“High Lord—”

Lewis’ voice reached Dragon as if from a great distance, waking him with a start. His body hurt. His dragon hadn’t had enough time to properly heal him. Something must have happened for his beast to cut the healing time short.

Still dizzy, it took him a moment to make sense of the scene in front of his eyes. He was in the refuse antechamber, the lighting was back to normal, no pulsating red colored the space any longer, and the blaring siren was now silent. Jade lay by his side, her arm circling his chest. The last time he had seen her, she was in the command room. On the other side of the chamber, Valerian’s dragon snored peacefully.

“High Lord?” Lewis’s voice resonated to his right.

Without disturbing Jade’s sleep, Dragon turned toward Lewis. The man was looking at him with worry etched on his face. A pair of boots on top of a neat pile of clothes rested in his arms.

“High Lord, are you okay?” Lewis asked.

“I’m fine,” he answered. “Did we take the ship back?”

“We did,” the man answered. Despite the news being positive, he didn’t look cheerful. “After you killed their leaders, the remaining attackers surrendered.”

Jade stirred and opened her eyes. Dragon gently pulled both of them up to sit.

“Lady Jade,” Lewis greeted her. “I’m relieved that you are okay.”

Jade thanked him. After looking around at the clean room, she asked, “You’ve removed the dead and washed the blood already… How long have we been sleeping?”

“Two days, and we tried our best to work around you and Sir Valerian’s dragon. We had to move him to use the refuse chute,” Lewis answered.

“I slept for two days?” Jade looked at Dragon with a worried expression.

Dragon caressed her arm. “I felt my dragon using his healing powers on you, too.”

“Did he make me sleep all this time to heal me?” she asked.

Nodding, Dragon answered, “That’s how his power works.” He hugged her tighter. “We defeated the Front Pro Humanity,” he said, looking at the immaculate floor.

For a moment, Jade seemed pacified by his words, but her body stiffened against his. “It’s not over yet, though.”

Dragon sighed. “No, it isn’t. We still have to deal with the Academy.”

Lewis moved, drawing their attention back to him. “And that’s the reason I’ve been trying to wake you, High Lord. Besides the rebel vessel that we blew up yesterday, there’s now a second spaceship orbiting Glory. It appeared a few hours ago.”

“Do we know from where the ship hails?” Dragon asked, standing.

Lewis handed him the folded clothes as he answered, “They keep sending the same signal over and over. A purple light followed by a black flag.”

“It’s Maarlo’s ID. He’s waiting for the rebels to hand me over to him. That must’ve been the agreement he had with the leader.” Jade stood. “It’s time I stop the Academy once and for all.”

“It’s time we stop the Academy once and for all.” Dragon lowered the shirt over his head, then pulled on the pants and the boots. “Where are the remaining rebels being held?”

“We put them in the cargo bay,” Lewis answered. “I’ll show you the way.”

After a short trek across the ship, they reached the cargo bay landing and climbed down the narrow ladder that led to the lockers.

“We brought the wounded to the infirmary and secured everyone else inside that container over there.” Lewis pointed at a large crate with a metal door that towered over the rest of the boxes.

Dragon opened the door and peered inside the container. About two dozen men looked back at him, uncertainty on their tired faces.

“You—” Dragon pointed at a young-looking rebel who looked like he was about to cry. “Come with me.” He turned and heard the timid shuffling of feet.

“Please, don’t kill me. I beg of you,” the young man said. “I’ve got family waiting for me back home—”

“You should’ve thought about them before joining the rebels.” Dragon gestured for Lewis to close the container and kept walking toward the stairs. Jade trailed behind the rebel.

“I’ll do anything you ask of me, but please let me live,” the man cried.

Dragon let the rebel babble about his wife and ailing parents the entire time they crossed the length of the ship. When they finally reached the command room, Dragon spun around to face the man who immediately fell to his knees and started sobbing.

“Enough.” Dragon motioned for him to stand up before pointing at the communication console. “You’ll contact the assassin’s ship and tell him you’re ready to deliver Lady Jade to him.”

The young man stared at Dragon as if he didn’t understand what he had asked him to do.

“Do you want to see your wife again?” Dragon stared at him. When the man nodded in between sobs, he said, “Then you’ll stop crying long enough to listen to me.”