Page 89 of The Alien Warrior's Mate

“Yes, indeed.” Ziag gave the hologram a once-over.

Sweat rolled down Korben’s face. Would the Heronas buy it? It mattered not. He just had to convince them or die trying.

“We kept up our end of the deal,” Korben barked. “Where is my brother?”

Ziag lifted his gun and aimed it straight at Korben. Utara reared up, but Korben remained still and did not flinch when the bullet flew past his face. Instead of hitting him, the shot slammed right into the middle of the projection’s head and passed through, embedding itself in a tree.

Korben’s panic rose.

They’d been found out sooner than he’d expected.

He reached for his weapon but, before he could fight, the Heronas surrounded them. As one, they lifted their guns and aimed it at Korben’s head.

“Move and we shoot,” Ziag said calmly.

He locked eyes with Utara, mentally connecting with his brother’s zapten but, instead of moving, Utara’s eyes went grey and she rested on her haunches like a broken statue.

“Yetra?” Lans called the name of his zapten, his voice rising urgently.

The zapten gave no response.

Lan’s gun whirred to life as he pointed it at Ziag. “What did you do?”

Half of the army pointed their weapons at Lans in response.

“It’s Heronas technology,” Ziag explained as if they were guests over for a special celebration. “We interrupted your zapten’s frequency so you can no longer communicate with them.”

Korben felt a slow, rising dread wash over him. Their plan hinged on communication with the zaptens. Without it…

“Well?” Ziag arched an eyebrow. “Will you still fight?”

Korben took stock of his chances and slowly lowered his gun.

“Korben…” Lans hissed.

“What choice do we have?” he said.

Lans dropped his weapon and lifted his hands. Tiegan did the same, though the scowl on his face warned he would have preferred to take as many Heronas down before dying a glorious death.

Ziag shook his head. “So pathetic, Korben. Did you think we would fall for that silly little trick?”

“Where is my brother, Ziag?”

“Don’t worry.” The Heronas lifted one corner of his lips in an eerie grin. “You will soon be reunited.”

An object flew at him, flung by one of the Heronas guards. Korben glanced down and saw a bio-cuff forming a cast around his wrist. He tried to tug himself free, but it was almost fused to his skin and refused to budge. Another shot. Now he had a bio-cuff around his feet.

Korben fell hard, his body slamming on the grass.

Lans and Tiegan went down as well.

Ziag strode foward, his flat feet crunching the grass. “You know, Korben. I always found the Plutonians’ many little rules so strange. Why protect a species not your own? Why have honor when it only paves the way for betrayal? Why be honest when everyone else is steeped in deceit.”

“We only do what we were taught by our fathers. There are consequences for honor just as there are consequences for deceit.” Korben glared at Ziag. “You will pay for what you have done to my brother. To my species.”

Ziag looked unbothered by the threat. He left Korben’s side and strode over to Tiegan, stealing the device that controlled the projection. The Heronas activated the hologram and Sah-ah’s image appeared in the field, standing with her arms in front of her and a worried frown on her face.

Korben’s breath hitched in his throat as he already sensed what the Heronas was contemplating. In a moment of fear, he spoke quickly, “She does not exist.”

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