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She watched Kozien’s face change as they powered away from the station and went after the ship. The further they flew, the more apprehensive he became.
“What’s wrong, Kozien?” She couldn’t remain silent any longer.
He frowned as he checked his instruments. “We’re heading away from Jorvlen, Noxxa, and their surrounding planets.”
“So where are we going? Just out into space or a moon or something?”
Kozien shook his head, adjusting the controls again as if he didn’t believe what the navigation system was telling him.
“We’re headed toward Lorr.”
“Your home planet?” She jerked with surprise.
Kozien nodded. “I can’t imagine why we’d be going there. My father is pretty strict about this sort of crime.”
“Your father. The king,” she asked softly.
Kozien sighed as if the words brought him pain. “I don’t want to run into any of the royal family,” he said softly. “I mean, I don’t think we will be landing in the palace grounds, but still. I don’t like this.”
Gianna reached out and touched his hand, giving it a little squeeze. “It will be okay,” she whispered. Kozien smiled at her, his violet eyes dark and troubled.
Thankfully, the little craft XG8 curved around Lorr to land on the opposite side of the main city. Kozien still expressed worry that he or his ship might be recognized, but at least no royal guard would be in the immediate area.
The ship XG8 flew into the low bluffs at the base of the mountains and landed behind them in a concealed airstrip. Kozien brought his own ship around and hid it in a thickly forested area. Gianna looked around in wonder as Kozien opened the door, and she saw Lorr for the first time.
It was late afternoon, and the sun angling across the low hills and glancing off the mountain was glittering gold. The rays shimmered with points of incandescent light, like no sun she had ever seen.
The glow lit up the amazing, purple-leafed trees, the soft breeze making them twist and flutter so they seemed to flicker like deep violet flames. Gianna walked over to a thick, amber-barked trunk and pressed her hand against it, amazed that the texture was much like an Earth tree.
“You like it?” Kozien asked, coming up behind her.
She nodded in wonder. “It’s so beautiful.”
He smiled and reached out his hand. “Come on. We should hike up to their camp and see if we can find out anything about Gabe.”
Gianna nodded and grabbed Kozien’s hand, hurrying after him. As they walked, she took in the deep, blue-green grass that whispered softly as the wind caressed it, the rustle of the trees above singing in tune.
After clambering up some ruby red rocks, they came to a rushing stream. Gianna cried out in surprise, watching the indigo water washing up around the bank in crystalline waves.
The angle of the sunlight changed abruptly, and Gianna shivered as the breeze turned cool.
Kozien checked his tracker. “We’ll have to go quite far up into the mountains,” he said. “We should keep at it. It’ll get cold quickly.”
“Okay.” Gianna hurried to catch up. The changing light was only making the colors more enchanting, and she could see brightly lit fish beginning to glow with luminescence under the water. Regretfully, she turned from the stream and followed Kozien.
As they scrambled up the slope, strange noises echoed through the forest. They heard low hooting followed by harsh growls and a strange, singing whisper that seemed to catch on the edge of the cool wind.
“Are we in danger?” She tried to look around but she was almost completely blind in the darkness.
Kozien turned around and shook his head. Gianna noticed his pupils had dilated just like a cat’s to let in more light.
“Some of the animals are unfriendly or territorial. But they won’t attack a Lorr.”
“Even this far from the city?”
Kozien shrugged. “Probably not.”
Gianna didn’t like the sound of that, but she pushed on. The steep slope was really testing her as they climbed up a cluster of rocks. When they reached a thick line of bushes, Kozien turned off the tracker and beckoned for her to follow him as he slithered under it.
