Chapter 9
9
GWEN
I make it to the spot the hooded man spoke of, a thick square block of stone just beyond the back gate of the Palace.
The atmosphere out here is much like Earth’s—maybe slightly less oxygenated, since I’m winded after only hiking downhill a small distance. There’s less pollution, too, though, which is nice. The plants, rocks, and streams are all a host of strange and vibrant colors. Sweet and earthy unfamiliar smells have my senses struggling to place them. It’s all very beautiful.
I hide behind the stone when I hear a craft nearby, thinking it might be a guard, but when I turn to look, I see no Ydris symbol on the front.
This must be my ride.
I stand and show myself to the oncoming ship. It slows and lowers to the ground.
Here we go.
I walk toward it and notice the markings—snake-like vines encircling massive machetes with jagged edges. Pretty menacing, if you ask me. Maybe that’s just my perception?
When the hatch opens, I get my answer. Nope, not just my perception.
Three towering aliens with onyx horns, blue muscular bodies, and dark iridescent armor emerge. They look like Zadren. But these guys are scary…with scars and obsidian eyes that stare at me hungrily, like I’m raw meat. They’re holding various weapons—guns, daggers, chains with spikes.
Fuck me.
Did the hooded dude set me up?
I turn to run, but before I can take a step, a thick chain wraps around my waist, digging into my flesh.
“Help!” I scream, hoping against hope someone might be out here to hear me.
I pull and kick, but the chain’s too strong. I’m yanked backward until I lose my footing and fall to my knees. One of them grabs my arm, their rough skin scraping mine as I try to get away. “Stop it!”
“Shut up and quit fighting, bitch,” a gravelly voice behind my ear rasps as a hand closes around my throat.
“Where…is the…hooded man?” I ask, realizing even as I say it how dumb that sounds.
“What hooded man?” The guy with his hand around my neck replaces the chain around my waist with his rock-solid arms. “We’ve simply come to retrieve our boss’s purchase. Those double-dealing Belran took off with you to sell to another buyer.”
I blink. “Did your boss buy Iris and Lacey, too?”
He cackles. “He buys a lot of humans. We don’t bother with names.”
He pulls me harshly into the craft, another guy closing the door. “The Ydris will be on our tails in seconds if we don’t get moving, Drak.”
I’m shoved to the guy called Drak. “OK. Toss her into the cell and let’s go.”
I struggle, but this Ocrevv is even stronger than Ryz. Definitely bigger, and way angrier. He kicks me forward through the oddly illuminated craft. Multi-colored LED lights are everywhere, like a disco.
A door opens and I’m thrown into a cell and down to a floor as hard as concrete.
“Disable her comm,” says one of them.
When Drak reaches for me I grab his arm and twist it behind his back with all my might. He roars, backhanding me with his free arm, sending me skidding across the floor. I hit the bars on the other side, and they spark on impact.
I yelp, scurrying away from them.
I can smell my singed clothes.
The other alien laughs at Drak shaking out his hurt arm.
“Shut up, Cirn,” he replies.
Drak snatches my wrist roughly. His eyes flash like bolts of lightning, and this time I smell my own flesh burning. Then he drops my arm.
“Now you can’t contact anyone.”
So much for letting Ryz know where I am.
“We’ll be on Qoth in two moons,” Cirn says.
The third Ocrevv, who has yet to say anything, pulls up a stool next to the door.
Cirn gestures toward him. “Don’t bother trying to talk to Jekril here. He’s mute.” He scoffs. “Or maybe just stupid.” They both laugh as they leave the room.
Funny. I’m getting what I wanted. These guys are taking me to people who, by the sounds of it, have Iris and Lacey. But really, I’m worse off than before. And even if Ryz figures out where I am… Would he even want me back, now that I’ve made a complete mess of things?
* * *
I can barely feel the movement of the craft as we hurtle off toward Qoth.
My wrist is killing me where my implant was zapped. I touch the angry welt gingerly. “Ow,” I moan.
Do the Ocrevv have electric skin or something?
Jekril glances my way as I’m running my fingers over the wound. He gets up and searches in a nearby cabinet.
His horns are thick at the base near his dark hair and curve into a point, similar to a bull’s. Cirn’s and Drak’s horns were different.
I can’t see what he’s looking for, but it’s probably something to knock me out. I’m not opposed to it at this point.
He finally grabs something and squats down to my level in the cell. He holds out what looks to be gauze with a gel-like substance on it and motions for me to come closer. He points to my arm with one of his long black claws.
I crawl over, and he reaches inside the bars of the cell with just his claw. Smart. If he put his entire hand inside, I’d have tried to crush it.
I take the gauze and sniff it cautiously. It has an organic, herbal odor. I hold it to my wrist and instantly feel the cooling effects.
“Thank you, Jekril,” I say, and his brow lifts in surprise. Then he nods and goes back to his stool at the door.
Maybe I can reason with him. “If you really wanted to, you could let me out of here.”
He gives me a deadpan look that says, whatever lady .
I sigh. “I’m the new Queen of Ydris, you know. Ryzordiek Urralix is my husband . If he finds out the Ocrevv are behind this, he’s going to be furious.”
Jekril tilts his head to the side. He’s listening.
“If you set me free, I’ll see that you’re unharmed. As it stands now, he’ll be on a bloody rampage for you all.”
Jekril runs a hand through his hair nervously. He’s definitely considering it.
“I swear, Jekril. You have my word. If you let me go, you’ll be spared.”
He purses his lips, then turns toward the keypad.
Just then the main door slides open and Ryz and Zadren burst in, weapons ready.
Jekril reaches for his dagger, but Ryz is on him immediately. He knocks the dagger to the floor and punches him hard enough to knock him unconscious.
And damn , it’s the hottest thing I’ve ever seen.
Zadren wastes no time working to crack the code on the keypad.
“You came for me,” I say to Ryz as he stands outside the bars of the cell.
His neon blue eyes soften. “Of course I did. You are my wife.”
“But…” I begin, unable to find the words.
The bars zap and fizzle, and the cell pops open.
I run out and jump into Ryz’s arms. He holds me tight against him, cradling my head.
“I’m so sorry,” I say. “For all of it. Everything.”
“No, I am sorry,” he replies, pulling back to kiss my entire face. When our mouths meet, it’s like coming home. How can I have missed this so much already?
“Ryz,” Zadren interrupts. “We must go. The rest of the crew will be alerted at any moment.”
“Yes,” Ryz says, clearing his throat, his cheeks taking on a blue tinge. Aww, is he blushing? “We should go.”
Ryz looks down at Jekril. “Turn away. I must dispatch him,” he says to me, unsheathing the knife at his belt.
“No!” I shriek. “Don’t kill him. I gave him my word he’d be spared if he helped me. He was about to release me when you came in.”
Ryz’s brow furrows.
“I swear, Jekril is one of the good guys. He gave me some salve for my wound.”
“ They hurt you ?” Ryz roars, his eyes flashing.
“They wanted to disable my comm.” I can almost see the steam rising from Ryz as he examines me. “The big ugly one, Drak, tossed me around and backhanded me, too, but I wrenched his arm pretty darn good in the process.”
Ryz is still seething as he tugs me along.
Zadren opens a door and checks to make sure the coast is clear before motioning for us to follow. We hustle down a hall toward a stairwell, then descend and emerge into some type of cargo hold full of containers, machinery, and other random items. Right in the center is a spacecraft, looking like just another stowed object.
“Storage bays are the best places to infiltrate crafts,” Ryz says, as we move toward the vehicle.
“Not always,” comes a deep, gravelly voice from behind some of the taller pod-like containers. Drak and Cirn step out, their weapons trained on us. Ryz pushes me slightly behind him. Zadren points his weapon back at them.
“It’s two lasers against one, traitor. Put it down, or I shoot both the female and the Kraetian.”
Zadren glances at Ryz, who nods.
No! We were so close!
Zadren lowers his gun to the ground and slides it toward the two Ocrevv.
“We’re going to be rewarded handsomely for these three, Cirn,” Drak says, then chuckles.
Cirn grins evilly. “Indeed. The female will fetch a handful…but a Kraetian Royal Commander and his Head of Security…who’s also an Ocrevv traitor? We’ll get medals and riches galore.”
Ryz stands taller. “My army will be coming soon. You take me or any of my people and you’ll start an all-out war. Do you really want that?”
Cirn laughs. “It’s never worked for Ydris and its allies to go to war with us before. Those pointless attempts have only led to years of suffering and despair.”
“And now that we’re working with the Outside Forces, we’re even more powerful,” Drak adds, spitting off to the side.
Cirn smirks. “As soon as we have you locked up, Hak’en and his armies will be advancing on Ydris.”
Outside Forces? Oh god… this is bad. Really bad.
“Enough talk,” Drak says. “Get moving.” He raises his weapon and points it in the direction he wants us to go.
“Not so fast, ass barnacles.” A familiar voice pierces the darkness behind Drak and Cirn. Two laser guns are pointed at them. “Drop your weapons!” the voice booms.
Drak fumes but doesn’t move.
“Are you deaf, or just stupid? I said drop your weapons .”
When the Ocrevv finally do so, the figure moves into the light, kicking their weapons away.
It’s the hooded man!
“You!” I yell. “You tricked me!”
Zadren readies his gun and Ryz brandishes his knife.
“I most certainly did not,” the man protests. “You got on the wrong craft, silly female.”
“Vex?!” Ryz snarls. “I should have known you were part of this mess.”
“So you do know him,” I say, as Ryz pulls me to him.
“Unfortunately, yes,” Ryz spits.
Vex strolls forward, also keeping his guns trained on the Ocrevv, who look utterly confused.
“She was going to join me by choice, you know,” Vex says with a smug smile.
My cheeks heat in shame. “Only because you said you knew where Iris and Lacey were. You promised to take me to them.”
Ryz tilts my chin up to look at him. “Gwen??—”
“You really messed up, brother,” Vex interrupts.
“Brother?” I yelp. This golden Kraetian is Ryz’s brother? No wonder he looked familiar.
Ryz barely nods.
“Vexeliar Urralix,” Vex says, bowing toward me. “A pleasure to meet you…again.”
I whirl on Ryz. “You didn’t tell me you had a brother.”
Ryz groans. “I try to pretend he doesn’t exist. He’s a liar and a cheat, and the universe would be better off without him.”
“Tell us how you really feel,” Vex smirks.
Drak and Cirn make a move, but Vex turns and shoots them both in less than a second. I yelp as they drop to the floor, their shocked expressions still on their faces as death takes them.
I gulp, trying not to be sick from the smell of burnt flesh where the laser went through their bodies.
Ryz shakes his head. “Some warning would have been honorable.”
Vex sighs in obvious exasperation. “We didn’t have time for that. They may have sounded an alarm, meaning more Ocrevv are already on the way.”
“You know as well as I do that Ocrevv like these don’t sound alarms. They’re arrogant and think they can handle anything alone.”
“Fine,” Vex shrugs. “Maybe I just like blasting vrekheads like them. They’re the scourge of the galaxy anyway; a waste of space that would kill me and anyone else for the right price, or simply for the hell of it.”
“How is that any different from you?” Ryz counters.
Wow .
Zadren clears his throat. “Ryz…time to leave.”
“Yeah, Ryz,” Vex adds, waggling his eyebrows. “Get lost. But leave your wife.” Ryz lets out a snarl.
Vex tsks. “ This is the thanks I get for saving your asses?”
Ryz scoffs. “You want Gwen for…who knows what. You’re an opportunist, Vex. Always have been. You don’t deserve any gratitude. Now, where’s your vehicle? So you can, you know, get in it and leave.”
“Behind yours. It’s half the size.” He looks toward me and winks. “You know what they say about Kraetians who drive excessively big craft.”
“Go. Now.” Ryz points his weapon at him. “Before I decide to lock you up.”
“How sweet that you think any prison could hold me. I’ve got skills, brother. And, well, friends in low places.”
Ryz huffs. “Friends? More like rubes you’ve conned into helping you.”
“You see it your way, I see it mine,” Vex replies, and saunters toward the other side of the craft.
Suddenly, there's a rustling by the cargo door. Jekril is leaning against the doorway, out of breath, a laser gun pointed at Ryz.
“No!” I scream, throwing my body in front of Ryz as the weapon goes off.
Another gun goes off, and perhaps another. It’s all a blur.
I smell burning flesh again, then feel hot, fiery pain.