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“Because you brightened my world from the moment you entered it.” He kissed the top of her head and held her close.

Chapter 15

The Ignivo

Isabella

“My queen.” Bellator roused Isa with a gentle nudge.

“I’m sorry!” Isa bolted upright. She couldn’t believe she dozed off, not with all that was at stake. Panic coursed through her as she spun toward the missile. Her hand froze in midair when she saw the display. “We have thirty minutes left still,” she sighed in relief. Isa looked over her shoulder at Bellator. “Sorry. I’m awake now.” She grimaced, feeling horrible for nodding off, even if she hadn’t overslept.

Resetting the timer every hour didn’t sound that bad, but it was proving more difficult than she imagined. They’d found the missile a little after noon yesterday, and it was some time after noon again. Her fear for the Vorto and anger at her people had kept her awake for most of that time. But with all the intense emotions, she’d burned herself out physically, and it was starting to show. Add the monotony of watching the countdown and listening to it beep was hypnotizing, lulling her to sleep.

“My beautiful queen, you have done so well.” Bellator brushed the hair out of her face.

As she stared into his understanding eyes, she couldn’t believe how blessed she was. Her own people would’ve blamed and imprisoned her already if the roles were reversed. Bellator, Artifex, and Phara hadn’t even changed how they looked at her. Her love doubled for her hive, and her eyes misted. Yet again the tenderness was swiftly followed by anger at her people for what they’d done to the Vorto. It was like a demented emotional merry-go-round.

Bellator gently nudged her face to the left. “We are here.”

Her mounting anger instantly fled as she took in the smoking mountain up ahead.

“Theignivois a volcano.” Her eyes widened when she caught a flash of fire and spewing cinders.

“It is a fiery pit.” Bellator nodded.

When all the plans were being made, she failed to ask what theignivowas, mainly because they had no other options. A part of her thought they might be traveling to an old Vorto facility from an era when their technology was more advanced, like the healing machine they used on her.

This works, too.Hope bloomed in her chest. The magma would easily destroy the chemicals in the missile. She’d even heard that nuclear based weapons were no match for a volcano.

“Brace yourselves. We will be landing soon.” Phara’s voice came from one of thescreoflying nearby.

Phara was one of the two dozen Vorto taking turns carrying the ropes that lifted the wagon-sized produce basket. Although, he and the alphas were also doing double duty taking turns inside the basket keeping her from dozing off.

“Thank you,” Bellator replied. “We’re heading up there.” He pointed at a ledge near the summit.

“Good.” Isa couldn’t wait to get there and be done with this nightmare.

They headed up the mountainside, skimming over the treetops until the vegetation stopped altogether, replaced by dark, undulating rock formations.

“Is that rock from the last eruption?” She turned to Bellator, nestled behind her in the basket.

“Probably. Don’t fear. We’ve not had any massive eruptions in my lifetime. Theignivotends to bubble and ooze rather than explode,” he explained.

“Ah.” She nodded, again looking at the countdown on the missile before turning back to watch their progress.

Up, up, up, they went. After another few minutes of the steady ascent, her ears popped. She opened her mouth and rubbed her ears to equalize the pressure. Still, they continued upward.

A wispy cloud drifted in front of the basket, obscuring her view of their destination.

“Ew.” Isa wrinkled her nose at the rotten egg smell. It was smoke from the volcano not an actual cloud, though they were certainly high enough it could’ve been one.

“Here. Breathe through this.” Bellator handed her a swath of fabric.

“Thank you.” She covered her mouth and nose. “What about you?”

“I will be fine.” Bellator squeezed her knee.

She frowned behind the makeshift mask, not liking his answer.