Page 41 of Adtovar
George laid a small hand on my shoulder. “I will also have a cot brought in. You need rest as well.”
I offered him an appreciative smile, though I had no plans to rest despite not closing my eyes since Maddie got injured. I was afraid that if I closed my eyes, she would be gone forever when I opened them again. However, when George returned with a cot along with a tray laden with steaming stew and freshly baked bread from the dining hall, I gave into thecomfort of the moment, savoring each bite of the hearty meal before settling onto the cot. My initial resolve remained firm—simply to lie down without succumbing to sleep—but the softness of the bedding and my exhaustion made it increasingly difficult to resist the pull of slumber.
When I opened my eyes again, the ship’s lights were slowly brightening, indicating the start of a new day.
Nothing had changed with the Garoot Healer. The lights continued their rhythmic dance, flashing vivid green and yellow, signaling Maddie’s healing. I rose to my feet, moving nearer to the cylindrical machine, needing to feel closer to her. Peering through the small, glass window, I saw her floating unconscious, but the once charred and blackened patches of her skin had smoothed, now holding a deep reddish hue. New curls sprouted, spiraling gently around her face, replacing those singed and lost.
At the gentle swish of the door sliding open, I turned my head, expecting to see George or one of the females coming for a visit. Instead, Duke Ako strode into the medi-bay, his presence commanding in the dark green and blue hues of his captain’s uniform. After bringing everyone aboard theHistoria, he’d traveled to the planet’s surface to sift through the layers of corruption and determine Bozzo’s fate. His expression held resolve, but dark shadows rested under his blue eyes, revealing the weight of the decisions he had yet to make.
I made to turn and salute, but Ako waved away my attempt at formal respect. “How is she?”
“George says she will heal.” I peered through the tiny window once more, wanting to confirm the signs of her recovery were real and not a figment of my hopeful imagination. “It will take time, though.”
Ako came to stand beside me. “Human females are the most remarkable creatures. They have the most delicate bodies yet possess the spirit and courage of the invincible.”
“Yes,” was all I offered in answer. Like me, Ako loved a human female. But unlike me, he lost his mate, Helene. He’d given her up to assure her safety. I could only imagine the agony he’d felt at their parting.
We stared at the Garoot Healer in silence for a few minutes before Ako exhaled a long, weary breath. “The arena is destroyed.”
That didn’t surprise me. After seeing what happened to Maddie, the females had grown a littlebomb happyas we made our escape. “And Bozzo?”
“In the brig,” Ako grinned. “Based on the records we found, we were able to arrest him for trafficking in human slavery, racketeering, theft, fraud, and a dozen more crimes. He’ll be sentenced to a prison planet for life.”
“Good,” “I grunted and admitted. “Although I’d love a moment or two alone with him.” While he never laid a finger on Maddie directly, Bozzo’s decision to bring in the Ungeheuer for my last fight ended up nearly killing my mate. My hands itched to make him pay for the pain he caused her.
“I believe I can arrange that."
I snapped my head toward Ako, only to catch him with a sly, knowing smile playing at the corners of his lips.
“Don’t tease,” I grumbled. Ako—for all the falsehoods spread by his enemies—was a good and just ruler. “I know you won’t let mebeat his ass.” The human vernacular I used made me smile.
“No more than a punch or two.” Ako’s grin deepened for a moment before his expression grew serious. “I did stop by with an ulterior motive.”
“What?” I folded my arms across my chest, curious. From the corner of my eye, I caught George entering the room, making a beeline to check the output of Maddie’s progress from the myriad of controls and displays on the Garoot Healer.
“Bozzo has asked for an audience.”
I took in Ako’s words with a disbelieving snort. “Surely, he will not refute the charges against him.”
“There’s too much evidence for that,” Ako agreed, crossing his arms over his chest. His gaze followed George as the young healer fiddled with the controls on the machine.
“What could he want?” I asked half-heartedly, watching George as well.
“I do not know, but I would like you to accompany me to his cell.”
I jerked my gaze back to Ako to find him studying me curiously. “Why?”
He shrugged and settled atop a nearby stool. “You have far more experience interacting with Bozzo. I would like your insight regarding his behavior and comments.”
I shook my head, my gaze darting from Ako to the Garoot Healer, drawing a heavy sigh from the Duke.
“I know you have mated and that it will be difficult to leave her side. I would not ask this of you if I did not think it necessary.”
George turned away from his machinations, black eyes darting between me and Ako. “Maddie is stable and healing nicely. There is no longer a need for constant vigil.”
“I need it,” “I snapped at him.
George let out a long, weary sigh, as though tending to patients—and their exasperating mates was an everyday and tiresome nuisance.
