Page 72 of The Warrior's Oath
CHAPTERTWENTY-EIGHT
By the time the adrenaline and shock of the whole situation finally began to wear off and realization of the scope of the danger had set in, poor Steve had already committed to the ballsy sneak attack on whoever it was that had taken the other human survivors.
Thinking about the sheer audacity of their mission, as well as the likelihood that they’d all be brutally killed, he had more than a few second thoughts sprinting through his mind. But they’d already covered a lot of ground and were close to the alien camp. To run away would likely mean capture or worse.
There was no turning back. Not now.
“How much farther?” he asked, his voice low, not only for stealth, but to hide the fear in it.
“The ground is rocky, but the signs of passage are clear enough,” Korvin replied. “I believe it is Raxxians we face.”
“Is that good or bad?” Steve asked.
Korvin gave a little shrug. “That all depends on their numbers. I also hear something akin to the mewling of animals.”
“Animals? We’re supposed to be looking for the others.”
“And so we are.” Korvin did his best to soften his next words, but he knew the impact would be substantial. “The sounds? I believe it to be the cries of the captives.”
Steve’s cheeks flushed. Whether it was fear, anger, or a healthy mix of both, no one was going to ask. He tightened his grip on his spear, his knuckles whitening from the pressure. “So what are we waiting for?”
Nyota watched their little rescue team’s latest addition with interest. She didn’t know how well he would fare once the shit hit the fan, but she was definitely a fan of his newfound zeal. Korvin’s look told a similar tale.
“We will take stock of their positions and numbers,” the alien said. “Then we will decide our next steps.”
Nyota expected him to do what he usually did after making some sort of proclamation of that sort. Namely, turn and walk off, expecting them to follow. But rather than immediately beginning their final approach, he instead turned and stepped close to her, drawing her near.
She felt the pull of the rune in her chest drawing her to him, somehow sensing his pulse as if it were her own. He leaned down and rested his forehead against hers.
“Korvin, what’s going on?” she asked, unexpected tears welling in her eyes, and not from sadness.
He gently wiped her cheek and kissed her tenderly. “You can feel it, I know.”
“Butwhatam I feeling?”
He pulled open the top of his tunic, then reached out and carefully did the same to the top of her shirt. At first, she didn’t know what he was showing her, but then the Infala rune on her chest twinged, drawing her eyes to its shifting lines.
It had grown since just the day before. Changed. Evolved. And, she realized, so had his. Their Infalas were both reshaping themselves, becoming the same design on each of their bodies. They weren’t quite identical yet, but it was plain to see it was only a matter of time. And with the speed this transformation had already occurred, it could be a short time at that.
Nyota felt a strong pull in her chest. One that spread through her entire body, drawing her closer to him. “What does it mean, Korvin?”
A genuine smile teased his lips, a tiny teardrop glistening in the corner of one eye.
“I had given up hope it would ever happen for me,” he said, emotion charging his voice. “After so long, all these years, I accepted my fate. I never thought I would—”
“Would what?”
The fire in his eyes flamed bright as he stared into hers. “Find her. You.”
“Me? What are you talking about?”
“It is certain now. Our Infalas are linked. They are becoming as one. Perhaps it was the Skrizzit’s error mingling our blood and pigment. Perhaps it was just fate. Whatever the reason, we are very soon to become bonded mates.”
“But—”
“You are my true love, Nyota. My only. My destined one. I accept that now. And I willalwaysprotect you. Keep you safe. I will never leave you again. Ever.”
The look of raw emotion and passion in his eyes was positively smoldering, even in the dangerous situation in which they currently found themselves. Maybe even more so because of it. Nyota felt her knees almost weaken, but something else triggered in her even more strongly.
