Page 88 of Fractured Souls

A dark shadow streaked past the window. “That him? How did you know?”

“He said twenty sivs. I set a timer. Lodan’s got a thing for being punctual. He’s very particular about this and that, you know, always needs things to be a certain way… how would you humans describe it?”

“Obsessive compulsive?” She shook her head, trying to imagine how such a thing would manifest in one of the deadliest fighters in the Universe.

“Perhaps.”

“I’m not obsessive, I just like to be on time.” Lodan’s deep voice echoed from below, making her turn. Moments later, he appeared at the head of the stairwell. How the heck had he gotten here so fast? Alexis suppressed a shudder. She’d never get used to the way these Kordolians moved, so swift and silent you wouldn’t even know you were dead until after the fact.

The pilot had a hostage in tow. As the alien stepped into the dim light, Alexis froze.

Tharian.

She’d seen this creature in her dreams. She’d seen the iridescent green eyes, the regal features, the smooth blue skin decorated here and there with a smattering of scales…

She’d seen the long, graceful neck; the tall, elegant body, with limbs that were absurdly long and yet somehow beautiful.

These were the people Anuk had thrust into her memories.

She’d seen them swallowed by an ocean of white fire.

Deep in her mind, a powerful presence stirred.

Anuk? Can you hear me? Alexis tried to use the mindspeech technique Ashrael had taught her on the journey to Tharos. One would think it would be an easy thing to do… just think the words and the other would hear them, right?

But no, mind-dwelling symbionts were more complicated than that, especially when dealing with a mere mortal like her, who didn’t have strong psychic abilities.

Anuk? She tried again, but no luck.

The Tharian stopped in the center of the room and stared straight ahead, clearly petrified.

To her untrained human eyes, this one looked like a he, but she wasn't certain. He wore long hooded brown robes and a bright blue scarf around his neck. Intricate black tattoos decorated his lower arms and hands; swirling lines of strange alien glyphs.

“He speaks a little Universal,” Lodan said, “but he still won’t believe me when I tell him we’re not going to hurt him.”

“We’re not going to hurt you,” Nythian repeated, scowling in a manner that was distinctly not reassuring. “We just need to ask you a few questions. If you give us what we need, you’ll be free to go.”

The Tharian’s emerald eyes blazed with pure malevolent hatred. If looks could kill, they would all be in the fiery pits of hell right about now.

The stirring in her mind grew stronger, until suddenly she was filled with the most intense sadness. The feeling was so strong it almost brought her to her knees. She’d never experienced an emotion as powerfully as this. This wasn’t human. This was human sadness and grief multiplied tenfold, perhaps a hundredfold. Her kind wasn’t supposed to experience emotion like this.

If this went on for too long, she’d go insane.

Mixed in with the crushing sadness was a sliver of happiness, a tendril of relief.

Alexis couldn’t help it; a single tear leaked from the corner of her eye.

“Alexis,” Nythian growled. He put his arm around her and pulled her close as Ektans and the others watched. “What’s wrong?”

She tried to speak, but the words wouldn’t come. She was too choked up with emotion.

Anuk’s presence seeped into her mind.

The Tharian was back.

Humans are fragile. If you knew what we knew, if you felt the way we felt…

Excruciating pain hit Alexis right in the temples. The pressure inside her head grew.

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