Page 57 of Adored By the Alien Warlord

The two males braced their forearms.

“Remain safe,” Davon said.

“You as well.” Valdar's gaze shot to the tunnel on the opposite side of the cave. “Watch out. Some won’t know that my uncle is dead. They'll hunt you if only to reclaim Maggie.”

“No one will touch her,” Davon growled, his hand tightening on the hilt of his blade.

We left Valdar and hurried into the tunnel. As we traveled closer to the surface, we dodged fighting Veerenads, their tails and blades whipping around them in a deadly ballet. Davon kept a tight grip on my hand, his protective instinct as palpable as the danger around us.

We were almost there, the entrance to the caverns was in sight. The dank air of the underground gave way to a faint breeze carrying the scent of fresh earth and freedom. My lungs ached for a deep breath of untainted air, for the feel of the sun on my skin.

As we burst from the mouth of the cavern, the world opened up around us. The sky was a vast expanse of lavender, beautiful when compared to the darkness we'd left behind. Shielding my eyes, I blinked against the brightness, and with Davon guiding me, we hurried along the wall, passing through clusters of spindly trees. The sounds of battle faded behind us, replaced by the pounding of our hearts and the rush of wind in our ears.

The warm breeze wrapped around us, a wonderful contrast to the damp chill of the caverns. I leaned against Davon as we paused to catch our breath. The sun warmed my skin, and fresh air filled my lungs, chasing away the remnants of fear and exhaustion.

Large shadows swept across the ground. I gasped, my eyes widening as I looked up, taking in the enormous birds soaring in a fleet of at least twenty overhead, their wings sweeping grandly, their feathers shimmering blue, green, and lavender. Their sharp golden beaks gleamed in the sunlight. Awe and fear jolted through me.

“Davon,” I whispered, clutching his arm. “Those birds . . .”

He shaded his eyes with his hand, and a smile played on his lips, making his thick tusks gleam. “They're Zuldruxian ryvars, and they carry friends. Magnificent creatures, aren't they?”

“Ryvars?” He'd mentioned that the Dastalon Clan used them for travel, that . . .

That the traedor of the Dastalon Clan had mated with my sister, Talia.

Hope burst in my chest, and I started to cry.

“What are they doing here?” I asked, my voice barely a whisper. Tears trickled down my face. Would Talia and I finally be reunited?

Davon's arm wrapped around my shoulders, and he pulled me close. “I bet they’re emissaries, here to negotiate the treaty with the Veerenads.” His smile widened, and he pointed to the lead bird. “See that warrior riding at the front? That's my friend, Firion.”

I strained to see and . . . Yes. Someone rode on the ryvar with him, someone slighter and with dark hair glistening in the sunlight. She leaned back in his embrace, and I screamed at the top of my lungs. “Talia.”

Her head shot around, and she stared in our direction as the birds continued flying toward the palace.

“It's her, Davon. My sister,” I cried. “I've got to get to her.”

“This way, love.” He took my hand and squeezed it. “I'll take you to her.”

We rushed towards the Veerenad palace and soon made our way through the back entrance of the wall. As we approached the main building, the birds began to descend, landing gracefully on the vast lawn between the back of the structure and the wall. Zuldruxian warriors dismounted quickly, weapons glinting at their sides.

My eyes scanned the group, locking on one, precious person.

“Talia!” I shouted, waving my arms wildly.

She turned toward us, her eyes lighting up as she spotted me. Her face glowed, her mouth stretching into awide, tearful smile. My twin sister rushed forward with her arms outstretched. I squeezed Davon’s hand and ran to meet her. We collided in a tangle of arms and rocked together, our laughter and sobs intertwining.

“Maggie,” Talia choked out, her voice thick with tears. “I thought I'd never see you again.”

“Me too,” I cried, holding her tighter. “I can't believe you're here.”

We pulled back to look at each other, our faces streaked with tears, our smiles mirroring each other's. Davon came up beside me, his hand dropping to rest on my shoulder.

“Firion,” Talia cried, stretching her hand back to the Zuldruxian warrior striding our way, his rapt gaze locked on her. He was tall and broad, made up of bunched muscles, though he, like all the other Zuldruxians, was smaller than my Davon. But my love had already explained that he was bigger than every other Zuldruxian. He took after his father, who’d been larger than everyone else too. “Firion, it's Maggie, my sister.”

He joined us, wrapping his arms around my sister from behind, and when she looked up at him, I saw so much adoration there it made my chest ache.

“Maggie, this is Firion.” Her voice came out breathless. “He's my mate. I love him.”