Mastered by the Zandians (Zandian Brides 3)
Page 65
“I don’t know.” His voice cracks. “But you’re here, and there’s no option but to keep going. Bring the flame forward, Mirelle.”
I stop crying as abruptly as I started. Touch my neck. Fuck. “I lost my necklace. Again.”
He squeezes me back. “You don’t need the necklace. The flame is inside you.”
“I know.” I take a deep, shuddering breath. I’ve been hanging onto memories and symbols of memories instead of living.
It’s time to face my future instead of dragging along the past.
Chapter 18
Lanz
* * *
“What are we going to do?” I stare at the console, although instead of stars and asteroids, I see Mirelle’s pained face. Hear her angry words.
“Let her go. It’s time.” Domm’s voice is heavy. “She needed to be free. If we love her, we must give her what she desires. No matter how much it hurts.”
“I know.” I take a breath too. “But it’s hard, knowing she’s not ours any longer. That she probably never really was.”
“She isn’t the meek little human female who wants to be kept safe at home. She needs to be out in the galaxy, fighting, saving lives.” He shakes his head. “The sooner we face that, the quicker we get past it.”
We zip past the asteroid belt and into inky dark. “We really need to focus now.”
“I know.” He snaps the words. “You’re the one still talking about her.”
I gnash my teeth, ready to punch my best friend, even though I know my anger isn’t really with him.
A ping from our panel makes both of us turn.
“Alert from Master Seke.”
Domm answers it. “Master Seke, we’re here. What is it?” His face changes as he listens to his comms device.
“She what? Where?”
My heart is a cold ball. “Mirelle is gone?”
He nods, his face pale. “She left in her own craft. The tower saw her leave but there were no fighters scrambled to follow, and the king said to let her go, and we’d deal with her later.”
“Clever timing.” I shake my head, dread and admiration warring.
“As always.” He sighs.
“Where did she go?”
“Where do you think?”
“Jesel.”
He nods. “I guess we knew we’d lose her to it sooner or later.”
The airspace suddenly feels too thick. It’s like losing everything, all over again. My parents, siblings, home. Everything I knew.
Part of me still believed once we came back, we’d be able to fix things. Now I know it’s all really over.
Mirelle