Page 44 of Hunted By the Dragon Alien

Yes! ItwasTuri who darted around him, face lit up with pure, unrestrained joy. “Sevas!” she cried.

Sevas gasped, barely bracing herself as Turi collided with her, throwing her arms around her neck and pulling her into a tight hug. The impact almost knocked her off balance, but she clung to Turi as if letting go would shatter her.

“I can’t believe it!” Turi sobbed. Her words tumbled out so fast they blurred together. “You’re alive! I almost didn’t recognize you—your hair isyellow?How did you find us?”

Sevas’ throat tightened, a lump forming as she held onto Turi. “It’s a long story,” she said, her voice shaking. “I thought—I thought you were gone.”

“Never,” Turi whispered fiercely, pulling back just enough to look Sevas in the eye. Her dark hair was longer now—thick, vivid blue—and her face was just as Sevas remembered—soft and strong and kind.

Before either of them could say more, another voice joined them, soft and trembling with emotion. “Sevas?”

Sevas turned, her breath hitching as she saw Fivra step out from behind Ellion. Fivra had always been petite. Her delicate frame was almost fragile compared to Sevas’ tall, solid build.

“Fivra,” Sevas whispered, her voice cracking. She barely had time to open her arms before Fivra sprinted forward, flinging herself at Sevas. The smaller female’s embrace was surprisingly strong, almost desperate as she buried her face in Sevas’ shoulder. With her, appeared a new Zaruxian. He was also tall, ridiculously handsome, but his scales were red and his hair was golden. He peered down at her with open curiosity and an expression more friendly than the overseer’s.

“I—I thought… I thought we’d never see you again,” Fivra stammered, her voice muffled against Sevas’ shirt. “They took us and—we were separated. I thought they’d…”

“Shhh.” Sevas held Fivra tightly, one hand gently stroking her hair. “I’m here. I’m okay.”

The red-scaled male smiled, making himself even more handsome. “So this is the famous Sevas I’ve heard so much about.” He made a small bow. “An honor to meet you at last.”

“This is Cyprian,” Fivra said, taking the male’s hand in her own. “And you know Ellion.” She lowered her voice. “He doesn’t like being called the overseer anymore.”

“I never did.” Ellion raised one eyebrow. “And who is this?”

“The name is Bruil, your majesties.” He ducked his head as his yellow eyes flicked between the tearful reunion and the quiet, looming presence of Ellion. “We’ve got problems.”

Sevas gently disentangled herself from Turi and Fivra, though both clung to her for an extra moment as if afraid she might vanish if they let go. “We do,” she said, her voice steady despite the whirlwind of emotions threatening to overwhelm her. “We need your help.”

Ellion’s gaze hardened slightly. “This is not a good time. The Axis—”

“The Axisisthe problem.” Sevas clenched her fists, grinding her teeth as she stood her ground just outside the ship. She wasn’t a frightened prisoner anymore. She jabbed a finger at hischest. “I’m not stepping one foot into this ship until you agree to help me. Takkian’s life depends on it.”

Cyprian cocked his head. “Takkian?” he said. “Who is Takkian?”

“A Zaruxian,” she said, her voice hard and steady. “He saved me in an Axis arena. He helped me escape, along with Bruil. He’s my… He’smine.” She took a deep breath. Her throat tightened against the fear rising inside her. “They’re tracking him and chasing him through this outpost as we speak. There’s something inside him—a tracker. Will you help us?”

“Inside him?” Cyprian’s red scales glinted under the dim light, and his sharp silver eyes—uncannily similar to Takkian’s and Ellion’s—assessed Sevas with intent curiosity. “You’re saying the Axis implanted a tracker in him?”

“Yes.” Sevas’ tone was desperate as she looked between Cyprian and Ellion. “He’s out there, running for his life—to save mine and Bruil’s.”

Ellion folded his arms. His expression was unreadable. For a moment, Sevas thought he might dismiss her completely. “If he is yours, he is ours, too.” He looked at Cyprian. “Let’s bring him home.”

TWENTY-ONE

Takkian

Takkian moved fast but kept his steps smooth. The moment he broke into a run, they’d notice. Just another face in a crowd—that’s what he told himself. But his nerves buzzed, and his wings itched to unfurl. He’d never flown, as far as he knew. This was not the time to learn how.

He shifted left down a narrow path where corridors widened and broke off to residential quarters, eateries, and storage warehouses. Crates loomed like walls, stacked three high. A perfect maze. Perfect for him. He ducked into the shadows.

The Axis agents’ boots thudded behind him, steady and relentless. They weren’t running either. They didn’t have to. The tracker they had was doing the hard part for them. The thought of their device leading them fueled the fire burning under his ribs. It made him want to smash it apart. To burn down the outpost just as he had the arena.

But that wasn’t the plan. And there were innocent people here. All he could do was keep moving. Not get caught.

A voice echoed somewhere to his left. “Signal’s shifting. He’s close.”

Takkian gritted his teeth and pressed himself against the nearest stack of crates. The cold metal at his back grounded him, but he didn’t let himself breathe too loudly. He peeked out for a better look.

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