Page 96 of The Queen

“You need to go with Valyx. Your horse will be more use with me on the lead line to make a bigger heat signature. I’ll meet you in the city.” He turned his attention to Valyx. “Take care of our queen. No matter the cost.”

Lex grabbed Valyx by the back of the neck and drew him down into a blistering kiss. It was rare that they showed affection for one another in public and it just underlined the seriousness of the situation.

When he pulled away, the way he looked up at Valyx and Saphyra had my heart squeezing in my chest.

“What, no kiss for me?” I joked, trying to lighten the mood, but I choked on the bitter words.

This felt like a goodbye.

Grey shook his head, and the corner of Valyx’s lips twitched, which was as close to a smile as I could’ve hoped for. But no one laughed, not even me.

The hum was getting louder and the woodland critters were silent. A glint of sun off metal flashed through the trees.

There was no way he could get away from starfighters once they saw him. The math didn’t math.

“We need to move,” I said as my horse danced sideways, and I gave Lex a look. My lips parted to call him out on this suicide mission, but seeing me about to continue, he subtly shook his head, stopping me from saying a word.

Fucking asshole was going to get himself killed, and I was sure he wouldn’t want Saphyra to worry about him. I understood, but didn’t he understand that we would all be worrying about him, too?

Grey maneuvered his mount closer. “If they’re looking for Saphyra, Lex won’t fool them alone, even if he does know where he’s going. Saphyra, give me your cloak.”

Saphyra reached for the clasp at her throat before she stopped herself. “What do you need my cloak for?”

Grey held out his hand expectantly. “You know what I need your cloak for.”

“No, you can’t have it. You can’t go. They’ll kill you.” She clutched the cloak tighter around herself.

“I have to, little one. They are going to be looking for someone small. An alpha would never fool them, but a beta might.” Grey was being very reasonable, but Saphyra’s anxiety was thrashing like a rabid wild cat in my chest.

The wind shifted, and a buffet of warm exhaust rushed through the trees.

As much as I didn’t want anyone else to be at risk, Grey made a good point. It hurt me to say it, but Saphyra’s safety had to come first. “We’re out of time, princess. You have to give Grey your cloak. He’s right. They need to think you’re with Lex.”

She ripped it off and shoved it at him. The horses snorted uneasily but didn’t fuss as Grey drew the cloak around his shoulders and pulled the hood up.

“Bring Grey back to me,” Saphyra pleaded.

Lex looked at her for a long moment. “I promise.”

Valyx spun his horse to the north and called over his shoulder as Lex and Grey picked up the pace eastward. “No matter the cost.”

I had a sinking feeling that the cost was higher than Saphyra would have agreed to if she fully understood. I echoed Valyx’s words under my breath as I turned northward, following behind. “No matter the cost.”

Chapter Sixty

Alexi

Fuck. What did I just do?

Sacrificing myself was one thing, but putting Grey in danger alongside me was another.

Clods of dirt kicked up from my horse’s pounding hooves, and Grey sputtered behind me as the suns’ light broke through the tree cover, glaring in our eyes. It was like a spotlight on the plume of dust the three horses’ frantic gallop stirred in our wake.

Good.

Look at us. Don’t look at them.

Valyx, Axion, and Saphyra were headed north, deeper into the woods under a thick canopy of evergreens, but if the starfighters didn’t focus on our distraction, they had a chance of picking up the other group’s heat signatures.

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