Page 81 of Her Lawless Prince

“He’s in the medical booth. Strap yourself into the console seat.”

“Don’t tell anyone he’s on the ship.” Payton knew Grier and Roderic would only tell who was necessary. She could only hope Anwir kept his mouth shut until they were far enough away to disappear.

“This isn’t the first time I’ve smuggled a fugitive. I’ll show you the best places to hide on the ship once we’re sailing the black.” He jerked his thumb that she should go in without him. “I’ll clear us for the skies.”

“Thank you, Rick.” Payton rushed into the ship. She found Roderic pacing outside the medical booth room.

“What are we doing?” Roderic asked. Seeing her naked from the shift, he took off his shirt and tossed it at her.

“Nyle?” Payton glanced at the door as she pulled the material over her head. She retracted the fur of her half shift. She never thought she’d be willingly stepping back onboard a spaceship, let alone planning to take a trip in one.

“He’s in the booth.” Roderic stopped her from going into the room. “He’ll live. He was freezing from his shirtless ride with Grier. There is some brain swelling from where he must have hit his head after Yevgen stunned him. It also said he had residual drugs in his system. The booth recommended he be rendered unconscious because he kept trying to move around. The important thing is that he’s safe. Tell me what’s happening. What are we doing here?”

“Federation soldiers took the remains and left,” she said. “I heard them detect Nyle’s blood in Yevgen before the fire, but I don’t know what they’ll find when they analyze the ash, or how much time we have until they do. They might come looking for Nyle. They can’t find him.”

“How did they get Nyle’s bio profile?”

“I’m guessing it was in the laboratory records the Federation took from Cysgod. I have to wonder how much they’ve known from the beginning.” Payton frowned. The details of all of this didn’t matter. What’s done was done. “I have to get Nyle and Yevgen to safety.”

“And where is safety?”

She glanced upward.

“Payton, I looked at what was left of Yevgen. He’s not… It’s only a metal frame. I don’t think you’re going to find what you’re looking for.” Roderic glanced down the passageway as they heard the metal creak. “You have to prepare yourself for the possibility that you can’t revive him.”

“I have to believe there is a way to save him.” Payton held back her emotions, trying to keep rigid control of them. “He can’t end like this.”

Roderic saw through her façade. He smiled sadly and patted her arm. “All Yevgen wanted was to belong.”

“I don’t love him the way he wants me to.” Payton stared at her cousin, unable to keep the tears back as they spilled down her cheeks. “I mean Ididn’tlove him the way hewantedme to.”

“He knew he wasn’t your true mate. That’s why he kept asking to be a half mate. Yevgen knew you loved him in your way. He wanted to be looked at like he was alive, to be part of a family, to be a prince and a hero. You gave him that.”

“He took Nyle’s place on that pyre.” Roderic smiled sadly. “He chose to die a hero.”

“Why would he do that? Those two aggravated each other. Always bickering.” Payton ran her hands into her hair, pushing the length away from her face. “Maybe it just came down to his programming to protect the Cysgodians. I’m so angry at him.”

Roderic gave her a hug. “Payton, you don’t believe Yevgen was only programming. He did what any man of honor would do. He sacrificed himself for another’s happiness. He saw what the rest of us do. That you’re meant to be with Nyle.”

Her hands shook, and she pulled away from him. “I don’t know what to feel. I’m so mad at Yevgen for walking into danger and for not being here right now. I’m grateful for what he did in saving Nyle from execution. I couldn’t have lived if Nyle had died. But I want my friend back. I need to believe that it’s possible we can revive him. I have to at least try.”

The sound of footsteps boarded the ship.

“Strap in!” Rick’s yell carried through the passageway.

Roderic studied her face. He leaned his hand against the metal wall. “What are you planning?”

“Don’t ask.”

“You’re flying to Cysgod to look for the virus formula, aren’t you? And you think you can revive Yevgen while you’re there.” Roderic shook his head. “It’s quarantined. You can’t seriously think—”

She gave him a light shove. “Just get off this ship and go to your wife before Rick gets back. Justina will never forgive me if we kidnap you into space.”

“If you do something stupid,I’llnever forgive you.”

“Thank you, for everything, Roderic.” It was the closest she could come to goodbye. Anything more, and he would know she wasn’t planning on returning home. “Now get off the ship.”

Roderic started down the passageway, before turning to walk backward. He held his arms to the side. “Don’t let Rick fly you into a star. We need you back here, safe. The planet isn’t the same without you.”

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