Finally, the farmlands and fields of rainbow-colored flowers gave way to the forests near Citadel. They’d be home soon.
Night had fallen, and auroras filled the sky in greens, blues, and pinks—dancing and dipping. Every night, thanks to the planet’s strong magnetic field, they were witnesses to the extraordinary lights in the sky.
The mountains and Citadel appeared.
The mountains formed a roughly circular valley, and the city of Citadel was nestled inside. The rugger drove up the large, stone bridge leading to the fortified entrance to the city.
The gates opened and they drove through.
Every time he saw his city, Rhain’s chest filled with warmth. Buildings of gleaming white stone cascaded down the sides of the mountains, and large terraces cut into the cliffs bustled with life. Towers speared into the air, topped with roofs of red and gold metal. Trees grew in pots and garden beds dotted all over the city.
They drove over a bridge, crossing over the lake in the center and headed for the royal palace.
This was where Rhain had grown up, knowing he would one day rule. His mother had refused to let him go to Zavir and Rhain had been happy to stay here. This was his home.
Several palace guards stood to attention at the palace’s main entrance, waiting for them.
An older man stood to the side, a floating stretcher beside him. The medica had dark skin, gray hair cut short, and pale-blue eyes. He was old, an extremely talented healer, and generally straight forward to the point of rudeness. Not that Tavith cared. He only cared about healing his patients.
Rhain climbed out of the rugger, carrying the still unconscious woman in his arms. He was strangely reluctant to let her go. There was something about her…
He wasn’t sure what. He couldn’t sense any energy off her. Like most visitors to Zhalto, she wasn’t adapted to their planet, unable to use its energy field.
“Auroras above.” The medica’s eyes widened, taking in the woman. “What have you brought me, Overlord?”
“We found her in the ruins of her crashed ship.”
“Bring her.” Tavith waved at the stretcher.
Rhain set her down.
The medica frowned. “She isn’t Zhalton.”
“No. Can you tell her species?”
The medica touched his projecta band and his screen projected up in the air. He studied the data and then shook his head. He held a palm over her face, just off her skin.
Rhain felt a flare of energy and saw a faint green glow on the man’s hand. The medica pulled energy to him, manipulating it to assess and heal.
Rhain could manipulate it to kill.
All Zhaltons could access the energy field, to varying degrees. Some barely felt it at all, while others from the powerful houses bred and trained their children to strengthen their abilities.
The Zhalton royal family were the strongest wielders of all.
“I don’t know what she is, but she needs to be in my medica ward.”
Rhain waved to Thadd to handle the fighters, and followed the medica as Tavith pushed the stretcher into the palace. Rhain barely took in the wide corridors and arched, ornate ceilings. His boots echoed on the shiny, polished tile as they walked past a row of huge, narrow windows giving a beautiful view of Citadel and her waterfalls and lake.
The medica ward was large and airy, with several rooms located off a central, circular healing area. Tavith pushed the stretcher into position near a trolley filled with medical equipment. Zhalton medicas used a combination of technology and energy manipulation to heal.
Tavith unfastened the woman’s dark-blue suit. “These are claw marks.”
“A hexid attacked her,” Rhain said. “She killed it.”
The medica’s head whipped up, brow creasing. “She what?”
“She killed it. With a piece of metal from her wrecked ship.”
The medica stared at the woman. “Where is she from?”
“A question I want answered.” Rhain paused. “After you’ve healed her, she needs to be restrained.”
A scowl bloomed on Tavith’s face. “Rhain—”
“I know you don’t like it, but she could be dangerous. A trap sent by my father.”
The medica released a breath. “Zavir is getting desperate. He wants you to bend.”
“I have no intention of bending, and no intention of seeing more of my people die.”
The Zhylaw attack on the Renkitis Outpost had been brutal and bloody. The hexids, and another Zhylaw creature called a cupra, had torn the people apart—every man, woman, and child.
A muscle ticked in Rhain’s jaw. He saw the dead in his nightmares.
The people he’d failed.
“Rhain.” Tavith touched his arm. “Renkitis was not your fault.”
“I am the overlord. It is my job to protect my planet and her people.”
“You do that. Every day. You give more than is sometimes wise. If you push too far…” The medica looked away.
Yes. Rhain was very aware that he had his father’s blood in him. If he pushed too far, he’d lose control of that darkness inside. Give in to the power-hungry need to grab for more.
He would not turn into his father.
He glanced at the woman, and steeled himself. She’d been fierce awake, but now, she looked vulnerable.
He hardened his heart. “Heal her and then restrain her. Let me know when she’s awake. I’ll lead the interrogation.”
Tavith’s blue eyes flared. “You can interrogate her in the morning. Go.”
Rhain raised a brow. “Who’s the overlord here?”
“In my medica ward, it’s me.” The old man had no qualms about telling Rhain off.
Rhain shook his head. He’d get his answers in the morning.
Mal woke and blinked at the octagonal tile pattern on the white ceiling.
Where the hell was she?
She moved on the bunk. She felt no pain. No aches. She actually felt really rested.
Weird. She was pretty sure the last thing she remembered was pain.
And a big, hot guy with silver eyes.
Wait.
She jerked up to a sitting position, and something wrenched on her left wrist.
What the—?
A glowing band of red energy had her tethered to the side of the bed. She tugged on it and the band tightened until she winced. She stopped moving and the band loosened a little.
Mal looked around, her pulse racing.
It looked like some sort of infirmary. She could see out to several rooms with more empty bunks. Long, elegant windows revealed a sun-drenched sky.
Fuck.
Everything came back to her in a rush.
The fierce creature attacking her.
The crash.
Poppy.
Mal’s mouth went dry. She had to find Poppy.
“Hello?” She jerked on the binding again. She slipped off the bunk and realized that she was only wearing her sports bra and panties. Her flight suit was missing.
The floor was smooth stone, but it was warm under her bare feet.
“Don’t panic,” she whispered. “You’re alive. You’re going to find Poppy.”
She remembered that she’d had a metal shard in her belly, and that damn creature had clawed her.
She touched her stomach.
Nothing. No pain. No marks. No scars.
She yanked on her wrist again. The bunk moved an inch, but the damn energy band tightened again.