Page 91 of Riv's Sanctuary

It was obvious the older alien was trying to get the younger one off the street but it took too long.

The procession came to a stop before them.

“You dare to block the way of Ambassador Klupengi, degenerate?” one of those horrible-looking guards spoke.

The old alien lifted its head, its body trembling as it tried to tug at the child.

“N-No. Forgive me, Ambassador. It will never happen again.” The alien tried to bow but, trembling the way it was, that action proved difficult. With a tug of his arm, he tried to pull the child out of the street but the little thing was stubborn as it sat in the street and played with its toy.

Lauren gulped.

“Move!” another guard ordered.

“I—” the alien began, but she didn’t hear the rest of what he said.

Her face was suddenly plastered against Riv’s hard chest as he pulled her into him, shielding her from what happened next.

She didn’t see it but she heard it.

That undeniable sound of metal unsheathing and then a sick squelch.

And another.

No.

It couldn’t be.

She tried to look but Riv held her to him, turning so his side faced toward the street as the procession continued and it wasn’t until the group passed that he let her go.

Her gaze flew immediately to where the alien had been standing with the child and her heart jumped and caught in her throat.

Green fluid stained the street and in the middle of it all lay the headless bodies of the alien and child.

21

Lauren looked out over the yellow-orange plain.

It was getting dark and the pink sky was slowly turning to a purple hue.

The hovercar sped along, heading back to the Sanctuary and she clutched the hamper holding the things she’d bought in her lap.

It kept replaying in her head.

The metal unsheathing. The sounds that came after.

The sight of the aftermath.

She couldn’t speak.

She’d been silenced since she’d seen the bodies in the street.

After the procession passed, the bodies had been quickly cleaned up, removed, and shopping had continued as usual as if the lives of the parent and child hadn’t mattered.

It was so unreal…so cold.

“Why,” she finally spoke. “Why did they do that?” Her gaze moved over the plain before them. “Why did they just…kill them like that? They didn’t do anything wrong. They didn’t…”

She glanced at Riv.