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Glancing at the soldier next to Saul, she asked, “Have you seen a vrisha by chance?”

Saul frowned. “A vrisha?”

She glared back at him. “You know. Because you identified it when I told you what I saw after we returned with the cryo-batteries. You knew, didn’t you? That’s why you switched out your guns. Because ice hurts them, not fire.”

Saul shifted. “I wasn’t a hundred percent sure. I thought that maybe, in case it was…”

She shook her head. “Vrisha are protected under the alliance.”

“I’m aware. But it was a danger to you and your team. I did what I thought best.”

“And the creature you did kill?”

“I thought I’d been wrong about my assumption since I didn’t see a vrisha and neither did the others. Clearly, I was wrong.”

Crossing her arms, she turned back to the soldier. “Have you seen one or not?”

The man shot his black eyes up to hers and shook his head.

That sinking feeling returned. “Let me know if you do.” She turned back to Saul. “When are we expected to leave?”

“We’re discussing the best options. The ship might get its power back real soon. But if not, we’ll shuttle the team into the other one. We’ll help transfer everything over if that’s the case.”

“Let me know.”

Making her way back for the ship, she noticed a large shadow covering the landing dock. She froze and looked up, seeing big blue clouds rolling in above. They looked like they might bring rain. This place was dreary. She didn’t know how Kryxis had dealt with it for so long.

Her gaze drifted from the dock over to the shadows of the buildings. He had to be out there. But the more time went by, the more she wondered if he really did make it out.

She was seriously worrying about him. Crazy to think not long ago she had tried to kill him. Now, she wanted to sneak off and start calling his name.

The clouds broke above and, for one clear second, the area brightened. A glint caught her eye, and she looked over, noticing a bench some yards away.

Was that…?

She inhaled sharply. Glancing at the soldiers, she moved across the dock to the bench.

Sitting alone on the seat was a growth tank. She picked it up and saw a blue plant with red stripes.Dracona Corlius, also known as Devil Claw.

She held it against her pounding heart, searching around the buildings and along the tram system nearby, studying every shadow, hoping to see any sign of movement.

“Kryxis!” she hissed. “Come out!”

No answer.

“Kryxis!”

She waited. But there was no sign of him. She checked her garometer but saw no energy level higher than seven.

Damn.

A smirk tugged at her lips anyway.

At least he was alive.

She stood by the bench a little longer, then turned back for the ship. He had to come around eventually, and she would catch him when he did.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN