Page 7 of Fate of Draga

“No, she won’t,” he reassured. “She has us.”

And he sent in his reply, a severe resounding ‘no’ for her to turn herself in.

“Lord Sirus?” Asher’s voice crackled over a private transmission.

“I heard.” He steered them back toward Scyria with blinding speed. The combat landing had personnel coming out of every crack and crevice to see what was going on. “I’m readying the Scyrian Army now. Orders?”

“Send me the best route to the border closest to the Hai System,” Asher said, sounding a bit distracted. “Head to the coordinates I’m sending you and send back any intel as you scout ahead. I’ll be amassing the rest of the armies and leaving within the day.”

“Yes, sir,” Sirus said, feeling his purpose renew for the first time in weeks.

They’d freed the Hai System and now had those Drakesthai forces. If they could just take Khara before the horde arrived they had an actual chance of winning.

Then Sirus could go back to Joslynn.

He stepped out of the fighter and his people looked to him. “I want everyone and everything ready to move out in three hours.”

The scurrying that followed lifted his spirits.

Nothing could make up for what he’d lost, but Sirus planned to make the universe pay for what it had made him and the people he loved endure.

Chapter Three

Veri

Royal Rosanera

The Core Border

The Draga System

Veri gritted her teeth as she gripped the steering on her fighter hard. The Neprijat she was hunting certainly wasn’t making this easy. She grinned. Thank the goddess otherwise this would be boring.

She’d gotten the cast from Asher to return to the main fleet but she was so close. First she would catch the Neprijat warrior and then she would bring him to her prince like a prize, tossing him in a heap at Asher’s feet.

Then they would question him for the information the queen so desperately needed – where was the Neprijat home system?

But from the sound of Asher’s hurried message the worst had already come to pass – a horde of Neprijat coming from their home system to colonize – to eradicate the way of life of three other systems.

She pressed the buttons harder than necessary and watched as the plasma net wrapped around the enemy fighter perfectly – firing into the place she’d anticipated. When the Neprijat flew right into it and paralyzed his ship – Veri grinned.

They didn’t call her the huntress on Priea for nothing.

Priea…her home. Where refugees had already arrived and were getting settled in. Her mother no doubt had taken care of it all since she and Alock were fighting in this war.

Thankfully he’d healed from the wound he’d received at the Games, but Veri wasn’t entirely pleased he was among her warriors even if she knew he was very capable. It was something she would have to get used to if he would one day rule Priea…

Veri shoved those thoughts back and refocused.

“Hook it up and tow it back,” she ordered the small contingent of warriors.

They obeyed instantly and Veri checked the time. It wouldn’t take long to reach Asher with the new engines. Thank goodness the plasma net would shock whatever Neprijat were inside. Too many had slit their throats before she could get them out of their ships.

It had taken some tweaking, but she’d had the best scientists working on the problem. Veri had explained to them how they did the same with some of the monsters that lived on Priea. They were good meat and some had been kept to study.

Trapping a vicious predator was never easy.

Most would rather die than be taken so it was always tricky.

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