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“I say we follow the lights. That’s the way the signature is leading us,” Ash said. “Quick! In here.” He grabbed her hand and tugged her into a small, low-ceilinged cave that barely fit both of them. The banty was squashed up tight against her.

Georgia squeezed in close to Ash, feeling his muscles flex as she rested her hands on his torso.

A few seconds later, half a dozen Siblet marched past.

“So much for the Siblet government having no idea this was going on. Those are soldiers. They wouldn’t be here if they hadn’t been ordered on this mission,” Ash whispered.

Georgia’s breath caught as a flashback slammed into her of a soldier pinning her down while she was sedated. The Siblet hadn’t considered her worthy of kindness or compassion. They’d simply used her to get what they could.

She shook her head. Her past wasn’t ruining this mission. They’d defeat the Siblet. These aliens would pay for everything they’d done to her and everything they’d done to the animals they’d taken and exploited.

“I’ve got a definite lock on the white tails.” Ash’s calm voice broke through her fears.

Georgia sucked in a breath and looked at him. He was her center. Ash kept her grounded and focused on what was important, even when she was about to spiral. When she was with him, she felt like she could achieve anything.

“Can you pinpoint where they are?”

“I can.” He nodded, a smile on his face. “We’ve got ourselves some white tails dead ahead.”

***

After waiting severalminutes to make sure no more Siblet went past, Ash eased out into the main corridor with Georgia. They were so close to being successful. They’d beat these asshole Siblet, rescue the white tails, and most importantly, get closure for Georgia.

And damn, did she deserve it. She’d lived with these demons in her life too long. It was time for her battle to end.

He got how hard it was to break free of trauma. He’d clung to the heart searing memory of losing his sister for a long time. It wasn’t until Georgia told him Roha’s death wasn’t his fault that he let go of the pain a fraction and saw a happier future.

He’d done everything he could to keep his sister safe, but it wasn’t until he’d heard those words from Georgia and seen the sincerity in her eyes that he’d eased his grip on the jagged pain that sliced into his heart and had stayed there for so long that it felt normal.

There was no point in holding onto a pain that didn’t help him. As he witnessed with Georgia, if you didn’t give yourself permission to move forward and feel joy, it held you back from living a full life. And now he had her, she was his pure joy. There was no way he was letting go of that.

“It’s not much further,” he whispered. “They should be straight ahead of us and around the next bend.”

Georgia touched his back to acknowledge she’d heard him, but other than that, they continued in silence.

“Do you hear that?” Georgia breathed out, her fingers tensing against his back.

Ash nodded. It was animals calling out, and they sounded distressed.

The banty leaped off Georgia’s shoulder and raced in front of them, seeming curious about the noise and where it was coming from.

Ash hurried along the corridor with Georgia right behind him. As he turned the corner, artificial light almost dazzled him. He flicked off his night vision goggles, checked for signs of Siblet, and then stepped into a larger, high-ceilinged cave.

Georgia joined him. For several seconds, neither of them spoke.

There were half a dozen large cages set against one wall. In the middle of the room were two examination tables and a large table covered in medical equipment. There were also three computers and equipment boxes in one corner.

“Oh! It’s the white tails. Ash, we’ve found them.” Georgia’s eyes widened as she hurried to the cages.

There were three white tails, one in each cage. The rest of the cages were empty, but there were food bowls in each, suggesting they’d been occupied.

Ash joined Georgia and knelt to look at the animals. His hands flexed, and he growled. “Look at the state of them.” Open wounds covered their bodies, and they looked malnourished.

White tails were small, compact canines, with snow white thick fur. They had amber eyes and the ability to run for hours without stopping. These specimens looked half their regular size, and their coats were dirty and matted.

“Either the Siblet don’t know how rare they are, or they don’t care. They only want what they consider useful.” Georgia’s voice was tight with emotion. She moved closer, but Ash held her back.

“The Siblet may have experimented on them. They may be even deadlier than we already know they are.”