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He glanced towards Winn, who struggled to her feet. Relief and gratitude flooded him as he saw she was unharmed, her spirit unbroken.

“Winn,” he called out, his voice filled with tenderness. “Are you well?”

Winn, her eyes shining with tears, nodded, her voice choked with emotion. “I’m fine, Jo’Nay,” she whispered. “But the other women... The Marauders took them on one of their transport vessels. Idon’t know where.”

“I will go after them,” Zar’Ryn stated. “It is my duty.”

Jo’Nay’s eyes narrowed as he suddenly noticed the healthy white hair and amethyst-colored eyes of his Second. “Why has your appearance not changed for your Final Flight?” he demanded.

“If I mentioned apples and apple seeds, would that answer your question, First?”

“Are you sure, Zar’Ryn?” Jo’Nay asked in a low voice. “It goes against all the laws that govern the Intergalactic Warriors.”

“That is a discussion for later.” He lifted his chin the direction of the fleeing Marauder ships. “After I rescue the females.” His hard gaze returned to Jo’Nay. “Then you will have much to explain.”

Jo’Nay crossed to his mate’s side and gathered her close, before glancing back at Zar’Ryn. “You brought my ship?”

“Affirmative. Iam here,”Rory replied.

“Your AI has changed,” Zar’Ryn warned with a slashing grin. “I just hope those changes stay confined to your ship and don’t infect the Vengeance.”

“Hmm. Don’t count on it. Rory has a way of infecting all she comes in contact with.” He gestured to indicate Zar’Ryn’s changed appearance. “Including you, my friend.”

Suddenly, aroar filled the air and Skarrp appeared, charging across the holding bay, asword raised high. Jo’Nay shoved Winn into Zar’Ryn’s arms and turned to meet the Marauder head-on. He moved like a shadow, his Vettian sword slicing through the air with deadly precision. Their blades clashing in a shower of sparks. The metallic screech echoed across the bay as the Marauder twisted, aiming a brutal strike at Jo’Nay’s side. Jo’Nay sidestepped, his movements fluid and controlled, countering with a sharp upward swing.

“You fight like the Vettian lapdog you are!” Skarrp snarled, his blood-red eye narrowing. He lunged, his brute force nearly overwhelming Jo’Nay.

But Jo’Nay was faster. He ducked low, feinting to the left before striking upward. The blade connected, piercing Skarrp’s side and driving deep. The Marauder leader howled in agony, staggering back, blood spilling from the wound.

Skarrp’s bloodied hand shot to his side, his lips curling into a grimace of pain and fury. “You’ll regret that, warrior,” he spat, his free hand fumbling for his gauntlet.

Jo’Nay lunged, his blade arcing toward Skarrp again, but the Marauder raised his weapon in a desperate block. Sparks flew as Jo’Nay pressed the attack, their movements a violent blur. Skarrp twisted suddenly, his injured side slowing him just enough for Jo’Nay to slam the flat of his sword against the gauntlet. The device sparked and flickered, but before Jo’Naycould deliver another strike, Skarrp’s free hand slammed into a hidden panel, activating a signal.

“You think you’ve won?” Skarrp rasped, his voice thick with blood. “You’ve only ensured your failure.”

Jo’Nay’s blade flashed, slicing cleanly through the Marauder’s weapon and severing his gauntlet from his arm. Skarrp bellowed in pain, his strength faltering as his body sagged against the wall. Blood pooled beneath him, the wound in his side widening as his life drainedaway.

Jo’Nay took a step back, his chest heaving. Skarrp’s remaining eye burned with malice as his lips twisted into a final, mocking grin. “It’s done,” he wheezed. “I may not live to see it, but your fight is just beginning, thanks to me.”

He slumped to the ground, his body going limp as his breath rattled one finaltime.

Winn rushed to Jo’Nay’s side, her voice trembling. “What did he mean? What just happened?”

Jo’Nay’s gaze dropped to the severed gauntlet, its dim red light fading. “He sent a message. Asignal. Reinforcements, maybe worse.”

She wrapped her arms around his waist. “What are we going to do?”

He gathered her close, his gaze meeting Zar’Ryn’s over her head in silent communication. “We leave. Now.”

Chapter 19

WASTING NOtime, Jo’Nay loaded his mate onto his ship and headed for the med bay to have his wound repaired. They needed to leave the Nine Galaxies before Skarrp’s surprise showed up. The instant the med disc repaired and cleared him for duty, he headed for the bridge.

The air seemed to crackle with a palpable tension. He felt a tingling at the base of his skull, afamiliar harbinger of danger that had accompanied him through countless battles across the galaxies.

He glanced at Winn, his human mate, in a deep, exhausted sleep on the bio-lounge. Her delicate features were surprisingly peaceful, even more beautiful now that she carried his child.His child. Amiracle in defiance of Vettian law, and a symbol of the hope he dared to clingto.

“Rory,” he said, his voice barely audible, alow rumble that didn’t disturb Winn’s slumber. “Report.”

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