Amid Stars and Darkness (The Xenith Trilogy #1)

“We’ll be there in a moment,” he told him, waiting until they were alone before stepping close enough to her that she felt his body heat. Taking both of her hands, he rubbed his thumbs over her knuckles comfortingly. “Are you ready for this?”

“To see the person who did this to me?” She sighed, embarrassed that she was torn between wanting to cry and scream. The emotions had hit her so suddenly, she was a bit blindsided by them. “I can’t tell. On the one hand, I hate her. Yet, on the other … I wouldn’t have met you if she hadn’t done what she did.”

She’d voiced that opinion to him before, but now that they were actually so close to meeting with the Lissa, she felt herself flip-flopping between understanding where Olena’s actions had stemmed from and wanting to rip her face off.

“Her face, huh?” Ruckus grinned even while she groaned. “You haven’t made a slip like that in a while.”

That was true; she’d gotten a hang of the whole telepathic thing rather quickly. “I’m going to miss being able to do that,” she admitted, meeting his gaze. “Having secret conversations with someone is kind of awesome.”

His mirth dropped away. “Delaney—” Swearing, he stopped abruptly and cocked his head. He’d steeled himself all over again when the conversation in his head ended. “They’re here. It’s now or never. If you don’t want to do this, you can always stay here. There’s no real reason for you to have to see her.”

As tempting as that option was …

“I’m not going to hide out like I’m afraid of her,” she told him firmly. “She did this to me; now she has to deal with me.”

The corner of his mouth turned up slightly, bringing back a little snippet of his good mood. “That’s my girl.”

Her heart panged in her chest at the comment, but he was already turning away, so she brushed it aside. In little more than two days, he’d be dropping her off in Maine, and they’d go their separate ways. Her fingers tightened around his instinctually.

When he frowned over at her, she pretended not to notice.

She half expected to find Olena in the four-way stop, the same place Trystan had ambushed them with his guards on their first trip, but when they reached it, it was empty. They continued on and came to a stop in front of a wall that was mostly made up of a large metal door. She assumed that was where the other spaceship attached, allowing passengers to safely pass through both structures.

Ruckus opened the door, a loud grinding sound filling the room and adding to her discomfort. Not soon after, five figures appeared around the bend, heading toward them.

Delaney wasn’t ready for what she felt when her eyes finally locked on to the Lissa. She’d been expecting anger, disgust, even pity, but she hadn’t been prepared for the regret.

Pettus was standing tall next to four other Vakar Tellers, all men.

One of them had his hand wrapped tightly around Olena’s right arm. His chin was up, shoulders back, and there was a tight expression on his face that instantly told everyone around him that he was done playing games.

Olena herself was in a pair of blue jeans and a loose-fitting white T-shirt. The logo for some band was written across it in green and black, the material too faded to make it out. Her nails were painted in dark pink polish that was chipped; gray sneakers covered her feet. Her black hair was longer than it had been when they’d bumped into each other, just a ways past her thin shoulders now.

“You look like you just came from club Star Light.” Delaney wasn’t sure why she said it; the words just sort of slipped out. Really, though, what was one supposed to say to the girl who’d stolen her life?

“And you look like me.” Olena seemed like she was thinking about leaping out of the Teller’s hold to attack Delaney but was holding back. Even through the fury, it was hard to miss the lingering fear in her eyes.

It was a bit strange that Delaney still appeared like Olena, but they couldn’t risk using the device to reverse the process until they were 100 percent certain they’d gotten the real Olena Ond this time.

“Do you know how many lives you put in danger?” Ruckus demanded. “Including the ones you wanted so desperately to live among back on Earth. If Delaney hadn’t agreed to play along with your ruse, we’d probably all be dead now.”

The Lissa looked at him, and a range of emotions played across her pale face. It was so obvious that she’d missed him, and that she was hurt knowing he was partially to blame for her being dragged back here. Yet the anger was there as well, the arrogance. When she spoke, her voice dripped with venom.

“I saw an opportunity to be free, so I took it,” Olena stated. “And I don’t regret a single day I spent there instead of here. I tried to tell you what I wanted, but you wouldn’t listen to me. You remember, don’t you? I asked for your help, and you refused to give it.”

“That’s not what happened,” he argued. “You asked me to betray the Basileus, knowing full well what the consequences of that betrayal would be, not just for the both of us, but for everyone else.” He shook his head. “You still don’t get it, do you? What you put everyone through? What you put Delaney through?”

“She looks fine to me.” Olena stared at her. “You’re lucky, you know.”

“Because you turned me into a princess?” she asked incredulously.

“No.” She blinked back obvious tears. “Your picture’s all over the news in Maine. Has been since your disappearance. Your parents really love you.”

Delaney stilled, feeling sick to her stomach for multiple reasons. She was immediately excited that she’d get to see them soon. At the same time, she understood what Olena was trying to tell her, after having been in the company of both of her parents.

“Your situation isn’t ideal,” she agreed. “That doesn’t make what you did right.”

The Lissa clucked her tongue, the sound somehow coming off malicious instead of childish, like it would on anyone else over the age of five. “It was right for me, and that’s the only thing that matters.” She turned to Ruckus suddenly, clearly dismissing Delaney. “Tell your man to let me go. I’m starting to bruise.”

“Good,” Pettus said, and snorted, immediately clearing his throat when she set her glare on him.

“You’re not even sorry a little bit, are you?” Delaney wasn’t exactly surprised, but it would have been nice to see some regret. There was only the bitterness and the fear.

“Why are you even still here?” Olena took a threatening step closer, only to be yanked back. “You’ve used up your usefulness. Someone”—she addressed the room with an air of misguided authority—“get her out of here.”

“My thoughts exactly.” Ruckus motioned toward the guy holding her. “You know what to say when you get there, Mazus?”

“Yes.” The man nodded. “I’m more concerned with whether or not she does.” He shook Olena hard enough that her teeth clattered for emphasis.

“What I’m going to say,” she threatened, “is that you lot kidnapped me and placed an imposter in my stead!” She waved her entire hand at Delaney.

“Hey.” She crossed her arms over her chest, not the least bit offended. “You chose me.”

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