Page 54 of Sawoots Story

“I was a little antsy when I gave my estimates back onboard,” Theme admits. “Weshouldhave at least half an hour before Aelon regains control ofThe Instigator. Even if they Orb-Shift after us, by then they won’t know which direction we went in. Aelon runs a tight command on his ship, but even he couldn’t convince his men to Orb-Shift in random directions just in hopes of catching us. Aurelians are brave, but they don’t have a death wish.”

He snorts. “Well, most of them don’t.”

Tasha ignores the jab at Captain Aelon. She’s stronger than me. I couldn’t have left if I was Bonded to my triad. I already feel such a pull to them, and every mile we put between us, it only gets stronger.

Thirty minutes is enough. Hell, ten minutes and we’ll be gone, ghosts that flitted in and out of the Aurelians’ existence.

We’ll disappear into the vastness of space, and they’ll never find us again.

It’ll be like none of this ever happened.

I look out the view panels, flooded with melancholy asTheInstigatorbecomes a dot next to the massive, fertile world of Tarrion. Soon enough, even that grows smaller in the distance.

One last job.

That’s what I set out to do. Now we’ve got a Reaver worth a fortune, and my cut as first mate is enough to go legitimate.

It’ll be the end of my thieving days. The end of running through the dead of space, always looking over my shoulder. I’ve got savings spread out in hiding spots in three space stations. Once we offload the Reaver, I’m set for life. I’ll have enough seed money for any business I chose.

“Keep your eyes trained on space. I don’t expect anyone to test us, but we need to be ready.”

I’m thinking about the future but Tasha’s just focused on getting her crew out alive. “Aye, Captain,” I reply, settling into the huge seat, relaxed yet focused in the state of readiness I’ve become used to in Wild Space.

The three of us relish the surreal feeling of freedom. After being cooped up and controlled in the alien warship, it’s bizarre to know we can go any direction we want.

We don’t speak for an hour.The Instigatorwill be online now, but we’re out of their reach.

I calm my mind. I let thoughts of Garrick and his triad pass in and out of my mind, not engaging with them.

I know I’ll be haunted by my decision for the rest of my life. I yearn for them, and when I try to fall asleep, my mind will be full of thoughts of the gallant, protective triad. I crave their protection. I crave the way they look at me like I’m this precious, one-of-a-kind beauty that they were so scared to lose.

I ache for that surrender.

The tenderness in Garrick’s eyes. He kept that, even when he was losing himself to the Mating Rage. He’s not like the rest of the proud species. He cared more about me than himself.

I must go back.

I realize it with sudden clarity. I must go back to the triad. That’s what I’ll do when I sell this Reaver. I’ll go right back toThe Instigator. Hell, I want to turn around now. I look over at Tasha to ask her if she can drop me off at the nearest space station when I see the look of confusion on her face. It goes pale.

Something’s wrong.

Our coms-link blinks off. The heads-up display gets fuzzy, then fades.

We’re blind, sitting ducks in the dark of space.

“Dammit! We picked up a faulty Reaver!” Theme shoots me a terrified, accusatory glance.

“It’s not the Reaver.”

I wish it was.

Through the reinforced glass of the cockpit is the awful truth.

A Toad mothership. The largest ship in the Toads’ fleets. We’re headed directly towards it.

12

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