alligators walking upright and they snarled at the aliens by the sides of the street…just as they’d snarled at her on the ship.
In the middle of the group was an alien type she’d never seen before.
And it was hideous.
It looked like an oversized green toad dressed in a lavish white robe. Its dark eyes flicked over the aliens along the street and she swore she felt the air become chilled.
Someone’s hand closed around her arm and pulled her toward them.
With wide eyes, she looked up into Riv’s face.
She couldn’t see his expression but she could almost feel the alarm emanating off him too.
“Whatever you do, try to blend in.” His voice was low and Lauren nodded. She didn’t need to ask why.
Terror was flooding through her veins.
She was never more thankful for the cloak he bought than she was then.
As she pulled the hood low over her head, she turned a little so she could see the procession move closer.
The street was clear except for the group walking down it and it didn’t seem as if anyone along the street was even breathing.
And that’s when it happened.
A round object rolled into the street.
She didn’t know if it was a child’s ball but it sure looked like a toy based only on the colors.
There was a sound and a small being with light-orange skin ran out to get the thing.
A collective gasp echoed through the crowd of onlookers and when Riv stiffened beside her, she realized just how close they were standing together.
It was a child for a bigger version of the little alien came hobbling toward the little being.
It was obvious the older alien was trying to get the younger one off the street but it took too long.
The procession came to a stop before them.
“You dare to block the way of Ambassador Klupengi, degenerate?” one of those horrible-looking guards spoke.
The old alien lifted its head, its body trembling as it tried to tug at the child.
“N-No. Forgive me, Ambassador. It will never happen again.” The alien tried to bow but, trembling the way it was, that action proved difficult. With a tug of his arm, he tried to pull the child out of the street but the little thing was stubborn as it sat in the street and played with its toy.
Lauren gulped.
“Move!” another guard ordered.
“I—” the alien began, but she didn’t hear the rest of what he said.
Her face was suddenly plastered against Riv’s hard chest as he pulled her into him, shielding her from what happened next.
She didn’t see it but she heard it.
That undeniable sound of metal unsheathing and then a sick squelch.
And another.
No.
It couldn’t be.
She tried to look but Riv held her to him, turning so his side faced toward the street as the procession continued and it wasn’t until the group passed that he let her go.
Her gaze flew immediately to where the alien had been standing with the child and her heart jumped and caught in her throat.
Green fluid stained the street and in the middle of it all lay the headless bodies of the alien and child.
21
Lauren looked out over the yellow-orange plain.
It was getting dark and the pink sky was slowly turning to a purple hue.
The hovercar sped along, heading back to the Sanctuary and she clutched the hamper holding the things she’d bought in her lap.
It kept replaying in her head.
The metal unsheathing. The sounds that came after.
The sight of the aftermath.
She couldn’t speak.
She’d been silenced since she’d seen the bodies in the street.
After the procession passed, the bodies had been quickly cleaned up, removed, and shopping had continued as usual as if the lives of the parent and child hadn’t mattered.
It was so unreal…so cold.
“Why,” she finally spoke. “Why did they do that?” Her gaze moved over the plain before them. “Why did they just…kill them like that? They didn’t do anything wrong. They didn’t…”
She glanced at Riv.
He had his head held straight—almost as if he hadn’t heard her speak but his body was rigid.
The scene replayed before her once more. She was sure it was going to haunt her forever.
Riv had turned her face away; he’d pulled her against him.
He’d known what was going to happen.
Her eyes widened a little.
“You knew.” She stared at him, horror flooding through her. “You knew it was going to happen.”
Riv’s throat moved.
“The Tasqals are not a forgiving species,” was all he said.
There was silence in the hovercar before he continued. “They take what they want, when they want it. They do not