Page 50 of Touch the Stars
That was true.
The sound of tiny claws scampering over marble drew his attention to the Kavian hurrying toward them.
“Daarga!”Nak’s squeaky voice called out.
“I am he, Nak.”Daarga holstered his blaster as he stood to face his friend.“And yet I am not.”
The small Kavian attendant skidded to a stop and stood on his back legs, whiskers twitching.“Your scent…changed, it has.”
Kristyn sat back on her heels.“Can we talk about this later?Where’s Kait, lunkhead?”
Was that another human word for asshole?“In the imperial audience chamber.”
I hope.
He rolled to one side, then levered himself off the floor.Pain throbbed at the stab site in his arm, but the flow of blood seemed to have slowed, which was odd.At least the fire-blade had missed artery and bone.
Lucky.
The not-so-lucky Ragatian sentries and Attendant Tisna lay still on the floor, a pool of blood growing under the one he and Nak had stabbed.Nearby, the other imperial attendants who had shown up with Nak hovered.
“They can be trusted.”Daarga extended the fire-blade toward him, hilt first.“You will need this for what you are about to face, friend.”
“I thank you…friend.”He accepted the weapon.
Thrusting it upward toward the ceiling, he released a roar.More battle cries filled the corridor as he charged forward.The others fell in behind him as he raced to meet his destiny.
This time, I am not alone.
Chapter 17
Kaitlyn.
Sheroundedacornerof the garden path, pumping her legs as fast as she could make them go.Still, Rocky’s booming footfalls were gaining on her.She could swear she’d felt his hot breath on her neck at least a couple of times, but that must have been her imagination being a bitch.
If I slow down, I’m dead.
A small lake came into view, and a picturesque stone bridge that looked like it’d come straight from a provincial countryside.Too bad the rest of the garden wasn’t as pretty.She followed the path along the lake toward the bridge.
Well, shoot her now, but was that an island in the middle of the lake?It was!And, halleluiah, it was covered with trees and bushes.Hiding places.She could use them for cover as she made her way to the other side of the island, then try to make a swim for it without Rocky seeing.No idea where’d she swim to, but it beat her alternate plan…which was nothing.
She veered onto the bridge, the steadyslap, slap, slapof her shoes loudly screaming, “Hey!Look at us over here!”
The emperor appeared around the bend where the path came closest to the edge of the lake, his red-eyed gaze locked on her.
Yep, shitting bricks here!
She pushed herself harder, blocking out the burning in her lungs and leg muscles.If she could just stay far enough ahead of Rocky, she might get away.
Her foot hit the path on the island side of the bridge, but she didn’t slow her pace as it narrowed, cutting through the lush woodland.And, wow, it didn’t stink as bad on this side.Bonus.Now to find a place to go off-trail.It had to be subtle enough Rocky couldn’t tell she’d changed course, and it had to be soon.
She rounded a gentle curve, and the trail opened into a wide, circular clearing.
Whoa…what is this?
A white marble pillar stood at the center of the open space, supporting a translucent, faceted stone about the size of her head.A crystal of some sort, with a bunch of tiny, sparkly lights floating around inside.How weird.And beautiful, in a magical, fairytale sort of way.
She slowed to a halt a few steps from the crystal.The fairy lights moved toward her in a group, like they sensed her presence.If that wasn’t the coolest thing she’d ever seen…next to the stars in space, of course.She reached out, pressing her finger to the crystal.It was warm, not cool as she’d expected.
