Page 75 of The Brightest Night

“Not you,” Drax said. “You’re with General Farrar.”

“But—”

“Don’t question me. Get moving. Now.”

Romax backed up, turned, and hurried down the corridor away from us.

“Don’t try to escape,” Drax said to me. Then he jogged off, leaving us with the armed guards and too many questions to untangle.

The guards escorted us up several flights of steps and out through double doors onto a landing platform where a sleek silver ship waited, a small carrier probably built to house up to eight crew.

One of the guards activated the hatch.

“You will board now,” the other one said, his voice a deep, mechanical rumble.

We climbed inside, and the hatch closed behind us.

“What the fuck is going on?” Naxon said.

“Your brother betrayed us,” Calasina said. “And the man with the red hair…he knows you?” He looked at me. “Is he an ally?”

“He was…I think he still is. I trust him.”

“Yeah? We trusted Romax too,” Naxon pointed out. “I can’t believe he would do this. It makes no sense. Why betray the pack?” he growled. “We can’t trust anyone.”

I took his hand. “I’m sorry about your brother, but I trust Drax. He gave himself up to keep me safe. If he’s here now, then I’m sure it’s to keep me safe again.”

“I hope you’re right, Nova,” Naxon said. “Because otherwise we’ll find ourselves in Divinos’s clutches before we know it.”

There was nothing to do but wait.

The hatch opened a few minutes later, and Drax entered, sealing the door behind him. “Quick, strap in. We need to go before the guards wake up from the nap I imposed on them.”

“You knocked them out?” Gabe said, his brows shooting up.

“Yep, a little device I had commissioned. Works a treat.” He climbed into the cockpit and started the ship’s engine.

“What is going on?” Naxon asked.

“I’ll explain everything once we’re far away from here. Now sit down and buckle up. This baby moves fast.”

“I thought Divinos didn’t have ships.”

“So does everyone.”

I dropped into a seat and strapped in. The cockpit lit up, and we rose into the air, thrusters firing beneath us. We hovered for a beat, then the rear thrusters fired, and I slammed back in my seat, eyes bugging as we shot forward so fast the world blurred.

Long seconds passed at that speed. Finally, we dropped velocity. I slumped forward, heart pounding.

Drax climbed out of the cockpit and joined us in the back. “We’re good. Out of range of the other ships. I have a safe house, and we’re headed there now.”

I shook my head. “What in the stars is going on, Drax?”

“First I need to know…” He tugged down his mask and grinned at me. “Did you miss me?”

I let out a soft laugh. “You’re an idiot.”

He pouted. “That doesn’t answer my question.”