THE HUNT

Twenty One

Everything hurts.

Nothing of my emotionlessness remains as tears rip from my eyes, burning across my cheeks, dripping onto the fists I clench in my lap, leather creaking.

A hole tears in my heart, and I move a hand to my chest, trying to recover my breath, but it evades me.

I can't speak or cry out.

Because today I watched both of the people I love most fall to the ground.

My best friend is dead, and my fiancé was murdered.

I squeeze my eyes shut, feeling a sob rise. I let it tumble from my lips, and it rises into a scream. I pull my hair and push my face into the wet ground, sobs ripping from me violently. I scream again, the sound muffled by the metal pressed against my face.

"Hey." I feel a hand on my back, and I flinch, turning to see the man.

"Kylo!" I slam into him, wrapping my arms around his waist. "You're not dead!"

"No, Muna." He hugs me back, and I sob into his neck. "It's okay."

"Wh- what happened?" I ask, pressing my face into him. "I saw you fall."

"Rey healed me." He swallows. "And- and I don't think I want to be Kylo Ren anymore."

"Oh." I squeeze him harder. "Okay."

"You don't have a problem with it?"

"No," I pull back, frowning. "I love you, and it doesn't matter what name you go by." His lower lip trembles, and he looks away. I catch his chin in my fingers, turning his head to face me. "So, who am I engaged to?"

"Ben Solo." He looks up at me. "If that's okay."

"Of course it's okay." I kiss him. "As long as you're happy, I'm happy."

"Thank you, Chava." He hesitates. "I need to go to Exegol."

"You mean we?"

"No, you're not going anywhere near Palpatine." He helps me to stand, and I pull my hand away.

"You're not going on your own." I snap.

"Chava-"

"I can't lose you." I whisper. "Not you and Bazzra. It will break me."

"You won't lose me." He says. "I promise."

"I know, because I'm going with you."

"No, you aren't."

"How are you going to stop me?" I snap.

"Hey, Hunter." I turn, seeing the Knights standing behind me. Kuruk has his helmet in his arms, and I roll my eyes.

"You're keeping me away by using the Knights?" I scoff, turning to them. "You can't stop me."

"Hunter, don't test it." Vicrul says, holding out his hands. "Let's go. We're getting you as far away from Palpatine as we can." He nods slightly. "Come on."

"Go with them, Chava." My lover encourages, pressing a kiss to the top of my head.

"Fine." I grab Kylo- no, Ben's shirt collar, pulling him down to my level. I crash my lips onto his, and his hands thread through my tangled hair briefly. "I love you." I whisper.

"I love you too." He kisses my forehead before pulling back. "Go with the Knights. They'll keep you safe." He cups my cheek, then turns and nods to the group of men behind us.

"Be safe, Ben." I blurt as he steps away. He nods. "Come back to me."

He says nothing, only looking away, brushing a hand underneath his eye. As he turns, I notice a hole burnt into the fabric of his shirt. That must be where he was injured.

When he leaps up, back into the shaft that we initially dropped down from, I bury my head in my hands for a moment, taking a deep breath.

"Come on." Kuruk gestures for me to follow them, but I gesture to the two still unconscious Resistance fighters.

"What do we do with them?"

"Leave 'em." Ap'lek snaps harshly. I nod, stepping after the group of men.

They've moved the Night Buzzard to a more convenient location, since we're not hiding in the shadows at the moment.

I wonder what will happen to us that Kylo Ren has become Ben Solo.

I know that I'll stay with him, but will the Knights?

When we enter the Buzzard, I immediately know that something is wrong, but I can't place my finger on it until I'm surrounded.

"Guys?" I frown. "What are you doing?"

"Slight change of plans, Chava." Ushar says darkly. "You seem to have forgotten that your family reunion is today.

My heart stops.

"What?"

"We're tired of dying for Kylo Ren." Vicrul snaps. I tense. "Palpatine offered us a deal."

"What about your code?" I ask, stepping back, nearly bumping into Cardo.

"The code doesn't help Marinda." Vicrul says coldly. "Or Bazzra."

"I don't understand." I whisper. "You're like family to him."

"We don't care about him." Trudgen steps forward. "Bazzra was the last one with doubts. She tried to tell you our plan."

"What is your plan?" I ask. Cardo suddenly grabs me from behind, and I scream, knowing very well that nobody will hear me. Kuruk steps forward with a device in his hand, which he presses to the back of my ear. The metal piece, my mask, has become somewhat of a comfort, and I always believed that I'd have it forever.

But it clangs to the floor. A sharp, excruciating pain burns in me only a moment later, and I cry out, struggling against the massive knight.

The other side of my mask falls to the ground, and the pain doubles. I feel blood running down my skin, tracing my shoulders and matting in my hair.

"Are you going to kill me?" I pant, glaring up at the man I once considered a friend.

"No, we'll leave that to the Emperor." Vicrul says numbly. "Toss her in the brig until we get to Exegol. Bind her up, too. She's crafty."