’d reset it. That moment was drawing near again. Ideally, they’d already be in the air, but they’d eaten up time making plans and fetching the carrier. He understood the logic yet still he was anxious to get going, like everyone here.

He’d been trying to not abhor Queen Isa’s former hive because they had created the queen he treasured. This new revelation about the Blight had him seeing red. He didn’t want to believe people he never met from worlds away would do the Vorto harm. It was unfathomable. Except, the proof was right in front of him.

A dozen Vorto fluxed, changing into theirscreoform. They grabbed the ropes connected to the carrier with their talons and lifted off. He sat behind Queen Isa, in case anything happened with the basket. They had more Vorto carrying ropes than was necessary as a failsafe. Also, worst case scenario, he could change into hisscreoform and grip Isa with his talons. He’d gouge her arms with his claws, but she wouldn’t be mortally wounded from a fall. Thankfully they were flying just over the river for much of their journey east along the valley, which would be a softer emergency landing than the hard ground.

Queen Isa’s hand tightened on his knee as the Vorto took off.

“How are you doing?” He squeezed her hand.

Isa ignored him, and his stomach sank. Discovering how cruel her former hive was had deeply affected their queen. Heunderstood, yet it hurt that she was shutting him out. But then she reached over and started tapping on the symbol display of the weapon. The weapon twittered and the display flickered as Isa went through the routine to reset it. He instantly felt like a fool for thinking she was ignoring him. Obviously, everyone was on edge.

“Oh, thank god.” Isa sank back against him. “I was a little worried it might not let me do it again.” She frowned.

“That would be a problem.” He grimaced as he wrapped his arms around her.

“I should have mentioned that. I’m so very sorry.” Queen Isa looked mournfully up at him.

“My precious queen, we don’t blame you for what your hive did.” His arms tightened around her.

“Really, because I blame me. I didn’t know that my people planned this and yet I feel utterly to blame. It was so obvious. Why would they need to send a specialist in cultures to a planet without people? Because there are people! Duh.” She smacked her forehead.

“Hey, no!” Horrified, Phara grabbed her hands to stop her from hitting herself.

“We killed your people. We’re trying to steal your world. I know how cruel my people can be. I should’ve warned you sooner.” She sucked in a gasping breath. “Oh god! What if there are more of these weapons?” Isa pulled her hands away from him and covered her mouth.

As she tugged in several gasping breaths, he was sure she’d be sick again.

“Isa, please. We sent additional runners to the other hives so they can look for these weapons.” Phara tried rubbing her back to soothe her.

“But I won’t be there to stop the countdown,” she sobbed.

His queen was spiraling and he wasn’t sure how to help. This situation was terrifying. Then again, he’d always lived in a world on the verge of collapse, so he wasn’t panicking.

“Isa, we can only do what is within our power here and now.” Phara caressed her cheek. “And what I want is to enjoy our time together, whether it’s a single rotation or another fifty orbits.”

“How can you not hate me?” She hid her face against his chest.

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