Page 7 of Hunter's Moon

Lina’s eyes darted around the cell, her breathing quick and shallow. I could smell the fear radiating off her in waves, mixed with something else – a scent that made my blood tingle.

“Who are they? What do they want?”

Before I could respond, the low hum of the energy field intensified. A section of the wall shimmered and dissolved, revealing a hulking figure silhouetted against the brighter light of the corridor beyond.

Our captor stepped into the cell, the energy barrier reforming behind him. He was a Krelaxian, his leathery skin a mottled green and brown. Thick arms crossed over his barrel chest, each ending in wickedly sharp claws.

“Well, well,” he rumbled, his voice like gravel in a cement mixer. “The famous Vinduthi bounty hunter and his little human prize. Comfortable?”

I rose to my feet, positioning myself between Lina and the Krelaxian. A growl built in my chest, my pointed canines bared in a snarl.

“Who are you?” I demanded. “What do you want with us?”

The Krelaxian’s lipless mouth stretched in what might have been a smile. “Always so direct, you Vinduthi. No appreciation for subtlety.” He paced the small cell, his multiple eyes never leaving us. “You can call me Grax. As for what I want... information.”

Lina shifted behind me, her small hand tentatively touching my back.

“We don’t know anything,” Lina said, her voice steadier than I expected.

Grax’s attention snapped to her, and I had to resist the urge to lunge at him. “Oh, but I think you do, little one. You just might not realize it yet.”

He turned back to me, his expression hardening. “Here’s the deal, Vinduthi. Get the information we need out of your human, and we’ll cut you loose. Hell, we might even throw in a bonus. I hear you’re not opposed to a bit of... flexible morality when the price is right.”

My gut flared hot with anger. “And if I refuse?”

Grax’s claws extended with an ominous click. “Then things get very unpleasant for both of you. Starting with her.”

Red tinged my vision at the threat. I took a step forward, coiled and ready to strike. But Grax merely laughed, tapping a device on his wrist. The energy field crackled ominously.

“I wouldn’t,” he warned. “This barrier is calibrated specifically for Vinduthi physiology. One touch, and you’ll be writhing on the floor in agony. Not a pretty sight.”

“What information could a human possibly have that’s worth all this?”

Grax’s multiple eyes blinked in sequence. “That’s for us to know and you to find out. You have one hour. Get creative.”

With that, he stepped back through the energy barrier, leaving us alone once more.

I turned to Lina, taking in her pale face and wide eyes. She looked so fragile, so human. Yet there was a steel in her gaze that spoke of hidden depths.

“Are you alright?” I asked, my voice softer than I intended.

She nodded, wrapping her arms around herself. “I’m fine. But what are we going to do?”

I drummed my fingers on the wall in frustration. “I don’t know. But I’m not going to let them hurt you.”

The words slipped out before I could stop them. Lina’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Why?” she asked. “I thought you were hunting me. Why do you care what happens to me now?”

The truth was, I didn’t know why I cared. But I did. At least a little bit.

Before I could respond, voices drifted through the thin walls of our cell.

“We’ll have the prize before those Obsidian Dawn bastards even know what hit them,” Grax chuckled. “The human girl is the key. Once we extract the information...”

The rest of his sentence faded as he moved away, but my mind raced. Obsidian Dawn? Prize? What in the dark hells was going on here?

The conversation faded as the speakers moved away, but it left me with more questions than answers. I looked at Lina, studying her face for any sign of recognition.

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