She nearly tripped over her own feet, hearing that. “Is it that bad?”
“Yes.”
Simone instantly halted and reversed course. “Be safe!” she called after him and raced toward the quarters Prince Taelon had allotted to the Earthling contingent. The walls around her blurred as she put on a burst of preternatural speed.
Halfway to her destination, she passed a fellow Immortal Guardian speeding in the opposite direction.
Skidding to a halt, Simone backtracked and stopped before a bank of escape pods. Ava and Natalie, two gifted ones from Earth, had already entered single-occupant pods. Eliana, an Immortal Guardian who was a few inches shorter than Simone, had two more gifted ones—Mia and Michelle—draped over her shoulder.
“Where are the other gifted ones?” Simone asked as Eliana deposited the two women on their feet. Both looked terrified.
“Their quarters,” Eliana said. “I’ll go get them. Help these get settled in the pods.” She left so quickly that she appeared to vanish into thin air.
Simone ducked into Ava’s escape pod and swiftly helped her secure her go bag.
Out in the hallway, Eliana returned with Sam and Emily, then darted away again.
Simone strapped Ava into the pod’s only seat and tugged at the harness. “All set?”
Ava nodded, face pale, her fear palpable.
Patting her shoulder, Simone left to help Natalie.
The ship’s alarm continued to blare as one explosion after another rocked the ship.
“Shield integrity compromised,” the ship’s computer announced in a pleasant female voice as Simone moved on to help Mia. “Shields at seventy-nine percent.”
“Oh shit,” Mia whispered.
The scent of smoke reached them.
Simone struggled to appear calm for her friends’ sake but felt as panicked as the others looked.
Dani, one of the other Immortal Guardians, arrived with Allison and Charlie over her shoulders as Simone left Mia’s pod. Rachel followed with Liz and Madeline.
Michaela—the fifth Immortal Guardian—skidded to a halt beside them, conducted a quick headcount, then zipped away again.
More booms rocked the ship as Simone, Dani, and Rachel secured everyone else in pods.
Eliana and Michaela zipped past regularly, conveying Lasarans to other escape pods.
Once the gifted ones were settled, Simone closed the hatches. “I’m going to help Eliana and Michaela evacuate the Lasarans.”
Rachel nodded. “We will, too.”
“Be safe!” Dani called before they each sped away in a different direction.
“Shields at fifty-four percent,” the computer announced in the same pleasant female voice.
Merde!
More booms thundered through the ship.
Simone skidded to a halt before two Lasaran women who wore maintenance uniforms. “Are you headed for the escape pods?”
Both nodded, eyes wide.
Simone bent, tossed them over her shoulders, and got them to the pods within seconds.
“Thank you!” one called after her as she sped away.
“Shields at fifty-four percent,” the computer announced in the same pleasant female voice.
Heart pounding in her chest, Simone sped up and down the corridors, helping every man and woman she came across get to a pod. None of the Yona she encountered intended to seek refuge in an escape pod. Each seemed determined to fight to the end… or, she feared, to the death. Because Simone didn’t know how many more hits this ship could take. The pungent scent of smoke seemed to intensify with every breath she took.
This can’t be happening. This can’t be happening.
Faces grim, her fellow immortals worked their asses off to get as many people into pods as she did. And their work soon began to pay off. The number of Lasarans Simone encountered rapidly dwindled, leaving only the Yona guards and the Lasaran soldiers.
None of them would leave voluntarily, but maybe she could help them in another way.
Thinking of Valok, Simone raced toward the closest fighter craft hanger.
The big bay door was open, allowing one after another of the sleek black Lasaran fighter craft to rocket out. Simone stopped short and stared. Beyond the bay’s entrance and transparent atmospheric barrier, a battle straight out of a freaking Star Wars movie raged with black fighters engaging pale gray craft in deadly dogfights. Except the black fighters were the good guys. And they were severely outnumbered by the bad guys.
As she watched in horror, two gray craft fired simultaneously on a black craft.
The Lasaran craft exploded in a burst of flames.
Heart slamming against her ribcage, she glanced around.
Multiple black fighter craft remained in the hangar, awaiting pilots. Lasaran and Yona soldiers, garbed in hastily donned flight suits, ran toward them, jostling each other in their hurry.
Then Simone saw a large form she recognized. “Valok!”
His countenance stoic as usual, the brawny warrior turned toward her. “Why aren’t you in an escape pod?” he asked as she hustled over to him.
“Because I want to help. I can fly one of those fighters.”
“No, you can’t. You don’t know how.”
“Yes, I do,” she insisted. “I spent hours and hours hanging around the flight simulators, watching the pilots so I’d know what to do if I ever had to fly one.”
He shook his head. “Your life is too valuable to risk. The Lasarans need an alliance with Earth. You should get to an escape pod. Now.”
“Shields at thirty-two percent,” the calm computer voice announced over the noise of departing craft.
When he started to turn away, Simone grabbed his arm. “Your life is as valuable as mine, Valok. I don’t want you to sacrifice it. Let me help you.” He was her friend. She didn’t want him to get hurt. If having an additional ally out there flying with him and watching his back would help, she would damn well do it.
Sucking in a breath, he glanced down at her hand on his arm. “What is that?” he asked, his voice hushed. When he met her gaze, she saw what had previously been missing in his eyes.
“Emotion,” she said. “You’re my friend. I don’t want to lose you. Let me help you. Please.”
Boom. Boom. Boom.
“Shields at twenty percent,” the calm female voice announced.
Light flashed to their left. Fire flared, so bright it hurt her eyes, as a blast wave knocked her and Valok off their feet.
Simone landed on her back several yards away. Her head struck the hard deck with a crack. Pain careened through her skull, stunning her for a long moment.
Then Valok leaned over her.
Dizziness engulfed her as he scooped her into his arms and started running. “What…? What happened?”
He didn’t respond.
Boom. Boom. Boom. Boom.
“Shields at thirteen percent,” the computer announced placidly.
Simone gripped his shirt and struggled to think straight. “Valok?”
The light above her dimmed. Then her butt hit something cushy as he set her down.
A seat?
She glanced around, her vision a little blurry. “Where are we?”
“An escape pod. There is little time.” Valok’s voice carried an urgency she had never heard him express before. His big hands pressed her back in the chair and tugged straps across her chest.