“Aura’s in trouble.” Eluni lets out a fuming breath. “And there’s a traitor of Genesis on board. We need toend him.”
35: Jovie
I try to keep up as Eluni leads our crew through the ship. She seems to know where he’s hiding, and it’s on our way to get Aura. Still, I keep my eyes open for Aura, Blaize, and Fieri but can’t find them among the crowd of warring peoples.
Arcs lash out in wild arrays. Denarso wield weapons that spit bullets of orange fire. Eluni throws electric balls of green rage, scorching their cores on the first try. Jorusk fights with fists of lava and shields himself with his wings.
Tal is a surprisingly good shot and clears the hallways we pass with simple rifle power. I do what I can to help. RAM-11 finds us as we enter a decorative commune with an oval gathering space in the center and shimmering crystals dripping from the ceiling. Tal picks the RAM up by the neck and slings him to his back, where the unit folds up and armor plates itself. And suddenly, I see just how much my friend belongs here with Amphirans.
Jorusk keeps watch behind us, seeming to have taken up a protective position over me. His gaze lingers with new concern.
“Something wrong?”
“Other than this chaos?” he asks through his dark mask. “Not as long as you stay alive.”
I don’t know what he means, but he doesn’t offer additional information.
We enter a meeting hall of Elders and their delegates, and Eluni marches down the central walkway to an Amphiran in pale green robes, speaking with an Elder. They argue among themselves about the situation.
“Tal?” Eluni calls to him.
We stop in the center. Tal taps something on his wristband that makes a video project on the ceiling from RAM-11’s eyes, displaying the screens in the hangar and Ijor’s code on the access approved line.
“Trying to kill your own people,” Eluni remarks. “Shame on you, Ijor.”
The smug, pinch-faced Amphiran looks down at her. “No one leaves New Order Amphir. Not even you, my treasonous fiancé.”
“I am not yours. You are not Amphiran if you turn on your own people. Denarso do not care if we are New Order or Genesis. They care we are Amphiran. Controlling us by taking our females would be a victory to them. The lowest of space flight capable species taking the highest. They already have stolen portal tech! We look pathetic! Relations with other nations will crumble, not to mention our own people are fighting among ourselves!”
His dismissive wave of a hand proves he has no sympathy. But he’s not the only one by the way the room separates. Many Elders and other delegates stand closer to him, shouting that Eluni is lying even when the evidence is on the ceiling.
The Rogue guards by the exits move toward us. Even some Royal guards leave their posts and join our group until we are nearly evenly split.
“You have no right to tell us how to operate our ship,” a king says, pushing through the group of New Order.
Eluni snarls at him. “You have never beentakenby a Denarso. You have not had your mate killed in front of you, your child ripped from your arms, and then been brought back to bond with a male you despise because he is a lying, manipulative egomaniac who cares nothing for his people! But I know. And this is how it feels.”
She thrusts a hand forward, electricity surging down her arm and punching out across the room into Ijor, the king, and theothers who stand with him in a burst so bright I have to look away.
Dark, leathery wings wrap around Tal and me, guiding us away. Jorusk winces in pain but tucks us inside his protective shield.
“Jorusk, I have a shield,” I tell him.
“Yours doesn’t hide the light,” he rasps.
Eluni growls. “You betrayed me,Uncle. You let them die! You went behind my back with Ijor! Swear you will leave Genesis, and I will let you live!”
“Ooh,” Jorusk twists his neck. “The wrath of a pissed-off woman.” He looks at Tal. “Got your work cut out for you.”
Talros chuckles. “I’m so turned on right now. You have no idea.”
“Gross.” Jorusk loosens his winged shield as the light fades.
When Jorusk folds his wings back, we find Eluni steaming with arc threads still snapping off of her body. Half of New Order is dead. The other half will need medical care. Ijor has vanished, leaving only an ashen mark on the floor where he recently stood.
“Never come to a Genesis ship again, or so help me, I will not hold back,” Eluni growls at those left, crosses her left arm over her chest, resting her hand on the green stripe over her shoulder. “Honor and freedom forever!”
Royals begin portalling out of the ship in little flashes of purple and green.
