Page 105

He didn't move until Xilya started for Aly, and he growled at her, baring his teeth.

"It's okay, Xilya," Aly said before the devilish female thought to strike at Ryziel in defense. "Ryziel, it's all right." She reached out her twisted hand. "Let's go."

Ryziel looked at her mangled hand for a long moment until the shouts of guards finally snapped some part of him back. He came to her and picked her up, cradling her. "Go," he growled.

Xilya started for the terrace stairs, and Ryziel followed. They hid in a spare room as guards rushed by. Xilya ripped off one of the curtains and tore it in half, wrapping one piece around Ryziel's head and the other around Aly's hands. When the area was cleared, they slipped out again and started back toward the ship.

"Wait, we can't leave my crew!" Aly cried.

"Don't worry," Xilya replied. "We aren't. I have three stowed away already. The fourth we will find."

Aly didn't ask which ones. She was only grateful to Xilya for finding them. They slipped through the passages of the house, servants screaming and running as they approached. Xilya took out a few unsuspecting guards as they entered one of the many courtyards.

"There!" Aly pointed to the pavilion, seeing Sarah sitting inside.

They rushed over, and Sarah screamed seeing them.

"It's okay, Sarah, we are here to take you home!" Aly said with a shaky voice, tears falling as her hands still burned. "But we have to go quickly, or they will find us."

Sarah glanced at each of them, her face pale, arms tight around her child, who began to cry.

"Trust me, Sarah, please!"

Before she could utter a word, Ryziel hissed and turned as Marzin walked into the courtyard with several guards.

"You are taking her nowhere," he said. "By the law of Xolis, you each are under arrest for the death of the prince and for stealing his property."

Ryziel looked to Xilya, and Xilya pressed a button on her techband then crept forward. "I don't think so. We are taking them with us. But you are welcome to try and stop us."

"So be it, then." Marzin gestured to his men, and they slowly began to approach.

Before they brought up their weapons, a blast as bright as the sun flashed across the sky, followed by another and another, until the ground shook beneath them from the explosions.

The guards faltered and cried out, some aiming their weapons, others falling to the ground.

"You can thank Nar for those later," Xilya said. "Now go. Take Aly back to the ship with this one as well. I will hold them off."

Aly shook her head, but Ryziel didn't hesitate. He motioned for Sarah to follow and she did so, cautiously. They backed out of the pavilion, shooters aimed at them but not firing as Marzin told them to hold lest they hit one of the girls.

Before Ryziel turned out of the courtyard, Aly got a glimpse of Xilya dodging and leaping, taking out men left and right till it was only her and Marzin. Fire blazed above them, keeping the men distracted as they rushed to help defend, leaving the house's docking area empty save for the ship. Aly looked on it, more tears filling her eyes. The door of the ship opened, and Ryziel rushed inside with Sarah behind him.

"Took you long enough!" came a familiar voice. Nar stepped away from the group of women, who each cried out with relief at seeing Aly and Sarah. Sarah sat down beside them, and Ryziel set Aly down carefully in a seat.

"Xilya is on her way. Start the engines."

Nar hobbled away to the pilot seat, and Ryziel knelt beside Aly. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." He kissed her knees instead of her hands, which hurt too much to do so. "I was wrong."

Aly smiled, even through the tears. "It's okay. Just get us out of here."

Ryziel nodded and went to sit beside Nar. She watched as they started the controls on the ship, which began to roar to life and hover over the ground. The door opened just as a set of guards came shooting into the dock, and Xilya slipped inside.

"And what the hell took you so long?" Nar called back at her.

Xilya raised up her hand, revealing another lone receptor, this time cut from Marzin. "Just wanted a souvenir."

Rolling his eyes, Nar put on a pair of goggles to see by then took hold of the steering of the ship and slowly began to lift off.

Flashes of light hit the ship, but, besides a little shaking, the ship didn't halt as it turned itself around and gained speed, rising faster into the sky than the sun in the distance.