Free Hunting a Soul by Viola Grace Page B

anymore, but I made an exception for this event. Setting Resicor free is definitely worth the effort.” Veera smiled.
    A huge creature ran up to Veera, and she placed her arm around his neck. “Well, we are on the move.”
    Leadra blinked. “We are?”
    “On the way to the capitol. Are you coming?”
    The tents were emptying and there was no choice. “Of course I am. I am going to enter the Citadel after all.”
    Veera grinned and Fixit flapped his wings excitedly. They had a world to free.
     

Chapter Two
     
     
    Leadra remained near Veera, Stanik and Fixit. Contact with the trio made her feel better, protected.
    She made it through the freeing of the capitol and signed up to return to Citadel Balen with Veera and Stanik.
    On the day they left, Trala met them at their ship and kissed Leadra on the forehead, giving her a small stone in a pendant setting. “It is one of the tears of Resicor. It will light your way in any darkness and burn away the shadows.”
    Leadra put the necklace around her throat and tucked it into the baggy suit that Veera had provided her. “Thank you. There is no place for me here now, but I hope that one day I would be welcome.”
    Trala stroked her cheek, light streamed from her. “Forever and always. Do what you must and come home when you can. We will be here and you will be free.”
    Fixit let out a long, low cry as Leadra nodded and settled in the ship. Veera wiped tears from her cheeks, and she settled in the pilot’s seat. When Stanik strapped into the nav station and Fixit moved into an alcove with a perch, they moved slowly from their parking spot and shifted into launch position.
    “Resicor is still your home, Leadra. Your people will always be here.” Stanik smiled.
    She looked at the distant coastline where her life and her family had ended in two bloody days. “My people are gone, but my history is here. That is something I will remember.”
    They didn’t say anything, and a few minutes later, they left the atmosphere above Resicor and headed to the nearest jump point. Leadra had never flow before, let alone in space, but she was willing to hold her panic in until she got where she needed to be.
    She needed training, she needed skills and she needed tools. Veera had promised her all of the above, and she was going to hold her to it.
     
    Pale, shaking and exhausted, Leadra reclined in the medical centre of Citadel Balen. “I am feeling much better.”
    Healing instructor Canevor smiled and his third eye winked. “You haven’t eaten for two days; your personal chemistry is insane, even for a Resicoran. You are staying here until we have you stable.”
    She leaned further back in the bed and scowled. “Fine.”
    A chirp in the doorway brought Canevor to attention. “You didn’t mention you had a Yaluthu.”
    A small purple creature with bright golden eyes and a black beak hopped over to her and jumped up and down at the side of her bed.
    “I don’t. The only one I have met is Fixit. He calmed me down.” That was an understatement. By the time they arrived at Balen, Fixit had been exhausted and Leadra was barely hanging on. It had taken its toll on both of them.
    “Well, this one wants to be with you. Can I lift him before he hurts himself?”
    The little beast was hopping up and down frantically.
    “Um, sure.” Leadra watched the little creature bound up the bed, and she oofed when it smacked into her chest. “Hello, short stuff.”
    It chuckled and rubbed against her, cuddling with determination.
    Canevor chuckled. “Another few hundred years and healers will be obsolete. Well, on Balen, anyway.”
    The easing of pressure on her soul was what was helping Leadra. She stroked the purple fur and let the creature share the pain that had haunted her every day for the last three years.
    He took her pain and simply went around it, burrowing against her until she smiled. “Thanks, Krix. I accept your offer of companionship.”
    His little heart was pounding against his