Chapter 17
The Ursidrean army rumbled over the plain and dwindled to a faint black line dropping over the far horizon. Their war machines and combat vehicles made a steady roar that drowned out any conversation until the army crossed back into Ursidrean territory on their way back to Harbeiz.
The Felsite column made almost no noise, but all those tramping feet kicked up the biggest dust cloud Aimee ever saw. She closed her eyes until they faded into the western plain.
Renier clasped Donen’s hand. “Don’t be a stranger. We have so much to discuss.”
Donen clapped him on the shoulder. “I’ll send a messenger to you as soon as we get back. We’ll get the border inspection out of the way as soon as possible so we can talk without that hanging over our heads.”
“As soon as the inspection is complete, I want to visit your city,” Renier told him. “I want to see this technology of yours I’ve heard so much about.”
Donen beamed down at Carmen, who held her baby daughter’s basket in her hands. “You won’t be going anywhere for a while. Your place is at home.”
Carmen took his hands. “Thank you, Donen. Thank you for being strong enough to get this peace process started. We all owe you our thanks.”
Donen pressed her hand. “All our thoughts and hopes go with you. You and your friends carry the future of Angondra in your hands and in your bodies. It is we who should be thanking you.”
Renier shook hands with Donen one last time. Caleb came forward with Marissa at his side. He laid both hands on Renier’s shoulders. “Don’t let us delay to establish our border, either, Renier. Don’t let any misunderstanding cause hostility between our factions.”
“We won’t,” Renier replied. “As long as we’re openly discussing the borders, no conflicts can break out. I’m grateful to Aquilla for that, at least.”
Marissa embraced Carmen. “I wish we could be together in the next few months. I could help you and you could help me.”
Carmen laid her hand on Marissa’s cheek. “I’ll have plenty of help, and so will you.”
“I wish we lived closer to each other,” Marissa exclaimed.
“Never mind,” Carmen replied. “When our children get older, we can travel more.”
Marissa turned to Chris. “Are you ready?”
Chris nodded. “Whenever you are.”
“Please tell me you’re not running all the way home in your condition,” Carmen exclaimed.
Marissa laughed. “Not on your life. I’m finished running for a while. That’s why Chris is walking back with me. We won’t get there for days, but at least we’ll be together.”
“What about your kids?” Carmen asked.
“Turk and Caleb will look out for them when they get home.” Chris threw her arms around Emily. “Why are we always saying good-bye?”
Emily pressed her to her heart. “We aren’t. We’re always saying hello again after a few months apart.”
Chris nodded and pushed her back. “You’ll be having babies next, and then you won’t be traveling out to save the world anymore.”
Emily shot a glance at Faruk where he stood with Donen. “I always wanted to stay near the city but I don’t think I’ll ever be able to keep out of these negotiations completely. I’m in the middle of them now, and that’s where I’ll stay.”
Aria came to her side. “We all are. None of us can drop out now. We built this peace agreement, and we’ll be the ones who finish it. All five factions are depending on us.”
“I wouldn’t have it any other way,” Anna remarked. “We can do so much for so many people, and communicating and negotiating is so much easier for us than it would be for the men.”
Aria smiled at her. “It’s a joy.”
Chris turned to Aimee. “Are you running home with Turk and Caleb? The warriors will want your full report.”
Aimee opened her mouth to answer when something caught her eye at the edge of the trees. She shut her mouth.
Marissa’s hand flew to her mouth to suppress a gasp. “I never thought I’d live to see the day.”
“He’s the best ally we could ask for,” Anna exclaimed. “We would never have accomplished anything without him on the other side.”
“He’s more Alpha than Aquilla ever was,” Emily remarked.
Piwaka stepped into the open and approached the other Alphas. He shook hands, first with Renier, then with Donen. “You’ve done good work here these last few days. I promise your efforts won’t be wasted.”
“None of us has done better work than you,” Renier told him. “Our messengers will come to you in a few days to arrange the border inspection.”
Piwaka waved his hand. “Don’t worry about that. I’m sure the border is fine.”
“The Eastern Divide is the most important border,” Donen broke in. “We can’t allow any time to pass before we establish exactly where it is. Aquilla was right about that.”
Piwaka only smiled. “That was Piwaka’s idea to get Aquilla to negotiate with you,” Aimee told them.
“We still owe you our thanks,” Emily told him. “This peace agreement means so much more with the Avitras involved. I hate to think of any faction being left out.”
“You don’t have anything to worry about from the Avitras,” Piwaka replied. “I have my own messenger ready to come to you very soon.”
“What about Aquilla?” Caleb asked. “What if he makes more trouble?”
Before Piwaka could answer, a bright golden flash shimmered between the trees, and Penelope Ann strode into the open. She beamed at her friends. “I hoped I would catch you before you left. I couldn’t leave without saying good-bye.”
Aria gave her a hug. “Where are you going?”
“I’m going home to my own village,” Penelope Ann replied, “but only as long as it takes to pack up. Aquilla and I are moving.”
Caleb scanned the forest behind her. “Where is Aquilla?”
“He’s already gone,” Penelope Ann replied. “He’s gone back to our village to make the arrangements. We’re moving to another village deeper in the heart of our territory. We’ll be fifty miles at least from Piwaka.”
Chris frowned. “Does he resent the peace agreement? Why would he withdraw from his own Captain?”
Penelope Ann smiled at them all. A deep sense of peace emanated from her. “Aimee kept it a secret, but I can tell you, now that the negotiation is over and Aquilla is gone. He’s abdicated. He’s no longer Alpha. He’s handed the position over to Piwaka.”
“Then why are you leaving your village?” Emily asked. “You could finally relax and enjoy your home without all the Alpha’s responsibilities.”
“He wants to leave Piwaka free to run things his way,” Penelope Ann replied. “If we stayed in the same village, Aquilla wouldn’t be able to keep his nose out of faction politics, and the other Avitras would always come to him with questions and requests and suggestions for how he could interfere with Piwaka. He wants to live somewhere quiet, away from all of it.” She burst into excited laughter. “I can’t wait!”
Marissa hugged her. “I’m so happy for you.”
Penelope Ann hugged her friends one after another. “I’ll see you all again very soon, but it won’t be as the Alpha’s mate. Once the borders open up, we’ll be able to travel and visit each other whenever we like.” She shook hands with the Alphas. “Be good to Piwaka. He deserves your respect and your cooperation.”
Donen put out his hand to Piwaka. “He’s got that already.”
Piwaka and Penelope Ann waved and moved off toward the trees. Emily sighed. “She’s happier than I’ve ever seen her. She and Aquilla have finally found their ground.”
“I thought she never would,” Anna remarked. “I thought Aquilla would always be a millstone around her neck. I’m glad none of us will have to deal with him again.”
“He might not be so bad when you get to know him,” Aria added. “None of us really understands him.”
“I think I understand him.” Aimee faced her friends. “I’m leaving, too.”
Emily seized her hand. “You can’t leave! Where will you go?”
“I’m going with the Avitras,” Aimee replied. “I’m going with Piwaka.”
Their eyes widened, but none of them really showed any surprise. Anna nodded. “I expected something like this. You’ve changed since you met him.”
“I’m going to be his messenger.” Aimee blushed. “I mean, I’ll be his messenger in addition to... everything else. I’ll be the Avitras runner between all our factions, negotiating the borders and the peace agreement. I’ll see you all the time. You’ll be sick of the sight of me.”
Emily blinked back tears, but she couldn’t stop smiling. “I’m happy for you. I only wish you weren’t leaving.”
Aimee put her arm around her cousin’s shoulder. “We would be saying good-bye even if I went back to the Lycaon.”
“What about us?” Chris asked. “You could be the runner for the Lycaon. What will we do without you?”
Aimee laughed gently. “Anybody could be the runner for the Lycaon, and the warriors don’t need me anymore. I was never really settled with the Lycaon. You know that as well as I do. I’m going to a much fuller life with the Avitras.”
Chris lowered her eyes. “I know.”
Aimee exchanged hugs and kisses with all her friends. “This isn’t really good-bye. It’s see you later.” She cast a glance over her shoulder to where Piwaka waited for her at the treeline. “I better go. We have a long journey ahead of us.”
“And no one to welcome you when you get there,” Emily added.
“I’ll be all right.”
Aimee turned to go, but at that moment, Turk’s shout made them all jump. “Incoming!”
A ball of fire streaked over the far eastern horizon, rocketed across the sky, and plunged below the western horizon. Smoke dissipated in the sky, and sparks crackled and faded in the air.
The friends exchanged glances. “What was that?”
A deafening shriek answered them, and the blazing fire ball exploded over the eastern horizon again. It vaulted high into the clear blue sky with a flickering tail of flame trailing behind it. Then, with a thunderous explosion, it slammed into the ground right in front of them.
The ground shook with the impact of a thousand earthquakes and threw all the friends to the ground. Dust and rock rained down all around them. Aimee cowered with the others and covered her head with her arms. Penelope Ann crawled toward them. “What happened?”
Marissa raised her head. “It must have been an asteroid. Look at the crater over there.”
Mountains of soil and uprooted trees lay heaped around the impact site, but a low growl rumbled out of Turk’s throat. “That was no asteroid. It was a space craft.”
The planet lay quiet under their feet, and one by one, the friends lifted themselves off the ground. They peered across the plain at the round hill. Something black shone in the center of the crater. Aimee moved forward to take a closer look, but Donen grabbed her by the arm. “Don’t.”
“We should look,” she told him. “Someone could be hurt in there.”
Donen frowned at the crater. Then he whirled away and snatched a case sitting on the ground nearby. He tore it open and started shoving some small metal cylinders into everyone’s hands.
Aimee looked down at the thing. “What are you doing? What is this?”
Emily shifted her cylinder to her right hand. “It’s a phase reciprocator. It’s a weapon.”
“What do we need weapons for?” Chris asked. “We should see if there’s anyone on board. They could need medical treatment.”
Donen took the last reciprocator for himself and hit a button on its side. “No one is going anywhere near that ship. Stay right where you are and arm your weapons. Stand ready to defend yourselves and the planet from invasion.”
“What are you talking about?” Aimee asked.
Donen pointed toward the crater. “That’s no ordinary space craft. It’s a Romarie ship!”