Page 13

Chapter

Thirteen

Tivek

P ressed against the cold metal wall, I held my breath as the Kronock guard lumbered past. Even with our environmental suits rendering us nearly invisible, I felt exposed and vulnerable in a way I rarely experienced during my Shadow operations.

The reptilian's massive body radiated heat as it passed, close enough that I could smell the musky, sulfurous odor emanating from its scales.

This was different from my typical missions. As a Shadow, I always operated alone. I risked only myself and answered only for my own mistakes. But now Morgan stood beside me, her life entangled with mine, and the weight of that responsibility pressed down on me and made it hard to breathe.

The Kronock’s bionic implant flashed crimson as it scanned the corridor, and his thick, muscular tail dragged behind it, sweeping across the floor with a sound like sandpaper on metal.

Just as the creature passed us, Morgan inhaled quickly. It was the smallest of sounds, but in the quiet corridor, it might as well have been a shout.

The Kronock stopped.

My fingers tightened on the blaster hidden between my leg and the wall, ready to fire if the creature turned toward us. The shot would give away our position, but if it meant keeping Morgan alive, I wouldn't hesitate.

A guttural voice bellowed from somewhere above, angry and insistent. The Kronock near us grunted in response, then resumed its patrol, heavy footfalls receding down the corridor.

Only when I could no longer hear its steps did I release the breath I'd been holding, turning to find Morgan wide-eyed with terror, silent tears tracking down her cheeks.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, so softly I barely caught the words. "I almost got us killed."

I gripped her shoulders gently, leaning close to ensure she could hear my whispered response. "You have nothing to apologize for. I was terrified too."

Surprise flickered across her face.

"Just because I'm a spy doesn't mean I don't feel fear every time I'm on a mission," I admitted. "The difference is in how we manage it."

Since the corridor was no empty, I showed her the Drexian battle breathing technique we were taught early in Shadow training—deep inhalation, holding for three beats, then slow exhalation, repeating until the heart rate stabilized.

She followed my lead, her breathing gradually steadying. "If I'm being honest," she whispered with a weak smile, "I preferred studying the schematic of this building more than being inside it."

"But you did study it," I replied, "which means you know where they might be holding Sasha and Deklyn."

She nodded eagerly, pointing downward. “The dungeons.”

"Heads down," I instructed, taking her hand in mine. "Since I can't see you easily, I don't want to lose sight of you."

The smile she gave me made my heart squeeze painfully in my chest. I fought to keep my expression neutral, to not reveal how deeply her presence affected me.

We moved with deliberate slowness down a long steel ramp, each step carefully placed to avoid creating noise.

I kept my head lowered, both to minimize my visible profile and to avoid seeing the Kronock moving through the facility.

Shadow training emphasized focused awareness.

I had to know my surroundings without becoming overwhelmed by them.

Ramp after ramp, we descended deeper into the ground. I could sense the change in air pressure, the subtle drop in temperature that accompanied subterranean chambers. Just another level or so, and we'd reach the cells. That is, if the intel was accurate.

A scream shattered the relative quiet and made me stiffen. It was high-pitched, unmistakably human, and filled with such pain that it made my blood run cold. But it wasn’t coming from below us. It was coming from above.

Morgan's hand jerked in mine, her fingers digging into my palm. I knew without asking that she recognized the voice. Ariana.

"They're hurting her," Morgan whispered, her voice tight with suppressed emotion.

I squeezed her hand, as much to steady myself as to reassure her. Hearing the evidence of Kronock brutality made the mission suddenly, painfully even more personal. This wasn't just about extracting my brother anymore. It was about saving all of us from suffering that same fate.

I took a moment to assess the plan. Did we continue to the dungeons to find Sasha and Deklyn? Or did we turn around and go after Ariana?

“Ariana would want us to get her sister,” Morgan said, even though I hadn’t voiced my conflict.

She was right. We needed to complete our mission before going after our friends. I gave a curt nod. “Then we need to move faster.”

Morgan pressed her lips together. “Let’s get this done and go home.”

I couldn’t have agreed more.