Amaryah's Awakening

Chapter Twenty

Zon Headquarters, First Quadrant, Andromeda Galaxy.

Zogan

Zogan looked around at his team as they sat in the ejection shuttle. The shuttle was cloaked with camouflage devices that would keep them off the map of the Zon if it all went well. There were seven of them in total, three of his elite warriors and himself, Azazel, Ravanna and Mara. They were all seated and strapped in, the ground shuddering with the shuttle's rapid flight toward the hive-quarters. Azazel and Mara were deep in conversation while Ravanna settled into his gift, eyes almost wholly black.

Zogan had begun doing so as well, explaining to Mya what their gift did and the process it took to get in and out of their destruction. He would still know her but everything he did would be tinged with violence. He looked to his right and there sat his mate, his betrothed, and one day queen. Her full lips and red hair concealed beneath the dark hood that all his warriors wore. Only her mismatched eyes stared up at him. He was sure his eyes were fully black, no hint of color in them but she did not look away, even though she had never seen this side of him. She only leaned her head forward to rest their foreheads together, eyes open and fixed onto his.

The ground shuddered again and she broke contact to look out the screen panel to her right, it showed the darkness outside. Space; massive and consuming, and in its midst a floating space station. It presented like a black, jagged, clawed hand that reached up from the barren world below it. A world that was destroyed by the Zon's carelessness and greed. No wonder they'd allied themselves with the Ajal.

The hive-quarters were made up of six broad curved spikes that were held together by a circular platform running through them all at the base. The one passageway into where they were headed. He saw Mya shut her eyes and squeeze them closed as she leaned back into her seat. He could scent her fear in the air. He reached for her hand and held it tightly unsure of what to say in the moment. He did want her to be afraid, fear preserved lives. They were heading into a dangerous situation, one that he would never have placed her in if she didn't have the damning gift. But his mate was strong, determined and despite her size very capable. It will be over soon.

He pushed toward her through his mental guards that he'd built the moment his tutor had shown he and his siblings the way to defend themselves against certain gifts. Mya's hand tightened and she nodded, eyes still closed tightly.

The ride was bumpy and took some time as the shuttle had to find its way around the space junk that the wretched Zon released from their home. Zogan soon found the bottom of his gift and became lost to it. The world around him tinged red, his scales hardened and sharpened. His fangs and claws ached to lengthen, ready to protect what was his. He dripped in weaponry too as did all the warriors. He'd given Mya a powerful laser and a blaster, and she'd chosen a wicked curved blade and strapped it to her back, placing a smaller one at her thigh, complementing it with the laser on the other.

Zogan had felt pride swell in his chest when he'd seen just how amazing she was in training. She was smart and found ways to use her smallness to her advantage, something her sparring partners had underestimated her for every time.

He sprang up when they stopped, barely allowing the seatbelts holding them in place to retract into their holds. They were all moving down the corridors headed to the suit rooms. The rest of the trip would be taken through the short strip of space between them and the Zon.

His team was a well-oiled machine and they moved efficiently. Mara helped Mya put on her suit while Zogan went over the plan with Ravanna making sure there were no missing pieces. He suited up into his space diving gear, a thick material that sealed him off from the outside atmosphere, complete with helmet and breathing masks. It was lined with material that would make their flight invisible to the Zon who had poor eyesight in high light situations.