She could almost see him thinking. When the quiet stretched uncomfortably long, she spoke again. "A'Ran?"
"I'm here, nishani," he said in a hushed tone. The edge of cold rage was gone from his voice. "Jetr, I will accept the Council's offer. Mison, I accept your prisoner exchange and will release your men on the moon nearest to Qatwal. I am coming to your location. I can track nishani. If you try to harm her or me, everyone in your compound will be destroyed."
"I understand," Mison said with a frown.
"It will be an honor to see you again," Jetr said.
The click of A'Ran hanging up was audible. It broke the men around her from their frozen apprehension, and several of them moved away. Mison and Romas spoke quietly while Jetr turned to her.
Her thoughts were flying again in anticipation of seeing A'Ran. Even her breathing was quick as she waited.
"Come. We'll await him outside," Jetr said, and took her arm. He led her through the men, who stared at her warily, and down several halls.
She'd never thought she'd ever hear A'Ran's voice again, let alone see him! Tears rose, and she wiped them away, scared something would go wrong at the last minute. Mison might try to blow A'Ran up, or the Council change its mind, or A'Ran would destroy everything to win his war, even if it meant losing her.
The emotions she'd buried when she'd thought no one was coming for her bubbled. Her body shook from the inside out before they stepped into the chilly night to await her fate.
Fate. She thought of the image she'd seen so long ago when she met A'Ran, the vision of them walking together on the dead planet. She'd been destined for him-- and Anshan-- since before she ever met him! She tossed her head back to stare at the stars. They'd escaped Qatwal on a night such as this. All she could think about was seeing, touching, kissing A'Ran and experiencing the odd energy that ran between them.
Her emotions tumbling, her body shaking, she stepped away quickly from the doorway when Romas and his father stepped from the dwelling into the night. Neither spoke to her, only stood quietly while their warriors remained in the hallway behind them. One of the warriors emerged, spoke to Romas, and retreated.
"The attacks have stopped," Romas reported.
She looked in the direction where orange and red lights had bloomed earlier. The sky was dark and peaceful. The hum of a spacecraft made her pulse leap again, and her eyes found the small craft descending from the sky to a landing point a hundred meters away. The craft door opened, and a figure strode out. She felt the energy even from the distance and started forward. Jetr caught her arm, shaking his head.