Page 40 of Selected By the Dragon Alien
“Let her go!” her mother shouted, anger and fear blending in her voice. She stepped forward, fists clenched.
She was joined by a surprising figure, who had been silent through all of this. “Release my daughter,” bellowed Tregit, her father. He clutched a soil tiller, jaw tight. “She is a harmless female.”
The enforcer’s grip tightened, and Turi struggled for breath, her vision blurring at the edges. “Quiet, inmate. You’re only making this worse,” he commanded without moving his focus from Turi.
Turi’s heart pounded like a drum, and a spark of defiance flickered within her. “What…do you…want?” she managed to choke out, fury slowly igniting beneath her fear.
With a flash of a stony gaze, the enforcer leaned closer. “The Axis are displeased with your conduct. We will ensure you’re dealt with properly.” Just then, the roar of the dragon filled the air once more, sending shivers down Turi’s spine and causing the enforcer to look away for a moment. A flicker of hesitation passed through her captor’s eyes. He lowered her to the ground, his grip loosening slightly as he regarded Ellion with a mix of annoyance and curiosity.
The dragon loomed large. The ships that survived the attack—Turi briefly counted six still airborne—broke off the attack with the dragon so close to the leader. Two of the ships were barely aloft and billowing smoke. He let out a booming roar ofrage and landed. The ground rumbled. His claws dug into the ground as he moved forward, one predatory step after another.
Turi felt her heart surge with hope. She could smell the acrid smoke curling from Ellion’s nostrils. Hewasthe dragon—full of rage and bloodlust.
“Overseer of Penal Colony 5-11B,” her captor said. “I am Enforcer 258, subset D, sent by the Axis to collect you for rehabilitation.”
Ellion let out a snort that sent sparks dancing on the ground near the enforcer.
“The Axis have been generous with you. You have committed many offenses prior to this day,” the enforcer went on. “Allowing the inmates names other than their numerical designations. Allowing inmates to congregate in groups. Not exacting punishments when settlements failed to meet their food production quotas. Showing preferential treatment to one female Terian. This is just a few of your transgressions that have been generously overlooked.”
The dragon stamped his front paw and flapped his wings, sending up a gust of dust into the air.
“And today you have committed offenses unforgivable by Axis doctrine by attacking our forces. For that, you will be removed from your position as overseer and, after rehabilitation, sentenced to a life of hard labor in the Malgog mines on Rampion-8.
“No!” Turi yelled, summoning all the strength she could muster to squirm against the enforcer’s hold on her.
He responded by tightening his grip again. “Sadly, these people will suffer, too,” he said silkily, eyes narrowing. “As of today, I am their new overseer, and my rule will not be as pleasant.”
It was clear that the Axis were abandoning their strategy of expecting the Terians to worship and revere them, and shiftingto hard tactics of incarceration. But in that moment, something shifted within Turi. She took a deep breath, focused on the ailing ships above, and steadied herself. “We aren’t afraid of you!” she screamed. “We will not answer to you.”
The enforcer raised an eyebrow, an expression almost like amusement flickering across his face. “Prisoners like youshouldbe afraid,” he said, tightening his grip once more, though not enough to cut off her breath. “You don’t yet understand the consequences of your actions, but you will serve well to set an example for what happens to defiant prisoners.”
Then, with a swift motion, he shifted his gaze back toward the dragon, which was now closer. His wings were tense, stretched taut as drums. The guards glanced up nervously, seemingly unsure of what the enforcer was going to do.
“Your mate will die, here,” the enforcer said gravely. “And you will live the rest of your days knowing it was your actions that caused it.” The enforcer sneered, his mechanical voice dripping with malice. “Pity you can’t say goodbye in that form, Zaruxian.” He looked at Turi and tightened his grip. “No one in this penal colony will defy the Axis again.”
The air cut off as that hand squeezed. Turi clawed at the enforcer’s grip but it was iron tight. He wasn’t bluffing. He was going to kill her.
TWENTY-EIGHT
Time slowed down. His vision narrowed to Turi’s face as she fought against the enforcer.
What was she doing here?
His thoughts were pure panic. She was supposed to be safe in the Skrac lands, away from all this. But the moment he saw her, he somehow knew she wouldn’t allow her people to face the Axis alone. And judging by the faces of the Terians, she’d managed to work some magic over them. The faces he saw were not all terror-filled, although there was plenty of that. There was defiance and anger, making him think that at least some of them knew the truth about what they were. And what the Axis truly were.
He would certainly not let her die now. His dragon fire felt like it would burn straight out of his throat. The urge to send forth a plume of flames was so strong he had to fight it back. Letting it out would kill Turi. He had to use another weapon and he had several.
In a sudden, intense show of power, Ellion shifted his massive body. He pinned his wings back and lunged forward, teeth bared. The guards scattered, getting out of his way. With one powerful move, he sank his teeth into the enforcer’s torso,piercing through his armor and digging into his flesh. The enforcer let out a pained grunt, but there was no freeing himself from the dragon’s grip.
Ellion ripped the male away from Turi, who sank to her knees coughing, and tossed him through the air. The enforcer landed with a thud in the center of the settlement’s square. Ellion could feel the eyes of every person—inmate and guard—on him as he stalked toward his prey.
He covered the male’s upper body with one paw, claws digging into the enforcer’s chest. With a low, rumbling growl, he forced out words through his dragon throat. It was difficult, but he had one thing to say to this being, who had undoubtedly caused enormous pain and suffering. “Enforcer 258, subset D,youare their inmate too.”
The enforcer’s gaze locked with Ellion’s and for one moment, fear and realization warred in the male’s eyes, the only thing left that could show emotion. But the dragon was without mercy. With one swift motion, Ellion sank his claws deep into the enforcer’s chest, ending his time as the Axis’ torturer.
Ellion watched Turi take in the demise of the enforcer with dismay. The last thing he wanted was for her to witness him kill, but she could breathe. She would live. With a cry, she ran across the square to Ellion. Her arms found his smooth, scaled neck and her touch made him throw up his head in triumph. He knew he was hot with pent-up dragon fire, but she didn’t seem afraid.
The guards looked at the enforcer’s lifeless body and then to the dragon’s massive form. Ellion spread his wings wide. He gave off waves of heat. For a moment, he just stood there, breathing heavily, his eyes fixed on the guards who did not look eager to engage with him.