Page 64 of Dark Company

Once more, the agony of her departure tears through me. Even though I barely remember her, I feel her loss keenly. It’s a fissure in my life that will never be repaired, only filled with something else. My breath comes out in a gasp as I feel the bond vibrating inside me as Altris pours his love and protection into me.

Perhaps he’s what will take the place of this loss. That is, if I allow him in. His words of encouragement brush against my brain, nearly making me sick again. It’s not the same as earlier; it’s not as if there’s poison still in my system. This is different. Guilt churns in my gut as Altris remains firmly entrenched in my heart and brain, showering me with his unconditional love.

We may not know each other, but we are bound to one another. We are one. We are more than just a pairing; we are soul mates. Closing my eyes, I conjure up the image of when I first saw him. He was bathed in light, a force to be reckoned with. He was my intended, the Alpha I begged the gods for, and now, I may never see him again. I may never be able to tell him how sorry I am for everything I’ve put him through.

His actions blur through my brain, but none of them were ever out of anger or hatred towards me. On the other hand, everything I’ve done to him has been out of spite and a misguided fear of yet one more person leaving me. It’s not his fault. None of this is his fault, and yet, he’s paying the price. He’s tied to a mate that has done nothing but cause him trouble.

Sobs wrack my body as Ignatium slides in beside me to hold me. “Let it out, sweetheart. Let out all the anguish that still plagues you. It’s a side effect of the herbs we’ve given you. It allows your mind and body a better sense of clarity. It allows you to find the right way. Don’t hold it in. Cry all of it out. You will be better for it.”

Wrapping my arms around her waist, I pour myself into her, like a vessel tipping over. Everything starts to bubble up to the surface—memories I’ve long repressed, things that Annora did that I took as her just being mean. It’s as if my life is clicking into place, from childhood to this moment.

I look back and see all the sacrifices Annora made for me, the times she went hungry to make sure I was fed, the soft sobs that I reasoned away, but can no longer do so. It’s not quite the same as one of my visions, but it’s similar. I’m unable to move as my memories flood my brain. It’s as if I’m locked in this place between space and time, where everything becomes clear.

Guilt slips into those spaces, causing my gut to clench and my throat to close. All the interactions between us fly to the surface, smacking me in the face with my behavior. I was far too hard on Annora. I made life so much more difficult for her than I needed to. Anguish at our interactions covers me like a pall. Now that I’m forced to confront the childish actions I heaped upon her, I have no more room for anger. I’m the one at fault, not her.

Chapter 17

Altris

Adrenaline spikes as we dip into the region of Laxa. I’ve seen pictures, but nothing will ever do it justice. It’s as if there’s a dividing line between night and day, zoning off where their land begins, and the others end. The light frost that stands between the two zones set off a row of smoke as the sunlight creeps over onto it, flooding the land with an almost permanent fog.

My heart pounds in my chest as the lights of the massive city appear. I’m almost there. I’m almost to Karis. From the moment she became conscious, I’ve been doing my best to send all the love and warmth I can to her. I have no idea what state she’s in, but if the pain I feel radiating from her is any indication, then things are more dire than I first assumed.

Curling my fingers into fists, I bounce them against my thighs, needing something to draw my brain away. It’s as if the pain is getting worse but then ebbing away. Surely they’re not torturing her. From what Jaxxon said, they should be tending to her. Unless that’s what’s causing the massive amount of discomfort.

But then, as if a small spark ripples along the bond, I feel her there. She’s deep inside me, pouring out all her pain and frustration. I’m not even sure if she knows that she’s doing it, but I take it on, carrying her burden with a stoicism that comes from my type of training.

It floods my system in rapid waves—loss, pain, regret, agony, recrimination. It races through her mind and sizzles through the bond quicker than I can keep up. All I know is that she’s confronting things, things that she shoved into the dark, hidden corners of her mind, never to look at again.

All I can do is reach out to her, assuring her I’ll be there to pick up the broken pieces. It doesn’t matter what I have to face in Laxa, I will be there to pull her back together.

And that’s when I feel it.

Love.

It’s similar to the feelings that enveloped me growing up, but somehow, with her, it burns hotter, brighter, warming every chilled spot in my body and brain. It takes away the pain in my muscles and joints, leaving me renewed. This is what it means to have a working bond. This is what the other Alphas fight for, die for. It’s glorious. And though I’m already prepared to fight to bring Karis home, this makes it even more worth it.

Leaning forward in my seat, my body vibrates with anticipation. All we have to do is get there, make a trade for her, then bring her home. It’s the simplest thing in the world.

As usual, I’m wrong.

The moment we touch down, an army of Alphas surround the ship, their gleaming armor shining in the light. Every inch is covered in what looks like silver, but that’s impossible. Something so rare and precious wouldn’t be made into something that can be so easily destroyed.

Reaching for my blaster, I let Reniford go out first to ease our way. As he talks to the Alphas, they draw their swords as if to attack, but before I can train my blaster on them, they form two lines and hold the swords aloft, crossing them at the points.

Reniford looks back at us with a huge grin on his face. “They’ve been expecting us.”

Pocketing my blaster, Leon and I follow him out, but I still keep my eyes trained on the soldiers on either side. It’s all too easy for them to move their swords and slaughter us. After each pair we walk under, the Alphas draw the swords back in, slide them into the hilts at their sides, and follow us in the main opening.

The door we go through is massive and leads onto a flat platform with nothing else around it. Once everyone is in, they all close ranks around us, keeping the three of us in the center.

“Brace yourselves.”

It’s the only warning we hear, from what I can assume is the head captain, before the entire platform shudders for a brief second then plummets downward. The other Laxian soldiers hold their ground, widening their stance to help keep them upright, but before I can mimic it, we’ve already arrived at our destination.

Massive doors split open as we walk towards it, and I cannot recognize the massive forms carved onto it. If they’re deities, it’s no one I know of. Perhaps it’s a famous soldier and his bride? Nothing I know about Laxa fills in the gaps. Any questions I have are met up with even more.

The soldiers file out into two separate lines again, but this time, they keep their swords sheathed and bend down on one knee and face the floor. Two Laxians stand on either side of two massive thrones, each holding a large staff. They are covered in all black, with only space for their eyes to shine through. The gray orbs that seem to float in that dark recess denote that they are omegas, but is that true for all areas of this planet or just ours?