Series: Zandian Brides Series by Renee Rose
Total pages in book: 61
Estimated words: 57939 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 290(@200wpm)___ 232(@250wpm)___ 193(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 57939 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 290(@200wpm)___ 232(@250wpm)___ 193(@300wpm)
Before they can take me, I move. I grab the gun from under my tunic and aim at the first guard. Pull the trigger.
He falls to the floor, hard, head bounding and blood spattering, and I aim at the second one before I can think. I get him, too, but the shock of it is so startling that I drop my gun. Stars!
My master roars and grabs his own weapon, but he’s not a guard, he’s a scientist. His reflexes are slow. As he moves toward me, he slips a little on the viscous blood trail from the dead guards.
It provides the moment I need, and I take it. I grab at the device at his waist, pull it into my hand, turn and run.
If I can just get back to Mirelle, I’ll be safe. We’ll all be safe!
I make it out of the building, slipping wildly, not sure if it’s the residual dew or the guards’ blood or both that has me careening into walls and sliding.
But the craft is too far, and my master is already behind me, screaming my name.
“Sia!” He howls, and I feel a blast of laser rush past my skin, the heat singing my cheek. He missed–but next time he won’t. If he gets me, that means he gets my chip.
“Give it up!” he shouts. “If you stop now, I won’t torture you before I kill you.”
He blasts again, and this time it catches the side of my leg. The searing burn is overwhelming, and my whole brain goes blank with static as I try to stay on my feet–but I can’t.
I scream in pain and panic, stumble, and fall. He’s nearly on top of me.
I manage to get up and keep running, but my lungs burn, and my body is slow. I can feel myself bleeding, know I’m probably going into shock soon. And it’s clear I can never escape him. If I’d just been able to hold onto that weapon! But I didn’t.
I need help.
But no. Help won’t come. Mirelle said she won’t leave the craft, and I know she’s a human who keeps her word. I wouldn’t want her to endanger herself.
I’m alone here. I need to make a decision.
The smell of the lava pit hits my nostrils, and I see the eerie orange glow of its fire, sending out trickles of sick light into the dark.
I race towards the pit, and as I do, the device in my hand beeps.
“Confirm deactivate all,” a voice intones. “Press YES to deactivate all.”
But I can’t do anything but run and try to dodge the laser blasts.
“Confirm deactivate all,” the device repeats. “If confirmation is not given in five seconds, command will be rejected.”
Stars! I need to do this.
The smell of burning matter grows stronger, and I skid to a halt–I’m at the edge of the pit.
“Sia!” My old master is close behind. “Give that to me. Immediately.”
There’s panic in his voice. Why is he not shooting me?
Oh!
I understand. If he does, I’ll fall into the pit, taking with me the device…and my brain. The two things he needs.
“Stop!” I scream, holding up the device. “Or I’ll jump.”
Everything slows to a crawl.
Time seems to undulate in front of me.
My time is nearly up, but it feels like I have all of it in my hands.
With shaking fingers, I press the flashing button, Deactive All.
There’s a strange whirring sensation in my head, and then…nothing. As if the chip has truly stopped working.
But can my master still get images and recordings from it anyway? I don’t exactly know if “Deactivate All” means completely shut down and wipe old memories or just shut down.
I can’t take the chance.
I look backwards then into the pit.
There’s only one way to be sure that I can keep Daven safe–and Mirelle–and all of the beings on Zandia.
I take a deep breath.
Daven
“Faster!” I urge, as Axe gently guides our cloaked craft to touch down next to Mirelle’s. She’s cloaked from enemies, but not from us. When she sent us an emergency signal a short time ago, we were already on the way to Larew. She had previously relayed a message saying where they were going and what Sia was going to do and had requested backup.
I open the communication tab but before I can speak, Domm, one of Mirelle’s masters and mates exclaims, “Mirelle, what the veck were you thinking?” He and Lanz, her other mate and master, came along on the flight to make sure their human was safe.
Our holo screen shows the outline of her craft behind the grove of trees, and our scanners show us the layout of the planet–mostly buildings. I’m frantic for Sia, but I don’t see beings anywhere in our vicinity.
Mirelle’s voice is even and clear over our comms. “I was thinking that I could help save more humans. Maybe even Zandia. But Sia’s in trouble, Daven. I heard her through the comms for a while, but her receiver must have fallen out. She was being chased and may be caught. I should tell you…” she trails off.