1

Their lovemaking was everything Brett had hoped for. It was intense and prolonged, temporarily removing all the hate and resentment that had built up in his psyche. At the end, he cried out in ecstasy, sounding more like a gorilla than a human, and fell into Emma’s arms, gasping for breath. She giggled at his reaction, but he detected no criticism or judgment in her humor. He rolled over, and they lay on the soft, flowery bedding, silent and absorbed in their thoughts.

For Emma, the experience had been both dutiful and pleasurable. With a low-grade apprehension still prevalent in her mind, she realized that she was developing feelings for the man the team had spurned. As before, a large part of that was misplaced sympathy. Brett seemed to be a lost soul, a tragic figure fated to a miserable life. Still, as they reached their climax, she’d been as overtaken as he was, immersed in their physical bonding.

Maybe this is my home, she reflected. Maybe everything will turn out. It was a ludicrous notion, but the Grimalkin hunter had already resigned herself to the fact that she’d have to live out the rest of her days in the realms. Well, at least until they pull the plug, she thought.

Unlike her former teammate, Angie, Emma didn’t harbor any illusions of a miracle comeback. She didn’t entertain thoughts of somehow breaking out of their quantum prison. As she nestled into Brett’s chest, she glanced up to view his expression. He was still smiling. The smile unnerved her. It always looked so pernicious and malevolent. But she couldn’t blame him for grinning from ear to ear. She was aware of how much he wanted her.

He lifted his head and gazed down at her. His chin pressed against his torso and his face contorted freakishly, but that smile remained pasted to his features. “I love you,” he said.

Emma thanked him but didn’t reciprocate. Just please lower your head, she thought, and eventually he did.

They lay still, listening to the sounds of the forest. Ptero birds squawked in the distance, and insects churred nearby. The fire, which warmed their skin, abruptly popped at the edge of the A-frame. They flinched and, in their peripheral vision, saw a spray of sparks. Emma inhaled, savoring the smell of the burnt wood.

She placed her hand on Brett’s chest, then heard and felt him sigh contentedly. Growing tired, she closed her eyes and thought about her decisions. She knew her former teammates were going to hate her for what she’d done, and she lamented that likely outcome.

But Emma realized she had made the right choice. She had protected herself and averted what seemed to be a path to destruction. And as ominous a figure as Brett had been, she believed that she had tamed him and brought peace to everyone involved. If my life never amounts to much of anything, she thought, I will have made that one difference at least.

2

Emma was awoken some time later to a loud crash that reverberated through the hills. She felt Brett’s chest tense up. “What was that?” she asked warily.

“I don’t know, but I think we should check it out,” he replied with an excited tone. “It seems to have come from the tower.” He sat up, allowing Emma to slide off him. “Let’s go see what’s happening!”

Emma groaned in response, but she started to rise from the soft bed. “Maybe we should just call 911,” she joked, but Brett didn’t respond. He stared at the night sky, transfixed by the commotion.

They re-equipped their armor and headed for the river. The white wolves followed through the darkened landscape, weaving between the trees like ghosts. Brett glanced at Emma furtively, trying to gauge her mood. He was worried that she was having second thoughts about their night. But Emma was still groggy and toiled through the rough terrain, unaware of his observation.

“Oh, shit,” Brett gasped as they reached the bottom of the last hill.

She followed his gaze into the moonlit sky. The tower leaned toward them now, over the glitch and the river. Water continued to rush through the northern rip, but it had also burst through the land surrounding the tower. Mud bubbled up from the mangled soil.

“There’s no way that doesn’t come down now,” Brett remarked. “And we’re right under it. We better get out of here.” He turned back to the woods, but stopped when he realized Emma wasn’t following him.

“The others are still in there, aren’t they?” she asked.

He gawked at her impatiently, then smiled. “Look for yourself.”

Annoyed by his response, she peered through the walls of the tower. “I can’t find them,” she said, clearly frustrated now, “but there are so many floors.”

Brett placed his hand on her shoulder and felt her tense. “Okay, okay. I see them on the top floor.”

She took his hand. “Let’s go in and help them.”

“Wha?” Brett said, astonished that she would suggest such a thing.

“Look. What better way to show our goodwill and support the truce?”

Brett scoffed. “Or get ourselves killed.” He crossed his arms over his chest. “I am not willing to endanger you in that way. Especially not for them.” He stared at her. “You know, they discarded you almost as easily as they did me,” he said stridently. “Why would you want to help them?”

Emma glared at him. “Because it’s the right thing to do.”

Brett placed his hands on his head in a gesture of exasperation. “Emma, you have a good heart and I love you for it, but they have a large group of people. They can take care of themselves.” He draped his arms around her. “All we have is each other, and I swore I would protect you.”

She stared at him, standing rigidly against his embrace.

“All we have is each other,” he repeated, giving her a gentle shake.

Emma peered into his orange eyes, conflicted. She paused for a long period to consider his words. Brett waited for her. Finally, she relaxed in his arms. “Okay. You’re right,” she muttered.

He smiled. “Then let’s get out of here before that thing comes crashing down on us.”

As they turned back toward camp, Emma stopped them again. She pointed at a spot thirty feet away. Warg, the alpha wolf, sat alone on the edge of the rocky shore, staring up at the black void.

3

“I’m sorry,” Emma said as they climbed the rugged terrain. “I should have put us first.”

Brett could hear the defeat in her voice, and it saddened him. He couldn’t care less what happened to the team, but he wanted her to be happy. “Thank you,” he replied. “I know it feels bad right now, but you’ll see that it was a wise decision.”

She smiled to placate him.

They reached the fallen tree and Brett took her hand again.

“You know, I’m probably more agile than you are,” she teased. “I should be the one steadying you.”

He pulled her over and embraced her. “We’ll steady each other.”

This time, her smile was genuine.

Emma looked up at the A-frame that waited for them at the crest of the hill. The campfire behind it projected a triangular amber glow onto the trees. Although she couldn’t see the tower through the foliage, she gazed in its direction. “If that thing collapses, will it reach the camp?”

He shook his head. “No. The furthest it will go is the previous hill.”

She nodded and motioned to keep going, but he wouldn’t let go of her.

“I meant what I said earlier,” he emphasized. “I would do anything to protect you, Emma.”

She leaned into him. “Are we going to be alright, Brett?”

He kissed her forehead and said, “Yes.”

They walked the remaining distance to the camp, both feeling better than they had when they left the river. They unequipped their armor and removed their underwear. Emma lay in the bed first, and Brett curled in around her. She settled her head against his arm, her blonde hair draping over his bicep. He pulled her in closer and felt her warm skin press against his. Brett closed his eyes, believing he was the luckiest man in the realms.