Page 38

“Grekkinghell,” I muttered as I shot my brother another scathing look. “We could have been injured.”

Deklyn thumped me on the back, nearly sending me stumbling forward. “But you weren’t, and now you’ve found us."

I looked around, reluctance overtaking my anger me as I spotted Sasha, Ariana, and Torq. They looked exhausted but relativelyunharmed. Sasha and Ariana immediately rushed to Morgan, examining her for injuries with worried expressions.

"Are you hurt?" Ariana asked.

Morgan shook her head. "Just bruised pride," she said with a wry smile. “It could have been worse.”

“It could have been a Kronock trap,” Vyk said under his breath. “That would be worse.”

“What happened to you two?" Sasha asked, helping brush dirt from Morgan's hair. "We thought you were right behind us during the escape."

"We got separated in the chaos," Morgan explained. "Then we almost got walked over by a Kronock patrol in the marsh."

Sasha visibly shivered at the mention of the enemy. "Those scales, that blinking red eye.”

I pulled my gaze away from the women, satisfied that Morgan was unhurt, and turned to my Vyk. “Speaking of Kronock traps, we’re in the middle of one.”

The commander’s eyes widened. “What do you mean?”

“I mean that Morgan and I overheard a Kronock patrol talking about how they let us send out a distress call. They purposefully didn’t jam transmissions around the planet so another Drexian ship would come rescue us. Their goal is to trap us all here.”

The series of Drexian curses that Vyk released made all the woman stare at us.

“Did you say the enemy plans to trap us here?” Ariana’s voice shook slightly. “And the ship coming to save us?”

Morgan put a hand on her arm. “That’s their plan, but it’s our intention to ruin that plan.”

"Did anyone else hear that Drexian ship flying overhead?" I asked, turning to the group. "It passed over us while we were running here.”

Everyone nodded, but it was Vyk who spoke. "It kept going, though. Flew right over these hills and continued eastward."

I frowned, glancing in that direction. "That's strange. Why would they head away from the facility and from the only other Drexian ship on the planet?"

“Maybe they assume it’s a trap,” Sasha said. “I would.”

I pivoted to my brother. “I assume your ship is nearby?"

Deklyn nodded and gestured for everyone to follow him around a cluster of chunky boulders that jutted from the hillside like broken teeth.

As we rounded the rocks, I saw the Drexian vessel draped in camouflage cloth made from the same adaptive material as our environmental suits. Most of the ship appeared to blend seamlessly with the surrounding landscape, virtually invisible unless you knew exactly what to look for. The cloth had slipped at the front, revealing the glossy black nose of the vessel.

Deklyn strode forward and pulled the covering the rest of the way off, unveiling the sleek craft in all its lethal beauty. I felt my breath catch. The ship appeared undamaged, which meant the chances of our escape just improved dramatically.

Deklyn waved everyone toward his ship with impatient gestures. “If this is a trap, we need to get airborne now before the Kronock surround us."

"If a Drexian ship is here, then Volt is flying it," Ariana said, crossing her arms stubbornly. "I'm not leaving without him."

"We can search for the other ship once we're in the air," Vyk suggested, glancing overhead. "We'll have better visibility and maneuverability from above."

“He’s right.” Sasha wrapped an arm around her sister’s waist. “We’re sitting ducks down here. The best way to help your guy is to be up there.”

Ariana pressed her lips into a thin line but finally nodded. “But we’re not leaving without him.”

“Never,” Vyk agreed, the set of his jaw as determined as hers.

"I'm just glad to be leaving this hellish planet,” Sasha said glanced over her shoulder.