Page 7 of Vindicated

Lettie rubbed her hands together. “Like in ‘The Pirates of the Deep Lagoon.’”

Vallia bounced on the tips of her toes. “I know where all those costumes and props are kept.”

Hal opened and closed his mouth a few times before seeming to snap from his stupor. “I still think you’re all mad, but this also might be our only chance to be free of the Zagrath and their horrible censoring. So, if we’re going to do this, we’re going to doit right.” He headed for the wings, waving one arm. “Everyone, follow me to get properly outfitted.”

My pulse trilled as we trooped to the backstage area. Even through the building’s walls, we could hear the sounds of blaster fire and shouting. I reminded myself that it was Kolt and his crew, but still my heart raced.

Hal made quick work of locating the correct crates and distributing prop swords and shields. Ringo and Hatch insisted on donning black brigand hats that flopped over their faces, and Lettie covered her blue tower of hair with a dark scarf and one eye with a black patch.

A crash shook the floor, and we all spun toward the sound.

“They’ve broken down the door,” Vallia whispered, the excitement in her eyes morphing into fear.

“Don’t worry,” I told her with more confidence than I felt. “If it’s Kolt and his fellow Vandar, then they aren’t here to harm us.”

She nodded, but I read the question in her eyes. But what if it wasn’t them? What if it was the Zagrath soldiers coming to destroy the theatre once and for all. Or coming back for Lettie? Or all of us? Even if they were on the losing end of a battle, I wouldn’t put it past them to scorch the city on their way out.

“They don’t know the backstage like we do,” I said in a hush. “Everyone, hide.”

Hal glanced furtively around him, his gaze dropping to his weapon-less hands. I eyed his orange hair, snatched a hat from the nearest open bin and shoved it onto his head. Then I tossed him a prop blade, which he caught.

The stage manager seemed rooted in place, not melting into the shadows along with everyone else, even when there was a soft thud on the wooden stage.

I grabbed his arm and yanked him behind a bolt of fabric then positioned myself in front of him. The less he saw or was seen, the better.

I scanned the shadow drenched backstage. There was no sign of any of the others. They’d hidden themselves so well not even I could detect a hint of them. Not a rustle of movement, a hitch of breath, a flash of color.

Whoever had broken into the theatre was also impressively stealthy, another reason I was sure it wasn’t Imperial soldiers. They would never bother to mask the thump of their boots. But these fighters were taking great care to be as soundless as possible.

It was only the shift in light and stripes of shadow falling across the floor that gave them away. Still, I didn’t get a good view of the lead fighter until he was nearly on top of us. Then my heart stopped beating, and the world slowed to a crawl.

The muscled, bare chest marked with inky swirls told me in an instant that he was a Vandar like Kolt. But it was the fierce set of his chiseled jaw and the intensity of his dark eyes that stole my breath. It was like I was looking at both an avenging angel and the devil himself. And there was nothing I could do to keep myself from being sucked into his orbit.

Chapter 5

Lorken

Itook another step, my neck prickling with the knowledge that we were being watched. But another instinct told me that those watching weren’t hunting us.

I cleared my throat and decided to take a risk. “I am Raas Lorken of the Vandar. We have been sent by the Vandar brother you assisted and the human who was with him. We are here to rescue you.”

I felt eyes on me, but this time it was the eyes of my own raiders. Announcing our presence was not something the Vandar did, but I sensed that it might coax our observers out of hiding.

There was the faintest flicker of movement from one side and then a long blade was pointed at my neck. It happened so deftly I couldn’t help but be impressed.

Drawing a quick breath, I held up a hand to keep my raiders from reacting. Although I could see the flash of the steel blade, the person who held it remained in shadow.

“We are not here to harm you,” I said, keeping my voice measured. “We are here to save you.”

The sword wielder emerged from the shadows, waves of dark hair cascading over creamy shoulders and eyes flashing challenge. “Who says we need saving?”

Athena.

I almost whispered her name, but I stopped myself. She did not know me, and she did not know that I had been briefed on her and most of her troupe. It would be a strategic advantage to keep this to myself, even though part of me wished to call her by her name.

“Battle chief Kolt told us that he promised to return and save you from the Zagrath. My horde has been tasked with the mission while he recovers.”

There was a ripple around us. Not quite whispers, but a murmur beneath the quiet.