Page 101 of Princess

“Casualties?”

“We lost fifteen Shadow Warriors.One of the tunnel entrances exploded and took out half of them.”

King closed his eyes.

“You almost lost one more,” Axel said.“Your chest wound was a millimeter from your heart.”

“I have the best doctor in the whole damned world.Why would something like a little bullet worry me?”King asked with a smile in his voice.

“The two of you were made for each other.”

I reached my hand to King’s, and he squeezed my fingers.“Finally, something we can agree on,” I said.

∞∞∞

King

I watched the fourth aircraft fly off with Warriors onboard, heading back to the island.Desmond, who had a few bruises but was otherwise unhurt, was on the plane.Marinah and I would leave in a few hours.

Terry and his group didn’t return.Marinah sent out a team to look for them.But there was no trace of anyone including the commanders.All they found were the disabled vehicles.If Terry and his men died, they were now hellhounds.It saddened Marinah but there were no do overs.

Red stripes had laid down their weapons after our first attack on the tunnels.Several had died in the explosion that killed the Warriors.They hadn’t known about the explosives but it didn’t matter.They had decided not to support the president and small groups of them had been slipping away every week.Even without the war against the Shadow Warriors, the Federation was losing ground.

Marinah’s guard, minus me, systematically killed hellhounds they found in more semi-trucks.The red stripes helped.Nokita said some were their relatives.

Axel guarded the tent to make me lay on a cot while all the work was done.Marinah and her team located Lesley Barnes’ files.They also found cases of light pink serum that changed humans into hellhounds.Marinah stood by and watched everything burn.

I’d seen the thing Ace had become.If he thought he could control himself, he wouldn’t have wanted to die.He would receive a heroes funeral.

If there was a hell, Lesley and her husband resided there with their secrets.

We received news from the island several hours ago.Nikayla was safe, along with the other children.

Marinah wasn’t the only one who longed to hold our daughter.

∞∞∞

Twelve hours later…

We stepped off the plane.

Endura and Amissa stood watching us, Amissa holding a tiny bundle.Marinah had Nikayla in her arms a few seconds later.She hugged her to her chest until Nikayla began to fuss.

“We have a car waiting,” said Endura.

“She’s grown,” Marinah said in wonder.She glanced up at me.“Look how big she is.”Marinah’s eyes held a touch of sadness with the overwhelming joy.

We had been away for four days.

Nikayla was wrapped in a lightweight cotton blanket, and honestly, I couldn’t tell if she’d grown a quarter inch, but I grinned and took a slow, deep breath.Marinah was holding our child, and I could finally relax.I looked around.

“Where is Beck?”I asked.

“With Missy,” Amissa said.“She was injured in the battle.She lost three fingers, but she will survive.”

Axel walked over and peered at Nikayla.“She has grown,” he said.“We’ll need to weigh her.”

“Give me a day,” Marinah scolded.“You will not pry her from my arms for the next twenty-four hours.”

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