Page 28 of Adtovar (The Alliance Rescue #1)
George hovered nearby, his eyes focused on the tubular machine and the blinking lights showing Maddie’s vital signs.
Though still considered a youngling, George belonged to the Garoot species, a race endowed with healing ability woven into their very DNA.
He had dedicated himself wholeheartedly to caring for Maddie while Zahavi, the Historia’s Healer, tended to the needs of the gladiators and females as well as my wounds.
Plasti-gauze covered my chest and arms, aiding the healing of the second-degree burns I’d received pulling Maddie away from the burning remnants of the explosion.
I’d been ready to die at the hands of the Ungeheuer, comforted by the thought that my death would facilitate Maddie’s escape.
What I hadn’t anticipated was the sheer magnitude of bravery and the determination with which she fought for me.
She was the most extraordinary female alive, and if the gods granted me the opportunity, I would dedicate every remaining moment of my life to demonstrating the depth of my love for her.
I gradually noticed George’s presence beside me.
His slender, gray figure stood silently as he meticulously reviewed the readings on his datapad.
The glow from the screen cast a soft light on him as his long, slender fingers moved deftly, and the faint sound of tapping filled the otherwise quiet room.
“Any update?” I’d asked the same question hundreds of times in the last twenty-four hours, always receiving an answer that did little to alleviate the ache in my heart.
“She will recover.”
My gaze jerked upwards at his words, and I found the youngling gazing down at me, something akin to a smile curling his thin gray lips.
“It will take time,” he continued. “Her injuries were severe. Not only were her outer extremities burned, but she suffered lung damage from the fire as well.” He shook his head sadly. “Humans are much more fragile than most species.”
“Thank you,” I muttered, my voice barely above a whisper as a wave of overwhelming relief washed over me, leaving my hands shaky and my heart pounding in my chest. “I don’t want to leave her, can you....”
“I will let the others know.” The females and the handful of gladiators we’d rescued had visited, each one expressing gratitude and respect for Maddie’s kindness and bravery.
George laid a small hand on my shoulder. “I will also have a cot brought in. You need rest as well.”
I offered him an appreciative smile, though I had no plans to rest despite not closing my eyes since Maddie got injured.
I was afraid that if I closed my eyes, she would be gone forever when I opened them again.
However, when George returned with a cot along with a tray laden with steaming stew and freshly baked bread from the dining hall, I gave into the comfort of the moment, savoring each bite of the hearty meal before settling onto the cot.
My initial resolve remained firm—simply to lie down without succumbing to sleep—but the softness of the bedding and my exhaustion made it increasingly difficult to resist the pull of slumber.
When I opened my eyes again, the ship’s lights were slowly brightening, indicating the start of a new day.
Nothing had changed with the Garoot Healer.
The lights continued their rhythmic dance, flashing vivid green and yellow, signaling Maddie’s healing.
I rose to my feet, moving nearer to the cylindrical machine, needing to feel closer to her.
Peering through the small, glass window, I saw her floating unconscious, but the once charred and blackened patches of her skin had smoothed, now holding a deep reddish hue.
New curls sprouted, spiraling gently around her face, replacing those singed and lost.
At the gentle swish of the door sliding open, I turned my head, expecting to see George or one of the females coming for a visit.
Instead, Duke Ako strode into the medi-bay, his presence commanding in the dark green and blue hues of his captain’s uniform.
After bringing everyone aboard the Historia , he’d traveled to the planet’s surface to sift through the layers of corruption and determine Bozzo’s fate.
His expression held resolve, but dark shadows rested under his blue eyes, revealing the weight of the decisions he had yet to make.
I made to turn and salute, but Ako waved away my attempt at formal respect. “How is she?”
“George says she will heal.” I peered through the tiny window once more, wanting to confirm the signs of her recovery were real and not a figment of my hopeful imagination. “It will take time, though.”
Ako came to stand beside me. “Human females are the most remarkable creatures. They have the most delicate bodies yet possess the spirit and courage of the invincible.”
“Yes,” was all I offered in answer. Like me, Ako loved a human female. But unlike me, he lost his mate, Helene. He’d given her up to assure her safety. I could only imagine the agony he’d felt at their parting.
We stared at the Garoot Healer in silence for a few minutes before Ako exhaled a long, weary breath. “The arena is destroyed.”
That didn’t surprise me. After seeing what happened to Maddie, the females had grown a little bomb happy as we made our escape. “And Bozzo?”
“In the brig,” Ako grinned. “Based on the records we found, we were able to arrest him for trafficking in human slavery, racketeering, theft, fraud, and a dozen more crimes. He’ll be sentenced to a prison planet for life.”
“Good,” “I grunted and admitted. “Although I’d love a moment or two alone with him.” While he never laid a finger on Maddie directly, Bozzo’s decision to bring in the Ungeheuer for my last fight ended up nearly killing my mate. My hands itched to make him pay for the pain he caused her.
“I believe I can arrange that."
I snapped my head toward Ako, only to catch him with a sly, knowing smile playing at the corners of his lips.
“Don’t tease,” I grumbled. Ako—for all the falsehoods spread by his enemies—was a good and just ruler. “I know you won’t let me beat his ass .” The human vernacular I used made me smile.
“No more than a punch or two.” Ako’s grin deepened for a moment before his expression grew serious. “I did stop by with an ulterior motive.”
“What?” I folded my arms across my chest, curious. From the corner of my eye, I caught George entering the room, making a beeline to check the output of Maddie’s progress from the myriad of controls and displays on the Garoot Healer.
“Bozzo has asked for an audience.”
I took in Ako’s words with a disbelieving snort. “Surely, he will not refute the charges against him.”
“There’s too much evidence for that,” Ako agreed, crossing his arms over his chest. His gaze followed George as the young healer fiddled with the controls on the machine.
“What could he want?” I asked half-heartedly, watching George as well.
“I do not know, but I would like you to accompany me to his cell.”
I jerked my gaze back to Ako to find him studying me curiously. “Why?”
He shrugged and settled atop a nearby stool. “You have far more experience interacting with Bozzo. I would like your insight regarding his behavior and comments.”
I shook my head, my gaze darting from Ako to the Garoot Healer, drawing a heavy sigh from the Duke.
“I know you have mated and that it will be difficult to leave her side. I would not ask this of you if I did not think it necessary.”
George turned away from his machinations, black eyes darting between me and Ako. “Maddie is stable and healing nicely. There is no longer a need for constant vigil.”
“I need it,” “I snapped at him.
George let out a long, weary sigh, as though tending to patients—and their exasperating mates was an everyday and tiresome nuisance.
“I will come get you personally should anything change with her,” the youngling promised me with as much seriousness and conviction as an adult.
I hesitated to accompany Ako. He was not just my captain; he was also my friend.
I knew he wouldn’t compel me to abandon Maddie’s side.
But Maddie herself would want me to go. She would urge me to ensure Bozzo faced the consequences of his actions against the females—against all of us.
The thought of leaving her tugged at my heart, yet I could almost hear her voice prodding me to my duty.
I leveled a threatening finger at George. “If anything happens and you don’t fetch me immediately, I’m kicking your ass too.”
George’s dark eyes rolled dramatically back into his head, a theatrical gesture in response to my hollow threat, which served merely as an aside to Ako’s slow, rumbling grumble.
“Don’t threaten the youngling. The human females don’t like it.”
We departed from the sterile, white-walled medi-bay, footsteps echoing softly as we navigated the narrow, metal-lined corridors of the Historia , heading toward the lowest level—the brig.
Despite being the least desirable area of the ship, it boasted a surprising level of comfort compared to Bozzo’s dismal accommodations.
The cells were large and clean, thanks to daily attention from the cleaning bots.
Each cot held thick padding, promising a decent night’s rest. Every cell came equipped with its own shower and toilet, offering a level of privacy and comfort that was unexpected in such a location.
Bozzo sat regally in the center of the cell as if he were a king holding court. They had brought in a larger, padded chair to accommodate his considerable bulk, a gesture that seemed overly indulgent in my view. I’d have made him sit on the floor.
As he noticed our arrival, black gelatinous lips curled into a self-satisfied grin.
Surely, Ako would let me punch him at least once.