Page 32 of Rescuing Mara (Warriors of Arracate #2)
CHAPTER 32
Mara
I feel like I’ve just delivered O’Rec a death blow, telling him that they want to destroy his people. To use his death as a way to break them. It’s beyond awful, and I cannot let that happen.
“We will find a way, my mate,” O’Rec tells me, ever the optimist.
“Okay. Now, get some rest. You need to keep your strength.”
“I love you, my star.”
I smile at those words. “I love you too.”
I close my eyes and lean against the wall of the closet Ananta has shoved me into. She’s oblivious but also paranoid. She never lets me near when she rests, which means I have some blissful alone time. I should get some sleep. I never know when I will get another chance, but my mind is spinning.
The mothership will actually increase my chances of keeping him safe. I know every cranny and nook of that ship since that’s where I grew up. Yawning, I pull up my knees, curling into a ball and hugging myself. Crawled into the corner of the closet, I fall asleep thinking of escape pods and stealing spaceships.
* * *
“MARA! WAKE UP!” A loud bang accompanies Anantas shouting, and I’m up and ready in a second. I bow my head when she opens the door.
“Come with me,” she commands before walking away.
I hurry after her, trying to match her pace. I forgot what a pain it is when you have to almost run to keep up with someone. O’Rec would never treat me like this. He would be chivalrous and adjust his pace to me. I bet all the Arracate males would do that. It is simply in their blood.
O’Rec! Quickly I check in with him, I can’t believe I forgot. “O’Rec? Are you there?”
“Yes, my star, what are you doing?”
“Ananta is taking me somewhere.” I feel the bond pulsing, and I feel his presence grow. “I think she’s taking me to you…”
“Fuck, that means she is going to use you to control me. Listen, Marra, if she tortures me, trust me when I say I know how to handle it. I’ve been through more than you can believe, and I can endure more than you think.”
“MARA!” Ananta’s yelling pulls me out of the trance. We’re standing in front of a closed door. Ananta gives me a scrutinizing look.
“What were you doing?”
“Nothing, I was just thinking.”
She huffs. “No need for that. Let me do the thinking. But pay attention. I need you to help me.”
“With what?” I whisper, scared of the worst.
“Let’s make sure that warrior doesn’t get too comfortable, shall we?” chuckling, she opens the door, and we walk into the cell block. Right in the center of the area is one big cage with bars on all sides, and in that cage, standing proud, is my mate.
“Marra!” he cries out, rushing towards the steel bars. I almost run to him, but one glance at Ananta’s face makes me stop and step back.
She snickers. “Well, well, well, not so high and mighty now, are you O’Rec?”
She swaggers towards him, and I softly follow at a distance, taking the loophole that comes with her lack of instructions. One of her goons hands her the electrical taser, and I bite the inside of my cheek when she starts poking O’Rec, just for the fun of it. He just stares at her, showing off his strength, and I feel his Warrior Calm coming through the bond.
“Boohoo, you’re no fun like this,” Ananta complains. “How about… I try out the taser on your lovely Zarra over here.”
“NO!” O’Rec shouts, panic etched on his face and fear pulsing through our bond.
“Mara, please join me,” she orders. Swallowing, I take a reluctant step, then another one. This is going to hurt.
The second I’m within reach, she grabs me and shoves me against the cage. My eyes lock with my mate’s seconds before I feel flaming hot pain shooting through my body. I think I scream, but all I can feel is agony, white-hot flares of agony, and I struggle to stay conscious.
“Oops,” Ananta says. “I forgot your puny human body can’t take the same level as the Arracate Warrior.”
She says the words, but her tone is anything but sincere. I can’t believe I ever fell for her lies. Grinding my teeth, I pull myself up against the bars. O’Rec is still standing in the exact same spot, and I give him a grim smile.
“I’m okay, really. Keep your calm, and don’t provoke her. That works best.” I hear his mental growl, and it’s such an O’Rec response that I chuckle.
“What are you laughing for!” Ananta yells. She yanks on my hair to pull my head back, and I stare at her upside down.
“Nothing,” I grit out, breathing through my mouth because her smell is overwhelming.
She roughly shoves me against the bars, and I slowly turn around to face her. “I am nothing to him, you know that. Why do you think hurting me will accomplish any of your goals.”
Ananta shrugs. “It’s fun…” Then she sighs. “Unfortunately, you’re right. You are nothing to him. Don’t you forget that.”
She turns on her heels and strides to the doors. I rush after her. I’m too afraid to look at O’Rec, so I send him a mental apology: “I’m so sorry. I really don’t mean it. I know I am everything to you, and you are to me.”
“Don’t you forget it,” he sends back before I turn the corner and walk right into a waiting Ananta, who smacks me in my face immediately.
The force of the blow makes me stumble and fall back against the wall.
“Don’t you EVER dispute me again, Mara. You may have outlived your usefulness if you pull stunts like that.”
“I’m sorry, Ananta!” I cry out. “I’m so sorry.” I bow my head in submission and wait. With a huff, she walks away, leaving me to scramble after her.
* * *
It takes about three days to reach the Mothership. I keep quiet most of the time, and Ananta seems to have forgotten our disagreement from before, so I keep on being her shadow. It’s like nothing has changed, while for me, everything is different. O’Rec and I check in with each other as much as possible, but I don’t want to risk Ananta finding out about the bond, so I usually only reach out when I’m alone. We keep on working on a plan. We know we have to steal a cruiser and get the hell out of there. We also know I can get us to the flight deck; I know enough secret passageways that nobody will spot us. The main issue is getting O’Rec out.
He is heavily guarded, and although he is confident he can eliminate the guards when he gets out of the cell, he must first escape.
We brainstorm all the different possibilities during the nights, and the only option we appear to have is for him to break out when they transfer him. This leaves us with little to no options. Even when they relocate him, they will use me as leverage to make him comply.
Using the arrival at the mothership is tricky but probably won’t work either because Ananta told me that her father will be welcoming her personally. This means that if the High Commander is going to be there, there will be a lot of guards. The High Commander is nothing if not extremely paranoid, which makes sense when you terrorize half the galaxy.
So, for now, we have decided to wait and see how things play out at the Mothership. If all else fails, we’ll make a run for it when they lead him to his execution, which is not ideal but buys us some time.
I’m next to Ananta at the bridge at the moment. She’s captaining the ship, barking orders at the crew - which is a stark contrast to the Arracate crew - while we visually approach the Mothership.
“We’re almost there.” O’Rec doesn’t respond, which makes my anxiety rise, and when Ananta starts to yell we are getting ready for landing, I don’t have to feign any unrest.
I rush toward the side, pull down a chair folded into the wall, and strap myself in. The ship shakes and shudders a bit, though it is nothing compared to our crash at the storm planet. My thoughts wander to Lauren, D’Var, and T’Rak. I really, really, really hope they’ve made it out. They should have by now; we have a two-and-a-half-day head start, but the Arracate technology is like nothing I have ever seen.
“O’Rec?” I try again, but there is still no answer. For a moment, I feel lost, alone, and powerless. The familiarity of the feeling burns inside of me but also lifts me up. I am not that powerless slave girl anymore. Ananta does not control me anymore. I skim my fingers over my tattooed wrist. I belong to me and only me.