Page 68 of Legacy for the Alien Warrior

She took the container, examining the tiny device inside. “This is sophisticated tech. The incision site needs proper medical attention.”

“I did what I could, but yes.” He glanced toward the kitchen. “We need professional help.”

“Elrin might know someone.”

He nodded. “My thoughts exactly. But we should move quickly. I encountered another hunter on our way back. I doubt he was the last.”

“I’ll pack some essentials.” She hesitated, then placed her hand on his arm. “Thank you. For bringing her back.”

His tail curled around her wrist, a gesture that had become familiar and comforting. “I would never have returned without her.”

The simple declaration settled in her chest like a warm stone. She stretched up on her toes and pressed her lips to his. “I know.”

Elrin’s homewas quiet when they arrived, but lights glowed warmly from within. The elderly Treveloran answered their knock with surprising quickness, orange crest feathers ruffling with concern when he saw their expressions.

“Trouble follows you like a shadow, Thraxar,” he said, ushering them inside. “Come, come.”

Thraxar explained the situation while she kept the children occupied in Elrin’s garden. Rory was fascinated by the strange flowering plants that seemed to respond to movement, closing their petals when approached then slowly reopening. Talia watched him with fond amusement, occasionally joining his exploration.

“The wound needs proper treatment,” she said when Elrin examined the back of Talia’s neck. “And we need to make sure there aren’t any other tracking devices.”

Elrin’s beak-like nose twitched. “I know someone at the medical center. Discreet, excellent with children. She’ll help without asking unnecessary questions.”

“How soon?” Thraxar asked.

“I’ll contact her now.” Elrin moved to a communication panel. “You should all rest here tonight. The medical center will be quieter in the morning.”

She watched as Elrin prepared beds for them all, his movements slow but precise. The children fell asleep quickly, exhausted by the day’s events, but Thraxar insisted on keepingwatch, positioning himself where he could see both the door and the sleeping children.

“You should sleep too,” she told him, settling beside him on the small sofa.

“Later.” His gaze remained fixed on the door.

She leaned against him, drawing comfort from his solid presence. “You know, when I woke up and found Talia gone, all I could think was that I’d failed her. Just like I failed to protect Rory from being taken in the first place.”

His tail curled around her waist. “You have never failed either of them. You have fought for them every step of the way.”

“So have you.” She looked up at him. “I never thought I’d trust anyone again after what happened with Rory’s father. But you… you’re nothing like him.”

“I should hope not,” he rumbled, a hint of amusement in his voice.

“I mean it.” She took his hand, tracing the patterns along his wrist. “You see them—both of them—for who they are. Not for what others expect them to be.”

He was quiet for a long moment. “On Ciresia, family is everything. When I lost mine, I thought that part of me was gone forever.” His gaze shifted to the sleeping children. “I was wrong.”

She felt something shift inside her—a piece of her heart that had been guarded for so long finally opening completely. “We’re your family now,” she whispered. “All of us.”

His arms tightened around her, and in his embrace, she finally allowed herself to sleep.

The medical center was a sleek,modern facility nestled among the rolling hills outside the main settlement. Dr. Neva Sarn, Elrin’s contact, met them at a private entrance before regular hours.

“Elrin explained the situation,” she said, leading them through quiet corridors. “We’ll do a complete scan first, then address the incision site.”

She studied the doctor with a professional eye. Neva was a Terani, her silvery skin and four-fingered hands marking her species. She moved with a confident efficiency that immediately put her at ease.

The examination room was bright and spotlessly clean, filled with equipment more advanced than anything she had worked with in the mining settlement. Talia looked nervous as Neva prepared the scanning bed.

“It’s okay,” she assured her. “This won’t hurt at all. The scanner just takes pictures of the inside of your body to make sure you’re healthy.”

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