being held in the building as well.”
“She’s not with you?” I recognize Jen’s voice this time. “When they took Trus and I, they put us in cells across from each other. Are you sure?”
I chuckle. As if I’d not know exactly where she is. “No, I’m positive. I left her on the main floor waiting for me. Just inside the door—”
“I’ll go check now.” There’s shuffling as the female voice has me letting out a sigh of relief.
Scratching lightly at my head which has begun to tingle, I realize my skin is sensitive to the touch. “They took me down alone, but now that I’m here, and I don’t know how long it has been, I believe she’s below me.”
There’s more murmuring, and within a few breaths, the female voice is back. “No. She’s not in the waiting room.”
“Well, we’ll have to get her out once we’re in there.”
“Agreed.”
“Don’t worry, Jaxtyn. We’ll stay together, and we won’t leave until we have her.”
Blowing out a breath, I give them a nod that I realize immediately they can’t see. But as a commotion starts down by the corridor’s entry point, I realize they’re already here. Payak appears in front of me, and it isn’t until he walks through the grated bars that I realize he’s not completely phased into the Earth’s dimension. “Did you forget? We’ve all been treated with the vibrational accelerator.”
Crouching in front of me, he holds out a hand. We clasp wrists so he can pull me up. “That’s how we’re able to coordinate so quickly and able to come here with Jen. We can see and go into each other’s dimensions, and she was able to bring us here.”
Sliding his hands across my shoulders, he moves behind me, studying my back. A darker-skinned female walks in front of the bars, passing through them as Payak asks, “Is there a trick to getting this out? I don’t want to fuck anything—”
A searing pain in my back has me doubling over. “It didn’t hurt that bad for us. I’m sorry.” Her small soft hand brushes my shoulder before I hear her say, “I’ll be right back with some clothing.”
“Are you alright, Jaxtyn?” Straightening, I look into a familiar face I haven’t seen in some time. Mavin was assigned to Teleplay after failing an educational check and reporting—too early for the Sovereignty’s liking—the exposure and first signs of contamination of a fledgling planet. Unfortunately, the fledgling planet was real, but the exposure aspect was a simulation to test his reactions.
It’s not unusual for the Sovereignty to program in simulation testing. I’m not even sure I believe Mavin didn’t know it was a simulation. He may have intentionally failed as I did three assignments ago. After the debacle with Purlogh, everyone was on the same page that reporting is better than withholding due to the consequences. Agreements be damned.
Rolling my shoulders, I try to shake off the fog that’s been keeping me from focusing on my mate. I’m nodding before I can even stand on my own. Payak’s strong arm is still flung around my waist, supporting me. “Are you sure? Jen could take you back—”
“No!” Jen’s already materialized beside me holding a robe. Payak takes it and practically dresses me. “I’ll be fine in a moment.”
Daring to phase, even with them touching me, we easily go into my gateway before I let out a relieved breath as we materialize outside the bars. “Never again,” I swear, shaking off their hands and looking toward the door where the guards were stationed earlier. I don’t see them now. Instead, Teresa and Jade materialize, walking through the door and waving us forward.
“You guys, there’s another room just like this one holding humans! We have to get them out. Come on!”
Teresa’s already turned and left the room with Payak hot on her heels. Desin roars next to me, “Jade! Wait for me.”
She falters, taking a step back.
We’re already at her side when I press forward along with them, happy to be feeling almost normal again. There’s nothing like a good phase to rejuvenate your body. If they’re holding humans, maybe Zoey is there with them too! I have to find her immediately.
CHAPTER THIRTY
- Zoey
Trying to buy myself time, I close the door to the bathroom and wonder how long I’ve been sleeping? It couldn’t have been too long, although I’m fairly well rested.
Stepping into the water, I let the warmth seep into my body. I’m so cold … so scared … and so worried about