The Invisible Bright by Mindi Briar

Author:Mindi Briar
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781648983924
Publisher: City Owl Press

It’s ten minutes—a short eternity—until the airlock alarm goes off, warning us that Captain Ykros’s shuttle is about to dock.

Prince pauses as he packs away the game board. The guards, Vance and Lowe, got some communication from the captain and hustled off the ship, leaving us free to explain the plan to our pilot. “Genius,” was his assessment, “but the tricky part is going to be letting her get kidnapped while convincing them we don’t want them to take her. It’s tough to lose a fight on purpose.”

“Bold of you to assume we’re stronger than a space station full of Imperial guards,” was my response. I’m honestly worried about our chances of getting off this space station at all, with Miri or without her. Our window of opportunity to get gone has closed. We’re going to have to fight our way out.

“Brace yourselves,” Prince says now. “This is gonna get ugly.” He tucks the Dungeon box under the pilot seat and removes a sleek black case instead, which he opens to reveal a blaster.

<That’s not standard Knight issue,> Lawry observes.

“Nope,” Prince says without a trace of guilt. “And I don’t use it often. But I’ve needed it enough times that I don’t see any sense in getting rid of it.”

I pat the stunner at my waist. Its electrical pulse paralyzes temporarily but is nonlethal in most cases, which is why it’s the favored weapon of the Knights. The Imperial Authorities aren’t nearly as careful about taking lives. They’ll be using real blasters. Adrenaline zings through me. Yeah, we’ll be lucky to get out of this one.

<Remember, we’re not supposed to know they want Miri,> says Lawry. <Act normal.>

“Should we pretend to still be playing Dungeon?” I ask.

Prince snorts. “I ain’t risking my game board in the middle of a battle.”

Miri nudges me. “Shh. They’re coming.”

Through the open passenger door, we watch as Ykros and Amy cross the hangar bay toward Prince’s ship. I don’t miss the nod Ykros gives to the two guards, who are once more at their posts outside our ship.

Prince is the one who greets them in the doorway. “What’d Melanie say? Did she tell you anything?”

Amy’s shoulders slump. “I couldn’t get anything out of her. I’m sorry, Lawry. I’m afraid I wasn’t very professional.” She folds her arms. “The captain brought me back here to take a break, but I want to try again. I’m not giving up. She does know something, if I can just—”

Her words choke off into a gasp as Captain Ykros swiftly presses her blaster to Amy’s temple.

“Don’t try anything stupid,” she says smoothly, seeing all of us flinch toward our holsters. “Vance! Lowe! You know what to do.”

She pulls Amy backward, and the two guards shoulder their way back into the passenger bay of Prince’s ship, brandishing their own guns.

“Seriously, Vance?” Prince groans, holding up his hands in surrender. “I thought we were having a good time.”

“Orders are orders,” says the guard gruffly. “Get down on the floor, all of you. Hands above your head.

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