Ever So Madly (25 page)

“We should go fight. Better than waiting in here like cowards.” There was no waver in her voice. Further confirmation she was the leader her people needed. She walked up to the blast door and exhaled. “Get your weapons.”

“J, give it time. We have backup coming.”

“How long are we going to wait? The longer we wait here the more time they have to get reinforcements,” she said.

Jacob pulled his knife and stepped up behind her. Colton, Phillip, and I followed.

“On the count of three,” she said.

Chapter Fifty-Three

Jocelynn

I looked back at Madden as I counted. There had been several times over the last few days and months where I thought I would never see his face again, and I knew this was it. He met my eyes licking over his cracked lips.

“Three,” I said and turned the handle, but I didn’t take my gaze away from him. I mouthed, “I love you” before pulling open the door and charging out.

Knife in hand I expected to cut down at least a few opponents before they realized what was going on. But I ran into a dust cloud. There were bodies around my feet as I skidded to a halt. Jacob hit my back, and we both stumbled. It started to clear, and I could see no one left standing. The others flanked me, weapons raised, but nothing could be seen through the haze.

Boots clicked over the rock surface, but the figure wasn’t visible yet. My heart raced as we waited. Three more steps and a man came into view. His face was masked in shadow.

“Looks like we are a little late to the party. Everyone okay?” he called out.

“Lincoln?” Relief showed in Colton’s voice.

“Miss me?” An older man stepped into view. He had dark red hair that was tinged with gray at the temples. He looked younger than his hair suggested, but his eyes were old. He wore his pants on his hips with a holster sling at an angle across them. He stepped over bodies like they’d never been alive. Over all he had an heir of ownership that told me one thing: he was important, whoever he was.

Colton scoffed. “Good job, showing up when you’re not needed.” He resheathed his knife and stepped forward to grip the guy’s hand. They pulled each other into a tight embrace.

Madden crossed the space between us setting his hand on my back.

“Madden, we meet again.” He passed Colton and extended his hand, which Mad took. “Lincoln.”

“You two know each other?” I directed my inquiry at Mad, but Lincoln answered.

“We do.” He inclined his head in my direction. “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, m’lady.”

“There is no need for all of that.” I touched one of the red bands on my wrist absentmindedly. “I am no one but a traitor to the Baron now.”

“There you are wrong, lady. Never give up your title, not with us, or anywhere else you may find yourself. You’ll need it.” He took one of my hands in his and traced over the metal. “This may be one of the most important things we have.” His deep blue eyes locked on mine. “Not even the Grand Duke has such a guarantee of inheritance.”

Phillip nodded. “Less now that I’ve blown things with you?”

My mouth fell open, and I thought I knew part of the reason they all wanted us together.

“Captain.” A man called from behind Lincoln. He held my hand for a moment longer before turning. “What is it?”

A realization hit me. He was one of the Red Captains. There was no ruler of the Reds, but Jacob had told me “Captain” was reserved for the council of those in charge.

“The area is secure, but we better get them out of here before backup rears its head.”

“Aye to that. Let’s move out.” Lincoln turned back to me catching me off guard. “Walk with me?” He extended his arm, and I detangled from Mad to take it.

The ground shook, and Lincoln had to grab me by the arm to shove me down to the ground. I threw my hands out in time to catch myself right before Lincoln landed over me. The air went out of my lungs in a rush, and another bang echoed off the cavern around us. It felt like the inside of my ears exploded and then everything went quiet. I pressed my hands to my ears squeezing my eyes shut.

The weight was off of me, and I was grabbed by the back of my shirt. I forced my eyes open stumbling forward. A hand was on my lower back, leading me. I assumed it was Lincoln, but I couldn’t see through the haze well enough, nor did I have time to look back. Our group was scattered and running around us, but my ears rang, giving me none of their shouted words.

It came back slowly, and I was forced into another right elevator shaft as their voices started to become clear again. I scanned the lift, but he wasn’t there.

“Where is Madden?” I knew I was screaming, but I could barely hear myself.

A few people looked at me and shook their heads. I couldn’t see Colton either. They started to close the door to the lift. I pushed my way through the mass of bodies, but my arm was grabbed. I turned to look back and found Lincoln shaking his head at me. The lift door slammed, and I turned on him growling.

“We’ll get him on the next one. We need to get you to the ship before they cut off our exit by the air.”

I balled my hands into fists looking up. I took a steadying breath.

“He better be on the next lift and I want a report about the defense they’ve lined up in the atmosphere.” It was easier to flip into the leader mindset, as otherwise I’d be in the corner shaking, and I was an Akillie. That would never happen.

A smirk curled at his lips as I spoke. He turned to the man beside him and said, “Make it so.”

I stared them both down as he talked into his comm. My heart pounded in my chest, but I crossed both arms over it to hide the nerves. The man listened to his comm for a moment then opened his mouth looking right at Lincoln. The lift started to rumble taking us toward the surface. Leaving Madden in danger.

“Not to me, to her.” Lincoln told him.

“But…”

Lincoln lifted his lip, and the man nodded turning to me.

“This planet is only equipped with ground defense and not a standing fleet, as you know, there has never been need to defend against an attack from the ground. We will have more trouble switching phases of flight outside the atmosphere than breaking away from the surface of the planet.”

I nodded. “All this I know. The Baron’s fleet is in the system. Where are they?”

“They are en route. We estimate two hours before they arrive.”

I looked at Lincoln. “How long before we can lift off?”

“We have a fueled ship waiting at a gate already, m’lady.” The smirk broadened, like he wanted me to take charge.

“Do we have a secure route to the dock?”

The lift quickened to its full speed forcing everyone toward the ground. My stomach jumped to my throat, but I didn’t waver.

Lincoln nodded. “That was the only open space we had to cross. They shouldn’t have found us, which means there is a leak.”

I set my jaw. “I want to know who it is, and I want to know before we get on that ship.”

“Ma’am?” Lincoln asked.

“If Madden has a scratch on him he will have the same inflicted on him tenfold before the interrogation starts.”

The men in the lift fell silent at once, and all eyes were on me.

“I told you, boys.”

I raised one brow at Lincoln.

“I told them we needed you. There was some doubt you’d be well, you. But I knew it was impossible for an Akillie to be weak.”

Now I knew why he wore his smile.

“I also now know why Phillip is smitten.”

I inclined my head, but before I could reply the doors of the lift slid open, and I found myself in a docking bay. “Trucks?”

Lincoln cracked a smile. “All full trucks go to the space port.”

“Your plan is well executed.” I pushed past the men, who were still staring. It was now. If my coronation hadn’t pressed it upon me enough, this did. I wouldn’t be anyone but the Baron in waiting from this moment forward. I had to act as much as the Baron did.

They followed me out, and we loaded ourselves in the trucks. One of the men pulled a cover all over his clothes, and he looked exactly like a driver. The lift had gone back down into the blackness of the mines, and I couldn’t look away from it.

The truck started up, and still I waited. Lincoln paced the dock rubbing a hand over the back of his neck. His comm chirped, and he lifted it to his ear.

“Go ahead.” He listened. “Fuck.”

I resisted the urge to press my palm into my aching chest. I held my head high and watched Lincoln’s every move.

“I need all the engineers back out here to get the lift moving again. They are trying to override it from below,” Lincoln yelled.

Panic gripped my throat like a cold, dead hand. A few men jumped from the truck and went to work on the outdated controls. I listened for the rumbling of the car, but there was no sound, only tense silence. Minutes ticked by, and Lincoln kept his comm pressed to his ear.

“Who’s our medic?” he asked looking up at the remaining men standing next to me.

A man stepped forward. “I am, sir.”

“We have a few injured men who will be coming off this lift. Be quick about it. They all need attention.”

I stared at Lincoln, but he wouldn’t meet my eyes. It felt like I was stuck in the simulation again. Like I was going to lose Mad over and over until I somehow broke out of this hell. My chest heaved as my heart raced. The groans from the lift finally reached my ears, and I bit my tongue staring at the doors. I wanted him to run from the lift and scoop me up in his arms.

The doors slid back, and I searched every face. I didn’t see him. The men poured out, and the medic started checking minor injuries as they ran from the lift. At the very back stood Colton supporting Mad under his arms. His shirt was soaked through, bright red. My voice caught in my throat, and I jumped out of the truck to run to him. I wrapped his other arm around my shoulders and took more weight off his feet.

“J,” he hissed, in a hoarse voice.

“You’re going to be okay,” I said, not believing the words as they left my lips.

“Of course I am.” His voice was a whisper, and he started to cough.

As we passed I grabbed the medic by the collar and jerked him around.

“He needs help,” I shouted as we laid Mad down in the truck.

The medic looked into my eyes then quickly turned to Mad tearing away his shirt. He had a hole above his heart, right under his collarbone. Blood leaked from the edges of the blackened wound.

“It’s hit him in the lung,” the medic said pulling out a crude looking tool from his bag.

I grabbed his arm. “What are you doing to him?”

Colton tried to pry my hand off of him. “He knows what he’s doing. I can vouch for him.”

“I’m going to re-inflate his lung and patch the hole the best I can so he can get to the ship where we can give him blood.”

I reluctantly let go. “Go on then.”

“This is going to hurt,” the medic said to Mad.

Madden nodded gritting his teeth. I took Mad’s hand in mine, and he grunted as the medic pressed the tool to the hole in his chest. His back arched, and he gasped for breath. The medic flipped the tool around and pressed it into the hole again sealing it with artificial skin. He hadn’t cleaned it or anything, but I knew he didn’t have time. There were other men who needed treatment, and the truck was just pulling away.

“Thank you,” I said as he moved away. I wrapped my arms around Mad, lightly, as to not cause him anymore pain. “Are you okay?”

“I will be.” He tried to sit up, but both Colton and I kept a hand on him.

“Not ’til we have to get on the ship please.”

He nodded laying his head back.

I looked over at Colton. “Tell me we won’t have to fight our way to the ship.”

He looked at me for a long moment, and my stomach dropped. “Let’s hope they don’t figure out where we’re going. We didn’t expect them to find us in the mines, and look how that turned out.”

“Everyone,” Lincoln yelled.

The truck fell silent.

“Give me your comms. We are radio silent until we get to our destination.”

I breathed a little easier. I hoped this would prevent the leak from going any further.

Chapter Fifty-Four

Jocelynn

The loading bay was dark, and we seemed to be the only ones in the port this evening. It was after normal times for departure so I didn’t think much of it as our small group made our way through the deserted halls. The thundering of boots hammered in my ears. We weren’t going for stealth as time was more important. Every few moments I glanced back at Colton and Lincoln half carrying Madden. He kept trying to walk himself, but the pain was written all over his face. Two guards paced behind them, as we fell further and further behind the main group.

“Go with them,” Lincoln said as they turned a corner.

I shook my head. He sighed and tried to urge Mad to move faster. The temporary skin covering his wound started to leak again. I wanted to stop, but I didn’t ask, knowing at any moment we could find the Baron closing in.

“Where do we go from here?” I asked unable to take the silence or not knowing what was going to happen to Mad and me anymore.

My head had been spinning since the truck. We’d jumped in bed with the Reds knowing so little about them. I still wanted to know what I was being used for, which was exactly what this was. My brother and Phillip were fine, but I wore the red bands to the house of Akillie. I also suspected everyone knew the Emperor would live a lot longer than the Baron would.

“We go to our nearest base,” Lincoln answered.

We limped forward in silence for another few minutes.

“You don’t expect them to catch us.”

Lincoln looked up at me wearing a sly grin. “We have something the Akillie doesn’t.”

It all clicked. If the Reds had grown to this size under the Emperor and Trenton’s nose, they must under Akillie as well. “Time4?”

He nodded. “And that’s not even the most of it. They have eight in the works, and at that speed Akillie will have amassed a huge advantage for exploration.”

I blew out a breath. “That’s why all this now?”

“We had a few years, but your movements spurred us into action.”

Madden and I met eyes. He mouthed, “I love you.” I returned it and smiled.

“And then what?”

“This is not the time for any of this, J,” my brother, who was guarding the rear, added.

“She needs to understand what she’s getting herself into. You had years, this, I’m sure, is a bit of a shock to her,” Lincoln said.

“So, you are uniting the Akillie, and the Emperor’s house, under a rebel flag to persuade more to your cause?”

“She’s quick,” Colton said.

Jacob chuckled. “Told you both.”

“We are, that and a few minor houses.”

“What of the Jok?”

“We have none of them. Between the Emperor’s army, if Phillip can’t win them over, and the Jok, we have our work cut out for us.” Lincoln’s comm went off, and he moved Mad’s weight around so he could bring it to his lips. “Go ahead.”

“We are holding off the Baron’s forces and our window for escape is closing. What is your ETA?”

“Shit.” Lincoln looked around as if trying to pull a magical answer from the surrounding area. “Jacob, take her to the ship.”

“Don’t any of you dare touch me.” I put my hand on the blaster I’d been given on the truck.

Jacob shook his head. “She won’t go without him, and she certainly won’t aid you after you’ve forced her to leave him behind.”

“Colton and I will stay back and keep him safe.” Lincoln had an edge to his voice.

“But I know you’re replaceable, there are other faction leaders. He’s not.” Jacob put both hands on the blasters on his hips.

Lincoln growled. “We need to move or all of us are dying, not just him.”

We jogged off and on to the mouth of the hangar. Jacob moved in front of us to scout. The area was silent. Lincoln whispered into his comm.

Seconds ticked by, and Jacob came back shaking his head. “They seem to have fallen back to regroup. This might be our window.”

“My crew has taken refuge in the ship.”

They all looked at me. My fingers touched the band on the opposite wrist. “Let’s go.” I looked at the men standing with us. “Jacob, take the lead with me. You.” I pointed to the other who held the rear. “Keep your position and provide cover.”

“I can walk. Let me, the rest of you need your hands free for guns.” Madden was pale, but he was standing on his own.

“Are you sure?”

His nostrils flared.

“Okay, let’s go.”

We ran out, and the Baron’s forces ducked out from behind the opposite hall.