Nojan (The Vartik King Chronicles Book 2)

by Liza Probz

  “With you wearing them, there’s still sure to be someone out there who couldn’t wait to get you out of them. But I don’t think we’ll need to resort to such desperate measures yet. Let’s see what we got.”

  Nojan led her out of the bathroom and to the wardrobe that held most of his clothing. He hadn’t expected to be gone long, but that hadn’t stopped him from equipping for almost every contingency. His brothers might make fun of him for what he considered to be his superior organizational skills, but it paid to be prepared. Even if Zelup often called him the galaxy’s oldest Space Scout.

  Nojan would never admit to his older brother that he still had his Scout uniform. He was the only boy in his group to ever earn every listed badge in the handbook. His scout leader had had to create new badges to keep up with him.

  Grabbing a pair of dark slacks and a black shirt, Nojan pulled on his clothes in haste. He then began rummaging through the clothing hanging there, trying to find something that wouldn’t be way too large for her small frame. All of his day-to-day garments would swallow her up, one of his shirts likely hanging past her knees. She’d have a hard time walking around the moon while being slowly eaten by fabric.

  With a grunt, Nojan pushed outfits out of the way, looking for the out of the ordinary things he’d packed. Although he’d planned to be masquerading as a wealthy merchant for his mission on Vanfia, he’d also packed several other disguises. A Vanfian guard uniform, with enough braid to hang himself. The dark robes of a Night Monk. The coveralls and visor of your garden variety space mechanic. Even the short golden tunic and tight woolen hose of a Seeker of the Sun, one of the intergalactic cults preaching free love and suntans for all.

  “This will never work,” he grumbled. Everything was too big.

  “Out of the way,” Mayra said, pushing against his shoulder with all her strength. It didn’t cause him to move, but a quirk of her adorable eyebrow did. “I can make something work.”

  Nojan backed away, watching with interest as she pulled out bits and pieces of his costumes. Looking back over her shoulder, Mayra stared at him. “What?”

  “Would you mind giving a girl a little privacy?”

  Nojan’s eyes widened. He’d just brought her to a peach of a climax, and now she was getting shy? After she cleared her throat impatiently, he gave a chuckle, shaking his head. “I’ll go check our course. We’ve got to be getting close by now.”

  Seating himself at the main console, he discovered that they were closer than he’d thought. They would reach Territh’s lunar colonies in the next ten minutes. The colonies were several cities comprised of domes, interconnected by a high-speed rail system.

  Mayra had mentioned a city of domes, but she hadn’t specified which one they were looking for. Nojan wondered if she knew. If not, they could spend hours, maybe days, trying to find whatever they were seeking.

  His brow furrowed. An old woman. A blue crystal. And a book. Now that he considered it, he wondered about the wisdom of heading out here instead of back home to Vartik. In the heat of the moment, he’d been swept up in the excitement of her burgeoning powers. But there seemed so little to go on. For once, the galaxy’s oldest Space Scout wasn’t prepared at all.

  “It’s not spectacular, but it will do.”

  Mayra’s voice caused him to swivel in his seat. What he saw almost caused him to fall out of his chair. His oracle-in-training stood there, her hands fidgeting at the braid that held her outfit together. It was the golden tunic from the Sun Seeker disguise, held in place by cleverly wound braids from the guard uniform. The way she’d arranged them, crisscrossing over her chest and around her back and torso, only served to highlight the bounty of her breasts and slenderness of her waist.

  The tunic fell to her thighs, leaving an enchanting amount of leg showing. She’d piled her hair up on the top of her head, the curls held together by the armband of the Night Monk’s costume. The outfit was completed by the reflective mechanic’s visor pulled down to hide most of her face.

  Although she’d made him come only moments ago in the shower, his cock was already twitching in his pants again. For a moment, he considered asking her to find something else to wear. Thanks to the braid, the tunic hugged her curves, highlighting her miraculous figure. Every man in the colonies would be after her. That just means you’ll have to be extra vigilant in your protection, he told himself.

  “What’s with the visor?” he asked after a moment. “Isn’t it a bit over the top?”

  “And the gold tunic isn’t?” Mayra pulled off the visor and laughed. “I figure if anyone is looking for me, the visor might throw them off the trail.”

  Nojan shrugged. It wasn’t a half-bad idea. Besides, if those colony guys saw the perfect face that went along with her immaculate body, he’d be beating them off her with a stick. Swiveling back around to face the viewscreen, he jerked his head at the moon’s surface, which was growing steadily larger. “Any idea where to set down? There are fourteen colony cities on Territh’s moon. Which one should we try first?”

  Mayra moved to stand beside him, her face showing her concern. “I’m not sure.”

  Nojan reached out a hand to take one of hers. “Why not try to access your powers? Concentrate, and see if you can determine which colony city is the one we want.” They had to work at unlocking her powers before reaching Vartik so they could get on with the business of finding Jazmine’s brother.

  He felt it was imperative to have Mayra’s powers awakened before they reached his home. It wasn’t so much the pressure he felt from his father and older brothers, but the fact that if he wasn’t the one to unlock those powers, someone else might be. The king assumed she’d become the oracle after her virginity was taken.

  Nojan wouldn’t allow anyone else in the galaxy to have that role. He knew he was behaving irrationally, that he was being more selfish than he ever had been in his life. Still, he would not budge from his vow to himself. He would initiate Mayra into the universe of pleasure. She would surrender to him and to no one else.

  At least until he was forced to give her up.

  Mayra closed her eyes and seemed to delve into herself. Her delicate brow furrowed and her plump lips pursed as she tried to access her abilities. Those lips began to move as if she were whispering frantically to herself. Nojan leaned in, beginning to pick up some of what she was saying.

  “Three. Six. Nine. Seek and ye shall find. Two. Four. Six. Don’t fall for its tricks. Four. Six. Eight. Soon it will be too late. Five. Six. Seven. An angel ascends to heaven.”

  Nojan squeezed her hand. “The sixth colony, Mayra? Is that what you’re saying?” Each rhyme she’d whispered had featured that number. “Should we start there?”

  “Six. Six. Six. Among the lunatics.”

  “That’s it,” he said, using the hand not holding hers to punch in a course for the sixth colony. “Lunatic, from Luna, another name for Territh’s moon.”

  Mayra’s eyes slowly opened and she turned her head to catch his gaze. “Do you think I could be correct?”

  Nojan nodded, concern filling him when she raised both her hands to her forehead. “Are you okay, angel?”

  She tried to nod but suddenly stumbled. Nojan caught her, pulling her into his lap. “What is it?”

  “It was so strange,” she murmured. “I concentrated on the vision, and suddenly, the words started coming out, as if another voice was speaking through me.” Her eyes were wide. “I’ve never felt anything like that. It takes some getting used to, I suppose.”

  “You’re starting to get control of your powers,” he said, kissing her neck, his arms wrapped around her. “Soon, you’ll be calling up visions whenever you want. It’s just as you say. It will take some getting used to.”

  “I hope so.” Her voice was so soft, he had to strain to hear her. “But I have a feeling it won’t be that easy.”

  There was a beeping at the console and then a call from the landing station of Lunar Colony Six. “Approaching vessel, you’ve been
assigned berth seventy-three. Please set down there and bring your payment to the cashier’s office. Remember, weapons are not allowed on the moon, and all vessels are subject to search for illegal cargo. Welcome to the Lunar Colonies. A small step for you, a giant leap for joy.”

  Nojan almost laughed at the tinny voice’s unenthusiastic welcome. Although Territh’s moon had once been a major tourist destination in the quadrant, it hadn’t been in vogue for several centuries. Now the colonies were a waystation for those moving from Territh to colonies on planets in and outside of the solar system. Most of the ever-shifting population were emigrants. Or smugglers.

  “Stick close to me when we leave the ship. I don’t want you wandering out of my sight.”

  Mayra nodded, sliding the visor back on to cover her face. “Let’s go.”

  Chapter 17

  The cacophony of Lunar Colony Six was unexpected, and Mayra had to work to keep an instant headache at bay. She still felt strange after the rhyming vision from a few moments ago. Not to mention still being weak at the knees after her first and only climax. And at the hands of the universe’s most handsome man, too.

  Talk about a life-changing experience.

  Maybe it’s the domes, she thought. It catches the sound, traps it, makes it echo down the corridors.

  Nojan took her arm, leading her into the busy passageways. “You managed to figure out the colony. Now, do your powers point you in any particular direction?”

  Mayra wished she could retreat into his ship and get her bearings. She was out of sorts, unsure of herself, afraid of the crowds teeming around them. Life had been orderly on Vanfia, the only home she’d ever known. And now she was setting foot on a new world full of strangers and mysteries she could only hope to unravel.

  Maybe she wasn’t cut out for being an oracle. As a slave, she’d mostly been invisible, when she wasn’t being insulted for her revolting appearance. Now she felt exposed, like every eye was crawling over her. Her ridiculous outfit might have something to do with it. Still, it was the only thing she could manage to hold together.

  Nojan slid an arm around her, as if he could sense her disquiet. “I’m here, angel, and I won’t let anyone hurt you. Just focus on the task at hand. We can do this.”

  Mayra looked up at him, trying on a small smile. Then she realized he couldn’t see the grin hidden behind the visor, and she felt a measure of relief. The visor would conceal her from the world. It, along with the fierce Vartik warrior at her side, would keep her safe.

  Unconsciously, she grasped at the blue charm around her neck. It had always been there for as long as she could remember. She often grabbed the charm in times of distress, the smooth, cool surface helping to calm her.

  They were standing near an intersection teeming with people. She turned to the left, peering down that way, then stared at the road leading forward. When she turned to the right, she thought she felt a small pulse in the crystal. It surprised her so much that she nearly let go of the charm.

  Wanting to make sure it wasn’t a fluke, a trick of her overactive imagination, Mayra repeated her movements. Once again when she turned to the right, the crystal charm gave out a small pulse. Amazing, she marveled. It’s certainly never done that before.

  It had to be a part of her powers being unveiled. “This way,” she said, motioning to the left.

  Nojan picked their way through the crowd, sticking so close that no one else could even brush against her. It was sweet, and it helped to settle her nerves. At each new intersection, she would wait for the pulse to guide her. Before long, they found themselves in a crowded marketplace.

  With deliberate care, Nojan led her past all manner of stalls. Some were festooned with shirts proclaiming “Just One of the Looneys,” “I Break for Moon Cheese,” and “I’ll Show You My Dark Side of the Moon.” Others hawked equally cheap tourist wares. As they made their way toward the center, the stalls got older, the wares covered in a layer of dust.

  “No one seems to be buying this stuff,” Mayra said, confused.

  “Not the stuff you can see, at least,” Nojan replied. “The lunar colonies are notorious smugglers’ dens. You’re looking at fronts for the lunar black market.”

  Suddenly, the charm began to grow warm in her palm, the pulsing picking up its pace. She swiveled her head, trying to determine the direction it was trying to lead her in. Catching sight of an old tent, she felt a shiver go through her.

  “What is it?” the Vartik male asked, picking up on her hesitation. He seemed keenly aware of her reactions, almost as if he could read her thoughts.

  “Over there,” she said, jerking her chin in the direction of the tent. “I think what we’re looking for is in there.”

  Nojan drew her closer to the tent. “You sure? It doesn’t look like much.”

  “I’m sure.” And she was. Even though she’d never seen the tent before, something inside her screamed that this was their intended destination.

  Drawing back the curtain that served as the tent’s entrance, Nojan stuck his head in. “Hello?”

  “Come in,” a cheery voice called.

  The interior was dim and stank of incense. Mayra waved the smell away from her nostrils, trying to clear the air. It was a losing battle unfortunately.

  “Have a seat,” the disembodied voice continued. “I will be with you momentarily.”

  There was a small, round table in the center of the tent. It was ringed by mismatched pillows. Mayra sat, adjusting the tunic so it wouldn’t ride up her thighs. Nojan joined her on a nearby pillow, a grin quirking up the corners of his lips.

  There was a rustle in the curtains across from them and a large rump backed into the room. “I’m sorry for the delay,” the woman said. “I’ve been brewing tea to read the leaves.”

  The owner of the voice turned and Mayra felt as if she’d been punched in the stomach. It was the old woman from her vision.

  “So,” the woman said, bustling over to join them at the table, sitting with a good-natured groan. “What will it be today? Shall I read your palms? Consult the cards? Or would you like to take your chances with the tea leaves? They’re harvested from the only hydro-farm on a Messier object in Ursa Major.”

  Nojan looked to Mayra for guidance. Sadly, she didn’t have any. She’d only seen the woman, not what came next. She gave the Vartik a shrug, suddenly at a loss on how to proceed.

  The male smiled wryly. “Madam, we’d like to know the future.”

  The old woman laughed. “Wouldn’t everybody? Well, you came to the right place. A lovely young couple like you, perhaps you’d like to consult the omens as to an appropriate wedding date?”

  Mayra blushed, grateful that the visor concealed much of her face. Nojan, however, responded with a light laugh. “How did you know?”

  The woman tapped a finger against her temple. “I see the future, remember?” She rose slowly and shuffled over to a cabinet that nearly bowed under the weight of objects, books, and what could only be called odds and ends. “The only way to do a proper reading is to consult the star charts. They will reveal the perfect date for your nuptials. But first…” She pulled out a bundle of what looked like weeds. “I sense some lingering objection to your marriage, something or someone that is standing in the way.”

  Nojan blinked hard. “You really are prescient.”

  Nodding, the old woman moved to one of the candles burning around the edges of the tent. “I will try and cleanse you of the obstacles standing in your way.” She lit the weeds and they let off a thick smoke immediately. “Don’t worry. I won’t charge you extra for this. Consider it a wedding gift.”

  “Thank you,” Nojan said, then barked out a harsh cough. “That’s powerful stuff.”

  “Only the best. Sweetgrass like this still grows only in a few spots on Territh, so it costs a pretty penny. It should do the trick nicely.” She walked around the chamber, waving the smoking weeds around and mumbling something under her breath.

  Once she’d made a circuit
, she popped the smoldering bundle into a thick glass vase, then returned to the shelf to grab a large roll of paper. Returning to the table, she unrolled it carefully, setting crystals on the edges to hold it down.

  On the paper was a complicated star chart, teeming with concentric circles, dotted lines, and writing so small Mayra couldn’t make it out from her position.

  “Let’s see,” the old woman said, running her hands over the chart in slow circles. “It would help to have your birth dates to begin.”

  Nojan nodded. “I was born in the seventh cycle of the eighteenth rotation within the hundred and fourth progression of this system’s star.”

  The woman nodded. “Hmm, by my calculation, that would be the twenty-fifth of November, using the ancient Territh calendar. That means you are ruled by Jupiter. And that you’re curious and kind.”

  “Thank you,” he replied, giving her a nod.

  “And you, young lady?”

  The woman’s eyes made her feel uncomfortable, and Mayra had to remind herself that little could be seen through the visor. “Um, I’m not…”

  Nojan chuckled. “You know women, never wanting to reveal anything related to their age. My darling bride-to-be was born in the fourteenth cycle of the ninth rotation within the hundred and first progression.”

  “Of course,” the woman said with a smile. “Leave it to a Sagittarius to find an Aries for his bride. Your marriage will never be boring. That’s for certain.” She began to study the chart in earnest, writing on the surface with a grease pencil that she could smudge out when a recalculation was required.

  Mayra began to feel lightheaded, the smoke and incense causing a curious out-of-body sensation to sweep over her. She wondered when the reason for their being there would reveal itself. Could she have been mistaken? Was her vision nothing more than an overactive imagination? Was she wasting valuable time?

  “Mars and Jupiter, a contrast that invites adventure.” The old woman was mumbling, and Mayra wondered if she even realized she was speaking out loud. “Fire against fire, but will one consume the other?”