Ascendant Saga Collection: Sci-Fi Fantasy Techno Thriller by Brandon Ellis (easy to read books for adults list txt) 📕

“Yes, Prime Chieftain.” Jaxx didn’t know if what he was saying was Kelhoon protocol or absolute bullshit. If it was bullshit, Okbak didn’t seem to notice.

“In the meantime, I have a proposition I’m taking into consideration. You’re the key to the pyramid network across the galaxy. A network created by the Ancients. I could either keep you and use you for my race’s benefit, or I could sell you for my own benefit. You’re worth a lot in galactic credits. You’d be the most expensive slave ever sold in Kelhoon history. I’d be a legend.”

“Do as you please, Master.” Jaxx did everything he could not to twitch a muscle and to keep his eyes on Okbak. But could Okbak not see the smoke or smell it? He wanted to close his eyes and call Zara, Fox, Rivkah…anyone to come and help him escape. Zara was right. He shouldn’t have gone it alone.

He concentrated on Okbak’s eyes and whispered for Zara, Kiyo-zan, and Fox in his mind. Help me. My cell stands unguarded and when it’s under guard, only a few Kelhoon stand watch. There has to be another way to turn off the energy bars around me. When you find the way, and disengage the bars’ electrical charge, come get me.

Okbak covered his hand over his ear. He nodded, his eyes conveying a tinge of surprise. “He is here now? Let him come forward.” He crossed his arms and gave a screwed-up smile in Jaxx’s direction—if you could call it a smile. His sharp, yellow-stained teeth and crooked upturned mouth looked more like a facial tick, but Jaxx knew it was supposed to mimic a smile, not something you came across often when dealing with the Kelhoon.

“How much he offers will determine my decision,” said Okbak. He didn’t explain who “he” was.

The door creaked open and a man in a full robe, his hood covering his face, walked in. The door shut behind him. He bowed to Okbak, then turned and bowed to Jaxx. A loud, mechanical laugh came from the man, like a saw cutting steel.

Jaxx forced himself to remain absolutely still, in spite of the summersaults his stomach was executing.

The newest visitor to Jaxx’s cell gave a few more cackles and sniffed. He flipped off his hood. It was Taz, his blue-gray skin flaking off his face, and his eyes burned a hole through Jaxx. “Before I hand over the majority of Agadon assets, in exchange for this stinking chunk of human meat, I must ask you, Kajka Okbak, why does my future prisoner have smoke pouring out of his head?”

Okbak curled his lips and narrowed his eyes. He took a deep whiff and eyed Jaxx more closely. He hissed and looked over his shoulder. “Guards!”

21

J-Quadrant, Solar System - Outskirts of Namuh Farms, Callisto

Abdu was playing dead. He had to be.

Rivkah pushed him forward and a rock slipped passed him and to the ground. “Abdu, I need you to move.”

Slade and his Kelhoon grunts had left the cave a few minutes ago, thinking Rivkah and Abdu were dead. It told her that Abdu’s invisible technique indeed worked, and Slade could no longer detect her. She wondered if it meant Jaxx couldn’t find her energy signature as well.

Right now, it didn’t matter. She pushed a rock off of her shoulder, then slid several more off of Abdu. When she did, she touched a gooey liquid on the back of his neck.

The cavern was dark and she couldn’t tell exactly what she was feeling, but her worst fears told her it was Abdu’s blood.

“Please get up.” She jammed her shoulder into his chest and pushed, rolling him away. More rocks cascaded off of him and fell to the cold, stone ground.

She patted his fur, looking for his face. When she felt soft lips and his cat-like nose, she held her hand a few inches away to feel his breath against her palm.

Her heart fell. He wasn’t breathing.

“No, no. Stay with me.” She slapped his chest, then pushed him onto his back and slammed her fists on his sternum. “Come back.” She slid the chains on his torso aside and used her fingers to locate Abdu’s breastbone, where his ribs came together. She placed the heel of one hand on the top of Abdu’s breastbone and laced the fingers of both of her hands together. She used her body as a weight and pressed down, one after the other, performing chest compressions. “I said come back.”

She pressed and he jolted, his arms and legs jerked back and forth. She sat back, lifting her hands off of him. “You awake? You there?”

No reply.

His arms and legs were limp.

She pounded his chest with her fist. “You son of a bitch. Come back to me.” She stood, placing her hands on her hips. She shook her head and glared up at the ceiling. “What the hell?” The lion saved her. He gave up his life for hers. Who would do that for her? She was nothing more than a pile of shit who could kick ass and take names, but that was about it.

Again, why would he die to save her? He deserved to live more than she ever did. He was a good individual who cared about life and had a compassionate heart. Rivkah, on the other hand, wanted revenge, justice, and to just live her life out without anyone bothering her again.

She reared back and kicked a rock. It ricocheted against the cave, echoing against the cave walls. She wiped a tear from her eye and bit her lip, telling herself there would be no more shedding of tears. She was responsible for Abdu’s death and she wasn’t going to let her pity herself for a situation she put them both in, and just to save some little girls and little boys she’d never met. What were they to her? Nothing. What was Abdu? Her friend. He was her dear, dear friend.

She should have just let the