Page 37 of Owned By the Hvrok

He slammed the trigger.

TheLyxailurched forward as hyperspace engaged. Space twisted. Light bent. Time distorted.

And in a blink, the Kroll weregone.

He exhaled, slow and deep.

They’d escaped.

For now.

But as the ship bled out of hyperspace, returning to normal speed, the holo filled with new alerts. Critical systems damaged. Hull integrity compromised. Cooling systems at maximum output.

He scanned the readout with quick, precise movements.

TheLyxaiwas wounded.

Severely.

He couldn't outpace their pursuit a second time in this state.

No choice.

He called up the star chart. Filtered for habitable worlds.

One option pulsed into focus.

He called up the star chart. Filtered for habitable worlds.

One option pulsed into focus.

Anakris.

A shadowed, storm-laced world on the edge of the Korth Expanse.

Dense atmosphere. Harsh terrain. Hostile.

Inhabited.

TheNalgar.

He knew them.

Blood-drinkers. Warlike. Highly dangerous. A species built for endurance and battle, known for tribal hierarchies, brutal internal conflicts, and a taste for violence that bordered on ritual.

They wouldn’t welcome him.

But there was a chance they wouldn’t question his presence, so long as he didn’t provoke them.

And Anakris had breathable air, fresh water, and enough obscurity to disappear into for a time.

He set the course.

As theLyxaiturned toward the dark, mist-wreathed planet, Kyhin allowed himself one last thought of the human girl still sealed in her quarters.

She had no idea what kind of world they were descending upon.

Neither did he.

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