Midland Refugee (Ultimate Passage Book 3) (15 page)
Read Midland Refugee (Ultimate Passage Book 3) Online
Authors: Elle Thorne
M
arissa packed her bag
, stuffing all her meager belongings in. Most of them were baby things. She couldn’t wait to get home for some real diapers. Disposable ones. Washing these day in day out was wearing on her final nerve.
She had said her final goodbyes yesterday when Norn escorted Raiza, Feroz, Taya and Barz to the Kormic settlement. She would miss Taya. She’d become fond of the Asazi redhead and her spunky behavior.
Marissa looked at Finn. “Well?” He hadn’t said a word about what Norn and he had talked about yesterday. She’d been patient, but now she wanted to know what was up. Before the elders and Saraz returned.
He cocked his head. “Well, what?”
“Really? We are not going to play a questions game. What did Norn have to say?”
“That there is no point in bringing Ali. That it is a farce to make Saraz happy.”
“Yeah, that’s all fine and everything, but now with Raiza and Feroz nearby—as in on the same planet, Saraz will be even more worried about Norn trying to escape. He will probably lock him up.”
Finn’s face turned sad. Indigo washed over his skin. “I know, but he is adamant.”
“And can you do that? Can you really not return? Not try to bring Alithera back?” Marissa couldn’t call her Ali. She wasn’t in the habit of calling people she loathed by their nicknames. She hated the bitch for what she did with Finn. She didn’t want to voice it, but she was not a proponent of Finn taking Alithera back to Kormia, even if it meant she’d never have to see her again.
“I’ll keep my word to my father.”
She knew Finn. Knew he would. Wint cried out from the crib Norn and Finn had fashioned for him. Her breasts were full. For certain the little one was hungry.
Finn sighed, then added, “But he also said that if we were to return Ali, for any reason whatsoever, that it should be Kal who returned her. That I need to take care of Wint and be a father to him.”
She nodded, picked Wint up, put him to her breast. “Maybe what Norn says is best. How far will we have to go before we are at the pod?”
“No more than an hour’s flight. I don’t want you to walk with Wint. The others can join us.”
She smiled. Finn had not flown with her since the day he’d saved her from other Asazi. When they were in Houston. When he learned he could fly. Things seemed so much simpler back then, though they really weren’t, she realized. Maybe they could be simple again. She heaved a sigh.
“What is that about?” Finn asked.
“Nothing.”
He tipped her chin up, she looked into that face. The face that she’d fallen for from day one. Hot, better looking than any man she’d ever been attracted to.
“It’s time for you to have your happy ever after. I promise you that.”
And she believed him. “Let’s go. I’m packed.”
M
arissa took Finn’s hand
, stepping out of the pod. Earth. God. She couldn’t believe it. Tears sprung to her eyes. She couldn’t swallow the lump in her throat.
“I want to go see my father’s grave as soon as possible.” She managed to get this out, barely, before the tears streamed down her face.
“We will. You and I and Wint. As soon as possible.”
She knew he meant it.
“It’s good to see you.” Kal’s voice, his face so similar to Finn’s stood by the pod. “I can’t believe your back. And look! What have we here?”
Marissa held the baby up. “Wint, this is your uncle Kal.”
Kal took the baby from her hands. “He is Asazi. For certain.”
“Flip him over,” Finn said.
Kal did. “What? No wings?” He looked at them with a questioning, doubtful expression.”
“I know,” Finn responded. “That’s how I felt. But it’s true. No wings.”
Kal scratched the stubble on his chin, then planted a kiss on Wint’s forehead.
Marissa peered around. Waiting to see where Alithera was. Nervous, but at the same time itching to set her straight. She didn’t see her and wasn’t about to ask about her.
“Anything happen on Kormia?” Kal looked at Finn.
“Oh, quite a bit, let me catch you up.”
M
arissa
, Finn, and Kal sat in the same kitchen she’d been in when she’d told Finn she was pregnant. The ranch house in Arizona was surreal after the dystopian jungle in Heartland, the rainforest of Midland, and the desolation of the Farlands. It was as if she’d lived a different life.
Finn told Kal about Norn, about his worries, about his sacrifice, bringing him up to speed. Marissa sat by silently.
Kal was stunned that Norn was still alive. He asked how his father, Nevim was. Finn let him know about his role in helping him and Marissa.
Kal nodded. “Our fathers are exemplary, are they not?”
“They are,” Finn agreed. “I hope we can live up to their standards.”
“You already have,” Marissa finally spoke. “Both of you make your fathers proud. I am sure of that.”
“I can fly,” Finn announced.
“Me too,” Kal said. “I wondered if you could. I wondered if you could when you were back on Kormia again.
“Yes, I could,” Finn affirmed, but the jungles and the rainforests weren’t so conducive, they were more treacherous, though I did, once—to get us to the pod.” He touched Marissa’s hand. “What with branches and low trees, I tried not to fly much in Midland or the Heartland. We did not spend as much time in the Farlands, but I managed.”
“I have been enjoying having wings out here. The desert. It’s so much like the Farlands, but without the mountains. I did see picture of the Grand Canyon and the Badlands. Those remind me of the Farlands. We should visit.”
Finally, Finn brought it up. “Norn’s condition for staying, is bringing Alithera back. Saraz wants her.”
Kal’s face changed, his expression forlorn.
“What?” Marissa couldn’t contain her curiosity.
“That will not happen,” Kal said.
“Why do you say that?” Finn adjusted the sleeping Wint, switching arms. His muscles bulging around the little boy.
Marissa perched on the edge of her seat. She couldn’t say she was heartbroken about Ali not being taken to Kormia, even if Finn did promise not to return, she worried that duty would override his promise. Why would it not happen? She resisted the urge to tap impatiently while waiting for Kal’s answer.
“Ali left. The day after you left for Kormia. She took the truck and left in the middle of the night. All I have is a note with an email address and she hasn’t responded to any of my emails.”
Finn looked at Marissa, he rose, pacing, rocking a restless Wint. She was sure she wasn’t hiding her relief.
“Guess that’s that, isn’t it,” Finn said.
“Guess so.” She agreed.
In her arms, little Wint gurgled. Happy now, no longer restless.
Kal looked at one of them then at the other. He chugged a gulp of water. “That’s what? I am confused.”
Marissa smiled.
“It’s a happy ever after thing.” Finn chuckled.
Kal looked even more confused.
“It involves a promise.” Marissa said, as if that would even begin to answer Kal’s question. She wrapped her arms around Finn’s thick neck, buried her face against his chest, sharing space with the baby. “I’m ready to show Wint to my father,” she murmured into his chest, then lowered her lips to Wint’s warm forehead.
Finn wrapped his arms around her. “I’m ready for that.”
“Road trip?” She looked up at him, a mischievous look on her face.
“Hopefully one with less adventures?”
“Absolutely. I’m all about that.” She smiled.
Finn kissed his hellion on the forehead, put his arm around her waist. “We should let uncle Kal enjoy little Wint alone for a spell.”
Kal complied, taking the tiny sleeping child.
Finn scooped Marissa up into a fireman’s carry and headed toward the bedroom, a giggle on her lips.
T
HE END
The Series Continues . . .
N
ext in the
Ultimate Passage Series:
Runaway Renegade
R
enegade
Ali’s got color-changing skin and wings. On her planet, the skin is normal, the wings—not so much. Not on females. She doesn’t want the wings. And she most assuredly doesn’t want the prophecy that comes with the wings. What’s next?
R
unaway
Ali smuggles herself to Earth. A fresh start in a fresh place, where there are no expectations, no boundaries. Or so she thinks. But she’s got restrictions placed on her by her own kind, even here on Earth. What’s a woman to do?
R
unaway Renegade
The solution? Fit in somewhere. Where can a woman with wings and shimmering color-changing skin go? Easy! An exclusive nightclub where bodypaint and costumes are the norm.
What she didn’t expect to be the norm was the sexy stranger. Thane put the S-E-X in sexy. And he’s got more secrets than she does.
R
unaway Renegade
Coming Soon!
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