Page 34 of The Alien Warrior's Vow

“Maybe they have come up with another solution.” Clavas rubbed his forehead. “Na’vak was an ally of our fathers. He would not wish us harm.”

“He answers to the elders,” Zar reminded him.

“And the Healer is the most important elder of all.” Lans shook his head. “Should we ignore it?”

“The consequences of that would not be worth the risk.” Korben rubbed his chin.

“Then?” Clavas asked.

“We go.” Korben glanced up, his purple eyes burning. “It will take the females time to reach the Heronas labs. Even in the simulations—”

Zar growled fiercely. “Korben, that is not the plan.”

“Plans change,” Tiegan said.

“You speak so casually because it is notyourmate that’s in there.”

“I speak so casually,” Tiegan stepped forward, “because I am one of the few who can see the bigger picture. Your mate would rather return to find you whole than have you all banished from the tribas or worse. Trust them to carry out the mission they were prepared for.”

Silence fell on them all.

Tiegan’s speech reverberated in Lans’s mind. He hated it with all his might, but his comrade had a point.

“He speaks the truth,” Lans said quietly.

Zar’s nostrils flared. “Very well. We go to Na’vak.”

“And we return to the plan as soon as possible,” Pin said.

Korben jerked his chin down.

Lans turned, instinctively calling for his zapten only to realize that Helix wasn’t there.

“You’ll have to ride with us,” Clavas said, gesturing to his and Tiegan’s zaptens.

Lans frowned. “I’d rather walk.”

“It’ll take you all day then.” Korben arched an eyebrow nub.

Frustrated, Lans marched in Clavas’s direction.

It was a tight fit, but all three managed to fit atop Clavas’s zapten. Rather than wrap his arms around Clavas’s waist for balance, Lans held on to the metal gears that jutted from the side.

“Isn’t that uncomfortable?” Clavas yelled, raising his voice to be heard over the roar of the wind.

Lans pretended not to hear. He hadn’t been blind to the way Clavas had taken Eema aside before they’d left for the mission. Their closeness grated on his nerves for some reason that he did not want to investigate.

Clavas just smirked. “Very well then.”

They rode in silence until they saw the gathering of the Plutonian army below, a sea of able-bodied blue fighters that filled the entire valley.

Pride swelled in his chest as he watched his comrades from above. The Heronas were no match for them. While they cowered behind their force fields for now, the moment those barriers fell, they would be trampled beneath their feet.

Clavas set his zapten on the ground.

Lans was the first to spring off. Before he could get too far, Clavas grabbed his arm.

“What is it?” Lans snapped, shaking his comrade off.