Page 90 of Alien Warlord's Fury

The constant intrusion of others' pain, the overwhelming sense of urgency that had driven me to recklessness—it was gone. In its place was a calm certainty, a connection to the Nexus that remained but no longer threatened to consume me.

Through our bond, I could feel Nirako's understanding—deep and wordless. He had witnessed my struggle, had stood beside me when the visions threatened to tear me apart. Now he shared in my relief, in the peace that came with finding balance.

One of the children stirred on a nearby pallet, a small sound of distress escaping. I turned my head, watching as an Aerie tender moved immediately to comfort the child, murmuring soft words in their language.

"They'll recover?" I asked.

Nirako nodded. "Their bodies, yes. Their spirits..." He paused, his expression solemn.

"They are strong. They survived Hammond. They will survive this too."

I swallowed hard, remembering the agony I'd felt through my connection to them—the way Hammond had used their natural link to the Nexus, amplifying their pain to feed his twisted experiments.

"I want to help them." My voice came out stronger than I expected.

"You already have." Nirako's hand covered mine briefly, a touch that sent warmth cascading through our bond. "You freed them. You stabilized the Nexus."

"The rest will come with time."

I looked around the temporary medical area, taking in the details I'd missed before. We were still near the Nexus chamber, in what appeared to be an antechamber that had been quickly converted for medical use. Pallets lined the walls, soft furs and blankets brought in from somewhere.

The air smelled cleaner than it had during our infiltration, the corrupted energy signature gone.

"Hammond?" I asked, though I already knew the answer. I'd seen his end.

"Gone." Nirako's voice held no regret, only certainty. "Consumed by his own corruption."

I nodded, a weight lifting from my chest. "Good."

Selene approached, her steps light despite the exhaustion evident in her face. "You're awake." She knelt beside my pallet, her skilled hands checking my pulse.

"How do you feel?"

"Weak. But... better." I glanced at Nirako, then back to Selene. "Different."

She nodded, understanding in her eyes. "Your connection to the Nexus has stabilized. The feedback loop Hammond created is broken."

Her fingers traced the silver markings on my arm, which remained steady under her touch. "These should no longer cause you pain."

"When can we move her?" Nirako asked, his tone making it clear he was eager to get me away from this place.

"Soon," Selene replied. "The transport is being prepared. We'll move everyone back to the settlement by nightfall."

I pushed myself up on my elbows, determined to sit despite the weakness in my limbs. Nirako moved instantly to support me, his arm sliding behind my back. The contact sent a wave of energy through our bond, his strength flowing into me.

"I can help with the children," I insisted.

Selene shook her head, a small smile playing at her lips. "Rest, Claire. You've done enough."

As she moved away to check on another patient, I leaned against Nirako's solid presence. Through our bond, I could feel his concern, his relief, and under it all, a deep current of something I wasn't ready to name.

"You should be resting too," I murmured, noting again the bandages that wrapped his torso. "You're injured."

"It's nothing."

"Liar." I could feel the pain he was suppressing, a dull throb that echoed through our connection. "I can feel it, remember?"

He huffed, a sound that might have been amusement. "Then you know it's not severe."

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