Page 54 of Pursued By the Dragon Alien

Razion exhaled, forcing himself to stay calm even as his insides quaked. “Back to the command deck,” he murmured to Vedd and Cozax. He waved a hand toward the assembled crew, all of whom were muttering nervously among themselves. “Back to your stations, everyone,” Razion said. “The performance has ended.”

They returned to the command deck in silence. Once inside, with the door shut behind them, Vedd let out a slow, measured breath and sank into his chair. “Well,” he said. “That was fun.”

Cozax crossed her arms. “What’s the play, Captain?”

For a moment, Razion didn’t answer. He turned back toward the viewport, toward the Zaruxian ship they were still chasing. Toward Lilas.

“Nothing fancy. We catch up with the ship.” Razion flexed his fingers. “We deliver theirfekkingmessage.”

Vedd leaned against the console, his smirk fading. “You plan to tell them about this little visit?”

“Absolutely,” Razion said. “Unless they’re lacking all critical thinking skills, they’ll come to the same conclusion that I did. We’re a threat to the Axis’ power.How, I have no idea.” Thatwasa question he couldn’t answer—what was it about a handful of renegades that was so scary to a powerful armada?

Cozax turned toward him, her expression calculating. “We’ll have to be smart about this. We can tell those Zaruxians and Terians what Vahkos said, but who’s to say they’re going to stop looking for their remaining friends and your brothers?”

“I don’t expect them to stop.” Razion pressed his fingers to his temple. “I wouldn’t.”

“Then aren’t you worried about a strike?”

“They’ll strike anyway,” Razion countered. “Their threats weren’t a warning. They were a promise.”

A heavy silence settled over them. Cozax exchanged a look with Vedd, then crossed her arms. “Alright, Captain. We’ve followed you this long, and you pay well.” That was always a key, helpful decider for raiders. “We’ll keep tracking the Zaruxian ship. The signal is getting stronger. They’ll detect us soon enough, anyway, at this speed.”

“If we fly in too fast, too direct, they might attack,” Vedd warned. “Theymightthink we’re their enemy.”

“They won’t.” His chest tightened as the red beacon grew closer and closer on the holo-map. “I’m their brother.”

“That’s assuming they’re the sentimental types.” Cozax sighed. “And if Lilas doesn’t want to see you?”

Razion didnotwant to consider that possibility, but he kept his tone steady. “Then I’ll hear it from her directly. As well as an explanation.”

Vedd exhaled, turning back to the console. “You might broadcast a few words to the rest of the crew that we’renotunder attack. At the moment.”

Razion turned back to the viewport. The Axis warship was gone, but it wasn’t his concern anymore. Lilas was out there—unaware of just how close he was to finding her.

He flexed his hands at his sides, his wings shifting in anticipation.

Soon, he would find her.

And when he did, she’d know the truth.

TWENTY-ONE

Lilas

Lilas stood on the command deck, gripping the edge of the display console and watching the screen that showed Razion’s ship drawing closer. The Darkslip was a small blue dot cutting through space behind them, growing larger by the second. Her stomach twisted into knots.

Four cycles. That was how long she’d been here, on a ship that shouldn’t have been able to fly, with a crew of Zaruxians who had once seemed like myths. Her mind had been blown to learn that Razion and his brothers were the offspring of a queen. Bruil, an elder Zaruxian, did a lot of the navigation of the ship, and watching her three friends with their Zaruxian mates made her wish that Razion felt for her what his brothers felt for her Terian friends. After those four cycles of reconnecting with Turi, Fivra, and Sevas, of listening to their stories, she was feeling whole again in ways she hadn’t even realized she was missing.

And now Razion was almost here. The Zaruxians had been right—hehadcome for her. But why?

Her pulse thrummed in her ears as she stood beside Ellion. He was calm as ever. His silver eyes were focused on the incoming vessel.

“They’ll be alongside us soon,” he said. His voice carried the same even patience it always did, like nothing ever shook him. “He will want to board, or he will invite us to his ship. How would you like to handle this?”

“The Darkslip has a huge crew, most of whom can fight. So definitely have him come here.” Lilas exhaled slowly, pressing her fingers into the console. “I don’t want to see him. Not yet.”

“Understandable.” Ellion arched a brow but didn’t look surprised. “Whatdoyou want to do?”

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