Page 66 of Crossing Quinn

Chapter Thirteen

Except for Clio’s cute snores, the bridge was almost too quiet. I kept an eye on the scanners and waited for my mother to wake up. How had that become so routine? And were her “naps” becoming longer?

Mami jerked upright in the chair and looked around wildly. “Where’s Lysis? Oh, thank the Goddess, that monster didn’t eat you.” She flung herself at me.

“Ooof! Love you too, but you’re smashing Clio.”

“Geema squish. Squish, Geema,” Clio whined.

Mami picked Clio up and rocked her. “Sorry. Geema’s sorry.” She looked at me and demanded, “Where is your father?”

“Papa’s creating a new suction device.” My internal radar screamed a warning. Drekk! Now what?

A second later, a gigantic vortex formed outside the ship. Slashes of incandescent silver flashed within the swirling maelstrom.

“An electrical anomaly has been detected,”the computerized voice warned.

A bit of an understatement.

Mami clutched Clio to her chest. “What is that?”

“Not sure.” It could be the Executioners or something else. If it was the Executioners, were they here to help us or harm us? Please. Please, let them be here to help. I linked with Quinn. “We’ve got a problem, lovey.”

“Your mother ran out of chocolate?”

“No. This.”I flashed him an image of the vortex.

“Fuck! I’ve never seen anything like that.”

“Did Adan ask for the Executioners’ help?”

“He did.”

Poof!An aged, pale-faced male with glowing yellow eyes appeared in front of me. His wispy black hooded cloak added to his sinister air.

Thud. Mami hit the floor.

“Geema!” Clio crouched on top of her and bared her fangs at the intruder. “No hurt Geema. Go away. No like.”

“Quiet, child.” His voice was deep and thunderous.

With a squeak, Clio scurried over to me and latched on to my right leg. “No like.”

Me either. “I am called Xenia, and you are?”

He smiled, exposing funky, fanged teeth. “I am Qa’a.”

“Did you get that Quinn? He said his name is Qa’a.”

“According to Adan, Qa’a is the Katanic’s supreme leader. Be nice to him. Very nice. We will join you shortly,”Quinn advised.

“Nice is my middle name.”

“Xenia! Treat him as you would the Overlord,”Papa snapped.

“Not a problem.”Qa’a was as terrifying as Zarek. I gave the supreme leader a slight bow. “You honor us with your presence.”

Qa’a studied me for a long moment. “You do not fear me?”

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