Chapter 68: Chapter 68

Arenk

Arenk had never created anything as precious as this. He’d missed the birth, but he swore he wouldn’t miss another significant moment. The tiny boy had Arenk’s hair and Lyka’s blue eyes.

Luckily for Arenk, he was a quiet and easy-going baby, unlike many newborns. But his good mood was short-lived when the front door beeped and swung open.

Lyka dropped her shopping bags on the floor and just stood there, looking at him.

“When will you stop treating me like this?” Lyka asked.

“Like what? You got what you wanted,” Arenk replied, gently placing the baby in his crib.

“We’re supposed to be a team. This isn’t teamwork,” she said.

“I told you how I felt, and you betrayed me. This is as close as we’re going to get. I’m here for the baby. That’s it,” he said, grabbing his jacket.

“Have you chosen a name for him yet?” she asked.

“No, it’s a big decision. I need more time to think. I’ll be taking him for the night,” Arenk said, picking up the baby’s bag.

“You could just stay here. There’s enough room for all of us.”

“There’s not enough room for the anger and resentment I have for you.”

“Will you ever forgive me?”

“I can’t predict the future, but it doesn’t seem likely. Say your goodbyes so we can leave,” he said.

Lyka reluctantly walked over and pressed her forehead against the cooing baby. He was always so vocal when his mother was around. Arenk hoped the baby would be as expressive with Raven.

What they were doing was risky. What he was planning could lead to a death sentence.

Arenk had debated it for months and finally made his decision. Lyka would hate him once she found out, but by then, they’d all be off this planet.

“Will you bring him back tomorrow morning or night?” she asked.

“Night, but I might keep him longer. So relax, enjoy more shopping,” he said, closing the door behind him.

As he stepped onto the elevator, he pulled out his comm device and saw a flood of frantic messages from Laro. One message stood out: Raven is giving birth.

His blood turned to ice, and his mind filled with questions. The doors slid open, and he hurried to his vehicle. He strapped in the little one and drove off into the night.

They were running out of time. The king would soon notice her absence.

Arenk quickly left the city behind and turned off his headlights as he drove onto the marked trail.

The rough road made the baby fussy. He wasn’t crying, but he was making his displeasure known. His sweet scent started to change. Arenk glanced at him through the rearview mirror.

His tiny face was scrunched up in a frown.

“We’re almost there. Then you can eat and rest,” Arenk said.

He was met with angry coos in response. Arenk began to slow the vehicle. The ship’s cloaking was active, and he didn’t want to crash into it.

In the clearing, under the moonlight, the flattened grass hinted at something large hidden there.

Arenk sent Laro a message. Then the ship came to life, revealing itself.

A muffled shriek echoed as the door lifted. Laro practically tumbled down the stairs to greet him. He looked like he’d seen unimaginable horrors.

Arenk grabbed the two bags from the trunk and tossed them to Laro. Tiny fists were flying. If he were older, Arenk was sure any one of those punches would’ve done its job.

The ship looked like a war zone. Blood-soaked towels were everywhere.

“How is she?” Arenk asked, rummaging through the bag for the baby’s food.

Laro closed the door and reactivated the ship’s cloaking. Then he rushed over, grabbing more clean towels.

“I’m not a doctor, but it doesn’t look good. She’s losing a lot of blood. But Dhol seems unfazed by it,” Laro said, rushing to the back of the ship.

Another scream echoed through the ship, startling the baby. He started to wail. Arenk sat down and rocked the tiny body.

Once he calmed down, Arenk offered him food, which he accepted without protest. Soon he fell asleep. Arenk placed him in an empty bedroom. He heard groans as he walked down the hall.

“One more push,” Dhol said.

Arenk opened the door, and Raven was squatting.

“I can’t,” she cried.

“You can. We’re here with you,” Dhol said from his position, ready to catch the baby. “Deep breath and push.”

She strained until Dhol cheered, “This one is a girl.”

“This one?” Arenk asked.

“You missed the first one. A boy,” Laro said, holding out a towel to wrap the baby up.

Laro carried her over to the bed and laid her next to the boy. Both of them began to cry. Their skin was unusual but beautiful, grey with patches of light brown.

Their hair was black with a white patch in the front. Arenk couldn’t see either of the baby’s eye color.

“The bleeding is slowing down, and the placenta has come out,” Dhol said. “You should get in the tank and rest.”

“I want to see them first,” she said as Dhol lifted her onto the bed.

Raven smiled, and tears fell. Her hands shook as she stroked their heads.

“What a way to make an entrance.” She laughed, then kissed their small foreheads. “At the worst possible time.”

“We need to move the ship,” Dhol said. “The palace will be looking for her—and them.”

“Just me,” she said. “He doesn’t know. Hell, I didn’t know.”

“Well, that simplifies things. We’ll make our way to Nadia first, then launch into space from there,” Dhol suggested.

“Why don’t we just take off now?” Laro questioned.

“If we try to escape from here, they’ll get suspicious and send ships after us, but—”

“The prince will owe me a favor in return for aligning with my people. How did you figure that out?” Raven interrupted.

“I’m privy to a lot of information. We’ll discuss more once we reach Nadia in the morning,” Dhol assured. “Do either of you know how to pilot a ship?”

Both Arenk and Laro shook their heads. Arenk was due to start his flight training soon, thanks to his recent promotion.

Raven pushed herself up. “I just need a bit of rest, then—”

“You need to get into the healing tank. Arenk, you’re on youngling duty. Laro, you’re in charge of cooking and cleaning up this disaster. I’ll handle flying us to Nadia,” Dhol declared, as he scooped her up.