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PRINCE DOMAN

T he reinforced doors open to the bridge, and I stride out, noting the tension on every man’s face. Technicians stare into data, not wanting to look at me, and my acting commander greets me with a nod.

“Reports,” I state, as I take my place in the center, looking out through the viewport to the stars that mark the border of the Aurelian Empire.

Reports are rattled off. The first shift through the Rift was nearly clean.

One of the gunneries simply didn’t come through, sheared off as if someone ran a wire through it.

I pull up the feed of it. A triad was lost who were manning the guns, but the airlocks closed automatically to seal off the rest of the ship.

The second shift left the Imperator completely intact.

But six Aurelians didn’t make it. One left a tooth behind. The other, a hand gripping tight around his Orb-Blade. I don’t know where he is now.

I hope those six were taken somewhere. I pray they are on a planet, another place or another time, and not just lost in the darkness forever. I’ve got my suspicions, dark suspicions, that they would be better off dead than wherever they are.

I feel distant from myself as I speak with my staff, checking star maps showing my proximity to safe territories. We’re in sensor range, and we can expect to be escorted in to Colossus.

In battle, I am never more present than when I have a blade in my hand, leading my troops, or barking out commands from the bridge. In war, I am totally in the moment.

Now I feel like an automaton, speaking commands based on my training and not my intuition. I’m detached from my emotions, because if I let myself feel them, even for a second, I’ll be overwhelmed by the terror and shame.

I brought my Fated Mate into danger.

I nearly lost her.

A technician, standing on the far ship of the bridge, is looking at me strangely. “Again,” I state.

“Engines are back on Orb-Power. We drew from the nuclear reserves for twelve seconds, but we’re back online.”

“Good. Plot a straight line to the border. I don’t want to take any chance Obsidian can follow us through the Rift. I want to be in Orb-Disruptor range, protected. Full speed. I want the Orb-Power at full, the nuclear reserves tapped, and all non-essential power draws off until we’re safe.”

Three solutions are proposed on the holo-vid feed; I sign off on the second.

“The broken triads. Where are they?”

Silence greets me, then finally, the acting commander tells me that they’re in the med-bays.

Broken triads.

In the Aurelian Empire, losing one of your battle-brothers is an honorable discharge. Commanding a Reaver into battle requires three men with linked minds. Fighting in battles with Orb-Blades requires the telepathic Bond, or you’ll be cut down by those who have it.

It would have been better if two whole triads disappeared into the Rift.

The lives of six have been lost, and twelve utterly changed forever.

They will be removed from combat, shuffled into mansions on Colossus or, if the drive to fight is still in them, working in non-combat roles.

Some train the young in Academy, others stay on stand-by in the reserve forces—waiting for Obsidian to strike on our home planet.

The headache is pounding in my temples, and it’s not from Titus’ fists. That physical pain was a blessing. It was less than I deserved. It’s not from the burden of command, of facing down men who I just condemned.

It is because I do not deserve my Mate. I could not keep her safe, and I lied to her.

She thinks I have no plan for Colossus. It’s a half truth. The rescue itself is malleable. I am above suspicion, with full access to the royal palace, a brother who will help me and spies on the inside. I know I can get Fay out.

But what I’m going to do with her…

That, I haven’t told Adriana. I can’t. I decided when I thought I lost her. I made a promise to myself, that if I somehow found her in that darkness, I would do whatever was needed.

Because as I make the long walk alone to the med-bay, to face the soldiers who lost the people closest to them, and after nearly losing my Mate before I even Bonded her to me…

I know this war must end.

And I know how to do it.