Total pages in book: 182
Estimated words: 171288 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 856(@200wpm)___ 685(@250wpm)___ 571(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 171288 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 856(@200wpm)___ 685(@250wpm)___ 571(@300wpm)
“The Eye twill fit in the palm of a female’s hand. Yet tis heavier than it would appear and seems to drag upon the one who wears it. It is very beautiful, being painted with gold and stained with all manner of precious lazuli oils. Yet it carries with it a feeling of dread and he who wears it will feel a shadow on his soul which may not be lifted until the Eye of Ten’gu is removed.”
“The one who wears it?” V’rex asked, frowning. “Is it a piece of jewelry or something?”
“I don’t know.” Penny shook her head. “It doesn’t say. Sounds like it could be. And all that talk about a feeling of dread and a shadow on your soul…” She shivered. “Let’s just get it and get out of here as fast as possible.”
“Uh, that may be a problem, sweetheart,” V’rex remarked.
“What? Why?” Penny looked up to see that they had come to the end of the long, twisty gorge they’d been flying through. There, on the side of a vast mountain rising like a monolith into the gray sky of the frozen planet, she saw an immense crack which had been carved into the shape of a doorway. But resting on the canyon floor was a small army of alien spaceships.
“It looks like we’ve got company,” V’rex growled. “I’m afraid somebody beat us here.”
Ninety-Seven
“Who do you think is here?” Penny asked, staring at the ships as V’rex found an empty spot to park his own ship in.
“If I had to guess, I’d say it’s the Fox’ens,” V’rex remarked. “See the markings on the sides of the ships? They’re all the same—all from the same tribe.”
“Commander Sylvan and Kat did tell me that they were worried about them coming up here to the Northern continent now that they’re spreading across Yown Beta,” Penny said. She nibbled her bottom lip worriedly. “Do you think they’ll be a problem?”
“I don’t know,” V’rex admitted. “I’ve only dealt with them a few times. Never had problems before but then, the stakes were never so high. They’re a very proud people and they value barter and contests of will over any kind of currency.”
“Sounds like a fascinating culture,” Penny said. “I just wish I was here to study them instead of trying to get an artifact out of a mountain they have clearly already claimed.”
“Chances are they haven’t been here long,” V’rex said. “Probably don’t even know where the Eye is hidden. You have the clues on your map, right?”
Penny nodded.
“It’s supposed to be in the deepest, darkest place in the mountain. Although I’m not sure how we’ll tell which spot is the deepest and the darkest in there. Mount Ra’gar is huge.” She motioned at the vast gray peak in front of them. “Also, I’m not sure how well I’m going to survive the cold out there. Kat had made me a warm-suit to wear that was supposed to keep me insulated but I lost it when the NeverBreeders captured me.”
“You won’t need to worry about the cold—not unless we’re here for over a week or so,” V’rex told her.
“What? Why not?” Penny asked.
“Because my lust-honey is still in your system.” He looked away as he spoke, busying himself with the ship’s controls and not meeting her eyes. “It will keep you warm enough—it works as a kind of biological antifreeze. Of course if we end up staying here for an extended length of time…”
“Then…you’d have to sting me again?” Penny asked in a small voice. She didn’t want to hurt his feelings but the idea of going through that fiery agony again was too much.
“No.” V’rex’s face hardened. “Then we’d have to go before you froze. I cannot sting you again under any circumstances—we are Foresworn, remember?”
“How could I forget?” Penny tried not to let the bitterness slip into her tone but it was hard not to. She still felt blindsided by the sudden way the big Hybrid had broken things off with her.
Although at least he’s willing to come along and help me with my mission, she reminded herself. That’s something, at least.
“You should be fine,” V’rex said, ignoring her comment. “I’ve stung you three times in the past two days. That’s enough lust-honey in your system to keep you from freezing for quite a while.”
“Okay…thanks,” Penny said numbly, not sure what else to say.
“Of course, we’ll still replicate you a fur body suit,” V’rex said casually. “One for me too. It will help us keep warm and fit in with the Fox’ens.”
“A fur bodysuit?” Penny asked, raising her eyebrows.
“The Fox’ens have a natural fur coat,” V’rex explained. “And they tend to get along better with people who emulate them. They consider it a form of flattery when ‘hairless ones’ as they sometimes call us, dress to look like them.” He frowned. “Might have the replicator whip a couple of fur hats for us, too. Couldn’t hurt.”