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Dax
ALEX
My fingers pressed into the metal counter as I stared with disbelief at the monitors.
Dad’s eyes widened. He then stumbled to the side and turned just as the anaman kicked him in the knee. He hit the ground hard. Andy stepped back, and Dad stared at him in surprise. The other human man yanked both weapons from Dad’s grasp, along with everything he had tucked into the sheaths and holsters.
Dad whispered something to Andy I could not hear, then turned to face the anaman. “She did not tell me,” he stuttered, his tone abnormally high.
The anaman grunted a reply that I could not understand. I leaned in closer. Dad was clearly flustered and upset, and not just because there was a weapon pointed at his head.
“We thought you were dead,” Dad said, shaking his head in response to whatever the other anaman was muttering.
My heart jumped in my throat. Dad really did know the anaman, but how was that possible? Is that why Andy was willing to sell us out? I shook my head at the thought. Dad had taught Andy everything he knew about battle and strategy. Dad must feel betrayed... unless there was more to their story.
The markings on my arms and legs tingled as I rose just a few inches off the ground. Hovering was easy, but it never took me anywhere, especially when I needed it the most. When I glanced down, one marking on my chest caught my eye, glistening a bright blue and swirling down the lines like a cascading waterfall. It was the one I had told everyone looked like a wide open mouth. An expanded sideways V.
My feet found the floor again, and I tore my shirt off to see the marking better. That had never happened before. It sparkled for a moment longer, then faded like the others. I ran into the other room and yanked on a tank top I had left on my bed, then returned to the security room as I was smoothing it down my abdomen.
Someday these strange abilities would make sense. I hoped. For now, I needed to find a way to save my family and friends.
Dad had left the wall of weapons open. My throat clenched when I gave the monitors another glance.
The anaman was yelling something too jumbled for my mind to comprehend, but then he clearly shouted, “After what you did to her, I will never trust a word you say! Her daughter and your cloaking device is all I need to return to her.”
The gray color in Dad’s face drained to a sickly white. “She has a daughter?”
None of it made sense to me. Who was he speaking about?
A chill raced down my spine. Whatever their argument, I still needed to stop them. I whirled around and planted my feet in front of the firearms. A large pistol-looking device was the first one I picked up. It was light with a green switch where the trigger would be on a gun. I had no idea what I was doing. This was bound to end in disaster.
I jerked on one of the armpit holsters, similar to the one the handsome intruder had been using. Then I slipped the weapon inside it. There was an identical device still on the wall, so I grabbed it too, along with a few daggers. My fighting skills were rusty, but I had always been quick on my feet, and I was hoping that would be enough for me to gain the upper hand.
I had lived my life by wishful thinking. I hoped it did not fail me now.
My gaze shot back to the monitors. Dad was on his knees, with his arms tied behind his back. Andy stood a few feet behind the anaman, who was continuing to speak to Dad in a hushed tone. Mom and Henry, along with a handful of others, were still nowhere to be seen.
I breathed a sigh of relief. Maybe if I made it to them before they were discovered, we could outnumber those who had weapons. I lifted a backpack from its hook and stuffed nine more pistol-like weapons inside it. Then, just to be careful, I closed the wall to the firearms before leaving the room.
The hover bikes were all that remained for me to use. I gulped as I stared at the two left in the docking room. I knew I should have paid more attention when Henry was teaching me how to start one. These were produced centuries after my time. They at least had to be more reliable than anything from the twenty-first century.
I tightened the shoulder straps on the backpack and clipped the one that wrapped around my waist. My leg tensed when I threw it over the seat of the bike. I did not want to do this. We came here for peace, not to fight another war. I squeezed my hands into fists, then leaned forward and stared at the three buttons in front of me.
“Green means go, right?” I mumbled, pressing that button and smiling when the bike purred to life. It was a subtle sound, but the button shone brighter, and the white lights at my feet flickered on. “I’ve got this.”
I swiped my thumb down my right forearm, and the option to link to the bike blinked on the hologram monitor. I tapped the green arrow. The green button on the bike blinked twice, then a check mark brightened against the light. Now to remember the commands.
“Rise,” I said, feeling just a tiny bit idiotic commanding a machine like this.
The bike rose a few inches. I looked at the bay door and pressed the button on my arm screen to only open the smaller section. Moments later, I was back outside in the vegetation, teetering slightly on the bike.
I stopped and took a few deep breaths, looking around to make sure no one was watching. “Forward. Slow,” I commanded. It only had three speeds: slow, standard, and fast. My cowardice nature was kicking in, as I inched forward at the only speed I was comfortable with—slow.
Making my way down the trail that led to my village, I mentally noted how to make it around the attackers without being seen. It was unfortunate Mom had decided to pick the farthest point for our home. The route would not be as easy, and I was not even sure the bike could make it. These were made smooth surface riding, like the floors on the larger ship still orbiting Earth. It was why they were always picked last.
Oh, well. If anything, I could walk the rest of the way. I liked my feet planted safely on the ground anyway.
I zigzagged past the massive trees creating an umbrella above me, their leaves a dull shade of green. None of the vegetation in this area held any vibrancy, which seemed odd, but I had accepted this dimension’s coloring was just different from my own.
I glanced up and noticed the dimming sunlight, but despite that and the shaded path, it was still warm. This was not the same South Dakota I left only a few months before. The air was thick and sticky, and plant life covered every inch of the land, unless someone had formed a path. It was nothing like the freezing springs I was used to enduring.
The funny thing was I missed the cold. And the safety. Well, it had been somewhat safe—definitely safe from an alien species, people who wanted me dead because of my parents’ choices, and terrifying factions from an alternate universe. Maybe returning to South Dakota was not the best decision I had made. I was the least qualified person on their entire ship to make that decision, but somehow the burden had fallen on my shoulders.
The village was close. I veered off to the right, following another path Henry and I had explored only a few days before. It would take me near a small lake, which had not existed in 2025, and then back around behind the home we were building.
A few minutes away from the lake, I heard voices. They were loud enough that I knew they weren’t coming from the village. They were too close.
“Slow to halt,” I whispered just loud enough to the bike.
It slowed and stopped on the side of the path, under one of the trees. I pushed it completely off the path and hid it as best I could between the tree and a bush. Then I tiptoed up the rocky path, following the sound of their voices.
“We need to go back.”
It was the same voice of the girl who was trying to break into the ship. Every muscle in my body tightened. They were still around.
“There is no way I’m returning until we have the device. Beck will have our heads on sticks if we strolled in without it.”
Someone else grumbled the word “father,” followed by something I could not understand.
The girl hissed, “Grow up, Jako. We have been through far worse than this.”
She quieted, and when I made my way around the bend in the path, I nearly stepped into their view. I scurried back, praying I did not make too much noise.
“Did you hear that?” Jako whispered.
“No,” the woman snapped, stomping farther up the path away from me. I could hear the pebbles flipping out from underneath her shoes. “Where did that infuriating man run off to? We need his help.”
“Maybe that was him.” Jako’s voice was growing quieter as they made their way toward the lake.
I was going to have to find another path or wait until they were gone. Sighing heavily, my shoulders fell forward as I crept back to the bike. It was nearly dark, and I did not know these woods well enough to be out here alone.
The bike eased out of its hiding spot. Riding it slowly up the path, I searched for alternate routes but was coming up short. Dad could be dead for all I knew. I was the worst hero ever.
To my right, a shifting shadow caught my eye, but when I looked, there were only more trees. As I turned my attention back to the path, my heart leapt into my throat as the handsome man who had been trying to break into the ship leapt onto the path and blocked my way.
I twisted the handle on the bike, which turned it around, and I took off in the opposite direction. My heart thumped against my chest.
“Hey there, phantom sorceress.” He was jogging next to the bike.
I choked back a scream. Nearly toppling to the side, I clung onto the front of the bike and somehow steadied myself. “Fast,” I commanded the machine. It lurched forward, leaving the gorgeous stranger in my wake.
He was sprinting behind me. I could sense his energy only inches away. The ridiculous bike could not even outrun a human.
“I. Can. Help,” I heard him stutter between gasps of air.
I was losing him, but for how long? He obviously knew these woods better than me. Even with this being my home, it was a strange place with the climate change and the overgrown vegetation. I needed help.
I slowed the bike, then stopped completely. His rapid breathing warned me he was too close for comfort, but instead of moving farther down the path, I stood and turned to face him. I was greeted by his charming but tired smile. We were nearly eye to eye, with him having only two or three inches height on me. It was surprisingly pleasant to have a human man be taller than me.
He reached out his hand, closed in a fist. “Nice to meet you, phantom sorceress. My name is Dax.”
I raised a brow and took a chance, fist-bumping him in response. He smiled and dropped his hand by his side. Some traditions never die, and that must be one of them. It was difficult not to return his smile.
“I’m Alex,” I replied. My grin fell from my face, remembering why I was out here. His gentle eyes begged me to trust him, and despite my knowing this could be a trap, I was out of options. “I need to get to my mom in our village. Can you really help?”
He scrunched up his nose. “Is your mum in the village being held by the dirty anaman, Tatum?”
That was a good sign. Right? Either he was an excellent performer or he really despised the anaman holding my people hostage.
“I do not know his name, but it could be him,” I said, tapping my foot against the ground. “There is an anaman there, along with a handful of humans, holding a gun to my dad’s head. My mom is hiding somewhere else. Can you get me there undetected?”
His brows furrowed as I spoke, creating a deep line between them.
“You really aren’t from around here, are you?” he asked, softening his facial muscles and stepping toward me.
I scurried back and around the bike, putting it between us. “Why do you say that?”
“Your accent is unusual.” He moved even closer, tilting his head as if he were studying me. “We knew you arrived in a small anaman ship, but we figured you came from one of the southern clans. They seem to love the desert heat, but you are something different. The way you clothe yourself...” He pointed at my attire and then at my hair. “The way you wear your hair... And these machines are nothing like I have seen before.”
I scowled. “Forget my accent and my clothes. I need to rescue my mom. Please.” I clutched the handlebar of the bike and pulled it closer to me. “If you can’t help, I need to leave.”
“Relax, my phantom sorceress. I will help you get there.” His smile widened on his face again, and my knees weakened a little.
Who was casting a spell on whom?
“No need for that. Alex will do just fine,” I said, swinging my leg over the bike’s seat. “I will follow you.”
The corner of the left side of his mouth quirked up in amusement, but I ignored him as I commanded the bike to rise and move forward.
“Yes, Alex,” he murmured and then jogged ahead of me.
Not even a minute had passed, and Dax swerved off the main path and waved me into the trees. An obscure narrow trail weaved its way through thick vegetation. I hoped it led us straight to the village. A twinge of regret pulled at my heart. I wish I had explored these hills more before tonight. It would have saved me a lot of hassle, and I would not have to rely on a stranger.
My nerves were shot. I had no idea if Dad or anyone else were still alive. Mom and Henry could have been discovered and killed as well, for all I knew. And now the bike was struggling to make it down the rocky path. I had to leave it behind.
Directing it into the trees, I then leapt off the bike and tightened the straps of my backpack. Dax was several yards ahead, so I could barely see the outline of his figure as he crept closer toward town. I hurried to catch up, my ears straining to hear anything from my people or the intruders. It was still quiet.
Was he leading me around in circles to distract me?
My gut wrenched from the thought. I skidded to a halt and crept sideways into the protection of the trees. A few steps in and my foot caught on something piercing upward from the matted earth. Leaning closer, I could not help but smile. The moonlight was shining on the hood of a Dodge truck or SUV. The first D was missing, but the rest of the emblem was intact. It was a rare moment when the past stumbled onto my path.
“What’s the hold up?” Dax whispered behind me.
I jumped, knocking the top of my head against a branch. My gaze shot over, and I saw him standing a few feet away. His arms were folded over his chest, and his flattering smirk was rising on his lips. He was obviously amused by my clumsiness.
I rubbed the top of my head. “I lost you,” I grumbled.
With a grin plastered on his face, he grabbed my hand and pulled me alongside him. “We are almost there, phantom sorceress. Stay close this time.”
For a man traipsing through the thick brush of what used to be South Dakota, he sure smelled pleasant. It was almost as if he had rubbed a lavender perennial all over him. I inwardly groaned. He was casting a spell on me. He could walk me into a trap, and I would probably thank him for it. I really did suck at being the hero.
I fell into step right behind him, and we crept closer. I could finally see the outline of our house. He had brought me to the far end just like I had wanted. How did he know?
I did not have time to ask him. There were voices up ahead and they sounded heated.
Then something cold pressed into the back of my head. “Hold still,” a man behind me hissed. “I will take those weapons.”
