Page 57 of Zinnia and the Zombie
“Which makes the question of why they were hunting Jaxx particularly interesting,” Doren drawled.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
“How did a Zathix warrior end up on an Ithyian slaver?” Doren continued, his sharp gaze fixed on Jaxx.
His jaw tightened. “My crew was ambushed. I was critically injured and went into a state of stasis. Stasis is… a defensive mechanism for my species. We become like living metal. It allows our bodies to repair while maintaining a certain degree of awareness. “
“Fascinating,” Doren murmured, his tail flicking with interest. “Is it always involuntary?”
“No. I can choose to enter it.”
“And you are able to exit this state when needed? Maintain control of the transformation?”
Doren’s sudden, intense focus made his skin prickle, but he nodded.
“Yes,” he said cautiously. “Zinnia’s presence… her touch… helps me control it.”
Doren exchanged a significant look with Faith. “That explains it.”
“Explains what?” Zinnia asked.
“Do you know why the Grorn were hunting you?” Doren asked.
“No,” he said truthfully, although he was beginning to suspect.
“You’re one of their sacred keys.”
Key?Zinnia’s hand tightened around his as she too recognized the word. “That’s why they were hunting Jaxx specifically?”
“Yes. They were retrieving a holy artifact,” Doren said. “You.”
The irony didn’t escape him. His ability—a natural defense mechanism evolved to protect his species—had made him a target, a prize to be captured and used.
“How many other keys are they hunting?” he asked.
Doren manipulated the hologram again, bringing up a series of glyphs. “According to what we’ve pieced together, seven keys in total. Each with a unique biological ability that, when combined, will grant access to the Vault.”
“How do you know?”
A shadow passed over Doren’s face. “Let’s just say I have a personal interest in the Grorn.”
“We believe they may be close,” Faith added. “They may have already captured at least two of the other keys. That’s why we were searching for the Grorn ship.”
“What happens if they succeed?” Zinnia asked, her voice small but steady. “If they get all seven keys and open the Vault?”
Doren’s expression darkened. “The Grorn believe it contains technology that will allow them to remake the galaxy in their image. A divine transformation.”
“Genocide,” Faith said bluntly. “For any species they deem unworthy.”
“So what are you proposing?” he finally asked.
Doren shut down the hologram with a sharp gesture. “We can try to intercept the next Grorn collection vessel. But now that we’ve found you, we have an even better option.”
“Which is?” Zinnia asked suspiciously.
“We go to the source,” Doren said, his eyes gleaming with the light of obsession. “We beat them through the Serpent’s Maw and claim the Vault for ourselves.”
“That’s suicide,” he stated flatly. “You said it was impossible to navigate.”
