Page 46 of The Ozar Triad

Setzan and Klaej bolted in the direction of the purple crystal while she followed Rujali’s broad back in search of the green crystal. For such a big guy, he moved quickly and silently.

The blast of an engine made Riley clutch her ears and crouch down low. A craft close by lifted from the ground. It hovered for a moment before shooting straight up into the sky. A massive sonic boom reverberated through her body as it disappeared into the darkness overhead.

“Shit. They’re getting away,” she said.

Reptiles ran past them, not even to stop and glance at them in their rush to get away. The earth shook as a deep boom reverberated from somewhere beneath her feet.

“They’re blowing it all up.” The muscle worked at Rujali’s jaw. His eyes glinted. “We’ll never know what they were trying to do with the crystals now.”

It was a common enough theme throughout the universe it seemed. Blow up the master lab. No lab, no evidence.

There was no time to worry about that now, though. They still had the green crystal to retrieve. She darted from behind Rujali, and heedless of the other Reptiles running all about, headed after the Reptile holding the green glowing crystal. It ran up a ramp of a jet and disappeared inside the open doorway faster than she thought it’s ungainly body would allow.

“There it is!”

Riley bolted towards it, but the ramp receded into the blink of an eye and the door closed. The sound of the engine ripped through her ears as the craft lifted from the ground. A blast of hot air smashed into her, sending her flying backwards. She skidded on her back as she watched the craft disappear with a massive sonic boom. Then another boom echoed above her. And another. They were all escaping.

She clutched Rujali’s outstretched hand and he pulled her to her feet, his face a mask of fierce determination.

“Setzan! Klaej! We leave now!” Rujali bellowed.

Setzan and Klaej jogged over to them through clouds of billowing dust, also empty-handed.

“Are you all right, Riley?” Setzan asked, and Klaej turned a concerned gaze on her.

She glanced over them for injuries, happy when she saw none. Well, no fresh ones in any case. Rujali still had a gash on his forehead and she didn’t know how Setzan was still standing with the hole in his side.

“I’m fine,” she said, “but they got away with the green crystal.”

“As did ours,” Klaej said. She could understand the bitterness etched on his face.

“At least we still have the Ozar Crystal. That is more than we expected.” As though it responded to Setzan’s words, the crystal glowed from where it was tucked between her breasts.

Rujali pointed to the nearest craft. “Let’s not waste any more time. We need a way out of here and this craft looks as good as any others.”

They ran to towards the lowered entry ramp. Even as they moved, the engine started up, its low whine winding up into something that would be ear-splitting. A group of Reptiles barreled towards them from another cave entrance.

Rujali didn’t hesitate. Sword in hand, he slashed at the closest creature. It tumbled to the ground, leaking a green path of blood. She veered to help Rujali, but Klaej took her elbow, steering her toward the craft.

“Leave Rujali,” he said. “He will come when we are aboard.”

Her boots clattered up the ramp as she followed Klaej, Setzan hot on her heels. They burst into a room. A group of Reptiles were in the cabin. Without pausing his stride, Klaej bolted towards the creatures, daggers gripped tight in both hands before they could respond.

Setzan bolted through the doorway. There was a flurry of hissing and clacking. She went to help, but there was no room to fight in the cabin. She would only be in the way.

Feeling like the worst kind of asshole, she hung back and took the crystal from between her breasts. The sides pulsed with warmth. She watched, fascinated as golden motes danced from within the stone. She drew her fingertip along an edge and a flurry of sparks appeared in her wake. It was as though there was a sentience about it that responded to her.

But that was ridiculous, as was wasting her time staring at a rock while she should be doing what she intended and that was getting the hell out of here.

As she settled it on the table, a glow of golden light licked up her hand, almost as though it didn’t want her to let it go. She shook her head, shaking off the thought as pure imagination. She glanced at Klaej and Seztan. They fought the last two Reptiles, who didn’t stand a chance. They moved so gracefully, their skills a lethal artform. She took a slow step towards the door. She would never see them again, but if she didn’t leave now, this was a one-way jet heading to their planet.

But she wasn’t ready for a new planet. A new life. Not one but three mates. Uncertainty made her limbs heavy. She tried to rub away the tightness of her chest, but the action did nothing to soothe her fractured nerves.

She didn’t know. She just didn’t know anything. She wiped at her face, surprised to find the hot streaks of tears. A soldier didn’t cry. A soldier didn’t feel. A soldier got on with the job. She only knew one thing and that was to be a soldier. Everything else was too far away from her sphere of comfort.

She shoved aside the gaping hole where her heart used to be and picking up her pace she slipped through the open doorway and straight into a chest that was built like a brick wall.

Hands like steel bands wrapped around her biceps. She struggled, but those hands were not allowing her move an inch. She looked up into familiar black eyes, now tinged with a serious edge she hadn’t seen in them before.

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