Page 27 of Human Reclaimed
I felt oddly proud as he mentioned my name, as if I belonged here among them. The brigade moved with precision I’d never witnessed before—not even in Earth’s elite forces. Their reaction times were extraordinary, each soldier anticipating the others’ movements with uncanny synchronicity.
“They’re incredible,” I whispered to Rune.
He nodded, pride evident in his expression. “They train together daily. Many fought together during the war.”
The exercise progressed flawlessly until a sudden shout caught my attention. One of the younger soldiers had miscalculated, sending a plasma blast ricocheting off one of the massive jungle trees.
I felt the heat before the pain—a searing flash across my left shoulder that knocked me off my feet. The world tilted as I hit the ground, my vision blurring.
“Talia!” Rune’s voice sounded distant, panicked in a way I’d never heard before.
His strong arms lifted me from the ground. The last thing I saw before the pain overtook me was Rune’s face, his blue eyes wide with fear as he shouted over his shoulder.
“Drill’s over! Everyone stand down now!”
The world swayed as he carried me through the colony, his heartbeat thundering against my ear where my head rested against his chest. Despite the burning pain in my shoulder, I felt oddly safe in his arms, wrapped in his strength and the warmth of his concern.
TWELVE
RUNE
The world had slowed to a crawl when I saw the blast hit Talia. One moment, she stood beside me, her eyes bright with admiration as she watched the drill. The next, she was crumpling to the ground, her shoulder smoking from the plasma burn.
I had scooped her into my arms. Her body felt impossibly light against my chest, her head lolling against my shoulder as consciousness slipped from her. The scorched fabric of her shirt revealed angry red skin beneath.
The young soldier who’d fired the shot—Merrit, barely seventeen—stood frozen, his face ashen. “Commander, I didn’t mean?—”
“Not now,” I snapped, already moving toward the colony center. I’d deal with him later. Right now, Talia was all that mattered.
I cradled her closer as I rushed through the settlement, hardly noticing the colonists who scattered from my path. My heart hammered, each beat a thunderous reminder of how fragile life could be—even hers. Especially hers.
How could a mere human have become so vital to me in just two days? The question burned through my mind as I quickly punched in the code to the door of my quarters and rushed inside, laying her gently on my bed. She’d gone pale, her breathing shallow but steady. The wound looked worse in the light of my quarters—angry and blistering where the plasma had seared her shoulder.
“Damn it,” I muttered, tearing open my emergency kit. My hands shook as I retrieved the healing salve our medical staff had developed—a viscous blue gel that accelerated cellular regeneration.
What if the blast had hit her heart instead of her shoulder? What if I’d lost her? The thought sent a physical pain through my chest that I couldn’t rationalize away.
I cut away the charred fabric from her shoulder with practiced precision, trying not to think about how many times I’d performed similar field medicine during the war. But this was different. This was Talia.
“You’ll be okay,” I promised her unconscious form, my voice filled with emotion I once would have suppressed. “I’ve got you now.”
The salve felt cool on my fingertips as I spread it across her burned skin. Her body tensed slightly at the contact, a small whimper escaping her lips. That tiny sound of pain cut through me like a blade.
“I’m sorry,” I whispered, working quickly to bandage the wound. “I should have anticipated this risk. Should have protected you better.”
The logical part of me recognized the drill had been necessary and that accidents happened in training. But another part—the part that had been awakening since Talia arrived—wanted to tear apart anyone who caused her harm.
With her shoulder wrapped, I sat beside her on the bed, watching the rise and fall of her chest. Relief flooded through me as her breathing steadied, her color slowly returning. The salve was working.
I stretched out beside her, unable to be apart from her even for a moment. Carefully, I gathered her against my chest, mindful of her injured shoulder. Her hair smelled like lavender and something uniquely Talia—a scent I’d already memorized.
“How did you do this to me?” I asked softly, tracing the delicate curve of her cheek with my thumb. “Two days ago, I was focused only on the colony’s survival. Now…”
Now my universe had shifted with Talia at its center. The realization terrified and exhilarated me in equal measure.
An hour passed before her eyelashes fluttered. I held my breath as consciousness returned to her, her blue eyes finding mine with sleepy confusion.
“Rune?” Her voice was groggy but stronger than I’d dared hope.
