Page 31 of Possessed By the Dragon Alien
Nena pressed her back against the cool metal wall and tried to quiet her breathing. The familiar blue advisor’s robes felt comforting against her skin. The hood pulled low over her face gave her a sense of protection. These garments had gotten her through the thick of Axis corridors before. Hopefully, they would again. Thirtypikshad felt like a lifetime when they were planning, but now that they were actually moving through the corridors of Axis Central, every second stretched like pulled thread.
Madrian moved ahead of her with the fluid grace of a predator. His gray uniform made him look like any mid-ranking official, rather than one of the Twelve, and the dark cloak draped over his shoulders did its best to conceal his wings. But even folded tight against his back, the massive span was too large to hide completely. Anyone looking closely would notice the telltale bulk beneath the fabric.
The corridor smelled of recycled air and metal polish. Every footstep was too loud, every breath too harsh. Nena’s heart hammered against her ribs as they passed beneath surveillance nodes. Their red lights blinked like watchful eyes.
“Clear,” he said softly, motioning her forward.
They’d already passed three checkpoints by taking maintenance corridors and service shafts. The narrow spaces made her feel claustrophobic, and the constant hum of machinery vibrated through the walls. Madrian knew this place better than she’d expected. He navigated every turn, every hidden passage like he’d memorized the entire structure.
Which he clearly had.
The thought sent a chill down her spine that had nothing to do with the cold, recycled air. How manymig-cycles had he spent here? How many missions had he planned from these halls? How many people had he hurt while believing he was doing the right thing?
Her palms felt damp inside the advisor’s gloves, and she had to resist the urge to wipe them on her robes. The fabric rustled with every movement, sounding impossibly loud in the confined space.
She pushed the questions away. Whatever he’d done before, he was choosing differently now. That had to be enough.
A soft chime echoed from somewhere behind them, followed by the sound of boots on metal flooring. Madrian’s hand shot out, catching her wrist and pulling her into an alcove barely wide enough for the both of them.
His body pressed against hers, solid and warm. She could feel his heart beating against her chest, steady despite their circumstances. Even now, as they were trying toescape, he didn’t seem to know how to panic.
“Patrol,” he said against her ear. His breath tickled her skin.
The footsteps grew louder. Multiple guards, moving at a steady pace. Not searching, just routine patrol. Nena held her breath and tried to make herself smaller.
The beam of a handheld scanner swept past their hiding spot, barely missing them.
“All clear on level seven,” a guard said. “Moving to eight.”
The sounds faded. Madrian waited another fullpikbefore stepping back.
“We’re close,” he said. “Two more turns and we’ll reach the service elevator that leads to the docking level.”
Nena’s mouth felt dry, but she managed to speak. “What if Rien isn’t there yet?”
“She will be.”
His certainty should have been reassuring, but something in his expression made her stomach twist. This wasn’t confidence. This was the absolute faith of someone who’d never been let down by his subordinates.Ever. Why? Because failure meant death. No one willingly defied a high chancellor.
More Axis conditioning.
They moved through the next corridor without incident, but as they approached the final turn, Madrian suddenly stopped. His hand went to the weapon at his side.
“What is it?” she asked. They were running out of time. Multiple delays due to roving guards had made this journey much longer than it should have been. Everypikthat went by meant the net was closing around them.
“Someone’s there.” He bared his teeth in a white flash of annoyance. “Guard. He’s not moving.”
Nena strained to listen but heard nothing. Whatever senses he possessed, they were sharper than hers.
“Stay here,” he said.
“No.” The word came out before she could stop it. “We stick together.”
For a moment, she thought he’d argue. Then his mouth curved in what might have been a smile. “As you wish.”
They crept forward. Around the corner, a single guard stood beside the service elevator. He appeared young, maybe barely out of training, and he looked bored. His attention was on a small device in his hand instead of his surroundings.
Madrian studied the scene with predatory focus. “I can take him down quietly.”
