Page 27 of Possessed By the Dragon Alien
“Emergency Protocols section,” the voice announced. “In the event of bond reformation: Level 1: Immediate separation of subjects. Level 2: Memory erasure procedures. Level 3: Elimination of Terian subject. Level 4: Full neural restructuring of Zaruxian subject.”
They had a playbook for this. A step-by-step guide for destroying exactly what was happening between her and Madrian. At least,someonehad worked up a solution to keep the two species from reuniting. It wasn’t Madrian. He was one of the Twelve and evenhewasn’t ranked high enough to be in on this plan.
She was still listening to the horrific details when she heard the soft chime of the door. Her heart leaped. Madrian was back. But instead of relief, she felt a crushing weight of knowledge. Had he read all this? If not, how could she tell him what she’d learned?
The door slid open and he stepped inside, his expression grim. The moment he saw her at his desk, his features shifted to concern.
“Nena.” He crossed the room in quick strides. “What’s wrong?”
She gestured at the screen, unable to find words. The synthetic voice had fallen silent when he entered, leaving only the damning text displayed across multiple windows.
He leaned over her shoulder to look. His presence warmed her despite the chill of what she’d discovered. She watched his remarkable silver eyes scan the information.
“They destroyed everything,” she whispered. “Did you know all this?”
“Yes. I read this after Rien sent it to me.” His voice was flat, emotionless. But she could feel the fury radiating from him like heat from a forge.
“What they did to both of our planets. It’s…” she trailed off, struggling to find the words. “They calculated everything, right down to how to stop our species from finding each other again.”
“I know.” He straightened, moving to the window. His wings spread slightly, as if he needed the space to contain his rage. “The council made it clear today that Zaruxians are no longer to be trusted.”
She turned in the chair to face him. “What happened?”
“They’re watching me. Testing for signs of corruption.” His reflection in the glass looked strained, as if the careful mask he wore was starting to crack. “They know about us. About what we’ve become.”
Elimination of Terian subject.“And they’re going to kill me for it.”
“They’re going to try.” He turned back to her, and the weary smile in his silver eyes made her breath catch. “But I won’t let them.”
The certainty in his voice should have comforted her. Instead, it terrified her. Because she could see what this was costing him. The careful control he’d maintained for umpteen cycles was fracturing. The weight of truth was breaking down walls he’d built around himself.
“Madrian.” She rose from the chair, moving toward him. “You can’t fight the entire Axis alone.”
“I can try.”
“And die in the process.” She reached for his hands, finding them hot. “That won’t save either of us.”
His gaze searched her face. “Then what do you suggest?”
“We find the others. The Zaruxians who escaped. Yourbrothers. My friends who were abducted with me, might be with them.”
“They are.” His gaze moved over her face, as if memorizing the contours.
Her heart gave an involuntary squeeze. “Truly?”
He nodded. “You didn’t get to the end of Rien’s files.”
Tears pricked her eyes as she clutched his fingers. “They’re alive. Sweetstars, they’re alive. Please, Madrian. We need to find them.”
Something shifted in his expression. Hope, maybe, or recognition. “Rien mentioned she might have a location.”
“Then ask her.” She tried not to sound too eager or pushy, but her mind was swirling with possibilities. And here she was, all but bullying a high chancellor of the Axis. It was laughable, really.
“It would mean leaving Central,” he said, more to himself than her.Obviously, they’d have to leave Central. “Abandoning everything.”
Nena gestured at the sterile quarters around them. “What exactly would you be losing?”
The question hung between them like a challenge. Madrian’s gaze swept the empty rooms, the polished surfaces, the complete absence of anything personal or meaningful.
