Page 65 of Chained

“Of course.” I allow myself to look smug. “I am a Gryn.”

Retah has another device in his hand which he runs over the wall. “Trap,” he says.

“See?” I grin at Cleo, proud to have kept her safe. “I smell danger.”

She bites in her bottom lip, but the corners of her mouth quirk upwards. “Well done for your sense of smell,” she says after a short pause.

I want to kiss her, but Retah has moved to another part of the vault and exclaims he’s found what we’re looking for. In no time, he’s also blown this one open, and as the exit swings open, a blast of stale, unpleasant air hits us.

“Good air flow,” Retah says. “It means the passage has an opening somewhere.”

“Let’s just hope it’s the dome,” Cleo responds as he steps through and she follows.

I look back at the vault we’re leaving in the dim light, which gets dimmer as Cleo moves away. Whatever the scent is, we’renot leaving it in here. It is coming from the passage. And it’s not something I like at all.

Walking through the door, I find I’m in a wide, vaulted passage, the walls smooth.

“I thought they were moving jewels through here,” I say as I catch up with Cleo and Retah. “Not space worms.”

“It’s larger than I expected,” Retah says. “But the records on this place and what it was used for have become corrupted over time, so other than the knowledge it used to link various jewelry traders, not much else is known.”

Trefa itself is an ancient planet, and the Tref, the native inhabitants, have a long lineage. The planet’s natural resources have brought in everything which is needed to exploit them, but it doesn’t mean the place didn’t once have a rich culture.

“Perhaps it was part of something else, once,” Cleo says. “Something older.”

I have to touch my helmet to make sure it is still on, because myeregrihas echoed my thoughts without me saying anything.

“It’s possible,” Retah replies. “This part of Tatatunga is one of the older inhabited areas. It’s one of the reasons the dome was built here. There’s been an entertainment space on the site as far back as records exist.”

Dust rises from the floor as we continue to walk through the space, our footsteps echoing.

“But this place is uninhabited,” I say to Retah.

“Yes.”

“Then what the vrex is that?” I point a clawed finger at the figure barreling towards us, screeching as if raised from the dead.

CLEO

The thing up ahead releases a blood chilling scream as it races towards us through the shadows shed by our lights. I’m sure it’s the source of the weird, unpleasant smell which has been pervading our every move. I already have my pulsar pistol in hand, but the terrible creature has me frozen to the spot.

“Xavir?” Retah bursts out.

The thing comes to a skidding halt.

“Retah?” Its voice is distorted, half scream, half words.

“What are you doing down here?” Retah asks.

What seems to be a pile of bones and rags suddenly shifts, opening in the middle as something inside shrugs off the costume to reveal an Oykig who smiles genially at us.

Maxym releases a growl which could strip paint, and the Oykig nearly falls over.

“Why is there a gladiator here?” he gibbers.

“Answer Retah’s question first,” Maxym snarls, lifting his sword. “Or you will die.”

“I’m protecting the hoard,” Xavir gibbers, his eyes not leaving Maxym.

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