Page 59 of Human Reclaimed
“Talia, if you’re watching this, then… I didn’t make it back.” He ran his hand through his hair on the screen. “I want to say I’m truly sorry for taking you from Earth. For bringing you into our fight without your consent. That was wrong, and I knew it even then. But I’m not sorry for knowing you. And I’m not sorry for a single moment we’ve spent together.”
He paused for a moment on the screen. “I was designed for war, programmed to lead, to fight, and to strategize. No one ever thought to program me for this—for the way my heart races when you enter a room or how your smile makes everything else fade away. I never imagined feeling this… human… until you.”
His voice was hoarse with emotion. “If I die tomorrow, I’ll die with no regrets because I found something I never thought possible—love. Real love. The kind worth fighting for. Worth dying for. I love you, Talia Reed. I love your strength, your brilliance, and your fierce loyalty. I love how you challenge me, and how you see me as a man, not a weapon. I would tear apart worlds to keep you safe. I would give everything I am to protect you and this colony—our home.”
I paused the recording, taking a steadying breath as tears streamed down my face. Taking a deep breath, I hit play.
“Talia, you’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me. If I don’t make it back… live well. Live free, for me. And know that I died loving you completely.”
A sob escaped me as the recording ended. God, I loved this man—this incredible, complex, and passionate man who’d kidnapped me and then stolen my heart.
A rustling sound from the bed made me jerk my head up. Rune’s eyes fluttered open, disoriented at first but then slowly focusing. My breath caught in my throat as I waited. Would he know me? Would he remember us?
His gaze shifted, landing on my tear-streaked face. For one horrible moment, I saw nothing but confusion in those blue eyes.
Then his brow furrowed. “Talia,” he said, his voice rough, “why are you crying? I told you I wasn’t dying today.”
Relief crashed through me like a tidal wave. I launched myself at him as he struggled to sit up, wrapping my arms around his broad shoulders.
“You remember,” I choked out. “You remember me.”
His strong arms encircled me, pulling me half onto the bed. “How could I forget you?” he whispered against my hair. “You’re burned into every part of me.”
I pulled back just enough to look at his face, to see the warmth and recognition in his eyes. “I love you,” I blurted out. “I should have told you before. I was too scared, but I love you, Rune. I have never felt this way about anyone.”
His breathtaking smile lit up his face. “I should have told you sooner, too,” he admitted, his hand coming up to cup my cheek. “I love you, Talia Reed. More than I thought possible.”
He pulled me closer, his lips meeting mine in a kiss so gentle yet so filled with promise that it made fresh tears spill down my cheeks. When we broke apart, his thumb wiped them away.
“No more crying,” he murmured. “We won. You’re safe. The colony is safe.”
“And you’re alive,” I whispered. “You came back to me.”
TWENTY-SIX
RUNE
I looked into Talia’s blue eyes and felt something profound shift within me. My hand stroked her soft cheek. “I will always come back for you, Talia,” I said, my voice rough with emotion. “In this lifetime and in every lifetime after.”
The words surprised even me—I’d never considered concepts like reincarnation or eternal bonds before. Such philosophical musings had seemed irrelevant to a cyborg created for tactical warfare. Yet with Talia, these sentiments emerged naturally, as if they’d always been waiting inside me.
The door slid open with a soft hiss, and Aeon rushed in with Olivia close behind. Their expressions shifted from concern to relief when they saw me sitting upright.
“You had us worried,” Aeon said, immediately checking the monitors beside my bed. His fingers moved with practiced precision across the display.
Olivia approached from the other side, her medical scanner already humming. “Follow my finger with your eyes,” she instructed, moving her index finger from side to side. I complied as she continued, “What’s the last thing you remember before waking up here?”
“The pirate ship,” I answered immediately. “Delia jabbed something into my neck after I neutralized her guards. Then Talia… she eliminated the threat.” I glanced at Talia with unmistakable pride.
“Good. Now count backward from twenty by threes.”
“Twenty, seventeen, fourteen, eleven, eight, five, two, negative one, negative four…” I recited without hesitation.
“Remarkable,” Olivia said, looking genuinely impressed as she studied her readings. “The virus has been completely purged from your system. I expect you to make a full recovery. And it appears that, miraculously, you haven’t suffered any amnesia or memory gaps at all.”
She exchanged a knowing glance with Aeon before adding with a slight smile, “Perhaps it had something to do with a certain someone.” Her eyes flickered meaningfully toward Talia.
“I have no doubt,” I agreed, reaching for Talia’s hand and intertwining our fingers. “The power of her love and concern for me probably kept me tethered to reality.”
