“I won’t say shit.” I walk to the door, feeling a lot better about running into battle when I know next to nothing about them. “And don’t worry, Allele. I like you too much to let him do that. He’d have to go through me.”
When I leave the chamber, Eluni’s dressed in armor and rocket boots with weapons all over her body.
“Do you know how to shoot?” she asks.
“No.”
Eluni flips a switch on a rifle and then hands it to me. “Auto-targeting then. It will take out anyone not Amphiran, well, and the shooter, obviously.”
“Is this really necessary?”
Eluni shows me how to hold the rifle. “Denarso will hunt you more if they find out who you are. They will want to hurt you in unimaginable ways.”
The way she says it makes me think she has experience. I’m starting to regret wanting to go after Aura. But if Eluni can survive it, and Aura’s risking everything for his people, I want in. I don’t want to be the princess everyone hates because she’s out of touch with reality.
Thisis reality.
Eluni looks me in the eyes. “I know this is different from your old life. If you get freaked out, take a deep breath and talk your way through the situation, where you are, and what you need to do next to stay alive and get to Aura. Got it?”
I nod, though I’m not sure I do get it. I know only that I must to keep going and do whatever it takes.
“We will be on an Amphiran ship with others who know you belong with Aura.Gravionis a Genesis ship. They will protect you. But we have to stop the Denarso before they take our females.”
“Denarsoan ships in tow. Jumping in five, four…” Allele counts down. Metal clunks near where we’re docked toGravion.“Locked for mothership’s jump. Please,tie in.”
“Shit.” Eluni grabs me, throws us against a wall, and ignites something on her wrists that bonds them to Allele’s frame.
The ship lurches forward hard. Green light flashes by the windows.Gravionhits the brakes.
Eluni keeps me contained as my body is slung around by our momentum. I’m certain I’d be paint on the back wall without her.
She disengages her gloves. “Stay with me. We will get this under control.”
“More ships approaching. Denarso removed from Lunar airspace.” Allele reports. “Genesis and New Order.”
Eluni looks at me. “Perhaps we are not divided in this fight. That’s progress.”
“Or New Order is after Aura and me,” I say. “Vybron did say something.”
Eluni gives me a worried look. “Let’s hope they don’t want to war with us while we fight Denarso.”
The ramp lowers, exposing us to the inside ofGravion.Gunfire fills the dock with orange light so fast there is no time to think or lift my rifle. I duck, cover my head, and smash my armbands together.
Blasts deflect off of my shield, keeping Allele’s insides safe. But the blasts push hard against me. It takes whole-body effort just to keep me upright.
A green arc lashes out from beside me. Eluni retracts a hand, looks at the angry orb of light in her palm, and grins. “I am done with New Order rules. Let’s toast these bastards!”
I think I’m starting to really like Eluni.
“Remember that Aura won’t like you two leaving the ship,” Allele calls after us. “I’m closing the ramp to avoid another attack.”
As Eluni and I enter the hallway, I get my first head-on look at a Denarso. Black and orange striated eyes. Oily orange, brown, and black spotted skin. And thousands of pointy teeth designed to rip flesh apart.
“Shoot him!” Eluni shouts.
“Fuck!” I clumsily aim and pull the trigger. The auto-targeting bullet changes course and punches through the soldier’s core.
Adrenaline and the sight of him toppling backward makes me feel hot, shaky, and sick.
