Cursed by Keri Arthur

Author:Keri Arthur [Arthur, Keri]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: KA Publishing PTY LTD

Nine

The sword barrier had certainly been breached—and in multiple places. In some areas it had utterly melted, while in others the heavy metal swords had simply been parted or flattened. They might well have been twigs for all the respect the bipeds had shown them.

And in the settlement itself….

I briefly closed my eyes and fought the surge of my stomach. The Skaran certainly hadn’t evacuated their city; in fact, it was rather apparent that they’d barely even had time to realize they were in danger.

There were bodies everywhere; some were whole, but most were not. Those closest to me not only had the tops of their skulls sliced off but also fist-sized holes in their chests. There was no heart inside that cavity, just as there was no brain inside their skulls. The bipeds had obviously taken them as trophies.

I swallowed heavily. As much as I wanted to do nothing more than turn and run, I needed to see the full extent of this destruction—needed to know whether it involved the entire settlement, or if some here had managed to escape.

Though I doubted it. The pall of death hung too heavily over this place.

I touched the halo again. “I'm inside the barrier. The Skaran settlement has been destroyed.”

“What level of destruction are we talking about?” came the captain's voice.

“On first indication, it appears the Skaran have been annihilated. Buildings are untouched.”

Marx swore. “And the bipeds?”

“Other than their shield, there’s no sign of them. I'm going deeper.”

“Negative, Caracal One—”

“Captain, we need to know—”

“I understand that, Nyx, but you’re to hold position until Donal gets there.”

“But he’s injured—”

“And apparently as incapable of obeying orders as you.” Marx's voice was grim. “So damn well hold position until he arrives.”

“Will do, Cap.”

I crawled back through the barrier, pulled my knife free, and then swung my pack around and grabbed some trail rations. It was no substitute for bacon, eggs, and chunky bread, but it at least stopped my stomach from grumbling.

Dawn had given way to full sunshine by the time the wind picked up strength. I glanced up and saw Donal dropping rapidly toward the ground. He landed near the base of the long slope—which was probably as far as the wind could take him given that was pretty much where the earth’s pulse faded.

I pressed the halo. “Donal just arrived, Cap.”

“Good. Keep the halo open and describe what you see once you get back into that settlement.”

“Will do.”

I rose and watched the highlander walk toward me. His stride was long and strong, and though he was favoring his right leg a little, it obviously wasn’t bothering him too much. He had two pulse rifles strapped across his back, additional ammo clipped to his belt, and was holding a third rifle.

“You’ve come prepared for battle,” I commented. “Although I really wish you’d stayed at the garrison and let that wound fully heal.”

“You are not going into a Skaran settlement alone, Princess. Not when you're without your most dangerous weapon.”

I swung around and walked toward the barrier.

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