Page 78 of Shadow's Chosen

"I'm just going to take it one day at a time," Elise said. "What about you?"

Jerico reclined back. "Probably gonna start teaching self-defense and join a fighting league." He tapped on his leg, and it made a hard clinking noise. "Want to see what this bad boy can do."

"The new leg has been working well for you so far, huh?"

Jerico lifted his pant leg and revealed a thick metal calve. "The drogin have some impressive tech. Just glad they are still on our side."

"Me too," Elise said. She remembered when they had landed back on the station after leaving the energy deposit. There was some major concern at first, seeing as one of their head officials was working for Pyra. They had prepared to fight as soon as the ship grounded but, to their relief, were met with a crowd of drogin waiting to give their aid and support. It was there she learned that Councilman Qorey had disappeared, likely off the planet itself, when he learned the deposit had been compromised and that the new officials in charge were from a separate sector. After suspicions arose and investigations were under way after the attack on the gate, the drogin officials were looking to imprison any who were caught aiding the Red Blades. They had considered taking the remaining hunters into custody as well when Vijnn and Jazlin confessed they were in on the plot to trade the humans, but Elise convinced the officials to let them go and reward them their bounty for helping to take out the Red Blades and their leader. After that, the pair disappeared, never to be seen again.

The return to the station had also led to the discovery of Adrien and Jerico's survival. She remembered when they first reunited, seeing Jerico with his new leg and Adrien beside him had been the first real joy she had felt since their escape. Soldiers who had survived the attack had found them and brought them to the nearest medical center. They spent the whole of the mission recovering. Jerico claimed he was rather pissed about missing the whole thing, but Elise didn't believe him.

"I'm glad the drogin were there to help us. And I'm glad everyone got out, even if not entirely in one piece," he said, smiling. His smile faded as he took another sip of his drink and studied her. "You were real brave trying to save the others, Stirling. I know...I know it’s hard for you to tell us what happened to you. Down in the undercity."

Elise drew her eyes away from his to look out the screen door across from them to the body of water beyond. Elise took one sip of her drink then stood, walking over to the open doorway. A soft breeze caught in her hair. There was no sense in not telling him, and if he wanted to judge her, so be it. Her feelings wouldn't change.

"I was with him the whole time... the head hunter, Nezka," she said. "He saved me from the gate collapse. He healed me. It was just him and me the whole way. I got to know him, and he taught me how to be a better fighter. I started to see him differently." Elise looked down at her glass. "He had been assigned to take us back to Xolis. I didn't find out until later. I thought he had betrayed us, but at the very end, he changed. He did that for me." Elise turned to Jerico, who was watching her carefully." And I wanted to be with him. I still do." Her throat tightened. "But all I have left is his blade. If he were here now, do you know what I would do?" She walked back over to stand in front of her friend and teammate and met his gaze. "I would go with him. Even if it meant never coming back here or returning to Earth. I would go with him and never leave his side."

Jerico stared up at her with a deep frown. He placed his glass beside him and reached out for her. Elise took his hands as he rose from his seat. He nodded slowly then pulled her to him. He hugged her tight, and Elise did the same.

***

The party consisted of her team sitting down by the outside bar in a central courtyard and drinking till sundown. Amy and Helen wore sundresses and hats, and the men wore suits. They drank and talked as the sun fell in the sky. Usually, a party at a bar would start later in the day, but half of the team's flights were in the early morning, and they wanted to have time to prepare. Elise sat by and watched them, smiling and laughing. She was there with them, but her mind wasn't. She would miss them, it was true, but she couldn't think of anything but what was going to happen after they left. She supposed she'd go down by the beach and just sit there watching the waves.

Adrien came to sit by her, placing his arm over the back of her chair. "I've decided that you’re second in command of the team. Jerico has willingly stepped down."

Elise snorted, shaking her head. "A little late for that."

Adrien smiled. "Who knows, with a war possibly starting, they might need us again after all."

Elise knew he was half-joking, but she couldn't bring herself to even smile. "I think I've had enough fighting for a while."

Adrien nodded. "I can understand that." He placed a hand on her shoulder. "But you'd be the best. Just know that. I'm proud of you, Stirling."

Elise gave him a little smile. "I will miss everyone."

Adrien patted her on the back. They talked till the sun could no longer be seen over the top of the buildings, then everyone started to head away from the bar back into the complex.

"I'm beat," said Tom. "I'll see some of you tomorrow."

"I'm calling it too," said Amy. "Got a long flight in the morning."

The others agreed. As they went their separate ways back to their own rooms, Elise said goodnight to each before returning to her own.

As she slipped inside the now dark room, she noticed she had left the screen door open. She walked over to shut it but then stopped to watch the sun set over the water. Loneliness overtook her. Like a child needing her comfort toy, Elise went to the bedroom and over to the drawer to take out Nezka's blade one more time. As she opened the drawer, she found it empty.

Panic rose and she looked around the drawer and underneath, thinking it might have dropped out, but found nothing. She checked the bed then under it. She flung the drawer aside, spilling the contents, but still, there was nothing. Her panic grew worse, and she began to fling objects and furniture around the room in her desperate search. When she looked in every possible place within her bedroom, she went into the common room to search some more then froze to peer back at the screen door.

"No," she said softly.

She rushed for the door and flew out onto the deck, searching high and low, left and right, but didn't see a single person. Someone must have seen the open door and went inside. They must have found the blade.

She ran off the deck and went out onto the beach, the wind whipping her hair into her face. She swatted it away and searched again but found no sign of anyone walking along in any direction. She turned back to the complex and saw a set of cameras along the roof. If she called security, they could check the feed.

Elise started back for her room, determined to kill whoever took it. She had to get it back, she had to...

"Starling."

Elise froze, her heart skipping a beat. She was hallucinating. That was all. From the panic.

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