Page 24

Aurelius helps us get the ship fine-tuned and ready for our trip into space. Just to be sure, Elix has me wear a space suit.

“Ghostfleet nearing orbit,” MONA says. “You have five minutes to launch before they detect us. But the keel thrusters, six and seven, are still out.”

Aurelius takes off behind us in a fiery drone of purple engines and electric green crackles.

Elix scans all the screens and starts the engines. “We’ll be fine.”

“Sir.”

“We don’t need them, MONA. I’ve done this before on other ships. I’ll fix them in space.”

Thrusters thump on around the vessel, then drone into a raucous vibration that shakes my eardrums and my heart. Elix has me on weapons because MONA doesn’t seem to compute the parameters.

“Better hurry it up. They’re in visual range!” Aurelius races ahead of us, his vertical tail thrusters blazing fiery blue-green stripes in the sky.

Elix nods as we start moving after Aurelius’s ship, faster with every moment. After one final splutter, we launch toward the stars.

I clutch my harness and wonder what took so long but am happy to be getting away from whoever or whatever ghostfleet is. They clearly have their own agenda and tech if they’re willing and able to snatch a ship out of the stars like ours.

“Had to burn off the ice,” Elix says. He glances at a couple of his screens as we rocket hard into space. He guides the Scintilla after Aurelius’s ship.

Stars become clearer around us. And Lazario shines like a massive icy green marble below us. It is truly a beautiful sight. “I hope we can come back.”

Elix looks over at me with endearment. “Me too.”

“Ready to jump when you are, Green Bean.” Aurelius lines up for the heart of the Sol system.

“Right behind you.” Elix grabs his throttle.

A portal ignites in front of Aurelius’s ship. He launches through, and we chase him. The seat presses into my back with increasing force.

“Ghostfleet is locked on,” MONA says.

Elix pushes the throttle. “Hold together for me ol’ girl. Zariah, launch flares on my mark.”

My heartbeat rises. Alerts flash and beep on the screens.

“Another vessel has fired. Unidentified. Impact Imminent,” MONA reports.

Missiles get closer to us onscreen until I’m starting to panic.

“Now!”

I mash the button for flare release. A colorful array of fireballs spiral out of the ass of Elix’s ol’ girl . And one by one, the missiles disappear from the screen.

The portal’s boundary zips by us like a ring of blue-green fire.

“Clear!” Elix shouts over the com.

The portal closes, but we still have a missile on our tail.

Elix reports it to Aurelius and banks hard, weaving us like a side-winder through the stars of what I believe is the outer region of the Milky Way.

“On it,” Aurelius replies. His ship shoots upward and dives back at an angle.

“Hang on.” Elix steers us through a field of ship debris from a battle of some kind. He weaves through it, but the missile’s targeting system manages to avoid the junk.

Three shots crackle out across the stars. Aurelius whoops. The missile disappears from the screens.

Elix relaxes. “I owe you, Aura.”

“Naw,” Aurelius’s rugged face appears in a com channel feed. “You saved my life from the poison dart that pretty redhead launched at me on the last recon mission.”

Elix chuckles. “You are hopeless. That Firespine probably had a den near where you were poking around for berries. Don’t lie to make it sound better than it was.”

“Alright. But it did sting like a bitch.”

“As you convulsed and drooled on yourself,” Elix snorts a laugh and turns to me. “This guy has a thing for getting into trouble. But he is a damn good soldier when there’s work to be done.”

A message comes through with a ding.

“Sir, Abr has been contacting you for two days. They’ve sent a search party, but it might be wise to send them a response,” MONA states.

Elix’s joy fades. He studies me with dejection.

“I don’t want to go back,” I admit. “I already found the one I want.”

He thinks for a moment while Aurelius asks us where to next and offers a suggestion. “Terran space has a lot of patrols right now. I don’t think you’ll get shot down there. I’d lead you to my world, but relations are currently on edge. Between us.”

“That’s okay,” Elix replies. “I wonder if Abr has heard anything about where the SoulStealers came from. That might help us sort out who’s trying to capture you or hurt you.”

“Guess we can at least ask,” I say.

He calls someone named Rosy.

The wrinkled face of the woman who gave the initial speech before the first race began appears onscreen. “I’m so relieved to see you’re both okay. Where did the portal take you?”

Elix leans onto an armrest. “To a gold system with a ghostfleet. We ended up crashing on another planet in a remote region. Got a friend to help us fix the ship and get back into space. But the ghostfleet is still after us. So I’m not sure that returning to the race is ideal. I need to call this into the feds.”

I can’t figure out why he’s left out information. Why not just tell them it was a portal?

“Well, at least come back into orbit. We have a lot of upset viewers wanting answers. Racers, too. Teol and Keo have been on my case since you two disappeared. Many are concerned. I can’t appease them all.”

Her eyes dart to the back of the cockpit where Elix has strapped our nest in with a net. Dread of what she’ll say pools in my gut like cold cement.

Rosy smiles. “Did you acquire a transformative mutation?”

By the dark color of Elix’s face, I realize they’ve talked before. “Yes.”

“My husband would have been proud of you, happy for you, too. It’s difficult to listen to your core when the world tells you it is wrong. But it is never wrong.”

Rosy motions to someone in the back and says something I can’t understand. Then she looks back at us. “Games have been delayed because of the solar storm’s destruction. Quite a few creatures got loose. A lot of systems had to be rebooted. And then there was the mess in the private security hangars.”

“I’m sorry. I don’t know where they came from or how they got in.”

“I have a theory,” Rosy says. “We ended up kicking the three Ginarigons out of the race because they were in an uproar that you were gone. Three of their kind fighting over one woman is about as likely as me living another hundred years. They aren’t naturally that picky. So security swept their quarters and found contacts for Ominous Artifacts Appraisal, a cover for a black market trading group that deals with stolen goods and illegal bounties. It is known for working behind customers’ backs and taking matters into their own hands. Lingon’s involved. Was. He’s in jail now. He’s spilling details, trying to get a shorter sentence.

“Anyway, we’re bringing in all the security we can for the rest of this race. Even if you don’t need to find a mate, Zariah, the viewers want to see you continue.”

I chew a lip, considering returning to the place where my life seemed to go downhill really fast.

“You don’t have to,” Elix offers. “We could go anywhere else.”

“More patrols should make it safer, right?”

He grimaces. “In theory. But the SoulStealers got in.”

“I will refund your ticket, triple it if you come back.” Rosy lifts her hands. “Anyway, it’s up to you two what you want to do. And if your friend, I believe he is Aurelius of Amphir, wants to come watch, we welcome an additional guard for you, Zariah.

“Some trouble is normal and exciting. But a lot of trouble means we need to find ways to reassure future racers that it’s worth it. Many species are dying off because of the war with the Nebulous Empire. They need mates.”

I nod. “Okay. I don’t want others dissuaded because of me or my problems.”

Rosy sits back. “We all have problems, honey. No one is perfect. We’ll await your arrival, Zariah. Elix.”

When the screen goes dark, I look over at him. He lifts a finger as if to ask me to hang on a moment.

“Rosy’s last mate was Larisien. She knows my kind, knows I was guarding you even though my core wanted you. Because it is in our nature to protect what we love at all costs. If that means letting someone we love go to be with the right tribe, then that is what we do.”

“But your parents?”

He shrugs. “I don’t know. They were different.”

“Well, I’m glad they made you.” I lean toward him as we follow Aurelius toward Earth. “Now, tell me why you didn’t mention the portal we took to Lazario.”

He kisses me. “Portals are considered unregulated weapons.”

“So they’re illegal.”

“For everyone except Amphirs like Aurelius. They have lived the longest among the stars of all of us. Because it is a way of life for them, they are permitted to use them.”

“But you—”

He chews a lip. “MONA can do it. I don’t know why.”

“Maybe your people developed portals, too?”

He shakes his head. “Don’t ask. MONA doesn’t know either. It has just always been a part of the system.

“Now, hold tight. I’m going to get us into jump speed so we can get this over with.” He talks with Aurelius, and soon the ship is racing toward Earth.

“Fifteen minutes,” MONA reports.

Elix calls the Sol Federation and gives them his report.

“When you arrive at the complex, please stay put,” the officer says. “We’ll handle the ghostfleet if they approach. But I doubt they’ll enter our territory.”

Elix drops us out of hyperspace.

“I’ve heard of them only offhand,” I admit. “But they had amazing ships, so I can’t see what they might want with me or my father’s gold and credits. I have nothing on my own, so that’s got to be the only reason.”

“Greed doesn’t have a limit. It’s sort of in the definition.” Elix gets clearance to land and docks us in a different hangar than before. When we enter, a pair of Abr guards greet us.

At the end of the hallway, I see holographic ribbon, sectioning it off.

“Still cleaning up?” Elix asks.

“Their blood stains everything. You made quite a mess,” a guard grumbles.

“UV burn bar should smoke it right off.” Elix pats the guard’s shoulder.

Aurelius steps in from the adjoining dock. “‘Sup.”

An officer slaps a device to his chest that ignites a red-violet hue. “No discharging at the complex, bro .”

“Eh, you’re no fun.” Aurelius sulks toward us. “What good is a big purple alien who can’t use his skills to have a little fun?”

“You’ll have your turn, Prince Aurelius,” an officer says. “Next month. Do not get ahead of yourself. You’re here as security.”

“Right, right.” He sighs. “Well, where do we get some grub? All that working and racing has me starving.”

I survey him as Elix leads us to the lunch hall. “I don’t think you know the meaning of that word. You’re huge, Aura.”

Elix grumbles, so I take his hand and squeeze it. “Do not forget, Aura, what I told you about Zariah and many of the other females here.”

“My apologies. I was not always this healthy,” Aura says. “But I will be more sensitive, Miss Zariah. Thank you for the reminder. My mouth can run away from me sometimes.”

When we enter the lunch hall, the whole room quiets. Then someone whispers.

“Another guard?”

“What does she need guards for?”

“Are we actually safe? Or is this all for show?”

“Zariah!” Teol bolts across the room and crashes into me. “You’re okay! Oh, my gosh, I was so worried!”

Gashnaar eases up beside Elix. “She really wasss.”

I can’t help but laugh a little at Teol’s excitement. The room around us seems to return to normal chatter, and I feel a little better. “So what the heck is going on with the schedule?”

“We’re just doing Glitter Ball, Low-G Laser Tag, and the Hot Maze. That’s it. They did the speed dating and other things while we were on the tour. We just got back a few hours ago.”

The speakers beep. “Attention all racers. Glitterball has been rescheduled and will start in thirty minutes.”