Page 62 of Through Uncharted Space

Whatever was going on with her would have to wait. For now, he needed to get his brother back safely.

As Dakota stepped out onto the rocky surface of the planet, she was internally berating herself.

She should’ve just taken the credits that Dare had offered and left the Sky Nomad.

Maybe the sum he’d paid her wasn’t as large as what the Atocha Treasure would yield, but it would be enough for her. She could find a nice, cozy place on some distant world.

Alone and in peace. With no demanding men, no one asking questions that made you feel like crap, no one ever wanting your things, and no one underestimating you.

She felt a confusing mash of emotions inside her—anger, hurt, sorrow. Ugh. She hated it.

Dare hadn’t even asked her if she’d just give the orb to him to help Justyn. He’d just assumed she’d let Justyn die and that all she cared about was being paid.

Her eyes prickled and she sucked in a breath. Hell, why was she so bent out of shape? She couldn’t blame him.

As they exited the shuttle, she spotted the man with the blue skin who’d set all this in motion. She decided to focus her anger on him.

Beside her, she felt Dare and Rynan’s tensed readiness. Both men had their hands hovering over their holstered laser pistols.

They looked over to the rocks where Justyn sat. He looked up. His face was swollen, his eyes unfocused and dazed.

She looked at Ralu. “Who the hell are you?”

The man shrugged. “It doesn’t really matter. All you need to know is that I will protect the Atocha Treasure, and ensure no one finds it.”

“How did you know we had the orb? That we were looking for it?”

“I have friends on Sulla. We protect the treasure. The final decryption of the map was changed, to lead any would-be thieves here to this hunk of rock.”

Dakota tilted her head. “You know where the treasure is.”

“It is on my home planet, but it was lost many years ago.” He held his hand out for the orb. “Now, with the original map, I can locate it again and safeguard it. I’ll be a hero.”

“Heroes don’t kidnap and bribe,” Dare said darkly.

Something crossed the man’s face. He wiggled his fingers. “Hand it over.”

Dare held up the orb. “What did you do to my brother?”

“He’s fine. I just gave him a shot of a sedative we derive from a fish on my world. He’s alive, and the sedative will wear off shortly.”

The man snatched the orb from Dare’s hand. “Thank you.” The man stepped back. “And I’m sorry, but I’ve decided it is probably not a good idea to let you leave here alive.”

“What?” Dare said.

Ralu pulled out a laser pistol, and fired at a large pile of rocks behind them. Dakota dropped to the ground, heard rocks falling. Dare dived toward her, grabbed her, and together, they rolled across the bumpy surface.

She quickly assessed their surroundings, and she saw a giant rock boulder rolling. It fell into the lava lake with a splash, sending up a giant spray of molten rock.

And that’s when she saw it.

The fall of the pile of rocks had created a domino effect.

A wide river of lava was now snaking from the lake, across the rocky ground where they stood.

It cut them off from both their shuttle and Ralu.

“Ry, get Justyn,” Dare bellowed.