Page 15 of Veras
“They say the process is random, but I had begun to question our reclusive ways. I pushed for more security. More precautions. But my people had grown bloated with power. Complacent that our utopia was safe. After all, no ships can land here. The Guardians make sure of it.
“But the portals…”
“They were our downfall. Something went terribly wrong.” He tapped his thumbs on the side of his head. “There was a traitor. I didn’t understand until the arena. Until I saw Inkonexo.”
“He’sthe traitor?” It all made so much sense. Why he spoke differently. Why he’d punked the alien supreme on more than one occasion.
“I must get to the Guardians. There is a countdown clock. Once it is set in motion, there will be no stopping the Guardians from destroying the planet.”
“You’re trying to go back through the portal that’ll take you to the center of the planet? To get back home?” That I understood. Completely.
“No. I will never go home.”
“But you said you have to get to the countdown clock. To stop the Guardians.”
“Oh no, little Earther. I must get there to make sure it works precisely as planned. Before Inkonexo or any of the Aavvee stop it. I’m here to make surenothingprevents the total destruction of this planet.”
CHAPTER 7
Iopened mymouth, but no words came out. Everything moved in slow motion. I could only perceive the rumble of the transport as we zoomed through the forest. I felt untethered. Lost. To combat the disconnect, I hyper-focused on Veras. He wouldn’t look at me, but he kept a death grip on my hand. It was all I could feel besides the frantic beating of my heart.
Because he wouldn’t meet my eyes, the psychic link between us was broken. Not one ounce of emotion leaked from him, and I instinctively knew he had shut down on a molecular level.
His words weren’t the usual dramatic overreaction. He believed them. Which meant we were at odds. Because I’d had one singular focus through my enslavement on this planet.Sobrevivir. To survive. The kernel of hope, the one that whispered I might have found someone I could trust, shriveled and died.
We came to a rumbling stop, floating hundreds of feet above the ground. The entrance to the outpost would be impossible to spot from below us. We moved through massive canopies of trees, floating through and around alien flora. Everything sparkled and glittered like it had been dusted in gold—painted lines of molten yellows and oranges flowed through their veins. The Oro touched every inch of nature, making it sparkle with life.
The sounds, the strange cries and chirps, were lost on me as I mulled over Veras’ words. Why even come here if we were all going to die? I contemplated running away, but where would I go?
Plus, I was promised a shower,damn it.And I would get it. I deserved it. Focusing on the small stuff allowed me to breathe through the shock.
We came to a landing and stepped off, facing an oval-shaped entrance. “Although it looks similar, this is not a portal. It is a field that can only be accessed with my marking.” He pointed to the tattoo on his arm. “Or the staff the Aavvee’s guards used. Technology stolen from my people.” Veras clenched his hands, his double thumbs tapping against his balled fists.
“The Aavvee are the absolute worst.” I took a tentative step toward him and offered something I almost didn’t recognize anymore. Kindness. I patted his back and sighed. The steam floating off his body was heated, and it enveloped my hand, swarming over it, surrounding me in more than just warmth. It felt like his essence. An integral part ofhim. With the high temperature of the jungle, it should have been suffocating, but instead, his mist felt like a soft blanket.
The skin on his back wasn’t rough; it flowed like smooth stone. His muscles jumped when I touched them. Engrossed, I couldn’t stop. I inched closer. Again, I was tempted to taste the soft mist. I resisted and kept my gaze andhorny-as-hell thoughtsaway from Veras’ probing mind.
When I finally pulled myself from my stupor, I caught his eye. His breaths had slowed and become more intense. Then I remembered. He was repulsed by my smell. He probably hated me anywhere near him.
Reluctantly, I stepped back.
His arm tattoo lit up and glowed. A small opening grew and then quickly shrank around us after we walked through.
At first, it appeared as if we had stepped into the mountain. Familiar dark caves sparked and came to life as we walked through the massive facility. When I glanced back, the forcefield blended with the scenery, making this place practically invisible.
We walked into a landing where all sorts of alien vehicles and technology sat neatly stacked against the walls. Cruisers, alien-motorcycles, and tank-like vehicles. It was clearly military. The open area branched into different tunnels, each entrance glowing with an opaque forcefield.
“This is amazing.” It must have been close to twenty stories high. “It’s massive but it completely blends in with the scenery.”
“That is intentional. This is where the travelers lived. We weren’t allowed to join our people, or else we would become dependent on theGlrtsstlllloroggg, so we lived inside the mountain. Here, the Oro isn’t as pure as it is in the core of the planet. Where my people lived.” He chuffed, and his bitterness seeped through.
Veras never lived with his people? How long had he been alone? I had so many questions, but I was also desperate to get clean. I was promised a bath.
“First, we eat.”
I opened my mouth to object, but my stomach rumbled so loudly that I paused.
“Are you well?” Veras felt around my stomach and back. “Is your body shutting down?”
