Page 4 of Healer
“Yes, I am here to rescue you, Agnes.”
Her plump pink lips made the perfect “O” shape. “How do you know my name?”
“Your friend Emmy sent me.”
Her eyes widened at my words, and she rushed forward, her small hands grasping my forearms. A sensation of electricity coursed through my body from her touch, sending shivers down my spine and making the short hairs of my pelt stand on end.
Suddenly hoarse, I had to clear my throat before speaking. “Your friends Emmy and Daisy are safe aboard the Bardaga. The others are in the process of being rescued. They will join us soon.”
Tears, like tiny shards of crystal, slipped from her long lashes and rolled down her cheeks. With a short, relieved laugh, she tilted her head and inquired, “What exactly is a Bardaga?”
“It is a Vaktaire warship,” I replied, unable to help the squaring of my shoulders with pride.
“What’s a Vaktaire?”
As much as I admired her unyielding curiosity and fearless demeanor, our current circumstances didn’t allow for a leisurely question-and-answer session. I moved towards the door, my ears tuned to the space beyond, as I spoke in hushed tones barely above a whisper.
“I am a Vaktaire. My kind is tasked with protecting Earth. When the Trogvyk took you, we intervened, but not before you and several others were taken away. I volunteered to come help get you back to your friends. “
“I thought I dreamed you,” she murmured, her gray gaze meeting mine.
Guilt churned in my gut. “Apologies, tiny human. I have been near for several days, but there are too many Aljani guards in this station for me to handle alone. To have tried would have risked your safety. I had to await an opportunity to spirit you away unseen.”
Her piercing gray eyes held me as she considered my words. Every flicker of her expression was like a story waiting to be told, a puzzle waiting to be solved. I couldn’t help but feel a sense of intrigue and uncertainty as I stood before her, wondering what thoughts raced through her mind behind those enigmatic eyes.
“You healed my cut, didn’t you?” she asked.
“Yes.” I nodded. “I also gave you a small dose of ephadreiline to rouse you. The Ulkommanian kept you heavily sedated.”
A frown creased the spot between her pale eyebrows.
“What?” she began as my ears pricked to the sound of footsteps from the hallway.
With a quick step, I moved to her side, gently placing my palm over her mouth. As I held her in place, I couldn’t help but notice the feel of her lips against my palm—startling in their softness, like touching Ardesian silk.
“We must go,” I whispered close to her ear, nodding toward the open window. When my hand slid away, she gave a curt nod.
The window beckoned to us, a faint sliver of moonlight illuminating the path to escape. I slipped an arm around her waist, lifting her slightly to keep our steps silent. The sharp click of the door handle echoed through the room, announcing we lingered mere seconds away from discovery. I yanked Agnes behind a nearby cabinet, praying it would provide enough cover as the door swung open.
I lifted a finger to my lips to admonish silence. Her lovely gray eyes met mine and for the first time, I noticed a glimmer of fear in their depths.
With a languid saunter, an Aljani guard entered the room. His posture betrayed hints of boredom and restlessness while his eyes scanned the space with disinterest, as if nothing could surprise or intrigue him.
Perfect.
As he surveyed the room, the sharp horns protruding from his head glinted in the silvery moonlight. He paid little attention to the empty bed, his gaze sweeping over the dimly lit space with a sense of detachment. From my observations, I knew Agnes would typically be returned to her cell by now. But today, they left her here, heavily sedated and vulnerable. A fact the guard thankfully didn’t seem privy to.
The Aljani pivoted, boots clacking across the floor in slow, deliberate steps. From his trajectory, he would circle theroom, which would bring him past our hiding place. As he made his way around the perimeter, approaching where Agnes and I crouched, I shifted, readying myself.
If it felt wrong to kill… even an enemy. I’d devoted my life to healing, but Agnes’ safety was paramount. I must be silent and quick.
My muscles moved with ease despite the years that had passed since I last saw a battle. The skill and strength ingrained in my DNA surged through my veins, guiding every move. As I locked eyes with the Aljani, his widened in shock and surprise. He opened his mouth, but I swiftly wrapped my arm around his neck before he could utter a sound. With a sudden upward thrust of my elbow, I silenced him forever. His body went limp in my grasp, a lifeless weight that I dropped silently to the floor.
Agnes pressed a hand over her mouth to stifle the revulsion. Yet she didn’t hesitate when I held my hand toward her. Before our fingers could connect, the door swung open, revealing two Aljani guards standing in the doorway. Moving on instinct alone, I reached for my weapons belt and the two sleek, double-pointed throwing daggers hanging at my waist. In one swift motion, I launched both towards the targets. I struck the first guard squarely between the eyes, resulting in a sickening thud, while the second guard fell to his knees, desperately clutching at the dagger embedded in his throat. All remained silent except for their bodies hitting the floor with a muted clunk, a pool of deep purple blood rapidly spreading beneath them.
With a quick spin, I grabbed Agnes and lifted her slight frame, her weight hardly noticeable. We dove towards the open window, the cool night air brushing against our skin. My arms enveloped her in a protective embrace, her small hands gripping tightly at my biceps as she let out a surprised gasp as we hit the ground. The only sound breaking the stillness of the night.
Twin pale pink moons glided gracefully behind a thick, billowing cloud, casting the world into deep darkness. The perfect cover for escape. With adrenaline pulsing through my veins, I sprang to my feet, holding Agnes in my arms a moment longer than necessary. Her soft breath tickled my skin as I set her down gently beside me, keeping her close. Without hesitation, she slipped her small hand into mine, our fingers entwining tightly as we set off toward the lush, protective embrace of the nearby jungle.
