Page 49 of Revenge of the Forgotten

The ring still sat on the floor.

Arlet glanced at it and then back to Vega. “Because I hoped that if Bridger saw it, he’d falter, that something in him might crack… and it did.” Arlet crossed her arms across her chest.

“What?” Vega felt like she’d worn this question dry—like a child constantly asking her mom, “What?” and “Why?”

“When you went unconscious, I had to fight them both. I managed to stab Bridger and knock Meyer out long enough to get under Bridger’s skin.” Vega listened intently, her hands starting to shake. “He saw the ring. I told him that you’d been seeing him, and then he let us go. That’s how I got you back here. Bridger let us go.” Arlet lost confidence when she admitted that, her posture slacking. “I’m strong, I know that, but I didn’t stand a chance against him. Bridger is the strongest warrior this realm has ever seen. With or without his powers, he was going to tire me out and kill me. The ring saved us.”

Khort’s jaw dropped—apparently, Arlet had been keeping a few secrets from him.

“I got back through the portal with you, and you started seizing. Somehow Halo, a Fraus-born you haven’t met yet, found us. He got us back before I lost you. We don’t have another fifteen years for me to find you again. I can’t be gone for another six months, a year. We have to get this right this time, Vega.”

“Why wouldn’t you tell me that Bridger let you two go?” Khort asked, hurt breaking through his anger.

“In case you haven’t noticed, you’re not Bridger’s number one fan, so I don’t particularly like talking about him with you. And I wanted Vega to know before you, or at least tell you both at the same time.”

Khort rolled his eyes. “Don’t think that him having a little moment of weakness means he’s back on our side.”

“No shit,” Arlet conceded.

Khort’s nostrils flared, and Vega knew that he was going to let Arlet have it later. “We’ve been keeping you in my room, only allowing our closest healers to work on you. We weren’t ready for the rumor mill to start. Our people need to see you strong, ready to fight. They’re getting tired, beat down.”

Vega’s head started to pound. “Don’t you think our people should give me a little grace? I’m being put through the wringer here.” Vega was exhausted, and it was only the beginning… Again. “What is this? My twentieth life?” Vega chuckled, but the air around her turned serious. “I’ve got a lot to catch up on. Starting with why the man who used to love me is working with the sister who’s trying to kill me.”

“He gave up on you,” Khort clipped, changing the subject quickly. “This is all new to you for now, but to them, to our people, you’ve had plenty of time, and now it’s running out. There is no more time for grace. They’re getting antsy. I told you earlier that you’re the face of hope, but not everyone feels that way. Fifty-five years is a long time to have hope for something, for someone who never delivers.” His posture was stiff, every muscle in his body rippling with tension.

“Ouch.” Vega’s voice sagged along with her shoulders.

Arlet frowned, staying quiet, but Khort stepped forward and reached for her. “I’m sor?—”

Vega held a hand up. The pounding in her head grew between her temples. She didn’t need to hear apologies just for the sake of her feelings. “Save it.”

Khort’s hand fell.

“I guess I better figure it out this time then, huh?” The laugh that sawed out of her mouth was sad. She’d gone from a loser on Earth to an even bigger disappointment here in Tolevarre.

Arlet gave Khort another look—they were really good at communicating silently. “You’re not in this alone. We’ve all failed, but we’re on the right side of this. It’s not over yet.”

Yet.

The word hung over the three of them like a sinking ship ready to disappear below the water for the last time. Vega would eventually be that ship, gone forever, along with the hope of the people who were rooting for her—who needed her.

Without her memories, Vega couldn’t remember the love she felt for these people and the realm she’d been fighting tirelessly for.

“Before we do anything, before I smite anyone, I need my memories back so that I can make this choice for myself.” Vega was terrified. For what? She didn’t know. Those memories were hers to have.

Vega had lived so many lives—who had she been in the last life? The one before that? Who was she in her original life? Arlet had commented on how much like herself Vega was in this life, but what if she were more now? All of her lives had to add up to something.

Khort nodded in response.

Arlet grinned. “Memories, here we come!”

19

“Tell every single one of my soldiers they have ten minutes to meet in the indoor training center or I’ll start removing limbs.”

The soldier guarding the entrance to Vincere nodded, eyes wide. “Yes, Commander.”

Bridger’s threats were never taken lightly.

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