Page 4 of Synnr's Ride

If he smiled at a woman, if he flirted, she usually flirted back. He found women everywhere. Bars, the shop where he dropped off his laundry, the library.

But never at work.

The Synnr military was Jori's life. If it wasn't for his rank, he'd still be some kid bouncing around from orphanage to orphanage hoping one day for a family to pick him.

As if there weren't thousands of other war orphans they could choose.

He had to end this, somehow. Dedication to the work was one thing, but obsession had no place. If he didn't walk away now, everything would be ruined. And it would be all his fault.

Jori couldn't let that happen.

Sun peeked out around his bedroom's blackout curtains, but his bedside clock informed him it was far too early in the morning to be awake. Summer on Aorsa meant daylight at all hours.

If he tried, he could grab another few hours of sleep. But his hand was sticky and the memory of his dream haunted him stronger than any ghost.

Jori stood and headed for his shower. He could get in a workout before he went to work.

And then it was time to request another assignment.

2

True morningon the streets of Osais was a world removed from Jori's dreams, and he could just about pretend nothing was wrong, that his dreams and the woman at the center of them weren't determined to ruin his career.

In the distance he heard the low rumble of the factories churning out war material, but the sky was clear. He'd heard stories from Solan's human Match, Lena, that her home planet was full of pollution, skies obscured by smoke and vehicle exhaust.

It sounded like a nightmare.

If he looked the other way, the spires from the palace jutted into the sky, a reminder of his queen and what he was fighting for.

But he didn't fight for her, not really. He was as loyal as any soldier. He'd do what he was ordered. But he looked away from the castle spires and spotted a handful of children laughing and playing outside of a daycare.

Thatwas who he fought for.

Two of the children in the group looked human. It wasn't easy to spot the difference. Zulir skin had more of a sheen to it, almost a glow, but that was more apparent in the dark. And there was the spark, of course. Humans didn't have that, not unless they were Matched with Zulir.

None of the children cared that they weren't the same. And as long as the Synnrs kept control of Aorsa, things would stay that way. If they failed, none of those human children would be playing with Zulir. The Apsyns believed that humans, all aliens, were lesser species.

He wouldn't let them spread their hate to his home.

One of the children met his eye and waved. He waved back before continuing on. If he stalled any longer, he'd be late.

He'd just stepped into the road when a rider on a fusion cycle raced by, nearly plowing straight into him.

Jori made a rude gesture and then quickly pulled it back when he remembered the children behind him. No use teaching the little ones interesting new insults.

Braznon's bowels. That rider was going to get someone killed.

But it wasn't Jori's responsibility.

His ears popped before Jori fully heard the sound, and a shockwave punched his chest. Jori moved before he fully realized what was happening, racing towards the daycare and screaming at the children to get down.

The second explosion knocked him flat on his face in the middle of the street.

Children screamed. Adults ran. Vehicles skidded and crashed.

The smoke in the air burned his lungs, but Jori pushed past it. He sprang back up and scanned the street around him.

No damage to the buildings.

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