Free Collision: The Alliance Series Book Three by Emma L. Adams Page A

temperature here was much higher than Earth, more tropical than anything, and in guard uniform, we were all sweating within a minute. The climb didn’t take too long, though Raj kept muttering how he hadn’t signed up for this when he’d become Ambassador.
    “None of us did,” said Iriel. “Welcome to life as a magic-wielder.”
    “Luck of the bloody draw,” muttered Raj.
    Yeah. That’s one way of putting it. Personally, if I could stop Earth getting overrun by rabid unicorns and griffins, I’d take on the goddamn mountain.
    As we came to a steep incline leading up to a large stone structure, the mountain shifted under our feet, so abruptly Raj tripped over and Iriel staggered against a wall. I barely kept my balance, and Ada backed up a few steps. Magic flared, making my hands tingle with static. There was the instability.
    “What was that?” asked Raj, getting to his feet.
    “Felt like an earthquake,” said Ada, with an uneasy glance at me. Of course, the other two wouldn’t be able to feel it–only people with an internal source could.
    “No clue,” I said. “I reckon we ought to get up there.”
    I took the lead and we climbed quickly, keeping close to the wall alongside the path in case another earthquake–or whatever it was–took us by surprise. Reaching the top, I turned back to make sure the others were keeping up. The forest looked even more extensive from here. According to the map, it covered half the continent, and wasn’t properly mapped out. I hoped we didn’t end up having to go there, because offworld GPS didn’t work in worlds without a satellite licensed by the Alliance. This world didn’t look like it’d be launching rockets into space anytime soon.
    I couldn’t see further than the jungle. Above, I swore the sky had gone a deeper red in the last few minutes.
    A shadow moved in the corner of my eye, and I instinctively shifted my hand towards my dagger. I’d rather avoid using the stunner, but Ms Weston had described this world as “hostile”, and that was reason enough to be on full alert.
    I turned towards the shadow, but there was nothing there. Maybe I was being jumpy, but I never doubted my own instincts.
    “Be careful,” I said to Ada, who reached the top next. “I think I saw something move over there.”
    Raj and Iriel caught up. “Time out,” said Raj. “ And we have to walk all the way back later.”
    “Quit whining,” said Iriel. “How many Alliance members from Earth have seen this place?”
    “No one in the past twenty-five years,” I said.
    “We should get a photo,” said Ada, grinning at me. “Come on, it’s pretty awesome.”
    I rolled my eyes. “The council won’t like it.”
    “What, does Vey-Xanetha have a ban on photography?”
    “Minimal interference,” I said. “It’s part of the Ambassadors’ mandate.”
    “And we’re in a dangerous job,” said Raj. “It’s not a holiday.”
    “I know that,” said Ada. “Is that the base?”
    The building’s tower-like shape cut into the burnished bronze-coloured cliff face, probably the same height as my apartment block. There was real glass in the windows, but it must have been brought in from offworld, because there didn’t seem to be any other kind of habitation on the mountain and the jungle looked impenetrable. The metal-plated bronze-coloured door opened, and someone stepped out.
    “Civilisation!” Raj proclaimed.
    The claw-footed man who greeted us was presumably part-avian, from one of the west-lying worlds. He seemed nervous, shifting from one clawed foot to another and anxiously glancing up at the sky, and hurried us into the building. He walked with a pronounced limp and bandages were visible above his scaly ankle. A recent injury.
    “I’m Avar,” he said. “I work in research here.”
    A bronze-skinned man with violet eyes joined him, a native of Vey-Xanetha named Mathran. The pair of them were assisted by various people from other Alliances, but at the moment, only the