Page 71 of Shadow's Chosen

Nezka didn't need to be told who was missing once the lights came back and the women were rounded up. As Pyra seethed beside him, Nezka felt the icy hold on his heart burn now with a deep vexation.

If it had been any other circumstance, he would have been thrilled to see that Elise had gotten away. He couldn't deny he was proud even to see that she still fought, that she hadn't given up despite everything.

But, be it as it was, he had greatly hoped to have had that moment with her alone in whatever quarters Pyra gifted him. Just so that he could talk to her, explain everything, tell her he was going to make things right. He had that sliver of hope when Pyra agreed to let him use his ship to bring the humans to Vesra. He knew he could have easily dropped the humans somewhere and taken Elise into hiding. Vesra had trusted him enough now through the years not to have his ship tracked. It would have been their best chance.

But he couldn't leave. Not without Elise. He couldn't leave her.

And not knowing where she was tore at him.

"Find her," Pyra spat to her men. "Break her if you must, but don't kill her. Bring her to me when she is found."

The men scattered. The women were taken back to their room, and the rest of Pyra's men began their search.

Nezka wasn't going to just stand there and wait. "A waste to have all these men look," he said, feigning arrogance. "Let me search. I can track better than all combined. If anyone can find her, it's me."

Pyra seemed to think it over. "All right. Go. But if I find you trying to leave the building, I'll make sure you go back to Vesra in pieces. "

Nezka put a smile on his face for good measure. "Has your trust in me slipped away already?"

Pyra gave him a venomous glare before returning his smile. "Just a precaution, my friend."

Nezka stepped away and started for the door Elise had been closest to. As he slipped into the passage, he knew he would break bones before letting someone harm Elise again. He needed to find her first. She would fight him when he did, but he was prepared for that.

As he stalked the halls and found the other Red Blades searching, he ordered them away, fixing them with his meanest, most ass-kicking glare ever. They didn't argue. He was in the darkest mood he'd ever been in, and the urge to throttle each one of them was a hard temptation to fight.

As he went through every unlocked room, he knew once he found her, he needed to convince her to let him take her and the others aboard his ship. She wouldn't go easily, but he was beginning to feel fine with that. He had made his decision. He wasn't going to let her be taken. Not by anyone.

The humans were coming with him and not back to Xolis.

As he stepped into another darkened room and saw it was empty, he heard someone coming up behind him. When he turned around, he saw it was Vijnn.

The corax stared back at him, fear still showing in his eyes. "I'm sorry," he said.

"I know." And Nezka did. With the look on Vijnn's face and the marks on his throat, it wasn't hard for Nezka to put two and two together. They had tortured him.

"Tell me what to do," Vijnn said.

Nezka looked away, thinking. "I have a plan that I hope will work without the need for a confrontation. However, I can't assume nothing might happen." Nezka glanced back at him. "If we are to fight, I need to know you will be on my side, no matter what."

The corax bowed his head. "I will do whatever you ask of me."

"Good. If and when a fight happens, I want you to message Silfres and Jazlin and tell them to attack the outside just as planned. Then we will get the humans out. Lead them to the ships we saw in the warehouse."

"But if the shields are still up, we won't be able to fly one out of the undercity, possibly not even from the building itself," Vijnn said.

"Don't use it to fly. Not right away. Use whatever the ship has for its attack system. They are equipped with gun pods and launchers. I saw for myself when we passed them in the warehouse. They are battle-grade ships and should be able to take heavy fire if need be. Take out every Red Blade you see, and wait for me and the others."

"What will you do?" Vijnn asked.

"I'll make for the control room and see if I can somehow power down the shields."

"This is assuming we can even get past every one of these guys," Vijnn stated.

"True. Which is why I'm hoping it won't come to a fight. But if it does, this may be our only other chance." Nezka rubbed a hand over his eyes. "Just be ready. If nothing else, make it your sole purpose to get the humans out and as far away from here as you can. Will you do that even if I'm unable to go on for whatever reason?"

The corax gave him an odd sort of look. "Would it not be less of a risk to just wait for Vesra's ship? I mean, it sucks that he's forced to bargain with that bitch of a sister but it beats having to fight them." Vijnn frowned. "Or are you trying to say you want us to...actually save these humans?"

Nezka dropped his hand and looked at him. "Would you betray my command again if I said yes?"

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