Precious | Kylo Ren x Reader | Precious Pet Series | Book 2

Of Lessons Learned, Of Bridges Burned

He stared into her eyes, knowing what he had to do, but not wanting to do it. He wondered if it was his own cowardice to use his apprentice as a decoy. Perhaps it would be better to come to Snoke as a failure and face his destiny.

He wanted to tell her he would protect her, but he knew he couldn't promise that. No one was safe here, and everyone knew it.

She nodded as though she understood or that she accepted his shortcomings. She was too good for this, he thought. Too good for him.

He studied her sweet face, the determined set of her mouth. He wanted to drag her back to the large storage hold where their belongings were in the Upsilon and have her one last time. She had been too nervous this morning, so he had simply held her and kissed her. Breakfast had been barely touched, and the ride to Ebra had been tense.

He could feel the shuttle swooping down through the moon's atmosphere to make the final approach to Snoke's current location. It was now or never. He followed his instincts and bent down to kiss her. She melted against him, kissing him back with equal fervor. He kept his hands above her waist, but all he wanted to do was grab her ass and haul her up.

He pulled away from her when there was a natural pause and whispered against her lips, "Sleep."

The Force flowed from him with intent and within seconds she was unconscious. It felt just like on Jakku as he cradled her in his arms. She was wearing those same clothes and her hair was the same. She didn't even have her lightsaber anymore since he had entrusted it with Yideth for safekeeping.

He should've lain her out on the unoccupied bench across the hold from him, but he couldn't bear to let her go. He sat down and held her limp body against his chest. Ginji briefly eyed them before turning away. Ginji didn't approve of the attachment, he sensed. Maybe Ginji was right, but it was too late for that.

Yideth landed the shuttle on what had once been a grand promenade in front of the domed, squat stupa. The ship powered down, and all was quiet for a minute before he tightened his grip on his apprentice and stood.

"Gear up," he ordered.

The Knights did a quick weapons check and got on their helmets as the ramp lowered with a hiss and a cloud of steam. He took one last deep breath and led the way down the promenade. The air was dry and the sky was an insipid gray. The weak light that filtered through the cloud cover was flat and cast almost no shadow. The weight of power hung like a miasma in the air. The only thing he thought was good about the satellite was that it wasn't cold.

No one came out to greet them, but he didn't think that a bad sign. It meant that Snoke was unprotected and possibly alone.

Surrounding the stupa was an enclosure wall which was crumbling from neglect. Guarding the main entrance of the wall were the figures of two cloaked Sith, carved of stone, features now weathered to near obscurity. He felt a frisson pass through him as he walked between them and into the stone court between the wall and the temple.

He could feel Snoke inside, waiting. Before he walked in, he turned to his Knights and told them to follow him in and guard the main entrance. He didn't want anyone else entering the building. They nodded as one and silently trailed behind him.

As he entered the vast space of the temple, he was greeted by Snoke's raspy voice from the dark:

"Kylo Ren."

He bowed as much as he was able with a limp body in his arms. "Master."

"I see you have precious cargo."

His eyes adjusted to the dimness inside as he lay her down beyond the single column of light coming from the oculus at the top of the dome. It provided watery light while the two large braziers on either side of the rotunda flickered with yellow flames.