Page 96 of Her Lawless Prince

“I have a directive to protect the Cysgodian people,” Yevgen repeated.

“You can, from the Var palace,” Payton insisted. “I promise, I won’t stop until—”

“He means these Cysgodian people,” Rick interrupted, motioning his hand at the pods.

“Yes, I have a directive to protect the Cysgodian people.” Yevgen kept himself defensively in front of the shells. “I will protect my brethren. You will not destroy them.”

“They’re not—” Nyle started to say they weren’t alive, but a knock sounded in the little girl’s pod followed by the boy. Soon more noise filled the storage facility, reaching deep into where the lights did not shine.

“All right, space cadets, it’s time to get moving,” Rick ordered. “Nyle’s children are waking up and I, for one, don’t want to face your cyborg prince’s virus army.”

“They’re not my children,” Nyle said, leaning to see into a nearby window. A cyborg adult moved, lifting his arms like a baby discovering his limbs for the first time.

“They’re my children. As Prince Yevgen of Cysgod, I must protect them,” Yevgen stated.

“Fair enough, your highness,” Rick said. “Yevgen, buddy, good to see you, but we have to fly.”

Rick walked quickly to leave the room, and they could hear his voice calling to connect with Dev and Jackson who had gone quiet.

Nyle looked at his monitor. The air supply had gotten low.

“You’re not coming?” Payton asked softly, moving toward her friend. “Is this really goodbye?”

“Never, my love. We will establish communications between Cysgod and Qurilixen. My brethren and I will monitor for the day when the virus is no longer a threat and the old Cysgodians can rejoin the new.”

The sound of opening pod doors clanked in the distance.

“You should go now,” Yevgen said. “I must help my subjects.”

“I love you, Yev.” Payton hugged him. “Thank you for your friendship. Thank you for saving Nyle.”

The lights on her suit turned yellow.

“Payton,” Nyle said. “Our air. We have to leave now.”

“Nyle, take care of her,” Yevgen stated. “That is your primary directive.”

Nyle nodded. “Thank you, Yevgen. For everything.”

The sound of heavy footsteps began filling the storage room. Nyle gently placed his hand on Payton’s back to guide her back into the lab so they could leave. She hesitated as if she wasn’t ready to say a final goodbye.

The children stepped out of their pods and looked up at him. Their eyes flashed with colors.

Nyle nudged Payton harder, urging her to walk ahead of him. Once they started moving, they didn’t stop. They passed through the hidden door in the lab’s wall and then past the workstations. There was no more time for him to reminisce.

The yellow on Payton’s suit deepened to brown. Nyle glanced down and saw he was still green.

“Payton, check your monitors,” he said.

She grabbed her controls and said, “I’m almost out of air. How am I almost out?”

Nyle turned on his chest light and checked her suit while pushing her to keep walking. “Did you snag it on something?”

“No, I…”

“Claws?” he asked.

“No, I’ve been careful,” she insisted, sounding panicked.

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