Were there any left?

I entered the massive room right behind him and followed his climb up the stairs to a small row of what looked like one functioning pod above. "Kevin, wait!" I hollered, not wanting him to escape. Was he a spy? There was no way I was gonna just let him ruin my life and get away with it!

He entered the pod, and a blow to my stomach pushed me back, and I tumbled into Lorvian's arms. Before I knew it, he was off, blasting away from the ship.

"Fire on that pod but do not destroy it!" Xil yelled into his comms device, and the pod whipped about once a blast of energy hit the tail end. "Good, prepare to retrieve the pod and take the occupant to my capital ship for interrogation."

Connor wasn't too far behind.

"What are you going to do to him?" I asked, trembling with fear and pain. Lorvian pulled me close to him to soothe me, and I breathed deep from the gut kick that nearly knocked the wind outta me.

"I informed them while we were chasing after you that he was not pregnant," Connor said from the back.

"What is this?" Xil approached and touched my ears. Lorvian pushed him back and stood in front of me.

"Nothing!" He said with a snarl.

I realized that when he kicked me back, my hood came off, revealing my pointed shell-like ears.

"Oh, I wouldn't say it is, little brother." He pulled his weapons, two crazy-looking blades from his sheath, and Lorvian followed.

"Connor, get Caspian to the ship."

"Lorvian!"

"Go!"

Connor grabbed me, pulling me away as Lorvian attacked.

Goddamnit! I couldn't leave him alone. "Connor, I have to stay—"

"These particular aliens are violent and strong; what could you do for him that he can't do for himself right now?"

I couldn't answer, so I let him whisk me away until we reached the ship. I felt useless as usual, and my confidence in everything deflated.

Connor sat next to Cormac, filling him in on the details when the airlock opened, and Lorvian had entered okay for the most part, if not for the bloody scar on the edge of his jaw.

"Fire on Xil's engines!" he ordered, standing at the podium and fiddling with the console. "Let the bastard stew there for a while."

Connor disappeared to the turret station, and it wasn't long before several blasts hit the tail end of the other ship.

Cormac controlled the ship, putting some distance between us and the Ignis.

What the heck was I thinking, trying to run away? Did he know that's what I was trying to do, or did it look like I was chasing down Kevin? Would Lorvian even believe me about his accusations? My uncertainty spoke volumes. Perhaps I didn't really trust him?

A bead of sweat rolled down my face, and a cold chill filled every bone. That damn stomach pain came again in waves, like ripples of something beating and thumping inside. I wanted to vomit, though I hadn't eaten anything. I rushed to our quarters and locked the door, but Lorvian wasn't too far behind.

"Caspian," Lorvian called to me from the other side. His voice was calm.

"Y—es," I replied. If I had to stay in this room forever, I would.

"Open the door; the danger has passed."

"I don't want to."

"Why? Is it about what that other human said about you?"

"He was lying!" I yelled, unable to keep myself in check. "Do you believe him?"