Page 151 of The Edge of Dawn

“Hm.” Tarak raised one pale eyebrow. “Sometimes, it’s necessary to conceal one’s innermost thoughts until the time is right. But in doing so, you’ve thrown away your last bluff. You wouldn’t destroy them. You intended to protect them from the very beginning. And you’re smart enough to understand that we would do the same.”

“I’ve received the briefings. Extensive ones. They scoff at the lengths you go to in order to protect humans. They call you foolish. Irrational. Soft.”

“Is that what you think?”

Amun’s laugh was raw and bittersweet. “I think you want what they want, only you’re more sophisticated in the way you go about it.”

“And what might that be?”

“The survival of our species.”

For a moment, Tarak’s expression became terrifyingly cold. “Do not make the mistake of thinking I’m anything like the lords of the Noble Houses—those who want to take the Universe back to what it was under the Empire. Now, if you want us to go and retrieve that sibling of yours, you will release my man and stand down.”

Amun’s expression turned a little wild. His nostrils flared. He looked at Dragek, then at Tarak. Dragek sensed that behind his fierce gaze was a flurry of calculations. He was still furious, but it was contained. “I made no mistake waiting for you to arrive here. But this is a little unexpected. How did you know all of my darkest secrets, General? Are you a mind-reader, or is your trained katach one?”

“Neither of us can see what’s inside your mind. But perhaps when you revealed the presence of the tesseract the first time, you knew that I would do something like this. For someone who has supposedly caused so much chaos, you appear to have a lot of faith in us, Amun Kazharan.”

Still, he didn’t relent, keeping Dragek’s neck in the death grip of his tail. “That’s because we’re more alike than you think.”

“That remains to be seen. Do you understand what this means for you?”

“You’ll detain me, of course. Interrogate me. Possibly torture me. But you won’t kill me.”

“How can you be so certain?” Dragek hissed. He really was growing tired of this incessant pressure on his neck.

Amun shrugged. “I’m Xalikian’s brother. Even I should be offered a chance at redemption, should I not, Silent One?”

“You presume a lot,” Dragek snapped. In frustration, he glanced at Tarak. “Give him something so he can release me from this pointless chokehold already.”

“We won’t kill you,” Tarak offered. “You will be detained until I decide whether you can be trusted or not. You will tell me everything I need to know in order to take down the remainder of your allies.”

“Not my allies,” Amun said bleakly. “I was playing the game in order to survive.”

“You will be analyzed from head to toe. This technology that’s been implanted in your body—you will reveal who created it and whether there are any others like you.”

“I get to keep the tail. Without it, I’m a dead man.”

“Hm.” Tarak appeared unmoved.

“Release me now.” Dragek gritted his teeth. His heart was beating faster than it should. He was filled with rage, and he couldn’t do a thing about it. He hadn’t felt this uncomfortable in many revolutions.

The desire to kill grew almost unbearable.

Stop.

And then, something happened.

It was Jade.

She channeled something through him—pent-up frustration, anger, fear, power.

A shockwave radiated through his ka’qui, moving outwards, hitting Amun and Tarak.

It was like an invisible, silent boom.

Tarak took a step backward.

Amun was caught by surprise. He released his tail’s grip ever so slightly, and it was enough.

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