Chapter 401 Unsettled  

~ SASHA ~

"Last thing," Sasha said quietly, looking at Zev. "If anything goes wrong at any time—tonight, tomorrow, whenever… get out of here. Take who you can, but get out. We've been given this one shot. If it all goes wrong and you're the only one left, get out. You can't fight the humans if they come through with weapons. It's that simple. Don't try. If the threat appears… leave. Take who you can and make a new life. You know how to do that now—you will be the legacy that this whole people leaves behind. And that's a good thing. So don't question it. Just go."

They all squirmed in their seats, while Zev went rigid beside her. She put a hand on his arm without looking at him. "It's my job to make the last stand, not yours, you hear me? Your job is to get out of here and to never, ever reveal what the gateway can do to the humans. Ever. When you go tonight, you don't tell the females what the gateway can do, just in case. You only tell them we have a safe place for them, where the humans can't touch them. That's it. When we go pick them up, that's when we'll explain. We just can't risk the humans figuring this out."

"But you're human, and you figured it out," Jhon offered.

Sasha shrugged. "Well, if they know it already, we can't control that. But the Gateway took me somewhere it says the humans can't reach, so I don't think they do. And let's keep it that way."

They all got to their feet then and started down the trail towards the Gateway, talking quietly. Lhars was watching Kyelle, but Zev stepped in to talk to him about the group of females he was going to look for, and Sasha tugged at Kyelle's elbow before she followed them.

Kyelle turned to her, her eyes haunted.

"Be honest: Are you upset because I didn't want you to go through—I had to choose the guys because they were the only ones left. The females trust you, Kyelle and I don't think it's safe to have such a large group corralled here by the guys, they might—"

"No, no, Sasha-don," Kyelle said, her eyes tracking the brothers on the trail ahead of them. "I would have done the same thing. I want to help these females. I don't trust them with anyone else, except you. I'm just… thoughtful about it all. I hadn't considered the danger. I've been so focused on needing escape and a new life… I just hadn't thought about how many of these steps could tear any one of us away."

She swallowed and her forehead wrinkled.

Sasha nodded and her stomach trilled. "That's… yeah. Zev's struggling with that right now, too."

Kyelle turned to her and smiled with a genuine smile. "Because he cares for you," she said. "I'm glad that he can't watch you walk into danger without concern."

Ahead of them, Lhars turned and looked over his shoulder, finding Kyelle, though he was still talking to Zev.

She smiled at him and they all kept walking. But as soon as he looked away, Kyelle's face sobered.

Sasha didn't know what was happening between the two, but she was certain this wasn't the time to ask. She just prayed that when they all found peace in the safe place that Kyelle's heart would open to Lhars.

*****

~ LHARS ~

Once everyone was settled into their plans, Sasha suggested they shift and get to the Gateway cave as quickly as they could, that Zev would carry her there and they'd meet before they went through.

Skhal and Jhon took off immediately, and Zev shifted to carry Sasha. But Lhars took the opportunity to catch Kyelle's arm before she shifted. Her brows rose in surprise, but she didn't speak as she watched the others disappear around a bend in the trail, then she turned to him.

"You're upset," he said bluntly when she looked at him. "I can smell it. What's wrong? If this isn't a safe time for you to walk into the Gateway, don't do it, Kyelle. You're strong and you've been through before. I'm sure you can lead them through—"

"No, Lhars. Thank you. I'm fine. I'm just… unsettled." She put a grateful hand on his arm, and even though the black suit he'd borrowed from Zev, the hairs on his forearms rose at the tingle under her touch. "Sasha checked in with me too," she said sheepishly. "Clearly I'm losing my ability to hide my emotions. I'm just scared, Lhars. That's all. This is dangerous and any one of us could be lost. I've been so focused on the females, I just hadn't really thought about that before."

Lhars stood there. She'd moved close to him, to reassure him. He could smell her warmth and see the light in her eyes. He didn't want to move. She was standing so close, it was intoxicating. She was so beautiful, and he was so broken about it. He yearned to pull her close and comfort her but knew that was probably the most likely way to scare her away. But she was tense. If he pushed…

He cleared his throat and looked down. "Please be careful," he muttered, forcing himself to keep his hands at his sides and not reach out for her. "But also, don't worry. If… if something happens to me, I've made sure you'll be watched over. You won't have to do this alone."

Kyelle's eyes widened, then she blinked. "I'm… worried for you, not for me," she breathed. Then swallowed. "For-for all of you. This is such a dangerous thing, going to the Compound…"

"It's worth it," Lhars said with a fatalistic shrug.

They stared at each other a moment longer, then Lhars frowned. "Kyelle, something's not right. What is wrong? What's heavy for you?"

Kyelle huffed a humorless laugh. "Everything," she said. "Nothing about any of this is right." Then she swallowed and put her hands on his arms. "So… if this goes wrong… just in case… can I have a hug?"