Page 35 of Selected By the Dragon Alien
The other two Riests sat up, their faces pale. “W-who are you?” one of them demanded, his voice shaking.
Turi stepped forward, pulled off her cloak and held up the pouch containing the journal. “I am Turi, daughter of Tregit. I come with information that will change everything.”
The Riests exchanged nervous glances, their eyes flicking between Turi and the menacing shadow. “Are you returning to the settlements to take your place as Thraip’s mate?” the eldest one asked.
“What?” Turi replied, having forgotten all about Thraip. “No. I’m here—”
“Then we have no interest in what you have to say,” Onis cut in. His eyes were hard, cold. “We will call for help and have you locked in your father’s home.”
“Try it,” Ara snarled, “and you’ll be dead before you utter your first word.”
That shut them up, although she couldn’t imagine Ara following through on such a threat.
Turi’s gaze locked on the youngest of the three, who seemed slightly less terrified than his companions, and pulled the journal from her bag. “As you know, I have been living at the fortress with the overseer. I have learned to read and with it, the truth about our people and the Axis. You must read this journal. It documents our people’s arrival here and the Axis’ deception.”
The youngest Riest hesitated, then reached out a trembling hand, taking the journal from Turi. “What is this?” he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
“It is a personal log book of the overseer at the beginning of our time on this planet,” Turi explained. “It reveals the truth about our past. We are not native to this planet. We were brought here as prisoners. The Axis have manipulated us into believing they are gods.”
The Riests exchanged glances, their faces etched with disbelief and fear. “This is blasphemy,” Onis spat. “The Axis is our savior, our protector. They have given us this land, this life.”
“A life of suffering and servitude,” Turi countered, her voice firm. “The Axis arenotdivine. They are an interstellar conglomerate that profits from imprisoning entire species, including ours. They have lied to us, manipulated us, and forced us to work their fields for their gain.”
The youngest Riest’s eyes widened as he flipped through the pages of the journal. “This…is the overseer’s handwriting,” he murmured. “If what you say is true, and this book backs up these claims, then everything we know is…a lie.” He had a hard time getting that last word out.
“Itistrue,” Ara interjected, her form shifting slightly, becoming less intimidating. “My kind already lived here long before the Axis created this penal colony. I have seen the truth with my own eyes. The Axis have hidden it from you, but it is time you knew what is real.”
The oldest Riest, Onis, snorted, his eyes narrowing. “You expect us to believe this…thisspecterand some scribbles in a book?”
Turi stepped closer, her gaze fixed on the youngest Riest. “You must read it,” she said, her voice urgent. “Open your minds to the possibility that what you have been taught, and even what you have enforced, is a lie. See the truth, no matter how uncomfortable or frightening it may be.”
The youngest Riest nodded, swallowing hard. “I will read it,” he said, his voice firm. “The truth is important. And we need to know what it is.”
Turi let out a sigh of relief, even if they were only reading it under threat of death from a being that terrified them. Onis’s eyes flashed with anger, but the young Riest held the journal firmly, his gaze fixed on the pages. Turi knew that this was only the beginning. Convincing the Riests of the truth would be a difficult task, but she also knew that it was a necessary one.
As the Riests began to read, Turi and Ara stepped back, their eyes fixed on the three males who held the key to the Terians’ future. Turi’s heart pounded with a mix of hope and apprehension, but she also knew that whatever happened next, she and Ara had taken the first step toward revealing the truth and freeing her people from the Axis’ grip.
TWENTY-THREE
Ellion opened his eyes slowly, blinking against the harsh light of the Hecron medical room. His head pounded with a dull ache, and his body felt heavy and sluggish. He sat up, feeling as if he’d been run over by a herd of wildparaks. A figure leaned over him—a female Hecron with sharp, intelligent eyes.
“How do you feel?” the Hecron doctor asked. Her voice was steady and calm.
Ellion rubbed a hand over his face, trying to clear the fog from his mind. “Dizzy,” he replied, his voice raspy. “Nauseous.” He reached up to touch the spot behind his ear where the implant had been, but his fingers met fine stitches and bare skin.
“The surgery was a success,” announced a different voice in the room. It was Yuric, sitting casually in a seat against the wall. “Virani was able to remove the Axis’ implant. We’re keeping it though. Some of my researchers want to study it.” He waved a hand as if this part didn’t interest him. “It’s probably in little pieces by now.”
Ellion didn’t care what happened to the implant as long as it was out of his head. His heart raced as he digested themasar’swords. The implant was gone. The tool the Axis used to erase hismemories was no longer part of him. “Thank you,” he said, his voice filled with gratitude.
“It’s a sophisticated device, capable of manipulating your memories and transmitting limited information to the Axis,” the doctor said, her gaze fixed on Ellion. “We’re glad it’s no longer functional, but it’s likely the Axis are aware that it’s been deactivated.”
Ellion nodded. “They already knew I wasn’t playing along. I am in your debt.”
Themasar’ssmile widened, his gaze softening slightly. “We are glad to help, Overseer. The Hecrons have long sought freedom from the Axis’ control. Your…change of heart has given us hope that change is possible.”
“Less of a change of heart.” Ellion’s chest ached with a mix of gratitude and determination. He knew that the fight against the Axis was far from over, but he also knew that with the Hecrons by his side, they stood a chance of breaking free from their oppression. “More like waking up from a bad dream.”
Yuric’s gaze fixed on Ellion. “Long overdue, Overseer,” he said, his voice firm. “The Axis have controlled you and your memories for centuries, I’m told. My ancestors faced you in battle. You’ve left marks on all my forebears.” He crossed his arms. “What can you tell us about the fortress?”