Page 33 of Champion (The Outlander Book Club… in Space! #6)

I was so distracted yearning for sight of my mate that I didn’t notice Nansar until too late.

With the help of a well-thrown blade from somewhere nearby, the guard holding him fell.

Nansar yanked the knife from the male’s bleeding throat and leaped.

Only this time his murderous range wasn’t intent on his father.

He only had eyes for me and Pearl—humans.

I had only a moment to decide. Nansar sailed through the air, blade raised.

Pearl stood with her back to him. His strike would hit her mid-back, severing her spine.

Without conscious thought, I pushed Pearl out of the way, realizing too late, I stood no chance of defense.

Yet the strike of the blade didn’t come.

Something stopped it. Something large, with pale skin and long silvery hair.

“Adtovar,” I breathed a sigh of relief… relief that turned to horror when he turned to smile at me, and I saw the hilt of the knife protruding from the center of his chest.

“No! No, no, no!” I grabbed at his arm, trying to keep him upright, but Adtovar proved too heavy, taking me to the floor with him as his legs crumbled.

Blood poured from the chest wound and I pressed my hands around the blade, attempting to staunch the flow.

Out of my peripheral vision, I noticed Jutuk take Nansar to the ground, holding him inert, with a knee pressed into his back.

Pearl appeared at my side, whipping off her pale green wrap and pressing it into my hand. I bunched it around the blade, noticing, like my hands, it became blood-soaked in seconds.

“Hang on, Adtovar,” I whispered…begged… prayed.

“To what?” He croaked the word, but his lips twitched upward.

I grabbed his hand, his large palm engulfing mine. “Hang on to me.”

Somebody called for a healer. The regal woman, I think.

“Don’t you die on me, Grandpa,” I ordered, leaning my face close to Adtovar’s. His color waned, and his expression was peaceful. Too peaceful.

“I don’t think I have any control over that… this time.” Pale blue eyes found mine.

Someone pushed another cloth into my hand. I pressed it against the wound, the fabric soaking through in seconds. Blood, an odd dark purple color that seemed too pretty a shade. So much blood.

“You hang on,” I demanded, pressing hard enough to staunch the bleeding that he gave a low groan of pain. “We can save you.”

“You already did.” A trembling hand cupped my cheek. “My daughter.”

His touch fell away as the blood gushed under my hands. “Please, somebody help him.” I begged. My voice sounded scared, almost childlike, at least what I could hear of it over the pounding in my ears.

The surrounding crowd became nothing but a roar, faint with the sounds of Nansar’s rebellion being subdued.

It didn’t matter. The only thing that mattered was holding Adtovar’s hand and keeping him alive.

I became conscious of someone pulling at me, trying to move me from Adtovar’s side. I resisted with a growl.

“Willa, you need to let me see the wound.”

Agnes?

She looked so young and beautiful, but the intensity she’d always possessed as a physician still resided in the way my friend dropped to her knees beside me, sure hands running over Adtovar’s chest and neck, taking vitals.

She didn’t lift the pile of cloth I held over the wound.

The sight of it only paled her face, and she cast a worried glance toward the male at her side.

Handsome like the rest of the Vaktaire except… damn, did he have a mullet?

“What are the stats, Hakkar?” Anges asked as the man ran a square metallic piece of equipment over Adtovar.

“Severely declining heart rate and breath, entering last stages of hemorrhagic shock.” The machine he held gave a hateful beep. “Blood loss at fifty-six percent.”

“Fuck,” Agnes hissed.

“You have to save him,” I begged, clutching her shoulder.

Her eyes met mine, softening. “Is he your mate?”

“No.” I shook my head, my heart screaming out for Charick with a heavy beat.

“He’s my….” I stalled for a moment. The word friend didn’t seem quite right.

He was my friend, but Adtovar was more, and it took me until this very second to realize what.

“He’s my dad.” My own father was a good man, but he’d never been proud of me, never truly acknowledged me and the woman I’d become.

He’d never forgiven the fact that I’d been born without a cock.

I’d always fallen short in his eyes. I never fell short when it came to Adtovar.

With him, I’d found the kind of father-daughter relationship I’d always craved.

Agnes’ eyes flared in shock, but only for a moment.

“He’s lost too much blood.” The man at her side—Hakkar—shook his head sadly. Agnes took in his words, her face stoic and sad.

“No,” I moaned, feeling a wash of tears course down my face. “Please.”

Agnes took in my crumpled features and squared her shoulders, determination settling over her demeanor. “We can’t do anything here. We need to get him to the Bardaga and into the Garoot Healer.”

“Take my shuttle,” the regal lady ordered from somewhere nearby.

“Help them.” Duke Ako ordered, and six of his guards knelt by Adtovar, gently lifting him.

Agnes stepped to the side, pulling me into a tight hug and pressing a kiss to my cheek. “I’ll do all that I can.”

“I know you will,” I hiccupped the words. Part of me wanted to go with Adtovar, but I needed to find Charick.

Please, please, please let him be safe.

“Don’t worry.” Anges cupped my cheek, issuing a wink. “If the Garoot Healer can cure me of Parkinson’s, healing your friend should be a breeze.”

“What?” I blinked at her.

“Parkinson’s? What? You had Parkinson’s?” Pearl echoed, coming to stand beside me.

“We’ll talk later,” Agnes promised, pulling both of us into a hug. Then she turned to run after her patient.

“I’m sure it will be fine,” Pearl promised, slipping an arm around my shoulders. “Agnes is the best doctor we know.”

“Hakkar is a fine healer as well,” Jutuk promised from his position atop Nansar’s back, taking a moment to thump his prisoner in the head.

I nodded, letting hope seep into my soul, yet the tears didn’t stop. They wouldn’t stop.

“There he is, finally,” the regal lady issued an exasperated sigh.

“Patience, Lady Prime,” Duke Ako sighed. A smile curved his lips but did nothing to assuage the sadness on his face. “We have them to thank for not having to face the Kerzak today as well.”

Them?

I followed the line of his gaze, my vision obscured by a glare of sunlight.

He came through the archway glowing like a Greek god, head held high, shoulders squared.

At his side strode another Vaktaire of equal size, and next to him, her hand clasped in his, red curls bouncing with each step, strode my friend, Emmy.

With a cry of surprise, I took off running, Pearl at my side. While her squeal of glee and embrace were for our friend Emmy, I wanted only one set of arms to hold me.

Those of my mate.