RTWM: The Girl Honed By Fire And Fear [Book 1]

Chapter 24: Farewell

Sara and Seth, who had taken over control for a very relieved Alex, had landed their ship in the middle of an empty field near Harlan's trailer. There was no one else in sight for miles, and they had about five minutes before the place was crawling with military personnel and government agents.

Elevena swallowed hard, eyes filling with a sadness from a heartbreak she didn't understand.

They're not going to leave me behind. They won't leave me alone. They made a promise. He made a promise.

Sara heard her.

Elevena...

No, no, no, you don't understand!!

Yes, I do.

My parents, they never came back!! And now you both are leaving!!

It will not be forever, I promise you. My brother will ensure it, do you trust him?

That was rhetorical. Of course she knew she trusted him. She trusted them both. 

Breathing out a shaky sigh, Elevena locked gazes with her, gathering up her strength. Yes. Yes, I do. 

We will be back. 

"You both must hurry. It is only a matter of time before they get here." Sara stated with urgency, delicate tone betraying her feelings.

Jack shook his head. "Don't worry about us."

"Sara and I want you to have this." Seth thrusted out his hand and the device he never parted from laid in his palm.

"As long as it's in your possession," His sister whispered, smiling as it beeped when she hovered her hand over it. "We'll always be able to find you."

Jack accepted it slowly, drifting away absentmindedly as the reality of their departure sunk in. Elevena went over to comfort him as the doctor said her goodbyes to the twins.

"Your parents will be very proud of what you've done here." Alex hugged them, not calling out the tears welling up in their eyes. She had no room to judge, being very emotional by nature.

Seth approached Jack and Elevena backed away to give them some privacy. His smile was grateful and she gestured to him to talk to her uncle, diminishing the last of his lingering reluctance. He would say what he came to say, lest he regret it later.

"I once said that we could never count on humans to help us. Especially you." He started regretfully, ashamed of how ignorant and stupid he acted. "I was wrong. And for that, I am sorry."

"You take care of yourself." Jack instructed firmly but albeit fondly. "Your sister too. Do you understand?"

Seth nodded at once. "Yes."

"Jack?"

Sara ran toward him, throwing her arms around his neck tearfully.

He blinked away tears. Never in a million years did he think he would get attached to them like this. In the short period of time that he knew them, he thought of them as family. And he always protected his family.

"You guys remember that me, Elevena and Alex are only a wormhole away, okay?"

"I want you to promise me something." Sara said with watery eyes. "Take care of Junkyard for me."

Jack nearly laughed as the dog barked in the background but restrained himself, promising her, "Anything you want."

Raising a hand to his forehead, she pressed a finger against his temple. A second later, he heard her delicate voice in his head as she said farewell.

Meanwhile, there were two others who weren't ready to say goodbye.

Elevena sniffled despite her best efforts not to, tears streaming down her face without her permission. Seth was in agony over the pain in her beautiful eyes, drawing her close to him so that he could breathe in her scent once more.

"I would never leave you if I did not have this obligation to my people." He murmured guiltily.

"I know." She whispered. "I just feel like there's so much that wasn't said between us, and leaving it like this is almost..."

"Leaving things with a loose end, I know." He finished for her. Leaning his forehead against hers, he sighed heavily. "I do not know when we will be back, but I promise you that I will return. And when I do, when it's safe, will you come back to Noulea with me?"

Her eyes glistened with freshly fallen tears. "You never have to ask. I would follow you anywhere."

Seth inclined his head so he could look her in the eye, lifting her chin so that she didn't shy away from him, memorizing every inch of her face. "Will you wait for me?"

"Always." Elevena breathed before he captured her lips in a heated kiss.

She reached up, hands locking behind his neck to keep him pressed up against her and his hands curled around her waist tightly, leaving no space between them. He traced the small of her back, eventually digging his fingers into the flesh of her hips, as if he could imprint himself on her forever. When they finally broke apart, the two embraced one last time.

"It's time." Seth spoke out into the open air, jaw hard with the determination he needed to see the mission through and not run back to his mate like he so desired.

He paused on his way up the light bridge with Sara, turning back to face her and shouting, "I love you, Elevena!!"

Seeing her eyes fill with tears nearly broke this heart as her voice tunneled back. "I love you too, Seth!! Be careful, both of you!!"

Elevena's throat closed up as the twins disappeared inside the ship, out of her sight. 

She didn't move as their spaceship started back up, gathering energy until they zipped off into the galaxy where she could no longer see them. She could've sworn she still felt Sara's presence in her mind, but after focusing on it, she couldn't feel it anymore.

Pressing her hands closely to her chest, she choked back a sob, eyes squeezing shut as a heavy hand was placed on her shoulder. 

"Vena, you okay?" Jack asked in concern.

She pursed her lips together, refusing to say anything. 

Alex steered him away from his niece. "Just give her a couple of minutes."

Elevena had never been more grateful for the woman's support. She sank to the ground as her legs gave out from underneath her, tucking them to her body and finally allowing herself to cry.

The sound of her weeping echoed through the night and the two adults silently went into the trailer to give her some privacy. 

She lost track of how much time she spent out there alone, but once she was tired of it, she straightened and fixed herself up. 

They said they'll be back. They'll be back. Until then, I'll willingly wait for him. 

Climbing back into the trailer, she offered her uncle a watery smile as he asked if she was alright. 

"I will be okay, Uncle Jack."

He acknowledged it, but the concerned look in his eyes didn't waver.

Alex buckled her seatbelt, snapping them both out of it. "So, where to now?"

Elevena smiled, for real this time. After all that craziness, they finally got to go to the one place she had longed to be at. 

"Home. We get to go home."