Star Rider and the Golden Threads by Heidi Skarie (best ereader for pdf and epub .TXT) 📗

ship. Areport showed the damage was extensive, though the ship was stilloperable and would make it back to Haklute. Erling wondered how hecould take control of the ship with most of his pilots captured ordead, and Zanton still searching for him.

The door opened and Erling lookedup to see a gigantic lizard of the Borgone race lumber in. TheBorgone looked from Erling to the unconscious man on the floor.Erling broke into a sweat, wondering if the creature would seethrough his ruse.

As the Borgone stared at theunconscious man on the floor, his florescent blue scales deepened.“What happened?” he asked, speaking into a translator hangingaround his thick neck, which translated his guttural words into theuniversal language.

“One of the pilots burst in andI stunned him.”

“I’ll bring him to a holdingcell.” His long thin tongue darted out and touched the man’scheek. “Warm. Good eating.” He slung the man over his shoulder,then said, “King Zanton is looking for General Erling Fenian, thecommander-in-chief of Jaipar. Be on your guard for him.”

Erling nodded, repulsed that theBorgone thought of humans as meat. “Thanks for the warning.”

The door closed and Erling letout his breath. His hand shook slightly as he continued typing on thekeyboard. A floor plan of the holding cells appeared on the computerscreen.

After getting the information heneeded, Erling slipped out the door. The fire that resulted from theexplosion had been put out and the air was thick with smoke and aburnt smell. King Zanton stood a short distance away with his back toErling, questioning the prisoners. Erling walked toward the door. TheHaklute crewmen and soldiers ignored him, their attention primarilyfocused on King Zanton and the prisoners.

The landing bay was large and itseemed to take forever to reach the exit. Erling expected he’d beordered to halt at any moment or shot in the back again.

31

In the Hands of the Enemy

The door of the cell opened againand two guards walked in. One pointed his blaster at Onolyn. “Areyou Onolyn Larcomb?”

Her stomach knotted up. “Yes.”

“You’re next. King Zantonwants to talk to you.”

She rose on shaky legs. Zacsprang to his feet and stood in front of her. “Leave her alone! Shedoesn’t know anything.”

“Move or I’ll shoot!”

“I don’t think you will,”Zac said. “You’d rather have us alive for questioning.”

The man’s brow furrowed. “Youdare to find out?”

Onolyn pushed passed Zac. “I’llgo.”

Zac lunged at the guard. The manfired his blaster and Zac was thrown against the wall.

“Zac!” Onolyn screamed,fighting the guard as he pulled her toward the door. She got aglimpse of Zac as she was dragged into the hall. He had a shocked,helpless look on his face and blood blossomed on the front of hisflight suit. The other guard held his blaster on the remainingprisoners who had risen to their feet to aid Zac and Onolyn.

The guard grabbed Onolyn’s arm,dragging her down the hall. “Let me go! Zac! Zac!” she screamed,fighting to break away from him.

“Shut her up!” the otherguard ordered.

The guard pressed the blasteragainst her temple. “Cooperate or I’ll be forced to kill you!”

Onolyn trembled uncontrollably.Seeing Zac shot had shattered her courage. Dazed, she was pulled downthe hall and out of the detention center. The world seemed to beclosing in on her. She couldn’t breathe.

Then she remembered Zac tellingher to focus on Master Bakka. Her breathing gradually returned tonormal. This was a chance to prove herself—a test. She wouldn’ttell them anything. If the pain became too great, she would simplyleave her body.

The guard took her to a smallroom. “Sit down,” one of the guards said, shoving her toward achair.

Another guard walked in, leanedagainst the wall and crossed his arms in front of his chest. A malignsmile spread across his face. “King Zanton has decided to questionyou personally. If I were you, I’d tell him what he wants to knowor he’ll make mincemeat out of you.”

Onolyn sank into the chair,looking uneasily from one man to the other. The guard leaning againstthe wall pulled out a large knife and slid the blade along the edgeof his thumb. “Nice and sharp, just the way King Zanton likesthem.”

“Maybe he’ll let us enjoy herbefore he starts cutting her up,” the other guard said.

Onolyn’s stomach flip-flopped.

King Zanton entered the room. “Soyou’re Onolyn Larcomb. Seetva gave you a job to perform. You weresupposed to capture General Fenian, instead you let him escape. Ifyou had succeeded, this battle could’ve been avoided.”

Onolyn rose. “I’m glad yourplans failed. What do you want from me now?”

“What makes you think I wantsomething?”

“Your men have been trying tointimidate me. You must want something.”

“Have they? I must congratulatethem.” King Zanton held out his hand to the man leaning against thewall and the man handed Zanton his knife, handle first. “Where isErling Fenian?”

“He’s alive!” Relief easedthe pain in her heart. “Thank God!”

“Are you claiming you don’tknow where he is?”

“How would I know? I was on myship when your men captured me. King Zanton, why are you doing this?Is it because Queen Koriann decided not to marry you? She didn’t doit to hurt you; she was in love with Erling before she became engagedto you.”

“Do you think I wanted to marryQueen Koriann for love? Stupid girl. I was working with Samrat Condorfrom the start. He threatened Jaipar with war to get Koriann toaccept my proposal of marriage. I was just using her.”

“You never cared about her?”

“She was useful, nothing more.”He gave Onolyn a violent shove into the wall and the back of her headsmacked into it. She cringed as the edge of the knife slid lightlyacross her cheek. “Now tell me where Fenian is or I’ll startcutting up your pretty face.”

She swallowed her rising terror.“I don’t know, but if I did, I wouldn’t tell you.”

As Erling moved guardedly towardthe entrance of the detention center, a male voice whispered from theshadows, “Over here.” The voice sounded like Jake’s, but as heturned toward it he saw two dark figures wearing Haklute uniforms.Erling raised his laser.

“It’s us,” Toemekawhispered.

Erling lowered his gun andstepped to where Toemeka and Jake stood. He gave Toemeka a quicksqueeze and thumped Jake on the back. “I was afraid you two werekilled