Page 7 of Pursued By the Dragon Alien

Lilas leaned back against the bed, staring up at the metal ceiling. The hum of the ship vibrated beneath her skin. She had no idea where they were going or what Razion intended to do with her, aside from a vague statement of getting her somewhere “safe.” But she wasn’t naïve enough to think she was just along for the ride out of the goodness of his heart.

With a sharp inhale, she pushed to her feet and squared her shoulders. She’d figure it out. She always did. Just as she reached for the door’s panel, it slid open on its own. Razion stood on the other side, arms crossed, like he knew she’d be coming out.

“Ah,” he said. “You didn’t take too long. I trust you enjoyed the luxury of strong water pressure.”

Lilas arched a brow. “Careful, Captain, or I might start thinking you’re civilized.”

His lips twitched but he didn’t move. “Feeling better?”

She hated that she was. It was easier to be angry when she felt miserable. “What do you want, Razion?”

His expression didn’t shift, but there was something assessing in the way he watched her. “To talk.”

Lilas exhaled sharply. “Of course you do.”

“Unless you’d rather sit in this room in silence?”

It was on the tip of her tongue to say yes, but she resisted. She needed information, a clear picture of where she stood, and that meant playing along.

“Fine,” she said, stepping past him into the corridor. “Let’s talk.”

Razion led her down the hall, past the quiet hum of the engine room and toward what looked like a common area—a large space filled with sleek seating and where a curved wall of monitors displayed navigation routes, power systems, and flashing alerts. Three crew members were already there, gathered around the main console.

Lilas stopped, arms crossed and instantly on guard.

Razion strode in like he owned the place—which, to be fair, he did. “This is Lilas, a Terian,” he said casually. “She’s coming with us.”

The first to look up was a broad-shouldered male with dark green skin, heavy brow ridges, and thick, curling horns that swept back from his skull. His gray uniform was scuffed from the fight, but he carried himself with a steadiness that told Lilas he was used to being in charge right beneath Razion. His amber eyes flicked to her, assessing. “That wise?” he asked. His tone was even, respectful, but Lilas could tell he didn’t like the idea.

Razion’s smile was sharp. “I’m feeling generous. She was a prize of Gribna, and she needs a ride.” He clapped the male on the shoulder. “Lilas, this is Krask. First mate.”

Krask nodded, polite but distant. Lilas met his gaze without blinking. She didn’t need to see inside his head to know what he thought—a woman on her way to a harem must not be anything worth keeping around. His expression didn’t say it outright, but she saw the flicker of judgment in his eyes before he looked away.

To Krask’s left, another male leaned back in his chair, arms crossed. He was lean, with pointed ears and skin that shimmered faintly, like abeevle’sshell. Unlike Krask, he grinned at her, curiosity bright in his dark eyes. “Vedd,” he introduced himself with a lazy wave. “I do all the important work around here. Like making sure the ship doesn’t explode.”

Lilas arched a brow. “Good to know.”

The last crew member tilted her head, studying Lilas with sharp golden eyes. She was tall. Her thick red-orange hair cropped just above her shoulders, and she had the kind of wiry, muscled build that made Lilas believe she could take down someone three times her size. Her dark gray outfit looked well-worn, made for movement, and held a few obvious weapons strapped to her thighs. Unlike Krask, her expression held no judgment—just curiosity, assessing Lilas like she was determining if she was trouble or not.

“Cozax,” she said. “Weapons specialist.”

“Clearly,” Lilas replied. “I won’t be getting in your way.”

Cozax looked between Lilas and Razion with a glint of amusement. “I like her,” she said to him.

Krask, on the other hand, didn’t smile. He exhaled through his nose, shaking his head slightly like he thought this whole situation was a bad idea. “She’s an outsider, Captain. We don’ttake unnecessary risks.” His words were careful, respectful, but there was an unmistakable edge of skepticism.

Razion’s eyes darkened slightly as he addressed him. “She’s coming. End of discussion.”

Krask didn’t argue further, but the tension in his shoulders didn’t ease. Lilas caught the way his gaze flicked over her again. The distaste in his expression was unmistakable before he turned away.

She kept her jaw locked and didn’t react, but irritation burned under her skin. Let him think what he wanted. She wasn’t here to prove a damn thing to him. She couldn’t control what people assumed about her, and she sure as hell wasn’t going to waste her energy fixing their misconceptions.

Instead, Lilas focused on Cozax, who seemed far more like her kind of person. “So, what happens now?” she asked, crossing her arms.

Cozax tilted her head, clearly entertained. “That all depends, Terian. You going to cause problems on this ship?”

A slow smile curved Lilas’ lips. “Depends,” she said. “You plan on giving me a reason to?”

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