Total pages in book: 82
Estimated words: 77692 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 388(@200wpm)___ 311(@250wpm)___ 259(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77692 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 388(@200wpm)___ 311(@250wpm)___ 259(@300wpm)
Many soldiers, I’d guess.
My eyes track how the ends of his black braids brush against the tops of his shoulders, and then my gaze drifts higher. Past scowling full lips, over a broad nose, to pitch black eyes that stare right at me. An upside down crescent moon sits just above his brows. His severely furrowed brows.
An alien. A Hallan, standing before me, drenched in blood and gore. Chest heaving with his exertion from his killing spree. It was my foes he murdered, but does that make him my friend?
THREE
“Who are you?” the Hallan’s deep voice asks. In my own language, no less.
Did my father ever make an alliance with them? Is this Hallan here to free us, or simply to kill all the humans he sees? I don’t know what I should say right now, which tactic to use.
“You tell me who you are,” I say instead.
His scowl deepens although I didn’t know it was possible with how grim he already looked.
“I am Halun,” he states as he begins stepping over the dead bodies at his feet. “The one who just saved you.”
“I needed no saving,” I snap.
His long legs had brought him a quarter of the way down the hallway with his strides, but at my words, he goes utterly still. Except for his mouth and eyes. His scowl drops so his lips can part and his eyes, those blaze, the black seeming to gleam for the seconds that pass with him staring so intently at me. Then, for a reason I utterly do not understand, a shuddering breath leaves him. I see his chest move with it, but even more than that, I hear it as if it’s right at my ear.
He comes forward, so quick and determined that I push Zarah behind me, even though she tries to resist. Mere feet from me, he doesn’t stop, but just keeps coming. I bring my knife up, prodding it into his stomach when he gets so close that our noses damn near touch. He looks down at it and his lips curve up into a smirk. If I thought his scowl looked threatening, this look makes me swallow just to restrain the shaky breath building in my throat. His head raises and his eyes meet my own. And again, his face inches closer to mine. I feel as if I’m falling into the dark depths of his gaze, but I have no idea why the fall feels comforting, like an embrace instead of the doom I would expect when face to face with an alien. Then, his eyes widen before he breathes a single word.
“Zawla.”
My brows furrow at the strange word.
“If you’re looking for someone named … Zawla, they’re not here.” I reach back to wrap my arm around Zarah. “Now, if you could step aside, we’ll just be on our way.”
He shakes his head slowly. “The only place you’re going is with me.”
“Excuse me,” I squeak out, suddenly feeling very much that no, he doesn’t want to kill me. He wants something else from me.
I take a single step back, but his hand whips out to wrap around the hand that’s not still holding a knife at his middle.
“Get your fucking hand off—”
“Are you Luna?” he interrupts me … again.
“How do you know that name?” I slowly ask.
“Your father thought you might be here.”
Relief fills me in an instant. “My father sent you?”
He nods and then looks around me. “And Zarah?”
“Yes?” she poses more as a question than a response.
He gives her a tilt of his head before saying, “My brother, your daughter’s mate, sent me for you.”
“Oh, my Selina.” I can hear the joy and tears in her voice.
“How can we know it’s truly safe to go with you?”
He looks at the floor around him. “You’d rather stay here with rotting corpses?”
“I don’t want to go with you and possibly become another rotting corpse,” I reply curtly.
For whatever reason, that makes him smirk again. “It’s not really a choice. You are coming with me.”
I press the knife harder. “Not if I spill your guts all over this hallway.”
“You’re welcome to try.”
Many have underestimated me. All have paid for it.
I shove the knife forward, only to feel the blade shatter against his middle. Looking down, only the handle remains in my hand. Maybe if I hadn’t been so intent on proving I wasn’t some woman who will just do as he tells her, I would have remembered that I’d heard knives have no effect on Hallans. I am thoroughly reminded of that fact right now, though.
“Are you done?” he asks, amusement at me in his voice.
I look at him with narrowed eyes, probably not having as much effect when I have to tilt my head so far back to even meet his eyes.
“We can see ourselves out. I will find my own way back to my father,” I say. “I don’t know you or your intentions, and after my very unpleasant stay here, I’d rather not put myself in a position to be someone else’s captive.”