Page 91 of On a Rogue Planet
Forge looked back at her. “Granger?”
She lifted a shoulder. “He was just the last in a semi-long list. But I realized that their failures aren’t my own.”
“You know nothing.” Forge spat the words. “Nothing.”
She heard the pain in his voice. “You must have loved her very much.”
His hands clenched. “She was an unworthy bitch. I built this for her.” He swept his arm out. “I wanted a place where it could be just the two of us. I put everything I had into making something unique, special.” His face twisted. “She was horrified. She didn’t want to live so far from the central systems, her family, friends, her planet. Her damned family barely gave her the time of day.”
“I’m sorry,” Malin whispered.
“She looked at my palace, the palace I built for her, and she didn’t want it. Didn’t want me.”
“I know it hurts. I’m sure she regrets hurting you.”
“I’m sure she does.” That sharp smile again. “She became the first person to test out the Technomaze.”
Mal’s stomach turned over and her dinner threatened to reappear. “I’ve had my heart hurt before. It’s horrible, but we can’t let it rule our lives. You can’t let it change you.” Or turn you into a psycho murderer.
“Hurt? Not broken?” A curious tone.
“That’s right. At the time I thought it had been shattered, but now I know differently.”
“Hmm, you don’t think the CenSec is going to break your heart?”
Her blood froze. “Ah, what are?—?”
“Don’t play dumb with me, Ms. Phoenix. Aston told me who you are. I know your cousins by reputation alone. I would neverhave guessed a CenSec to be smart enough to find treasure hunters to help him find the Antikythera.”
Where was Xander?“Forge?—”
“Hewillbreak your heart. Cyborgs have no capacity for love. Xyla certainly didn’t.”
Mal tasted bile in her throat. “She was Centaxian.”
“Bingo!” He pointed at Mal. “You win the prize. I thought she’d last longer in the maze, being stronger and faster than the average human. She didn’t.”
Mal’s arms dropped to her sides. She didn’t know what to say, but a sense of impending doom settled on her and made her feel like she was drowning.
“I got my revenge on Xyla, but it wasn’t satisfying enough. Now I want revenge on herentireplanet. Rexon Dax and the Rahl are the tools helping me get it.”
Hurry up, Xander.She tried to covertly scan the room.
“Are you looking for your cyborg? Here he comes now.”
She looked past Forge and the crowd parted. Two robots were carrying Xander between them. His feet were dragging on the ground and his head hung loosely.
No.As they tossed him on the floor in front of her, she rushed to him. “Xander.” She brushed a hand over his hair and pressed the other to his chest. She felt the rise and fall and tried to force back her panic.
His eyes were open, neon green flickering in their depths. He was holding onto consciousness by a thread.
She released the breath she was holding. “What did you do to him?”
Forge pointed to one of the robots. It held up a familiar blue energy weapon. “Who do you think invented the tech and gave it to the Rahl?”
Mal felt the crowd around them staring, but none came too close. She was all-too-aware that no one would help them. No one wanted to end up in the nightmare maze.
“You both came here under false pretenses.” Forge’s voice rose to fill the room. “You’ve broken my rules and now, you will suffer my consequences.”
