“I am so glad I kinda instantly heal now…” Tenuk muttered as he climbed into the back of Nyssi’s truck. “Kinda surprised that we’re driving home though.”
“I know I shadowjumped Retvik and myself here and I know I once shadowjumped an entire ship, but I don’t have the strength or courage to shadowjump Nyssi’s 4×4…” Kayel tutted. “Where is Nyssi anyway? She told us to meet her by the car.”
Tenuk shrugged. “I find it weird that you own a car when you can shadowjump everywhere.”
“I’m only more liberally using my powers now because everyone knows I have them, and I am doing Palaestra a favour by shooting pigeons to get rid of my bloodlust. Before all the shit that went down in Dekem, I hadn’t properly shadowjumped in three years and that was only because I thought I was being followed.”
Another shrug. “Fair enough. Were you being followed?”
“I don’t know, maybe. I’m a K-Class defector. D-Class tends to stalk defectors for a few years until they’re deemed not a threat…” Kayel glanced up. “Oh, there they are!”
Nyssi and Retvik had just exited the hospital, but, weirdly, they weren’t alone. Following them were three other Temthans. Tenuk recognized all of them.
“Is everything alright?” Tenuk asked as he climbed back out of Nyssi’s truck and approached. “Is something going on?”
Tharri, the older of the Temthans, with dark red skin and even darker scales, as well as long, snaking hair tendrils that went down to her hips, sighed loudly. She looked awful.
“I wanted to thank you all. And Sonia and Sesi and I have a large favour to ask. The three of us are scared that Tharr Bloodscale isn’t dead, and that he’ll come back for us all. Tharrina already left, she’s heading to the space port to move back in with her grandparents on some other neutral planet, but we don’t have the connections to do that. My family’s all gone, and Tharr Bloodscale knows where these two live.”
“I did want to head straight back to Palaestra to speak to Phovos in person, but protecting these three is more important!” Nyssi snarled. “We’re taking a detour. We’re heading to the Torn Islet, so the girls can stay in my place. It’ll take a couple of weeks, but I’ll speak to the Big Chiefs as soon as we arrive, so they can all be re-homed.”
“Will they accept us though?” Sonia asked. “We’re tainted.”
“They took Nyssi in!” Kayel smiled reassuringly, doing his best to be friendly. He could tell these Temthans, like most Temthans, had never really met a Skyavok before. They’d never really met a Spast either until Tenuk saved them all, but Spasts were small, cute and furry, and, despite the fact that Kayel hated the comparison, Skyavok were seen as smaller, chattier Rethavok with functioning emotions. “Nyssi’s been living in the Torn Islet her whole life. You gals all already clearly renounced anything related to the Clan Unmourned, same way Nyssi has, I’m sure they’ll accept you.”
“They also accept Kayel, and he’s an ex-assassin and the complete antithesis to Allbirther Sini and her blessings…” Nyssi added. “But yeah, we’ll sort this out. The Big Chiefs all get it. You’ll have to work hard and maybe get a messy job, but as long as you are willing to pull your weight, you should be fine. Either way, you can all stay in my place for a bit, since I kinda mostly live in Retvik’s place now.”
“Uh… why?” Sesi blinked. She and Sonia were clearly twins, they both had mint green skin and dark green scales, lighter than Nyssi’s scales though.
“It’s closer to the Arenas!” Nyssi smiled a little. She was feeling a bit better, despite her concerns and fears. “Anyway, we should get going as soon as possible. The quicker we get into Vriskera, the better…” Nyssi pulled out her phone and opened up the mapping app. She quickly typed in the location for the Torn Islet and created a new map. Tharri did the same and held her phone over Nyssi’s, copying the map and a set of directions.
“Thank you, Nyssi…” Tharri still seemed very uncertain. “This is all… very kind of you. The same to you, Tenuk. We all owe you a thank you for saving our lives. You are both amazing and adorable and fluffy.”
“Heh…” Tenuk was glad he was furry and that no one could see him blush. “It’s nothing. Just doing what any good person would do.”
“Well, I am very thankful. I do have… one problem though. I’m… still kinda scared. I don’t think someone would try and knock us off the road or something, but we still might be followed. I’m not alone in this feeling, am I?”
Sesi and Sonia both frowned.
“Yeah, to be honest, I’m pretty fucking terrified!” Sesi admitted. “And I kinda didn’t sleep. Like, I just thought we were gonna meet some long lost cousin or something, didn’t think it’d end up with the last creep of the Clan Unmourned trying to recruit us.”
Nyssi thought for a moment, then turned to Retvik. “My favourite armour-boy, do you mind accompanying Tharri and the twins in their car? They’ll just be following us anyway.”
“Hey I thought I was your favourite armour-boy!” Kayel tutted.
“You’re my favourite armour-gal. Sure, you call yourself ‘he’ but you’re totally female-leaning.”
“Oh. Alright, fair. You fine with that, Retvik?”
Retvik nodded. “I am always happy to protect others! I mean, of course I am, I am a pure-blooded Rethan. Admittedly, I can be a little overprotective.”
“That’s absolutely fine!” Sonia smiled weakly. “I mean, I can’t complain. We got the fucking Lightbearer right here saying he’ll look after us. Can’t get better than that!”
Retvik smiled back, but hesitated briefly. At first he thought that it could certainly get better, as there were entire Legions dedicated to the perfect protection of others, and a much larger Rethan, someone like the Keeper, would be way more terrifying. But as Retvik glanced at Tharri’s truck, he realized that he was fine, and that Tharri’s truck was a little small.
“Is it a long trip from here to the Torn Islet?” Retvik asked.
Tharri realized what Retvik was looking at. “Oh. Sorry. You’re… a little big…”
“It is fine!” Retvik smiled again.
“I bet you have trouble flying…” Sesi muttered. “Bet you have to book two seats.”
“I often do, yes, which is why I do not travel much. I am normally a busy person though, little time for holidays. That being said, ever since we accidentally helped save the universe, things have been quiet.”
Nyssi raised one of her painted-on eyebrows at Retvik, suggesting that he shut up. Retvik grunted in return.
“Shall we get going then?” Tenuk interrupted. “I wanna get going. Don’t like it here.”
Tharri and Nyssi both nodded in agreement. Tenuk, Nyssi and Kayel all climbed into Nyssi’s 4×4, while Retvik followed the other Temthans to Tharri’s truck. Once everyone was strapped in and ready, Nyssi reversed out of her parking spot, and waited for Tharri to do the same.
“You guys mind if I put the radio on?” Nyssi asked, peering into the back seat where Tenuk was sitting.
“You’re driving, do what you want!” Tenuk beamed. “Mind if I close my eyes for a bit?”
“Not at all. Kayel, do me a favour and keep an eye on Tharri’s car.”
“Will do.”
With a sigh, Nyssi put the truck into gear and drove off, with Tharri in tow. Fingers crossed, they wouldn’t get into any more trouble…