10
The look on Ruby’s face was not one that he had expected. He anticipated anger, rage, and hostility. He was prepared for a fight. He hurt her, kept things from her, and lied to her. He deserved no better than the lashing of her fists and words. Drake was prepared to receive whatever punishment deemed necessary.
But when the blast door opened and he saw Ruby Collins for the first time since his secret became known… he had not expected the look of utter defeat. It cut through his heart more than any word spoken in anger ever could. She was wearing her Earth clothes again. His colors were no longer stitched over her heart, and the sight unsettled him.
“Drake,” she breathed his name and he felt the echo on his chest. Her arms slid out of his grasp and fell limply to her sides. “It’s probably better off this way.”
He winced. “Ruby, please understand me. I made this marriage agreement months ago when we were at our absolute lowest point.” Drake shook his head. “When I was at my lowest point.”
“The thing is,” Ruby said softly. “I understand. Really, I do. It’s going to take an army to defeat the Da’Nesh. Tesara rules over a people with a force second only to the Da’Nesh fighters. It makes sense actually. You need an army, and she needs a husband that will be a leader. You’re the best leader a cause could hope for, Drake. I’m sure Tesara will help you get what you’ve always wanted. I’m sure… I’m sure you’ll be happy together.”
His jaw tightened, her words igniting his ire. “The best leader? Happy? Together? I’m wondering, Ruby Collins, if you know anything about me at all.”
She caught his tone and squared her shoulders. “It’s a political marriage. I may be from Earth, but don’t insult my intelligence. You made this arrangement to save your people; I get that. You aren’t the first person to do it and you won’t be the last. What are you even doing here, Drake? I’m sure you have plenty of other things to do that are much more important than seeing me off.”
When she moved to turn he grasped her arm tightly, stepping closer so he could feel her breath again. Her watery eyes were a silent plea, but he couldn’t stop now. He had to know. “How did you kill that beast?”
She hadn’t expected that question. Her brow furrowed. “What?”
“The Syndarthian beast. How did you kill it? Something that no man or woman has ever defeated in a trial or even the battlefield. And yet you, Ruby Collins of Earth, laid it to waste with nothing but a small dagger.” His grip loosened and trailed his hand up her arm. “Was it survival?”
“You know why,” she said, her voice tight.
“Because you would have died otherwise?”
She shook her head angrily, a few tears escaping her eyes. “Stop it.”
“Stop what? The truth?”
“Why are you doing this?” Ruby slapped his chest, but he barely registered the impact. “You know why!”
Drake swallowed hard. Her tears like a knife against his throat. “Tell me.”
“Because I saw you!” Ruby’s voice shook, her anger letting go to hurt. “I saw you across the arena and I knew. I knew I’d rather die than never know you. Are you happy now?”
Her bottom lip trembled and his restraint snapped. His lips slant over hers and one of them whimpered in relief. It might have been him. He didn’t care. She was water and he was a man dying of thirst. Her words echoed in his mind and he grasped her tightly around the waist, melding her body into his own, willing her to feel nothing but him, and wanting to etch himself on her heart as much as she had on his.
“Drake,” she breathed against his parted lips. “Stop. Please.”
Unable to resist he rubbed his lips against hers once more, his heart hammering in his chest. “Ruby, I – ”
She shook her head, meeting his gaze only grudgingly. His heart sunk. “Kala said you signed an agreement. You did the right thing, Drake. I’m not – I’m not right for you. You need someone who is strong and has an army to defeat your enemies. I have none of that. You’ll see, soon. I’m not what you need.”
“You’ll see soon that what I need is -” A hard knock on the door startled them both, but Ruby reached over to open the door. Drake didn't need to turn around to know it was Zane.
Time to go.
Ruby avoided his gaze now. Her shoulders give a forced shrug. “Zane and I have a good plan in place. I booked a place in the middle of nowhere to hide out. Kala will contact us when this is all over so… whatever. Good luck.” Her voice broke at the last and his gut clenched.
Her hand gave a limp wave and she brushed past him and out the door.
“Everything is in order,” Zane informed him. He raised an eyebrow and inclined his head towards the door. “Is everything all right?”
“It will be,” Drake replied as they walked together towards the escape pod. He spied Kala and Ruby in an embrace. He put a hand on Zane’s shoulder. “Remember what I said. If you need me don’t hesitate to make contact. Take care of yourself.”
Zane gave a curt nod. “It’s time. We had better not delay any further.”
Kala had strapped Ruby inside the pod, when she stepped back outside a look of understanding flashed across her face. They stopped just outside the door.
Ruby’s head was turned to face the wall. He could see every muscle in her body was fraught with tension. He could still taste the salt of her tears.
Drake drew in a deep breath and ran his hand on the cold steel of the ship. “Take care of her, Zane.”
“With my life,” Zane vowed.
With one last parting glance Drake stepped aside. The pod door hissed to a close, gently blowing his hair. That did not stop the pounding in his heart. The enormity of the situation hit him, and for the first time in many years he truly felt vulnerable, as if he were standing on a cliff prepared to jump.
But jump he must. And he could think of no one better to jump with than her.
Drake slowly turned to face Ruby. Her head was still facing the wall. He strapped in, making sure not to touch her. When the floor beneath them hummed to life she turned. The emotions flickered across her face in a vast array. Surprise. Shock. Bewilderment. Anxiety. The last one he would deal with first.
“What are you doing here?” Ruby grasped the harness across his chest. The warmth from her tense fingers trickled through his shirt and he let out a long sigh. She shook him slightly, tears falling down her cheeks once more. Her voice cracking barely above a whisper. “You aren’t supposed to be here.”
A calm settled over him when he brought his forehead to rest against hers. He closed his eyes as the feeling invaded him, taking over. A beautiful and willing surrender.
“I’m exactly where I am supposed to be.” The silky tresses of her hair flowed through his fingers as he soothed her worries. “There can be no separating us now, Ruby. I will never leave you. Ever. Wherever you are in the world I shall also be.”
“But your people, Kala, Zane, Ronan… Tesara. They need you.”
Drake kissed her temple. He was vaguely aware the pod had launched and they were once again hurtling through space. “And I need you, Ruby. It is time I trusted my people. Zane has things well in hand. The deal Tesara and I made was political, you are correct. However it was void the moment I saw you in that arena, my heart. You are my soul match, my life, and my reason. You are a gift that I will protect at all costs. If someone is targeting me, that means they are targeting you. There is no one better to protect you than I. And protect you I will, Beloved. I promise you that.”
She held onto him tightly until the pod landed, saying nothing else. But he could feel her eyes on him as he prepared to open the door. He heard the sounds of Earth’s archaic transport vehicles.
They needed somewhere to lay low. Zane had made arrangements, with Ruby, to stay at a mountain cabin far away from anyone. But it would be quite a drive from here, and the sooner they could put some distance from the pod the better.
He felt Ruby’s hand slip into his own when the door opened. A small smile playing on her lips.
He brought her hand up, brushing his lips across it, reveling in the slight shiver it sent down her arm. “Let’s go.”