It was the most disgusting escape she had ever engaged in, but the moment that light showed through the wall in the ambassador’s path a grudging respect lit in Nothven’s eyes.

As the ambassador cut them free and finally emptied his bladder, the fresh air did wonders for Mae’s stomach.

Obnalik grinned, his yellow skin gleaming in the reddish light coming through the hole in the wall. “I can climb down. How will you manage?”

Nothven shifted his shoulders eagerly. “I can fly.”
Mae smiled and shooed them along. “I will manage. Off you go. Meet you on the beach.”

The ambassador scrambled through the opening he had created, and he began to climb down. His skin issued acid that allowed him to dig hand and foot holes in the rock.

She looked at Nothven. “Well, off you go.”

He shook his head. “How are you getting down?”

She crossed her arms. “None of your business.”

“I beg to differ, you are my subordinate. I am responsible for you. Come on.” Without another word, he bent forward and two huge, black-feathered wings burst from his back. He scooped her up and jumped off the cliff, gliding to a soft landing in the sand.

She was blushing nineteen shades of pink when he landed. “Put me down please, Enforcer Harring.”

He snickered. “So, this is what it takes to rattle you, interesting. You know, they say that you can’t be shaken up. I am happy to have proved them wrong.”

Mae was completely still in his arms. “Obnalik is about to drop on your head.”

Nothven lunged forward and Mae tumbled to the sand in the final landing that she had seen in her mind.

The ambassador thudded to a halt in the spot they had recently occupied.

Nothven pulled Mae to her feet and dusted the sand off her butt. She moved swiftly out of his grasp. “I can do that.”

She shivered and the sand dropped away from her suit.

He frowned, and she knew she had insulted him. “I am sorry, but I am not used to being touched.”

He cocked his head. “From what I have heard, your species is a little on the promiscuous side.”

“You can’t judge me by my species. I am fairly sure I am one of a kind.” Mae laughed and started to hike her way up the beach. “Are you coming?”

Nothven shuddered and his wings retracted into his suit. He helped the ambassador to his feet, and she heard them follow her as she made her way to the rocky ledge that hid their presence from the kidnappers.

It was big business to kidnap an ambassador or law enforcement professional and ransom them back to the Alliance. Enforcers Harring and Mae had been sent to try to nip the coalition in the bud. So far, they had not been successful.