The Edge of it All

by Jessica Grayson

  His reflective silver eyes flick up to meet mine. "If you would please lay down," he says, motioning to the blanket.

  My heart begins hammering as I sit, and he settles down beside me.

  As soon as I lay back, the room goes black. Panic grips me as dark memories begin to surface from the hidden recesses in my mind. I close my eyes, breathing through pursed lips as I remind myself that I'm not still in a cage.

  Soran's warm hand covers mine, and I startle.

  He immediately retracts his hand. "Liana, it's all right," he whispers. "Open your eyes."

  Drawing in a shaking breath, I open my eyes to a field of bright stars overhead.

  My jaw drops as I stare in awe at the starry night sky. I raise my hand as if to touch one of the brilliant dots of light and smile as it begins to glow even brighter. "What is this?"

  "It is a projection of the night sky as it can be seen from Mosaura," he replies. "My people used to be explorers—ancient cartographers. They were fascinated by the stars and mapped every system they could find, storing all the information in the Ancient Archives on my home world. This one”—he points to a star just above us—“is the tip of Kilena's sword. It is one of the stars my ancestors relied on for navigation." The constellation begins to grow brighter at his touch.

  "This”—he points to a star just below it—“is the edge of Tormin's shield. The constellation glows brightly. Kilena was the First Empress of our people, and Tormin was her bonded one. When they died, the Creator gave them a place in the heavens, where they will always be able to look over our people and guide them. When you align these two stars together, you know that your navigational bearings are true."

  As Soran continues pointing out the various constellations, tears gather in the corners of my eyes as I realize what he is doing. He's teaching me about the stars that surround Mosaura so I won't feel so lost.

  If you learn the stars, you'll never be lost. My father's words echo in my mind, and I draw in a shaking breath.

  "Liana, have I upset you?"

  His face turns toward me, and even in the darkness I can see the concern that flashes behind his eyes.

  I reach across and take his hand in mine. Emotions lodge in my throat, but I somehow manage to speak through them and whisper softly. "Thank you."

  A warm smile crests his lips before he turns his attention back to the stars and begins pointing out another constellation.

  As I listen to his deep, velvet voice, I become lost in his words. I'm falling in love with this man—this dragon warrior from my dreams. Now that I've found him, I don't want to leave and go to Aerilon. If I do, I may never see him again, and that thought is almost unbearable.

  He turns back to me and flashes another one of his devastating smiles. "I have a projection of the stars surrounding Aerilon as well, but would you like to see Telvo Station first?"

  "What is that?"

  "The next station we will be stopping at."

  "Sure."

  "Immerser, display Telvo Station," he commands as he moves to his feet. He looks down and offers me his hand. "You may wish to stand for this."

  He pulls me up beside him. My eyes go wide as the room turns into a bustling station filled with all kinds of aliens of every shape and size. In the midst of the large crowd, however, I notice plenty of Mosaurans.

  "Wow!" I stand there with my mouth gaped open. The Mosaurans are stunning. Differing shades of gray, silver, gold, charcoal, red, and tan with yellow, purple, green, orange, and red highlights to their brows and cheekbones. Each one is different, and their scales all shimmer with a brilliant iridescent glow as they move beneath the lighting. "Your people are beautiful, Soran," I whisper more to myself than to him.

  He cocks his head slightly to the side to regard me.

  I hope I haven't insulted his masculinity by calling him beautiful. Men can be so weird about stuff like that.

  A small Mosauran child, maybe two to three years old by Terran standards, passes us, and I smile brightly.

  "Oh my gosh. He's so precious!" I coo at the cute little Mosauran as his family walks past us.

  Soran

  My eyes widen as she begins making what I assume are maternal sounds for her species. She is very enthralled with the fledgling before her, and I fear that her mating heat may be quickly approaching. I know she already has a mate, but if she challenges me to the mating battle, I doubt I would be able to refuse her. My desire for her is too strong not to accept. I would be honored if she chose me as hers.

  Her eyes are alight with wonder, and I smile to myself, imagining showing her my home world. Watching her fuss over the fledgling, I imagine her holding our offspring. Although, I wonder if we are even compatible in that way.

  But as soon as the thought surfaces, I dismiss it immediately. She already has a mate. I cannot claim her as mine. Besides, to do so would make me Outcast from the Empire, my family, and everything I have ever known.

  And yet...when she turns to me and her lips curve into a stunning smile, I know that if she wanted me, I would give up everything for her.

  Part of me doesn't want to know, because I cannot bear the thought of her with another, but I ask anyway. "Your mate. Does he want fledglings too?"

  A pink bloom spreads across her cheeks, and she averts her gaze as if embarrassed. "No, he doesn't like the idea of fledglings. And it hadn't really come up because we were never..." She pauses a moment as if trying to find the right words before she finally says, "fully mated."

  My mouth drifts open in shock. "You and your mate never...mated?"

  She shakes her head. "I...it was complicated between us. We were still just dating...courting," she corrects. "We hadn't decided to bond yet."

  Hope fills me, and I want to roar my happiness to the stars. She is unbonded. Now, I must show her that I am worthy to be hers, and perhaps she will choose me as her mate.

  Chapter 14

  Soran

  Liana sags forward in relief at her station as yet another A'kai cruiser moves out of range of our glider. Although they should not be able to detect us with the cloak, it is still greatly unnerving to know that there are so many searching for our vessel. Talel is relentless in his pursuit of my Ashaya.

  She shakes her head. "I don't understand. Why do they want me so badly? What makes my blood so special?"

  I meet her gaze evenly. "The wound I gave Talel was a mortal one. Of that, I am certain. When he tried to stop us from leaving the station, he claimed that your blood is the reason he survived—that it had healed him."

  Tr'lani steps forward. "I have wondered about this as well. And I remember that there was a rumor on Aerilon before I was taken—that the A'kai are fighting a plague that is devastating their population." She looks to Liana. "If your blood healed him from a mortal wound, it would be the most valuable substance to them in all of the known universe. Especially if they believe it might be the key to finding a cure for their illness."

  Cold fills me. All the color drains from Liana's face as she stares at the display and the blinking green dot on the map, indicating yet another cruiser is nearby. She lifts her gaze to us. "If Talel makes the connection that his mate's people have made contact with mine..." she doesn't finish her sentence, but she doesn't have to. We already know what she means to say.

  She meets my eyes evenly. "Maybe we should risk traveling without the cloak. The sooner we reach Mosaura and Aerilon, the sooner we can begin searching for my people...for my home world. Time is against us, and we're wasting it hiding from the A'kai. This ship is fast. We have a good chance of—”

  I cut her off abruptly. "No."

  "Why not?"

  "Because if we fail, he will have you. And that's exactly what he wants. He will search your mind and find your home world."

  She shakes her head. "He can't find my home world even if he searches my mind. I'm a pilot, and I don't even know where it is. My people have never ventured beyond our solar system."

  "But his beloved knows where
Terra is," Rowan says grimly. "All he needs is enough information extracted from your thoughts and he will put the pieces together and your planet will be enslaved."

  Fire burns in her eyes as she runs a frustrated hand through her hair. "We have to take the risk and decloak so we can travel at full speed. We're running out of time."

  My heart clenches at the desperation in her voice, but I cannot bear the thought of her being taken by the A'kai. "I understand what you're saying, but I also know that if we're caught, the fate of your world will be decided that much sooner. At least this way, we still have a chance."

  Moving closer, I place my hands on her shoulders and meet her gaze evenly. "I know you fear for your people. I do too. Together, we will find them, and we will either save your planet, or we will die in the attempt. But whatever we do, we cannot risk Talel capturing you again."

  The fire leaves her eyes because she knows I am right. But the frustration behind her gaze remains. She sighs heavily. "You're right. I'm sorry."

  I dart a quick glance to my brother before returning my attention to Liana. "When we reach Mosaura, I will ask my mother, the Empress, to commit some of our forces to finding your people and your home world. Once it is located, perhaps an alliance can be formed between our two races to ensure the protection of your planet from an invading force."

  Tr'lani turns to her. "My family is of the High Clan of Al'ani. My people will help you as well, Liana. Of this, I am certain."

  My Ashaya is quiet as we eat dinner. Normally she is very talkative, but I understand the things that weigh heavily on her mind. When we are finished, she reaches behind her ear to turn off her translator like I've taught her.

  "Care to continue our lessons?" she asks in broken Mosauran.

  I know she does this to distract herself from thinking about the A'kai. But I cannot help the smile that tugs at my lips as her tongue struggles to wrap around the Mosauran words that come so easily to her when she is using the translator. She's been utilizing the language modules every evening to study Mosauran and Aerilon. I'm surprised at how quickly she is picking up both dialects. Her goal is to be able to learn them well enough that she can add her spoken and written language to the translator program. She does this so that when she finds her crew, they will be able to integrate more easily into our societies.

  It is both noble and selfless to undertake such an enormous project, speaking to a strength of character that continues to amaze me. Many in her position would wallow in despair, but she chooses to reach for hope while also preparing for the hard reality that she may never find her planet or her people again. I often wonder if it is a characteristic of her species. Are they a strong people? Or is it specific to just her?

  I follow her down the hallway, believing we are going to her quarters to converse, but she turns instead into the training room.

  I cock my head to the side. "You wish to spar?"

  She smiles and steps onto the training mat, spreading her feet apart in the defensive stance I taught her. No sooner do I step into the circle, she rushes toward me, and I barely duck in time to avoid her attack. She grins as I regain my footing, and we begin to circle each other.

  She spent two years in the Terran military, and her defense training must have been very similar to Mosauran Drokar because she is indeed a worthy sparring opponent. It has not taken very many lessons for her to become efficient in my people's style of fighting.

  At first, I was very careful with her because I feared that her size made her weak. But she uses it to her advantage, forcing my center of gravity to shift in a way that challenges everything I know.

  She jumps, spinning and kicking out with her right foot, and I barely miss taking a direct blow to the face. Horrified that she almost hit me, she stops, and I use her hesitation to rush toward her and take her in a Drogev hold, instantly immobilizing her. With one arm banded around her waist and arms from behind and the other around her neck so that my hand cups her jaw firmly to keep her still, I lean down and whisper against the curved shell of her ear. "Never let your guard down when facing an opponent."

  Her green eyes are full of defiance as she turns her head to look back up at me, gritting her teeth as she tries to free herself. “But I almost hurt you.”

  "I'm fine," I state firmly. "Never feel sympathy for your opponent. They will use it against you. Now. Concentrate. Do you remember how to break this hold?"

  She struggles, growling in frustration. "My opponent," she emphasizes the word, "is a close friend, and I did not want to hurt him." The sound of her growl, combined with the slight struggle as she tries to break free, remind me of the shav-rhokan, and my body instinctively responds.

  Desire burns through me like flame. Subconsciously my arms tighten around her form, like they would if I'd subdued a Mosauran female and won the mating battle. Instinct wars within me and I want nothing more than to claim her as mine and take her as my mate. But I quickly force myself to release her and step away, not wanting to scare her with my reaction.

  She gives me a confused look. "Why'd you let go? I thought you were going to show me how to break the hold?"

  As she moves toward me, my nostrils flare as I take in her delicate scent. It's always stronger when we spar like this, and my want of her is so great it threatens to overwhelm me. Although it is difficult, I force myself to focus as I push down my longing, reminding myself that her life may well depend upon her training someday. "I am your friend, but you must treat me as if I were the enemy when we practice. I want you to be prepared for anything if you must fight."

  A smile tugs at her lips as she stares up at me through dark lashes. "I know. But it's hard because it's you, and I care about you. I don't want to hurt you, Soran."

  My heart clenches as I stare deep into her sea-green eyes. I long to take her in my arms and promise her that I will be her shield and her protector. That she will always be safe, and no harm will ever reach her. But I understand, more than most, that the universe is a dangerous place. And because I love her...I must prepare her as best I can to face any dangers that may await. "You would only hurt me if you were harmed because I did not train you well, Liana. I would shield you from all danger if I could, but I might not always be with you. I want to make sure that no matter what you may face, you are prepared."

  Her lips curve into a stunning smile before she turns her back to me. "Then take me in the Drogev hold again. I think I remember what to do."

  I bite back a groan as I wrap my arms around her once more, reveling in the feel of her body flush against mine. So distracted by the sensation, I'm unprepared when she twists from my grasp and spins to disable me, slamming her fist against the underside of my jaw.

  My head whips back, and the world tilts and spins. In the small part of my brain that is still functioning as I fall backward, pride fills me at how well my Ashaya delivered such a devastating blow.

  Chapter 15

  Soran

  When I open my eyes, I find her sea green ones staring down at me in concern. I'm lying in my bed, and she's seated beside me, holding my hand in her own.

  "Soran!" She leans forward and presses her lips softly to my cheek. "Oh, thank God you're awake."

  "What—” I start to ask what happened but stop abruptly when Rowan's smirking face fills my vision.

  "Oh God. I'm so sorry," Liana says, drawing my attention back to her. "I didn't mean to hit you so hard."

  It all comes back to me as I sit up. Tr'lani steps forward and runs the scanner over my face as I open my jaw, surprised that it doesn't hurt. "I gave you something for the pain," she says, "but I suggest you try to rest."

  My mind is still a bit hazy, so I'm not going to argue. A smile crests my lips as I turn to my Ashaya with pride. "That was amazing. You completely disabled me with one solid hit just like I taught you."

  Her jaw drops. "Are you serious?"

  Because my thoughts are still foggy, I start to nod but then stop when I realize that not only was there shock in her voice,
but also a subtle hint of anger.

  She continues. "You're going to praise me for knocking you out cold? I thought you were dead!"

  Despite her obvious irritation at my words, the smile doesn't leave my face. I'm so proud of her. She's a warrior.

  "You think this is funny?" she asks incredulously. "I could have killed you."

  Rowan rolls his eyes behind her. He's hurt me far worse when we have sparred before, but she doesn't know that.

  Tilting my chin up to expose the regal jawline she loves so much, I puff my chest out with pride. "I'm a big, strong Mosauran warrior. We are not so easily killed."

  She lets out an irritated huff, but I can see the hint of a smile that curves her lips at my teasing. "You're not invincible, Soran."

  Intending to show her that I am well, I swing my legs over the bed to stand, but she puts a hand to my chest to stop me, pushing me back onto the mattress.

  The aggressive gesture as she pins me back on the bed stokes the flames of my desire. Intense need burns through me like fire as my body responds to her as if she were a Mosauran female challenging me to the shav-rhokan. It takes everything I have to suppress the low growl of arousal that rumbles deep in my chest.

  "Are you crazy? You just woke up. You heard Tr'lani. She said you need to rest, so you're going to rest."

  I'm completely mesmerized by the fiery edge dancing just behind her eyes as I stare up at her beautiful face. And although I want to argue that I'm well, I don't because I love that she is so concerned for my well-being. "And what will we do with our time?" I grin, delighted to know that she is so protective of me. As if we were already a mated pair.

  "Want to play some kartu?"

  I cock my head slightly to the side. "Where did you learn how to play kartu?"

  Her gaze darts to Rowan, and jealousy stabs at my chest.

  I narrow my eyes at him before returning my attention to her. "If he taught you this game, then it is not a good idea for me to play you."