Page 2 of Vindicated

“You have all been briefed on the layout of the city, and you have your teams and assignments. I will lead the team to the theatre. Dawz will lead the team to the prison. We will rendezvous back here after we have purged the planet of the Zagrath and restored freedom to the people.”

Mymajak’sgrin flashed wicked. At first glance, the prison team was the plum assignment. It guaranteed armed resistance and soldiers to slay. I had given it to Dawz because he deserved the chance to draw blood, but I had also ceded it because I wanted what was inside the theatre.

As soon as I thought about wanting a female, I fought the urge to sneer. The last thing I should desire is something that weakened me and brought only misery. I’d seen the tortuous result of poorly chosen mates with my own parents. I’d heard my father lament about their forced, loveless union enough times to know that females were like the lightning sand on Kavarka and would suck a mighty warrior down until they were a husk of themselves. That would never be me.

Then the image of Athena flashed in my mind, and all the vows that had been my sanctuary crumbled to ash.

The ship shuddered as it touched down, jostling hard enough to rattle my teeth. Blood pounded in my ears as the ramplowered and sent up a puff of brown dust when it slammed down on the surface.

I had missed the rush of excitement before a battle. I had missed the metallic taste of adrenaline. I had missed being surrounded by restless feet and quick breath and tension coiled so tightly it hummed.

“Ready, Raas?” mymajakasked, as the hot wind whipped into the transport, bringing with it dust and the odor of a land-bound storm.

I shot him a savage grin. “Time to spill some Zagrath blood.”

“Past time,” he agreed.

I thrust a fist overhead. “For Vandar!”

Dawz lifted one clenched fist into the air to join mine. “For Vandar!”

Every raider echoed our cry and pumped their fists overhead. “For Vandar!”

We swarmed from the ship, our boots thundering on the parched, cracked ground as we barreled toward Kashara and the unsuspecting enemy.

Then I remembered Athena and the real reason I’d come. The Zagrath would not be the only ones surprised by our arrival.

Chapter 2

Athena

Isquinted into the bright stage lights and bit back the urge to sigh. “I think two dress rehearsals is plenty.”

Hal walked briskly onto the stage, his shoes slapping the floorboards as he tapped the sheath of papers in one hand. “This is an entirely new show, and we’ve only been rehearsing for a week.”

“We learn shows in a week,” I argued, although there was no heat in my voice. I was too weary for a full-throated argument with our excitable stage manager. I adjusted my scoop-neck, green dress that had been designed to show just enough cleavage to keep the show suitable for Imperial censors.

“Normally, yes,” he said, giving me a knowing look and dropping his voice, “but that wasbefore.”

He didn’t need to say before what. I knew, as well as everyone in the troupe that we’d all been distracted and upset since Lettie’s brother had been taken into Zagrath custody. Not only was Lettie a mess, but all of us who’d been involved in helping the foreigners escape felt guilty that Vern had been the only one to pay the price.

We didn’t say it, but I was sure I wasn’t the only one wondering if we’d made the right decision. The Vandar hadpromised to send help to liberate our planet, but there had been nothing but retribution from the Zagrath in the wake of his escape.

I swept a dark curl from my forehead, glad that this part of the play did not require me to wear a wig. “We’re still professionals, and you know what they say?”

“Never trust a hot guy with a tail?” Hal said in a low voice, his expression taking on a dreamy quality.

I nudged him to snap him out of his mental reverie. “The show must go on. Don’t worry about the cast. We’ll be ready in time for opening.”

“But will I be ready?” He walked away shaking his head so hard that his spiky orange hair bobbled. “Will my poor nerves survive this?”

I rolled my eyes, glad that some things hadn’t changed.

“Who’s in charge here?”

The barked question startled me and made me lift a hand so I could see who was interrupting our rehearsal.

“That would be me,” Hal said, hurrying from the stage wings and then slowing his pace when he spotted the Zagrath soldiers. “I mean. . .”