Page 73 of Sway’s Peace (Delivery Service #2)

“Why are you trying to be nice to me?” Grace asked, stepping further away from him so she could crouch and put the shoe back on her foot.

It wrapped around her ankle a few times, but it was actually held on with a seal, only appearing to be tied.

She activated it, letting it adhere together, before she stood, all the while, keeping her gaze on Vweet.

He allowed the distance to remain between them. Even increased it a bit. It seemed like he left his combot for her before, but she couldn’t be sure. Maybe he had just been acting like a weirdo.

“He’s here,” Vweet said softly.

Grace frowned. “What?”

“He’s come for you.”

She started. Sway…?

No. It couldn’t be. Her pacifistic mate was out in the forest somewhere, probably struggling to survive against the wilds. Did he mean Tanin? The crew? Were they here?

Vweet deliberately took a step to the side. Getting out of her way. Clearing the path to the door that remained opened and waiting. Everyone was gone. Off to deal with that explosion. There was no one to stop her from getting away.

She took one step. Then another.

Vweet just kept smiling at her, making no attempt to stop her or even ask what she was doing. He remained calm and composed. Just standing there.

Outside, another explosion boomed like thunder.

She took off at a dead sprint, ready for him to intervene. Surely, there would be people waiting outside in the hallway.

But no. There was no one. The hall was empty as well. Nothing was in her way as she ran through the bright, open halls of the Song’s headquarters.

The glass walls and doors she passed allowed her to see all the empty rooms and offices. The mess left behind by people that had gone rushing out. All of them are likely searching for the source of the boom. Curiosity and the need to protect their own lives sent them running.

He was here.

Who was Vweet talking about?

Someone was screaming. People were yelling. The musical whistles of the farasie had increased in pitch and tone, turning into an orchestra of violins, shrieking in panic.

There was no one. To stop her. To interfere. Someone ran past her in the hall, but the scared look on their face said they were more concerned about their own safety than what she was doing.

The doors leading out of headquarters were all wide open. A tablet, forgotten and smashed on the ground, lay right outside. Someone else had dropped a sash. Had the entire headquarters been evacuated?

Grace ran outside, coming to a halt right there at the top of the steps that led down. The top of the tallest building, looking down over the entire Song.

Allowing her an unparalleled look at the destruction.

One of the obelisks had been toppled. She could see the empty space left by its absence and the smoking ruins that were left that had crashed through a building.

On the other side of the city, the dais in the courtyard was completely engulfed in flames.

They weren’t spreading far, but they were sending a thick cloud of black smoke billowing high into the air, staining the otherwise lovely umber orange of the lowering sunset.

Wind whipped, harsh and stinging, against her face.

A powerful gust that made her shield her eyes.

Her ears popped, like the atmosphere was suddenly dropping.

From one obelisk falling? Yes, they were necessary for gravity and atmosphere regulation, but this planet was full of life.

They were likely only serving as gravity generators now.

No. When she opened her eyes and looked up, she found the reason.

Filling the sky, lowering slowly, was a big, ugly, scarred starship.

She knew that ship. The old, dingy paint, faded and scratched after over a century.

The body a patchwork of metals all wielded together and welded again.

The ship was just big enough that it would not be given clearance to land on a planetary surface, as doing so would not be considered safe – for the ship or for the planet.

But the crew didn’t appear to care now. They were coming down, guns aimed on the city.

As she watched, a light suddenly began flashing on top of one of the buildings. Before she could work out what it was, or why it was there, the guns on the starship turned and shot. It wasn’t laser fire. It was an old-fashioned projectile fire. But no less destructive for that fact.

The upper floors of the building burst apart, shredded by whatever ammo was in those guns. They streaked back, like a comet, before falling down. Raining upon the bright, terrified, musical screams of the farasie below.

They were firing on them.

They were firing on them!

Stunned, Grace watched the debris falling down. Almost unable to believe what she was seeing. For a starship to fire on a populated city was unthinkable. This kind of thing was so illegal, there was no way they’d be able to get away with it!

And all of the Song was reacting. As she watched, emergency evacuation ships were taking off.

The domini weren’t running, of course they weren’t, but they also didn’t have anything to defend against a ship.

Even a heavy, clunky, cargo ship. It didn’t matter that the Humility’s primary purpose was transport, it had still been upgraded – a few times over – with weapon systems. And the Song barely tolerated mercenaries; they didn’t tolerate anti-starship weaponry at all.

There was nothing to stop the Humility as it lowered over them.

They had nothing to defend themselves against its weapons.

Another light began glowing, a beacon on top of one of the protective walls.

She’d barely registered it even being there before the starship fired again, destroying it and a huge tree behind it in a shower of stone, wood, and fire.

The crew of the Humility. They’d gotten her message, and they were coming guns blazing.

A relieved smile crossed her face. Despite the destruction below. Despite the screams of terrified farasie all rushing to escape. Despite the scent of smoke and fire and starship fuel that burned her nose in the wind kicked up by the lowering starship. She was relieved!

They would be able to help her find Sway. They could finally get away from this place and all these judgmental jerks.

“Hey!” She yelled, like there was even a chance she might be heard. But she was also waving her hands wildly, jumping up and down. Hoping she was catching someone’s attention. Laughing. Beaming at the Humility in all its ugly, destructive glory. “Over here! I’m over-Ah!”

A tight hand grabbed her by the arm and yanked. She screamed, her entire world spinning. She found herself face to face with Veesway. His crest was high, his eyes wild. He snarled at her, furious.

“Let go of me!” She snapped, grabbing and pulling at his hand. For all the good it did. She only managed to rip out his feathers, but he paid her no mind.

“No,” he whistled through the words. “I will not lose my grandson too!”

“Let me go!” She yelled again, trying to dig her feet in as he pulled. Aiming for the lift off to the side so he could take her away.

He didn’t care about her. Only the possible babe she might have conceived.

“I’m not pregnant!” She yelled, ripping at more of his feathers. If she caused enough pain, he’d have to let her go, right? “I turned off my ovulation! I can’t be pregnant right now!”

He scoffed. “Convenient. But I won’t take that chance. If you’re not pregnant, I’ll deal with it later. But I won’t risk losing the only offspring I have left.”

“You should have thought of that before you exiled Sway! Now! Let! Go!”

He ignored her, still pulling. His grip was firm, definitely bruising, but he clearly didn’t care that he was breaking his pacifism. ‘Saving’ his grandchild was more important. Even more important than the fact that he was, at this moment, kidnapping her.

Instead of trying to pull back, Grace suddenly threw herself forward. She grabbed the feathers of his crest, proudly lifted into the air, and pulled. Yanking so hard and suddenly, his head jerked back and his grip loosened. Just enough for her to twist free and stumble backwards.

He recovered quickly, whipping around to face her with a snarl.

“Female, I am not-”

He cut himself off. Staring past her. An unreadable expression on his face.

Grace didn’t get the chance to turn. Arms wrapped around her from behind.

Familiar, warm, strong, and blue. One arm banded around her belly.

The other swept up so he could put his hand around her neck.

Holding her there. Not squeezing, not even tight, but just holding on, keeping her in place as his body pressed against hers from behind.

A crooning voice, rough and all the more beautiful for it, whispered in her ear. “Grace.”

“Sway…” She breathed, stunned, heart pounding.