Chapter 27

TWENTY-SEVEN

Turi stood at the edge of the settlement, her heart hammering in her chest as she watched the Terians around her. They were shouting, their voices rising like thunder. “If the journal is authentic, we must have a meeting,” one Terian cried, waving his arms. “And an accounting from the Axis.”

Another Terian chimed in, “What of the overseer himself? He is the first one who needs to speak to us.” The panic in their voices bounced off the walls of the settlement, sending a chill down Turi’s spine.

Yet another bellowed, “I’ve doubted the Axis’ divinity since I was a child. Our suffering is too great.”

Suddenly, a loud roar filled the air. Turi looked up, her eyes widening as ships burst into the sky, dark against the brightening morning. Blasts of light shot out from the fortress, clashing against the ships like fireworks in reverse. The air crackled with energy, and Turi felt a tight knot form in her stomach.

“Ellion,” she breathed. It felt as if the air had been ripped from her chest. “He’s up there.”

“We saw him leave the fortress,” Ara said behind her, still an indistinct shadow.

“No, it’s him,” Turi said. “I know it. I just…feel it.” The thought of him battling above made her stomach churn. She could hear her own heartbeat pounding in her ears, drowning out the chaos around her. Turi squeezed tears from her eyes and took a deep breath, the metallic taste of fear filling her mouth.

The ships moved through the smoke, dodging some blasts and firing back at the fortress. Her hands trembled. “Please be safe,” she whispered under her breath. She could picture Ellion, brave and fierce, but what if—

Just then, the ships broke free from the fortress, their sleek forms glistening in the sunlight. They turned towards the settlement, engines roaring. Turi’s heart raced even faster. She could hardly breathe. The fear wrapped around her, tightening even more.

Turi’s gaze darted from the ships to the Terians rushing around her. “What do we do?” one of them yelled, his face panicked.

“Get inside! Hide!” Another Terian screamed as some of them sprinted toward the nearest building, footsteps pounding against the ground.

“Stay calm!” Turi shouted, but her voice was swallowed by the chaos. Another group of Terians huddled together, fear etched on their faces, as they looked up in despair.

Just then, she felt a familiar hand grip hers. It was her mother, eyes wide with worry. “Turi. My brave daughter.” She pulled Turi into a brief, hard embrace. “He’s come for you. Look!”

Above them, a deafening roar shattered the air, making Turi jump. Her head snapped up, and she gasped as a massive dragon swooped low. His scales glinted like polished armor. Fire erupted from his jaws, bathing the nearest ships in bright orange flames.

“Look out!” someone shouted, pointing at the fiery destruction.

Turi’s heart squeezed as the dragon, swift as a shadow, darted between the ships. With a flick of his powerful wings, Ellion spun around and unleashed another torrent of flames, melting through the hull of five ships in one furious strike. Turi’s heart swelled. The dragon was magnificent, but he was also facing terrible odds.

The ships, despite their size, struggled to fight back. They returned fire, but the dragon danced around them with such grace, as if he were playing a game. Turi clung tightly to her mother. “He’s come for all of us,” she whispered as the heat from dragon fire and burning ships swept over her skin.

“Back up,” her mother said, and they moved from the open square to press against the outer wall of the Riests’ home. Determination glinted in her mother’s eyes. “Whatever happens here, know that I love you, Turi. I always have.”

She squeezed her mother’s hand. “I never doubted that, Mother.”

Suddenly, amid the chaos, a metal door swung open on one of the landed ships, which had been overlooked during the battle in the sky. A figure emerged, catching Turi’s eyes. The male was imposing, dressed in a dark uniform that shimmered ominously under the sunlight. Metal covered the lower part of his face. He strode directly toward Turi, gaze riveted on her. There was no doubt that he knew exactly who she was. “Engage security protocol,” he commanded to his guards, and they powered on their weapons. His speech had a mechanical tone.

Turi’s heart raced as he and his guards closed in on them. Their expressions cold and unyielding. She felt her mother tense beside her. “Go inside,” she said to her mother and Ara, who was well hidden in shadow. “Now.” She pushed her mother away, toward the door, and faced the huge, terrifying male who stopped and loomed above her. “Inmate 224-E.” He cocked his head, his voice devoid of emotion. “So you are the one who has caused us so much trouble.”

Without warning, he reached out and grabbed Turi by the neck, lifting her slightly off the ground. A gasp escaped her lips, and panic slashed through her heart. The guards closed in, keeping watch on the surrounding Terians, their presence making it clear that there would be no fighting these beings.

“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 of rage 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. He was the 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 shifting to 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 you should be 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.