Page 14 of Jordan

A massive force rocked the entire shuttle and the next thing she knew, they were being tossed about like ragdolls. Pain radiated throughout her body. There was heat so hot, she assumed they’d burst into flames before she felt them descending rapidly, still spiraling out of control.

The last thing she remembered was Jordan’s body, wrapping around hers in a tight, protective embrace before impact.

* * *

Nina came to, dazed and sore. It took her a few moments before she could get her bearings.

Crash.

Jordan.

Gasping, she realized he was no longer holding her. She twisted up and spotted him lying sprawled out on what would have been the ceiling of the cargo bay but what was now acting as the floor, since they were upside down. Blood trickled down his face and he was limp—lifeless.

She scrambled to him. “Jordan!”

He didn’t respond.

Nina assessed him, as she’d been trained to do with any wounded guards who served under her. He was alive but unconscious. Relief rushed through her and she bent and pressed her lips to his tenderly. As something splashed on his cheek, she realized she was crying. She put her head to his. “I’ll get us out of here and get you to help.”

She stood on shaky legs, every bone in her body aching. She made her way to the bay doors, stumbling over debris in the process. Even knowing it wouldn’t work, she tried the keypad. Nothing happened.

Nina searched for a bar of some sort to use to pry open the doors. When she found what she needed, she did a partial shift, allowing some traits of her shifter side to show through, giving her added strength. The doors broke open and clear sky greeted her. She could hear the lapping waves of the red sea and knew they were close.

Nina grabbed hold of the opening and lifted herself out. She was right. They were wedged into the pink, sandy shore of the sea. It meant they were at least a week’s walking distance to Shamenia but it could have been worse. Much worse.

From the scorch marks on the outer portion of the cargo hull, they’d only barely managed to survive the cockpit’s demise. If they were lucky, command tower back at the compound would have picked up on the explosion and have help headed their way.

The problem was, they were closer to Stegian’s facilities and territory than they were to her own. Various small villages dotted the landscape between them and if she had to, Nina would take Jordan to one of them. The tribes of Sargaidia had yet to come together as a whole to stand against the others. Instead, they maintained an often-fragile peace. Some, like hers embraced technology and its advantages; others did not, and believed the destruction of their world would come from those who did. And some simply pretended to operate as normal when in truth they had long since fallen under the thumb and control of Stegian.

Their situation was grim but doable.

She returned to Jordan’s side and touched the gash on his head. It had already started to heal.

He moaned softly. “Nina. Have…to help Nina.”

She smoothed his shaggy blond hair from his face. “I’m here. Right here.”

He opened his eyes and blinked several times before squinting up at her. “We dead?”

A nervous laugh escaped her. “No. We’re very much alive.”

“Explains why my head feels like it’s splitting.” He tried to sit up but fell.

She caught him, steadying him. “Rest a moment.”

Ignoring her, he pushed to his feet and swayed, using a hand to steady himself on the cargo bay wall. “I’m going to fucking rip Pheebes’s head from his shoulders. I’m gonna—”

“Pheebes? Why would you want to hurt him?” It hit her then. “Wait, you cannot possibly think he was responsible for the explosives.”

Jordan huffed. “Yeah, I can. He’s pissed about us, Nina. And he’s upset with you for pretty much laughing in his face at the idea of his wanting to marry you.”

She shook her head. “I don’t care how upset with me he is. He wouldn’t do this.”

“You can’t know that,” Jordan said harshly. “I get you had a thing for him, that you spent however long fucking him, but open your damn eyes.”

She stared at him. “Vasil, Pheebes lost his parents and his younger sister when a craft they were on crashed. He was left all alone, no family remaining, and only barely old enough to join the guards. He not only wouldn’t take someone’s life this way, he wouldn’t dare board this shuttle. Have you failed to notice that I’ve never once put him on guard rotations on Alpha Brig Three? That he is the only one of my men who has never even set foot upon the vessel?”

Jordan stilled. “Are you telling me he was on the same craft his family died on?”

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