Page 122 of Zayrik

Through our bond, I felt the echo of Zayrik’s cold satisfaction, his absolute certainty that the threat was eliminated.

Dead.

After everything.

After years of running.

After nightmares and fear and constant looking over my shoulder.

Gone.

And yet, the relief didn’t come the way I expected.

Didn’t crash like freedom should.

Because I didn’t know how to stop running.

Didn’t know how to live without fear as my companion.

I swallowed hard. “How?”

Needing to know.

Needing to understand.

He hesitated. Just a beat.

“Protectorate breach team. I led them in before he could leave the station.”

I searched his face. “You waited?”

He nodded. “Barely.”

My gaze dropped to my lap.

He hadn’t gone alone.

Hadn’t let vengeance override strategy.

And somehow, that hurt and healed all at once.

Because he’d chosen to be smart instead of just deadly.

Had chosen to ensure he’d reach me instead of just rushing in.

“Where’s the crystal?”

The question that had driven everything.

That had started all of this.

“I gave it to the Commander. It’s already in Protectorate custody.”

I exhaled slowly.

That part was over.

The mission. The running. The constant fear of discovery.

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