idea how I came across it or how it works.” Then a thought came to me. “What if we went back to where you found me and tried to activate the portal? All I did was walk through; maybe that’s all it would take.”
He dismissed the idea with a quick shake of his head. “It’s too dangerous right now to attempt a discovery mission. Besides, my men and I have walked every inch of this planet and we never came across any portal.”
I nodded my head, but somehow I already knew that I was the key to activating the portal.
His glance flickered away, and then sliced back. “That’s why I enlisted a help of a goddess. There may be things you can’t remember, but we still need in order to assure mankind’s safety.”
Wisps of unease began to curl through my belly. I still didn’t trust this man. I was becoming less and less judgmental of my BBD’s decision to knock him off. Of course, that was not something I wanted him to know. “And how do you propose to get that information?”
He uncrossed his arms. Concern flashed in his eyes, but immediately it was replaced by cold indifference. This was a man who would get the job done and not waste energy on regret. “It will all be over soon.”
Chapter Nine
W hat the hell was that supposed to mean? If this was another death threat, then I was about willing to slice my own throat in order to stop the suspense of it all.
My head snapped to the side as the door opened, and five very capable looking soldiers, armed with machine guns, marched in. Buzz cuts and camouflage galore, the men displayed a uniformed front resembling cutout paper dolls. Their stance military ready, their guns in front for easy access. The soldiers’ gaze darted around the room as if ready to address any threat. Apparently finding none, they opened their ranks in a half circle, enabling me to see what they were so jacked up over.
There in the center, protected like a lamb among lions, stood a tall, willowy figure in dingy white robes. Her shoulders were stooped, gray hair long and unkempt. Her head was cast down as if in deference so I couldn’t see her eyes, but my wisps of unease grew and encircled my heart with a constricting grip.
ConRad had shot to his feet at their entrance. Giving his full attention to the woman, he gave a small bow. “My utmost gratitude for coming.”
Gesturing to the woman, ConRad looked to me. “This is Aura. Aura, this is Kris. Aura is a goddess, one of the most powerful in the compound, perhaps in all of civilization. Since you’re new here, I’ll explain a few things. All goddesses, when first their powers are perceived, are isolated from any human contact so they can more aptly focus their senses within. Very few humans are allowed to even speak with a goddess, but since this is such an extreme case, we made an exception.”
He turned his attention back to the robed figure. “Aura, do you know why you are here?”
“Of course I do,” she snapped. “I wouldn’t be a very good goddess if I didn’t.”
My eyes darted back and forth between ConRad and the goddess, trying to piece together their relationship. Hadn’t ConRad said he was the Commander at the compound? So who was this woman and why did he treat her with such respect? Respect that was sorely lacking in his treatment with me.
“Then thank you again for coming,” ConRad said, with a reverence and moved to the side.
A path cleared be ^"1em" tween her and me. The very air seemed to part. There was a strange pulling sensation from this woman, as if invisible tethers were being thrown out from her soul and hooking into mine.
Aura stepped out from her protectors and the soldiers scurried out of her path, almost as if they were afraid to touch her. Gliding over she sat on the chair ConRad had vacated, all the while her head still bent with stringy hair obscuring her features.
Something wasn’t right. What had ConRad threatened earlier—mind-invasion? Chills rose on the back of my neck and
He dismissed the idea with a quick shake of his head. “It’s too dangerous right now to attempt a discovery mission. Besides, my men and I have walked every inch of this planet and we never came across any portal.”
I nodded my head, but somehow I already knew that I was the key to activating the portal.
His glance flickered away, and then sliced back. “That’s why I enlisted a help of a goddess. There may be things you can’t remember, but we still need in order to assure mankind’s safety.”
Wisps of unease began to curl through my belly. I still didn’t trust this man. I was becoming less and less judgmental of my BBD’s decision to knock him off. Of course, that was not something I wanted him to know. “And how do you propose to get that information?”
He uncrossed his arms. Concern flashed in his eyes, but immediately it was replaced by cold indifference. This was a man who would get the job done and not waste energy on regret. “It will all be over soon.”
Chapter Nine
W hat the hell was that supposed to mean? If this was another death threat, then I was about willing to slice my own throat in order to stop the suspense of it all.
My head snapped to the side as the door opened, and five very capable looking soldiers, armed with machine guns, marched in. Buzz cuts and camouflage galore, the men displayed a uniformed front resembling cutout paper dolls. Their stance military ready, their guns in front for easy access. The soldiers’ gaze darted around the room as if ready to address any threat. Apparently finding none, they opened their ranks in a half circle, enabling me to see what they were so jacked up over.
There in the center, protected like a lamb among lions, stood a tall, willowy figure in dingy white robes. Her shoulders were stooped, gray hair long and unkempt. Her head was cast down as if in deference so I couldn’t see her eyes, but my wisps of unease grew and encircled my heart with a constricting grip.
ConRad had shot to his feet at their entrance. Giving his full attention to the woman, he gave a small bow. “My utmost gratitude for coming.”
Gesturing to the woman, ConRad looked to me. “This is Aura. Aura, this is Kris. Aura is a goddess, one of the most powerful in the compound, perhaps in all of civilization. Since you’re new here, I’ll explain a few things. All goddesses, when first their powers are perceived, are isolated from any human contact so they can more aptly focus their senses within. Very few humans are allowed to even speak with a goddess, but since this is such an extreme case, we made an exception.”
He turned his attention back to the robed figure. “Aura, do you know why you are here?”
“Of course I do,” she snapped. “I wouldn’t be a very good goddess if I didn’t.”
My eyes darted back and forth between ConRad and the goddess, trying to piece together their relationship. Hadn’t ConRad said he was the Commander at the compound? So who was this woman and why did he treat her with such respect? Respect that was sorely lacking in his treatment with me.
“Then thank you again for coming,” ConRad said, with a reverence and moved to the side.
A path cleared be ^"1em" tween her and me. The very air seemed to part. There was a strange pulling sensation from this woman, as if invisible tethers were being thrown out from her soul and hooking into mine.
Aura stepped out from her protectors and the soldiers scurried out of her path, almost as if they were afraid to touch her. Gliding over she sat on the chair ConRad had vacated, all the while her head still bent with stringy hair obscuring her features.
Something wasn’t right. What had ConRad threatened earlier—mind-invasion? Chills rose on the back of my neck and
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