The King ✓ (Zolan Book 3)

28

VADNAR

We slip into the dark night. Dee is safely with Vaine, but leaving her nearly made my legs give out.

I don't know if she'll be there when I return. There is no doubt that I'll make it through the mission alive. No mortal will keep me from returning to her, but I have no reign over Dee. Even after escaping that fucking prison, I can't control her whereabouts.

She warns that a witch might take her away. That her friend who carved the message on her skin will drag her back to her home planet. How do I stop that? How do I stop a witch from ripping away my heart? Because that's what Dee is. If she leaves, I will just be tossed into a new prison.

I try to focus on the mission ahead. There is a wooden fence surrounding the perimeter of this slave farm. There are two cabins here, and we know the masters are chained inside the biggest one.

There is about to be a guard change. If we do this well, we will take every guard out without being noticed.

Once the guards change, we lurk forward, sliding past the boards on the fence that we removed. I take the yawning guard first. His axe drops, and his body follows. Hull drags his body into the shadows and stalks the retired guard.

Then we all surge inside, opening the backdoor and making quick work of eliminating the two guards in there. The last one yells in alarm, awakening the masters and the rest of the guards.

Chaos ensues. We use the stolen keys to unlock as many masters as possible within a minute. These men are all alert, although their bodies are weak. They must have been here for months, mining rock under the sun in this slave farm.

They seem to know what's happening. The four we freed help us fight the seven guards that pour inside as the rest of the masters pass the keys around.

Spears fly across the room, one nearly stabbing me. The adrenaline keeps me going. These guards wear thick leather armor, and they are skilled as they swing their swords.

We quickly overpower them, and as we all gather our breaths, more torches are lit around the stuffy room.

It's disgusting here. Dirt and sweat-stained furs cover the floor. I see a bucket in the corner— that must be where the stench comes from. These men were forced to live like animals.

They all only wear shorts, and as they continue to unlock their chains, they look at me warily.

"My name is Vadnar, and like all of you, I was enslaved. My men and I were forced to be gladiators for the entertainment of our keepers. We freed ourselves, and won't rest until every last master is free as well. Follow us, or go into hiding. The choice is yours."

I have a feeling I will be giving this speech many times, but the thought excites me, because it means more masters would have been freed.

"Is this your entire group?" A master asks, rubbing his wrists where his chains had been.

"Yes. But we are looking to grow."

"The crown will come after us," someone warns from the back. I can't see their face from here.

"I am going for the crown," I counter.

Mutters buzz the air, but it doesn't take long for many of them to step forward.

We walk away from the slave farm. All twenty-something of us. Although a few masters stayed behind to go into hiding, I wish them the best. Not everyone is fit for the long road ahead.

As we rush back to find Vaine and Dee, my thoughts are locked on her. The anger I felt at the thought of Dee being taken away from me is becoming something much more terrifying. Reluctance. I can't help but worry as I lead the two dozen men, because Dee will face many months of discomfort living in the wild and danger as we are chased. I can't guarantee her safety, although I'd die trying. Am I being selfish for wanting to keep her beside me? Is letting her go the right thing to do?

I don't have a choice in whether she's taken to Earth or not, but space between us can lessen the pain for her in case she's ripped away. She might be taken to her planet weeks or months from now. And in that time, I could give her freedom to forget her feelings for me.

It would kill me, but at least she would be safe from this chaos on Earth.

My chest feels compressed. Utter devastation is pulsing through my veins, because I don't want to fucking let her go. I'm not strong enough to make the choice. She will have to choose for us.

How will I survive this?

I command the men to keep their distance as I approach the tree that Dee and Vaine are hidden in.

"Vaine?" I call for him, my breath caught. I lift my torch, looking for signs of movement.

Only when Dee's round little face appears do I breathe. She rushes forward, jumping into my arms. I flinch, knowing my chest is beaded with blood and not wanting to stain her. Dee doesn't seem to care.

Voices rise as the men question Dee's appearance. It's dark, but they can see her skin color. I knew this would happen.

"This is Dee, my—"

My female.

I stop myself from saying the words, and hug her closer. "She is not to be harassed by any of you."

"What did you bring us into? What is she?" one master sputters.

"You're beginning to sound just like our slavers," I reply. Dee is not a creature, and neither are we.

That shuts him up.

Dee looks like she has something to say, but purses her lips and looks at me with trust in her eyes.

"I will explain everything at our next camp, but we have to get moving immediately. We are being chased in all directions, and it's only a matter of time before we get caught if we stay here."

Hull and Ranrok are making quick work of picking up whatever they can, because they have no interest in being dragged back to the colosseum. The new group members hesitantly come to their aid.

I turn to Dee. In the morning, we will have to talk about what will become of us. In the morning, I might lose her.

She smiles at me, having no clue about my deplorable thoughts. Would she hate me for suggesting that we give up on us? That we prepare for the inevitable?

I help the others pack quickly, hoping that time stops, and tomorrow never comes.