I had to hope that the screams had pulled the guards from the front of the building, but even if we were that lucky, that wouldn’t last long. Once our escape was discovered, the building and the surrounding area would be crawling with Zagrath.
Without allowing myself another moment to weigh the risks, I ran from the alcove with the blaster extended. Skye pointed to a set of wide double doors ahead, and my heart leapt. There were no guards flanking the exit. Not on the inside, at least.
I picked up my pace even as my wounded leg throbbed. The leather strap staunching the bleeding snapped as I lifted my knees to run faster, and it fell to the floor.
Skye gasped, tugging my hand. “We need to get it.”
I released her hand, my heart pounding an urgent drumbeat as my brain told me to keep going. But she was quicker than I’dimagined, snatching the strip of leather from the stone floor and running back to me before I could do more than catch my breath.
Then we were off again, running through the door and to the outside. Then we stopped.
The light and the heat were an instant assault, but it was the busy din of the city that gave me pause. People moved around what looked like a city square, and a few cast inquisitive looks our way. From what I could tell, no one else was dressed in only a kilt. I quickly tucked the blaster into my belt at the small of my back. So much for escaping unnoticed.
“This way,” Skye said, tugging me down one side of the wide stone steps at a normal pace. She ducked down a narrow street that was flanked by the building we’d just left and another tall structure.
Even though we didn’t run, our pace was brisk. I knew as well as she did that the more distance we could get between us and the Zagrath, who would soon be chasing us, the better. As long as we weren’t conspicuous about it.
When we reached the next corner, Skye led us down one alley and then another until we were in an area that felt more residential, with drying laundry strung across lines between buildings.
Finally, she paused and braced one hand on her knee. “We have to get off the streets.” She ran her gaze over me from head to foot. “And we have to get you some sort of disguise.”
Chapter
Fifteen
Wrexxon
Istrode onto the command deck, my boots pounding the steel floor. “Status report!”
The raiders on duty turned to me, clicking their heels in salute. Usually, my battle chief would give me battle updates, but Kolt was not standing at his usual spot. My chest tightened, but I clenched my teeth and joined mymajak.
“We have narrowed down the places Kolt and the human could have been taken to, Raas.”
I folded my arms across my chest and rocked back on my heels. “How many?”
“Two. Both in the same solar system. One is a planet suspected to be under Zagrath control, and one is a deserted planet comprised of mostly desert.”
I did not put it past the Empire to stash prisoners on a barren world, but my Vandar instinct told me it was more the Zagrath style to appropriate others’ worlds and their infrastructure. Taking over cities and colonies had always been their defining strategy.
“What is the planet the Empire took?”
“Gollun Prime.” My majak kept his gaze fastened to the wide view of space as we hurtled through it. “A small planet with one major city. It was self-ruling before the Empire arrived.”
I nodded, becoming more certain of my decision. “We go there first.”
My majak pivoted to our navigator. “Set a course for Gollun Prime.” Then he turned to the communications officer. “Send coordinates to the rest of the horde ships.”
When he swiveled back to me, I gave a single nod. “What of our guests?”
He cocked a brow. “Do you mean the rebel we saved before we reached Lexxona or the other females?”
I was acutely aware of the other females, since two of them were my mate’s sisters and they had spent a great deal of time with her in our quarters. “The rebel.”
“He is faring well, but he does not seem to have much insight into why he was targeted. He claims he was not even the leader of his planet’s rebel movement.”
I scowled. Why would the Zagrath put him on their hit list if he wasn’t important to them? “Maybe he requires more persuasive questioning.”
My majak looked startled. “You wish me to use Kolt’s oblek?”
