Page 23

Kari

Vahru and I are sitting outside on the back porch, enjoying some tea, while watching the sunset through the trees. There’s a gentle peace and quiet, even the animals seem silent for once. It makes it feel ominous, foreboding, and I’m not sure what to think at this point. Thinking that it’s probably just my nerves and irritation getting the best of me, I continue to sip my tea and breathe deep to relax.

The silence is pierced by a loud alarm from the comm in my pocket, followed by a loud crunch. Vahru and I jump up, staring at each other in shock as I rush to get the comm out of my pocket. Kosiiba yells for me as I lift the comm to see Kij while running around the house. “Someone is attempting to enter the barrier, Captain. What’s your decision?”

I pant as I rush around the house, following Kosiiba up the road toward the city to find a smashed car at the barrier. There’s smoke, creaking metal, and then someone tumbles from the vehicle. I recognize the dress, and when she rolls and I see her bloodied face, I scream, “Let her in, Kij!”

My hand fumbles to repocket my comm as I launch forward with Vahru, running through the now open section of barrier and grabbing her face. “Krissie, oh, my god, Krissie, are you okay?”

She moans, her eyes rolling for a moment before closing in pain. Vahru scoops her up into his arms as gently as he can, and we step through the barrier. “What do we do, princess?”

I call Kij and wave over Kosiiba, the other hunters gathering closer. “Here’s what needs done. I need hunters to help hide that vehicle, get it into the woods, sweep the road, I don’t want evidence that she’s here. Do it as quickly as possible so the drones don’t catch it if they haven’t already. We’ll get Krissie into our cabin, check her for injuries. Kij, if Tohtor wants to come help us, that’d be great. Then we’ll go from there. If you need more briefing, meet at my cabin.”

The hunters disperse as Kosiiba barks orders, Kij nods and hangs up, and I run ahead of Vahru to get the door open for him and Krissie. He stumbles in, laying her gently on the couch. I grab a cloth as he grabs a bowl of water, and I begin to clean the blood on her face the best I can while being gentle. He heats some water for tea or whatever, and I focus on her. Poor thing, she’s in this mess because of me, I can feel it. What am I going to do?

“Kari, Vahru, we heard the commotion, what…” Tavi trails off as her eyes land on Krissie. She gasps and steps inside as a low voice asks for entry. Tohtor comes barging in with Alex on his heels, a bag in his hands.

Tavi backs against the wall, watching on carefully as Alex blocks the door, keeping us safe. I nod to the black giant with the soft yellow eyes as he crosses his four arms over his torso and nods back. Tohtor gently settles on his knees beside me in his doctor’s smock, his leather bag between us on the floor. His large brown eyes flit between us in question.

“She was driving and hit the barrier, I’m not sure at what speed. She hasn’t spoken, only moaned in pain.” I sound frantic, nervous, and Vahru puts a gentle hand on my shoulder as he stands behind me. Tohtor nods, pulling a device out of his bag and quickly running it over Krissie’s body from toes to head.

“She’s got some minor abrasions and bruising, but no bone breaks, no concussion, she’s going to be just fine. I can give her some pain medication if she needs it-”

“No, I don’t need anything, I’m okay. I just… I need to gather myself.” Krissie’s voice is hoarse and mumbled, but we all hear her.

As Tohtor stands, I hear Vahru whispering to him, and they converse for a moment before he walks to Alex and turns. “If you do need anything else, any of you, just call. I’ll be here.” He and Alex nod as they exit.

Vahru hands me a steamy cup of tea and tells me it’s for Krissie. I recognize the green coloring to it and know it’s a form of healing brew that he’s figured out. I gently dab at some dried blood on her face, and her eyes flutter open to look at me. Her long brown hair is in a messy bun atop her head, her blue-green eyes dull with confusion. She slowly sits up, and I help make sure she’s okay before handing her the tea. She sips at it, getting her thoughts gathered, as we all wait patiently.

“I came to warn you, Kari. You’re in grave danger.” Her eyes meet mine, and the fear that I see has me pausing. She’s telling the truth, she’s genuinely scared for me.

“Okay, Krissie. I hear you, but I want you to start at the beginning. Fill me in on everything you remember, okay?” I pat her knee and give her an encouraging smile.

She nods and goes all the way back to the day I first came to visit with the chancellor and was denied. Krissie was her assistant/secretary and tried all she could to help us to get in to see her. I wish she hadn’t ended up getting hurt to warn us of the schemes her boss and her boss’s boss were planning, but I’m eternally grateful for her warnings and friendship.

“When you showed up with Tavionna and all but forced a meeting, she was livid. Since then, she’s spent days during the weeks locked in her office, yelling and arguing with a very angry man. Whoever her boss is, he is not happy about you. I overheard parts of their conversations. Other city leaders are involved, there’s a plot to stop you, but it was what I heard today that solidified my resolve to come here. They’re putting a hit out on you or someone you love, I’m not sure who, but they’re planning to hurt someone. You’re not safe!” Her voice rises at the end, her panic shining through, and I reach out to calm her.

“Hey, it’s going to be okay. We have precautions in place, we’re under guard, and we’re going to make sure that nothing happens to you either, okay?”

“You don’t understand. Kari, they’ve already got a plan in motion, they’ve already enacted it. They know they’re going to succeed in getting someone. You’re too late to stop it.”

Before I can say a word back, the door flies open, bringing in Kosiiba, Cruzig, and Nakarra. “The vehicle is hidden and the road cleaned up, Captain. What do we need to do now?”

I take a moment to breathe, letting my brain figure it out on its own as the gears are already turning. It’s been proven today that our shield is impervious, that we’re safe, so I don’t see how any of us could get hurt. My priority right now isn’t solving that, it’s making sure Krissie is safe from retribution for coming to warn me.

“With Tavionna and Seuke staying in the guest cabin next door, we need a safe place to hide Kristiella until this is all over. We can’t have her getting hurt for coming to warn us. Where can she stay?”

There’s a moment of silence when Kosiiba snaps his fingers. “Atsatsa’s staying in his parents’ cabin, he’s alone and has multiple rooms. With him on patrol most of the time, she’ll have privacy, space, and comfort. Plus we can make rounds to make sure she’s checked on, provided food and things.”

“I’m sure Willa would check on her if you asked. She’d even find things for her to do to help out.” Vahru shrugs, seeming comfortable with the idea.

“And you think Atsatsa will be okay with this?” I raise an eyebrow at Kosiiba, and he shrugs.

“What choice does he have, it’s an emergency.”

I nod and tilt my head back and forth. He has a point. “Okay, let Atsatsa know what’s going on, inform Terax, we need to make sure all guards are prepared for anything and everything. We’ve got a hit out on someone in the village, likely me or someone connected to me, and that’s a lot of potential targets. So let’s make sure we’re prepared.”

Kosiiba nods, and Nakarra runs out the door to update Atsatsa and Terax, leaving the rest of us to come up with a plan to get Krissie out of here safely and still watch our own backs. I don’t see how anyone could get to us with all the precautions we have in place, but one thing I do know is that no system is perfect. If there is a way, they’ll find it. And we have to be ready.