Page 124

She had one chance to make them understand.

So she didn’t yell.

First, she waved her hand, releasing them all from the kinetic lock of their limbs.

Some heaved, others shook, and a few fell into their chairs in terror.

She let them reorient until she raised a hand.

The command was sufficient to silence them.

Not the Admiral, however, his furious growl thundering through the bridge. ‘Tactical officer, ready weapons.’

‘Belay that order.’

She spoke loud enough for her vocalization to carry through the expansive span. ‘Say another word, Admiral, and this ship will cease to exist in a trillionth of a second.’

Her utterance struck like a hammer, the impact of her words and, frankly, her recalcitrance rippling throughout.

Rhye’s face darkened with fury.

She understood his rage and his instinct to fight.

However, this was not a battle he could win.

Slowly, he sat back down, shoulders tight with contained wrath.

His personnel stared at her, frozen, shock in their eyes.

She nailed the ship’s leader with narrowed eyes. ‘I’ll go to them and give them what they are after, which is me and what I carry. It is the only way to save you all. Should you act otherwise and order the crew to fire, I will have to stop you, Admiral, the only way I know how, for I cannot justify sacrificing an entire dreadnought of thousands of souls for the sake of hubris. Once I step off this vessel, I strongly recommend you race for a safe harbor. Eden II is your best bet, given its elite planetary defenses.’

With that, Issa exhaled, her heart a storm inside her chest.

Behind her, Ki’Remi was still as a rock, yet giving off waves of emotion.

She sensed his scorching rage, fury, disbelief, and frustration.

However, to his credit, he held his tongue.

She turned to face him, her expression severe. ‘I hope you, too, Commander, now understand that this fight has never been mine to win. Neither is it yours. It’s my battle to face head-on, even though I have already lost.’

21

Sun-Scorched Sorcery

ISSA

‘Amoment, Dr Elaris.’

The bridge was too bright, too full of staring eyes, and Ki’Remi’s rasped words, raw and rough, carved right through her.

She hesitated, locking her guarded eyes with his molten meta gaze.

He leaned in to whisper so only she could hear. ‘Kidaya, please.’

She took a ragged inhale, then, nodding, marched toward the Admiral’s ready room.

Ignoring the burning reproach of the crew’s collective stare and Rhye’s affronted, stupefied curse.