Page 35 of Possessed by the Dragon Alien (Zarux Dragon Brides #6)

TWENTY-FOUR

The stars stopped stretching. Reality snapped back into focus as the rebel fleet dropped out of space fold at the edge of the Zarux system. Madrian gripped the railing of the fortress ship’s command deck, his wings spreading involuntarily as the viewports revealed what lay ahead.

Home .

The word hit him like a physical blow. Through the reinforced transparent surface, Zarux hung in space like a blue-green jewel.

But it wasn’t the ancient world of his people anymore.

Gleaming metal towers rose where a sacred Zaruxian city once stood.

The Axis had built their seat of power directly on top of his birthright.

“ Fekking bastards,” Razion growled from beside him. “Look what they did to our world.”

Madrian said nothing. Couldn’t speak past the rage building in his chest. Dragon fire scalded his throat as he stared at the planet that should be a thriving home for the Zaruxian people. Instead of the sacred groves where his parents had walked, Axis Central existed.

They’d turned Zarux into a monument to conquest. They’d laid utter waste to Teria, which was on the other side of the star both planets orbited.

It was far from this fight, thankfully. Restoring that planet, which he’d only known of as a designation, would take longer and be harder than Zarux, but they would do it.

First, they needed to end the Axis’ rule.

Madrian had a feeling in the pit of his gut that that would be harder than anyone thought.

“All ships, this is Command,” Ellion said from beside Madrian on the command deck, into the fleet comm. “Begin final approach. Remember the plan.”

“Everyone’s standing by,” said Fivra from the sub-command deck, one level above them.

The Terian mates of the Zaruxian brothers were up there and would be taking over command of the fortress ship when the “plan” was implemented.

Madrian wished Nena was down here with him now .

His thoughts were clearer and his feelings were more grounded when she was by his side.

He needed to only look at her to feel peace, and that was not what he felt then, on that command deck looking at what they were facing.

Around them, forty-three vessels—the final number that had arrived—began moving toward the planet in formation.

It took a little time for the ships to recover from space fold, so luckily they had some element of surprise going for them, and a few modifications had decreased recovery time to a minimum.

Converted mining haulers flanked sleek pirate ships.

Reinforced agricultural transports flew alongside Dokkol freighters.

The sight should have been chaotic, but Madrian noted the surprising coordination.

These people had learned to work together. United by something the Axis had never understood.

“Rien, sensor report,” he called.

The pale prime watcher bent over her displays. “Initial scans show standard defensive positioning. Four dreadnoughts in high orbit. Twelve destroyer-class vessels patrolling the outer system. Energy dome at full power.”

Madrian frowned. “Only four dreadnoughts?”

“That’s what the sensors show. They have rerouted, and are incoming.”

Something cold settled in his stomach. Intelligence reports had indicated at least eight capital ships defending Central. Where were the others?

“Sir,” called one of Stavian’s former miners from the tactical station. “We’re receiving hails from the Axis fleet.”

“Ignore them,” Madrian said. “They’re just trying to delay. Begin the attack.”

The first wave hit with devastating precision.

Madrian watched the display as Vedd’s pirate ships streaked past the Axis destroyer screen.

Their weapons tore into hulls that hadn’t expected such coordinated resistance.

Meanwhile, the Dokkol vessels absorbed return fire that would have crippled lesser ships.

Their thick, alloy-reinforced hulls shrugged off energy blasts.

“Direct hit on the lead dreadnought,” Rien reported. “Heavy damage to their port side.”

Through the viewports, Madrian could see the massive Axis vessel listing as atmosphere vented from ruptured compartments. Its weapons fell silent as secondary explosions rippled along its hull.

One down .

“Second target acquiring our position,” called the weapons officer.

“Evasive maneuvers,” Madrian ordered. “Focus fire on their engines.”

The fortress ship shuddered as it changed course.

It was so very large, and for its size, it was maneuverable, but certainly not as agile as something smaller.

The combined fire from a dozen rebel vessels found its mark.

The second dreadnought’s drive section erupted in brilliant flame before the ship went dark and began drifting.

Two down .

A cheer went up from the bridge crew, but Madrian narrowed his eyes. A growing unease made his hands tighten on his crossed arms. Around them, the rebel fleet pressed their advantage. The Axis forces seemed stunned by the ferocity of the assault. Their response was sluggish, uncoordinated.

Too uncoordinated.

Madrian studied the enemy formations on his display. Something was wrong. The Axis had trained him in tactical doctrine. He knew how they should be responding to this kind of attack. Concentrated fire. Overlapping defensive patterns. Immediate calls for reinforcement.

Instead, their ships were scattered. Their fire was unfocused. It was almost as if—

“They’re letting us win,” he said quietly.

“What?” Ellion’s head snapped toward his. “You’re sure?”

“Look at their positioning.” Madrian gestured to the 3-D display before them. “The destroyer screen should have closed ranks after we broke through. The remaining dreadnoughts should be coordinating their fire. They’re fighting like cadets, not veterans.”

“He’s right,” Stavian said. “This is not Axis protocol.”

“We’re destroying their ships,” Takkian said, glancing up from his weapons console. “Why would they sacrifice entire crews and ships?”

“The Axis have never had difficulty slaughtering their own if it increased the odds of victory,” Madrian said. Memories of Axis ploys rolled through his mind. “It’s not a common tactic, but they know I’m here. They know that I know all their procedures.”

Ellion’s hand tightened on the armrests of his chair. “What do you suggest?”

“Wait,” Madrian said, but he was talking to himself. He watched as more Axis ships took damage and fell back. The retreat looked genuine, but something about the timing felt rehearsed. Like actors following a script rather than soldiers fighting for their lives.

“Rien,” he called. “Long-range scans. Are there any other Axis fleets in the system?”

She bent over her instruments. Her pale features creased with concentration. “Checking now. I’m reading… Wait.” Her expression shifted. “There are massive energy signatures beyond the gas giant. Multiple ships, but they’re running silent.”

Ice formed in Madrian’s veins. “How many?”

“Dozens. Maybe more. They’re using the planet’s magnetic field to mask their presence.”

The trap was elegant. Let the rebels think they were winning. Draw them in close to the planet. Then spring the real fleet when it was too late to retreat.

“They know,” he said.

“Know what, exactly?” Razion asked. “Part of the plan, or the whole plan?”

“I suspect they have guessed the whole plan.” Madrian turned from the viewport. “They’re herding us exactly where they want us.”

As if summoned by his words, new contacts began appearing on the sensor displays. Not the scattered defensive force they’d been dealing with up to now, but a coordinated battle fleet that had been waiting in ambush.

“All ships,” Ellion broadcast on the command channel. “This is a trap. Repeat, this is a trap. The Axis has been—”

The communication array exploded in sparks as an energy blast found its mark. Emergency lighting bathed the bridge in red as damage reports flooded in from across the ship.

“Hull breach on deck seven,” Takkian ground out. “Weapons array two is offline.”

Through the viewport, Madrian could see the true scope of the Axis response.

At least fifty ships were converging on their position.

Dreadnoughts and battle cruisers that dwarfed anything in the rebel fleet.

This wasn’t the token defense force they’d planned for.

This was the assembled might of the galaxy’s most powerful empire.

“Madrian,” Rien called over the noise of alarms. “I’m detecting something else. New energy signatures around the planet itself.”

Madrian moved to her station. The readings made his blood run cold. “Automated defense platforms?”

“Worse. They look like…” She paused, recalibrating her instruments. “Mine networks. Thousands of them, positioned in a grid around the planet’s atmosphere.”

Fek . He knew those mines. They were specifically designed to make it impossible for small shuttles to breach the planet’s atmosphere, which was what needed to happen if six dragons were to attack the dome.

Even if they could dodge the firepower around them and get their shuttles near the planet, they’d explode upon impact when they hit the net of mines.

“They know,” he repeated, this time with absolute certainty.

“How?” Cyprian wanted to know. He spun in his chair. “No one here told, that’s for sure.”

Madrian shook his head. “If we know the effect Terian mates have on our dragon fire, they know. They’re desperate to keep us away from Central’s energy dome.”

“Well, good news is, that means we can breach it.” Cyprian wasn’t wearing his casual, relaxed expression anymore. “We’re a legit threat.”

“We are,” Madrian said. “It also means they’re taking that threat seriously.”

And they were . The rebel fleet was taking heavy casualties now. Three of the converted mining haulers had been destroyed. Two pirate ships drifted dead in space. The Dokkol vessels were still fighting, but even their massive hulls couldn’t withstand concentrated fire from Axis dreadnoughts.

“We’ve lost one of the Sidran ships,” Takkian said grimly.

Madrian stared at the tactical display. Everything they’d planned for, everything they’d sacrificed to reach this point, was falling apart. The Axis had outmaneuvered them completely.

But giving up wasn’t an option. Not with Nena counting on him. Not with the freedom of the galaxy hanging in the balance.

“Continue the attack,” he said. “They also expect us to retreat, so I guarantee there’s a worse surprise waiting for us if we try to leave. We make them work for every meter.”

Razion glanced back skeptically. “We could fire on that mine network.”

“That won’t explode them. Only contact with a ship will.

” Madrian’s voice carried the authority he’d learned as a high chancellor.

“We have to stand our ground. Here . Now.” He gritted his teeth and studied the battle before him.

Of everyone on this ship, he had the most experience with Axis war tactics.

He’d been on the other side of the line too many times to count.

The Axis was strong, but it wasn’t invulnerable.

He thought about the council. Right now, they would be in their vast, shiny chamber plotting, arguing, snarling accusations at each other.

If he knew them—and he did —they were disintegrating into chaos.

Nena was one level above him. Right there. He took comfort in knowing Nena was close by. Her calm strength anchored him even as things had taken a bad turn. Whatever happened next, he would not let her down.

The fortress ship shuddered under another barrage of fire. Sparks rained down from damaged consoles. But Madrian and his brothers remained steady. He watched the battle unfold and looked for any weakness he could exploit.

The Axis thought they’d won. They thought their trap was perfect.

They were about to learn what happened when you cornered a dragon.