how they were maintaining their power. The planet of Sandaria, although beautiful, had no natural resources to speak of. The reason for its affluence was the Portal Masters. Planets paid dearly for the creation of portals and continued paying in order to maintain them. Limitations inherent in portals would mean interstellar ships would always be necessary, but having one or more portals on a planet was a sign of great prestige. Vertan and its people must be contained at all cost.
* * * *
Ria’s heart pounded as she ran into the forest. The tall trees helped with the rain, but large drops still pelted her face. Night had fully fallen, and the wet ground slowed her progress. She stumbled over an exposed tree root.
Frack.
Branches scraped across her arms and face. Someone was in front of her. Someone on her side. Muffled footfalls and angry curses of their pursuers followed from behind. Farther to their left came the frenzied sound of woricks barking. Fear ripped through her, but she pushed it aside.
“Faster. We have to go faster.” She didn’t know who she spoke to.
They stepped up the pace. The mountain loomed overhead on their right. The ground rose to a punishing incline. Her legs and lungs burned. They’d run for so long her psi was drained. She wouldn’t last much longer. Still, they pushed on.
Die now or die later. We have to keep going.
They reached the base of the cliffs and veered left. It was open here. Exposed. The relentless rain battered them. They searched for something. Ria slipped on the wet rocks and fell, smashing her knee into a sharp edge. She stifled a cry. A firm hand gripped her arm and helped her up. Who was she with? She couldn’t see a face. They continued along the base of the mountain.
There!
Ahead was a fissure in the rock. They approached quickly, but with caution. Ria glanced back. The forest was dense below, and she couldn’t see anything, but the men’s voices and the barking grew louder. They would breach the forest any second. Rain poured down her face.
Whoever she was with disappeared into the side of the mountain. She took a deep breath and followed. A narrow space. Jagged stone scratched her arm, tearing into the wounds left by the trees below. She bit back a cry. It was cold here. Her stomach knotted in terror, and she wanted to scream.
Water poured in from above. The fissure went all the way to the top. She wiped the water from her eyes and blinked, trying to see. I’ve been here before.
Deeper they went.
Why was this happening? Who was after them? Why did she have to be with this person? Because somehow she knew she did have to be with him. She fought back tears of frustration and fear.
She moved her gaze to the man ahead of her and stared into steel gray eyes. A look of horror dawned on his face as a laser pierced her side from behind.
Ria bolted upright in bed and checked her side for injury. Her heart pounded, and the fear was far too real. She blew out a breath.
Ty. She had to focus on breathing slow. An emotion so strong it bordered on pain tore through her. No. It couldn’t be.
This was the third time she’d had the dream, but she’d never been able to see who was with her. Till now. Flipping back the damp sheets, she swung her legs off the bed and stretched her arms up and back.
Three days had passed since Leon Jara’s death. The others had returned to Earth, but she remained, waiting for Lieutenant Sou to approve her departure. He didn’t know the portal existed. She could leave at any time, but Rucon wanted her to abide by the rules. They were strict rules, too. They’d tagged her DNA and would know if she left the planet. Which totally sucked because she couldn’t even use the sim arena back on Earth. Her exercise was limited to hiking the surrounding forests and beaches and lifting weights. Not nearly as effective or exhilarating as battling it out in a sim. She was antsy, needed to exercise. Ty’s gray eyes rose in her mind. He’d
* * * *
Ria’s heart pounded as she ran into the forest. The tall trees helped with the rain, but large drops still pelted her face. Night had fully fallen, and the wet ground slowed her progress. She stumbled over an exposed tree root.
Frack.
Branches scraped across her arms and face. Someone was in front of her. Someone on her side. Muffled footfalls and angry curses of their pursuers followed from behind. Farther to their left came the frenzied sound of woricks barking. Fear ripped through her, but she pushed it aside.
“Faster. We have to go faster.” She didn’t know who she spoke to.
They stepped up the pace. The mountain loomed overhead on their right. The ground rose to a punishing incline. Her legs and lungs burned. They’d run for so long her psi was drained. She wouldn’t last much longer. Still, they pushed on.
Die now or die later. We have to keep going.
They reached the base of the cliffs and veered left. It was open here. Exposed. The relentless rain battered them. They searched for something. Ria slipped on the wet rocks and fell, smashing her knee into a sharp edge. She stifled a cry. A firm hand gripped her arm and helped her up. Who was she with? She couldn’t see a face. They continued along the base of the mountain.
There!
Ahead was a fissure in the rock. They approached quickly, but with caution. Ria glanced back. The forest was dense below, and she couldn’t see anything, but the men’s voices and the barking grew louder. They would breach the forest any second. Rain poured down her face.
Whoever she was with disappeared into the side of the mountain. She took a deep breath and followed. A narrow space. Jagged stone scratched her arm, tearing into the wounds left by the trees below. She bit back a cry. It was cold here. Her stomach knotted in terror, and she wanted to scream.
Water poured in from above. The fissure went all the way to the top. She wiped the water from her eyes and blinked, trying to see. I’ve been here before.
Deeper they went.
Why was this happening? Who was after them? Why did she have to be with this person? Because somehow she knew she did have to be with him. She fought back tears of frustration and fear.
She moved her gaze to the man ahead of her and stared into steel gray eyes. A look of horror dawned on his face as a laser pierced her side from behind.
Ria bolted upright in bed and checked her side for injury. Her heart pounded, and the fear was far too real. She blew out a breath.
Ty. She had to focus on breathing slow. An emotion so strong it bordered on pain tore through her. No. It couldn’t be.
This was the third time she’d had the dream, but she’d never been able to see who was with her. Till now. Flipping back the damp sheets, she swung her legs off the bed and stretched her arms up and back.
Three days had passed since Leon Jara’s death. The others had returned to Earth, but she remained, waiting for Lieutenant Sou to approve her departure. He didn’t know the portal existed. She could leave at any time, but Rucon wanted her to abide by the rules. They were strict rules, too. They’d tagged her DNA and would know if she left the planet. Which totally sucked because she couldn’t even use the sim arena back on Earth. Her exercise was limited to hiking the surrounding forests and beaches and lifting weights. Not nearly as effective or exhilarating as battling it out in a sim. She was antsy, needed to exercise. Ty’s gray eyes rose in her mind. He’d
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