When they landed on the valicara compound, it wasn't swarmed with battle like it had been last time Rocki saw it. In fact, it was quiet. There were some mechanics working on other ships, but only three people were there to greet them.

Arinda was the first to rush up when the ramp opened. "Kofi! Did everything go well? Are you both all right?" Her gaze locked onto Rocki's, eyes widening a bit as she faltered over her words. "S-savioress—your leg!"

Rocki's grip on Kofi's helping arm tightened as she glanced down at her bandaged wound. "There was an accident with my air tank."

"We got it taken care of," Kofi said. "I had a healer look at her. It probably wouldn't hurt to have someone else check her out though."

"I'm fine," she said, "but you need to have someone look at your wings. They're still all torn up from the lopenants."

A frown touched Sovereign Faish's lips as he greeted them at the bottom of the ramp with General Bry. "It sounds like the two of you have had quite a time. Did Lindka have anything to say about the war now that we have a savioress?"

Kofi shook his head. "Nothing definite, although she did have a vision. I would like to get Rocki settled though before we discuss it in too much depth."

Rocki stopped, still holding onto his arm so he would halt as well. "I'm not doing anything until we make sure you're okay. You haven't seen a doctor and your wings and legs have been hurt for the last day. You need to be taken care of."

He smiled charmingly. "Careful, blue eyes, you're starting to sound like you care."

"Well, I certainly don't want you having problems. You're the only person I really know here."

"Well," he mimicked her, "I certainly don't mind your attention, and it's good to know that you don't mind mine." He winked.

Rocki clenched her jaw, hoping that she wasn't blushing. "Could we just get you to a doctor?"

"Anything you say, blue eyes." He started leading her away, glancing over his shoulder. "Sovereign Faish, General Bry, do you want to hear about what Lindka said now or wait until we're somewhere more private?"

"Let's wait," said the sovereign. "I don't want any sort of rumors getting around yet."

"I'll let everyone know that you're both back and safe." Arinda kissed her boyfriend's cheek, then hurried off.

"How did you get hurt?" Bry asked, following behind them.

As they walked to the healer's rooms, Kofi explained their adventures; the lopenants, the air tank, their stay on Bey-Ark. Rocki chimed in any time he was beginning to get too exaggerated, rolling her eyes at him.

After Kofi and Rocki's injuries had been attended to, they retired to Faish's office to discuss the prophecy, which Kofi relayed in almost word-for-word detail. When he finished, Faish and Bry stood there quietly, processing everything.

"We'll have to write this down and send it in to analysis," said Faish. "Perhaps they will be able to make some sense of it."

"What is clear is that we need both of the savioresses. I don't think the prophecy will be complete until one of us has them," said Bry, slapping his palm against the side of his leg. "We have yet to come up with an idea how extract the other savioress."

"We will also have to prepare for the sariun to attempt to steal Roxanne away." Faish crossed his arms. "Have your men been on alert?"

Bry inclined his head. "Of course. The sariun will be hard-pressed to get through our defenses."

"Good. Roxanne, Kofi, the both of you should rest. We'll talk more later."

Kofi bowed his head, while Rocki nodded awkwardly. "Thank you," she said. "I would like to know if you came up with anything regarding my sister."

"Of course," he said, dipping his head.

Kofi led the way out of the office and down the confusingly similar halls. He offered his arm to help her limp along, but she refused, unwilling to burden him when he was also partially injured after defending her from the lopenants.

When they arrived at her room, Kofi took her hand before she could walk in. "Are you doing all right, Rocki?"

She pulled her hand away. "What do you mean? I'm fine."

He managed to capture her gaze. "I mean ... you're home, but your sister is ... in a bad place, you're pregnant, and it sounds like you were having a rough time before you ever made it to Kliktal. Are you really just ... fine?"

Her jaw clenched as she kept her silence for a long moment. "My circumstances aren't what I wish they were, but I'm handling it as best I can. I can't change what it is, so I'm not going to cry over it. And this place? It's not home." She turned to the door, sliding it open. Okay, that was maybe a little harsh. It's not Kofi's fault I'm in such a bad mood. I just want to get Aley and go home.

"Hey," Kofi gently grabbed her arm, pulling her back a little before she could step inside.

BUBUBUBUBUBUBUB

Rocki shouted, jumping away from the slew of bullets that crisscrossed her doorway. Kofi immediately grabbed her, flinging his wings open to cover them, and threw the two of them to the hall floor on the side of the doorway.

After several deafening seconds, the bullets ceased, allowing silence to ring in their ears. Rocki was flattened beneath Kofi, unable to move much, but she felt his head lift and look around before he rolled away. She sat up, body shaking as she watched Kofi cautiously looking into the bedroom. He reached in at the side of the door and yanked something down, jaw working angrily.

"What is it?" she asked when he didn't say anything.

He ripped something else down from the opposite side. "Guns. They were aimed to crossfire the door and kill you."

It was like a slug to her gut. Rocki stopped breathing as his words turned over in her mind. Kill you. Guns. Crossfire. Kill you. Someone wants to kill me.

Kofi said something, but Rocki couldn't understand it through her internal panic. She did hear the guns clatter as he set them down, and looked up at he approached, blue eyes wide and afraid.

"Hey," he said gently, "don't worry. I'll make sure nothing happens to you." He knelt down and reached forward to fold her into an embrace, her head resting in his shoulder.

She was still shaking, but his form was strong and warm, his comfort reaching to her core, so she didn't pull away, even though, despite the shock, her mind told her to move. She managed to keep herself from returning his embrace, but still found herself relaxing in his arms.

"Nothing is going to happen to you," he whispered into her neck.

A very high, very quiet whimper escaped her throat, eyes tearing up as she thought of what could have happened. Kofi held her tighter, still whispering gently to her as his wings surrounded them. She clenched her teeth, blinking as fast as she could to stay the impending tears building fasting in her eyes.

As soon as her breathing slowed enough, Kofi rubbed her back and leaned away. "I'm going to check your room to make sure it's safe so we can get you in there. Stay here."

She managed to swallow and whisper, "be careful," as he stood. She watched him enter her room with great care and stood when he disappeared from her sightline. Warily looking around, she tiptoed to the doorframe, keeping her eyes on Kofi when she could see him again. She watched him for a few minutes, then knelt and began picking up loose bullets as he inspected every inch of the room.

"I think it's safe," he said, finally circling back around to her, face darkening. He pulled her all the way into the room, then closed and locked the door, scowling as he scuffed his feet over the ruined floor. "I'm going to report this to Sovereign Faish. We need to find out who did this and why." He tapped on his watch a few times, then opened the face and took a small device out and put it in his ear. "Sovereign? There has been an issue. Someone tried to kill the savioress." He was quiet for a moment. "We're both fine. There were two guns set up across the door, rigged to go off after she opened the door." He nodded silently. "Yes, Sovereign. And I did inspect the room, it seems safe now. Until tomorrow, Sovereign." He tapped his watch and took the earpiece out, putting it away.

"What are we going to do?" Rocki asked, clenching the collection of bullets tightly in her hand.

He stepped over to her, opening her hand and taking the shells away from her. "Sovereign Faish is sending someone over to take the guns for inspection. There might be something on them that will lead us to whomever did this."

She nodded, wrapping her arms around her stomach. My baby could have died too. If valicara know easily that I'm pregnant, that means someone knows that they would have killed me and my baby. And they don't care.

Kofi touched her arm. "You should lie down. I'll stand guard and make sure no villains try to attempt anything else." He mock saluted, clearly trying to brighten the mood.

"You need to rest too," protested Rocki, starting to drift towards her increasingly comfy-looking bed.

He shrugged his wings dismissively. "I don't think I'll be able to sleep tonight anyway. And before you say anything, no, I'm not leaving you alone tonight. It's too dangerous. We all need you alive."

She huffed disapprovingly at him. "As long as you're not too far, I'm not worried. You can sleep in your own bed tonight."

"My room is too far."

"You said it was right down the hall."

"It is. That's too far. I won't be able to be over here fast enough if something happens."

"Well, you're not staying in here."

"Well, I'm not leaving." He widened his stance, crossing his arms.

Rocki frowned, standing in front of her bed. Her eyes drifted towards the side of the room, to the door that led into what would have been Aley's room. What will be Aley's room. But maybe just not right now.

"What about the spare room?" she said.

He glanced over, one wing tilting up as he stared at it silently for a moment. "All right," he said at last. "That will do." He strode over to open the door and poke his head through, nodding when he backed out. "Good. Perfect, even. I'll be able to jump over in a moment if anything happens."

Pressing her lips together, Rocki slowly sat on the foot of the bed, arms still wrapped around her midriff. Kofi noticed, immediately walking over and putting his hands on the sides of her shoulders.

"You're going to be all right," he said when she looked up.

Their eyes met. Hers filled with worry, his with determination ... Why does he care so much? She couldn't help but wonder as she looked into his eyes. Then reality hit her again. Because I'm a savioress. It's his job to take care of me. But what if ...

She heaved a sigh, interrupting her own thoughts as she brushed his hands away. "Of course I will. I'm not going to let myself worry about it. I am, however, going to try to get some sleep. So ..." She flicked her eyes towards the adjoining door.

Kofi hesitated but nodded. "Right. Good sleep to you, blue eyes."

"Thank you. Good night." Rocki watched him leave, then stood and scrounged some comfortable clothes from the closet, making a mental note to have the other ones thrown away. Sure, they were her only clothes from home, but if they didn't dress her well, which they didn't anymore, they had no purpose.

As she got changed, she could hear Kofi stepping into the hall, and a few minutes later he started a conversation with someone. Probably the messenger from Faish. She slid into the bed, and though sleep refused to come, she relaxed at the sound of Kofi's presence only on the other side of a wall.