Page 30 of Selected By the Dragon Alien
He covered her hand with his own, his thumb stroking her skin. “I will,” he promised. He leaned down, pressing a kiss to her forehead, the touch lingering, a brand of possession and love. With a final glance at her, Ellion strode inside the fortress. Turi watched him go, her heart aching. She turned to Ara, her expression grim. “What do you think they want?”
Afternoon shadows cut across the courtyard as Ara took her formless shape. “I think you know,” Ara said after a silence so long it turned cold in the courtyard.
Turi swallowed hard at the ominous tone. “They’re going to wipe his memory again, and probably get rid of me.” Dread tightened Turi’s chest, making her heart race so hard it felt as if it might come loose. “We can’t let that happen.”
Ara leaned her dark form forward, and for the first time, Turi wished the Skrac would take her Terian shape. “This fortress…Ellion calls it his home. But itisa Zaruxian ship. I was not yetborn when it landed and embedded itself into the mountain, but my older family members remember it vividly—it was over two thousand years ago. I think it can fly, but the knowledge of how, is missing.”
“I wonder what were they doing here,” Turi mused.
“From what I’ve been told, fleeing the Axis…unsuccessfully, I’m sorry to say. They were taken by the Axis. The fortress stood empty for many years, then Ellion was installed in it as an overseer. The rest, you know.” She paused, her shadowy form swirling. “I’ve told Ellion all this before and henevertakes it well,” she said with a bitter edge. “But the Axis always take him and alter his mind so he forgets. And now they’re going to do it again.”
The Axis’ summons, Ellion’s forgotten past, the secrets hidden within the fortress—it was all interconnected, a tangled web of intrigue and danger. Ara was right. Their fragile peace was over. And Turi knew, with a growing sense of dread and determination, that their fight for freedom had just begun.
NINETEEN
Ellion’s heart slammed against his ribs as he stood in the communications room. The air thick with the smell of ozone and the low hum of the communications module. A shiver crawled down his spine. This room, once a place of routine reports had become a prison cell. He touched the glowing panel, initiating contact with the Axis. The light pulsed, intense and harsh, making his head throb with pain.
“Overseer of Penal Colony 5-11B.” The Axis’ voice was as cold and sharp as broken glass. “Scans from our subatmospheric communications array show the Terian settlements in disarray. Their productivity has plummeted. Explain.”
Ellion’s jaw was clenched so hard, he spoke through his teeth. “The removal of the six females has caused unrest,” he explained. He didn’t mention the Terian males’ visit to the fortress.
“Unrest is unacceptable,” the Axis snapped. “The Terians are to obey. They are to produce. Their suffering fuels our enterprise. This disruption must cease.”
“I have subdued the inmates,” Ellion replied, clenching his fists. “They will cause no further disruption.”
“You have told us this before.”
Ellion’s wings twitched, his dragon fire flickering in his throat. He was tired of being their tool. “I have reminded them of their place. The Riests have sent all of them back to their farms.”
“The Terians live to serve. Their discomfort fuels our enterprise,” the cold voice of the Axis replied. “However, we have found a solution for your problem.”
Ellion’s blood ran cold. “What is that?”
“Return the Terian female 224-E to her settlement. This will appease the Terians and restore order.”
All the air left Ellion’s lungs, making his breath come in ragged gasps. “But she has seen an off-world ship. She has interacted with off-worlders. The rules forbid her return. She is no longer permitted at the settlement.”
“Indeed,” the cold voice agreed. “We will handle this transgression. A medical shuttle will be dispatched. Female 224-E will be stripped of all memories since immediately before her encounter with the Rasharks. She will be returned to her old life, unaware of the time spent with you.”
“No.” Ellion had reached his limits. He could no longer play this game. His wings unfurled and extended to their full breadth. His claws extended. “You will not touch her. She is mine.”
“Control your impulses, Overseer,” the Axis snapped. “This is not a request. Terian female 224-E will be collected and rehabilitated. Prepare her for retrieval. This is an order from the Axis, and it will not be defied.”
Ellion let out a snarl. He had to act fast. There was no way he would let the Axis take Turi. His mind raced as he fought to conceal his turmoil. “I understand,” he conceded, his words tasting of bitter ash. “May I suggest an alternative way to ensure compliance?”
“You may not,” the Axis replied coldly. “Prepare the female for transport. This communication is ended.”
The pulsing light shrank to a point and vanished, but its cold malevolence lingered. A chill on the air sank into Ellion’s bones. He stood there for a moment longer, his head spinning with shock and disbelief. Not his Turi. They couldn’t have her. A growl vibrated in his chest, echoing in the dimly lit room. They thought they could just take her. That he was their pawn who would obey without question. He’d show them that they had underestimated him.
With a roar of fury, Ellion slammed his fist into the console, cracking the metal and sending sparks flying. His heart pounded with a mix of fear and determination. He had to act quickly. The Axis would not delay that transport. He spun around and strode from the communications room, his mind already formulating a plan.
Ellion stormed into the main hall, where Turi and Ara stood by the ion fire. “Turi. Ara. We must talk.”
Turi rose from her seat, startled. Her eyes were wide with alarm. “What happened, Ellion?”
Ellion crossed the room swiftly, gut hard with determination. “The Axis want to take you, Turi,” he said. “They’re sending a medical shuttle to remove your memories and return you to the settlement.” He reached for her hands. “That willnothappen.”
Her face paled, but she quickly regained composure. Her eyes narrowed, and she squared her shoulders. “What do we do?”