Chapter 553: Falling into Place

GAR

Of course, it never happened. One thing after another, one change after another, one message to Rika, another from her to Gar… they were both delayed, both frustrated.

Then his parents had been called to their birds faster than anyone expected. Tarkyn, in talking further to Suhle and her daughter was concerned the humans might have advanced further than they'd initially expected, that a second wave might already be through, and it was going to take them days to get there even with the birds.

They'd all be forced to a hasty, public farewell that left Gar trembling and struggling to breathe. His father's eyes looked dead.

But there'd been no choice. They'd stood in the clearing and watched as his parents—rolled together into one of the cargo hammocks with four birds, one at each corner—took off and flew into the night sky.

Gar felt like a piece of his heart flew away with them.