He laughs darkly, and I clench my jaw as I notice the pointed tips of his canines. The fangs already beginning to grow in place of the ones he lost.
He reaches up to touch them, baring them aggressively as soon as they're fully regrown. “If you kill me, Mosauran, you'll never get any answers."
Panting heavily, my hands curl into fists at my side.
With a half-mad look on his face, he laughs as if to taunt me further.
Liana's soft touch on my arm forces my attention back to her as she pulls me out of his cell, sealing it shut behind us. She takes my hand, twining our fingers together. "Let's go."
Rage twists in my gut at the thought of all she has endured by his hands. Unable to speak through my anger, I nod and allow her to lead me back to our quarters.
As soon as we enter, I pull her into my arms, nuzzling the top of her head. Guilt and shame wash through me as I whisper into her hair. "Please forgive me, Ashaya."
She lifts a confused gaze to me. "For what?"
"I should have killed him that day I fought him in the arena. I could have ended him then, but I didn't." I swallow hard against the lump in my throat, and my heart clenches as I look down at her beautiful face. "If I had, he would never have touched you."
Placing a delicate finger to my mouth to silence me, she quickly replaces it with her soft lips. "Stop," she whispers. "You cannot blame yourself for what he did to me."
But I do. And I always will. I know that I cannot change what is, but it doesn't absolve me of my guilt. Just as I cannot change the fact that my people will never accept her as my mate, and we will both be Outcast from my family and the Empire.
We will reach Mosaura tomorrow. After everything she has been through, she deserves better than the prejudice I am almost certain she will face from many of my people. I only hope that my mother and sister will treat her with kindness even if this is the only time they will ever meet.
Chapter 38
Liana
Staring out the viewscreen, my jaw drops at the beauty of the planet before us. Mosaura. Varying shades of green and black are the dominant colors of this world. So different from the blues and greens that dominate Terra; it's more beautiful than I could have imagined.
Strong, warm hands rest lightly on my shoulders a moment before Soran slips his arms around me, pulling me back into the solid warmth of his chest. He points to the upper corner of the planet. "Just there are the Liral mountains." He places a gentle kiss atop my head, and I turn just enough to reach my hand to cup the back of his neck and bring his lips down to mine.
His silver reflective eyes stare down at me with so much love, it breaks my heart. "I'm so sorry, my love. You're giving up so much for me."
"No." He presses his lips again to mine. "I am blessed beyond measure. That you chose me, makes me happier than I have ever been, Liana."
I reach up to touch his face. "I am too. I’m so happy, I feel guilty sometimes. I hate knowing that others are still suffering as I was before you found me. And I...keep thinking about my crew." My voice breaks on the last sentence as I struggle to contain my emotions.
"After knowing what you and Tr'lani went through, Al'aneo seems as interested in ending the slave trade as we are. Perhaps before we leave Mosaura, I can persuade my mother to speak with him about shared patrols of the neutral zone between our two Empires." He rubs his hands up and down my arms reassuringly. "Al'aneo said the Aerilon Council has committed to finding your people. They already have agents searching for 'small V'loryns.'"
This gives me hope. I already know what happened to Amanda, but it kills me not knowing about the rest of my crew. Abby has people out there too. I pray that the Aerilon find them.
As my gaze turns back to the planet, nervous anticipation fills me. I look up at Soran. “Are there any cultural customs I need to be aware of?”
He glances up at the ceiling thoughtfully a moment before he lowers his gaze to mine. “Try not to smile.”
This shocks me. He and Rowan smile all the time. Smiling is a bad thing? “Why?”
“We don’t want to draw attention to your pitifully tiny fangs.”
My jaw drops.
A slow grin spreads across his devastatingly handsome face and I realize he’s teasing me.
I roll my eyes and laugh as I hit at his shoulder. “You maltak! I thought you were serious.”
Rowan moves up beside us. He arches a brow and gives me a sly smirk as he gestures to his brother. “Is this male bothering you?”
I grin. “Always.”
He laughs, and Soran punches at his arm.
Sadness fills me as I watch them tease each other back and forth, knowing this will probably be one of the last times they will ever be together.
The low rumble along the hull followed by an echoing thud means we’ve docked at the orbital station around Mosaura.
Soran’s expression becomes somber. "I am glad you will meet my sister and mother before we must leave." He gives me a small smile. "We should ready ourselves. We will be on Mosaura within the hour. And I have sent word ahead to my mother, informing her that we will make use of the Ancient Archives during our short stay."
"Archives?"
"I've told you of how my people used to be explorers. They mapped thousands of star systems over the past three thousand cycles. All of their charts are kept in the Archives. If we are going to find your home world, that is a good place to start."
"Can we transfer the data? Take it with us to Aerilon?"
"I am uncertain, but that is my hope."
Soran
Liana is nothing short of stunning in the traditional Mosauran robes—a deep forest green to represent the colors of our House. Tr'lani had them specially made as a bonding gift. Even though I am Outcast among my people, we can still honor their ways. Presenting her in House Mosaura's colors will show everyone that she is my mate, and I am proud to be hers. Bittersweet happiness fills me at the thought of seeing my mother and sister.
She hugs Abby and Grex before we depart. They've chosen to remain on the Aerilon vessel, and I do not blame them. My people are not exactly welcoming to other races.
As we stand at the airlock, Rowan moves to the other side of Liana in a silent show of support for my choice of mate as we wait for the outer doors to open.
When they finally do, I take Liana's hand in mine before the three of us step off the ship and onto Doprava—the Mosauran orbital station. My mother and sister said they would formally greet us here before we board the Imperial transport for the surface.
I'm surprised to note that it is only my sister's guards that line the path on either side as we exit. They stare in rapt fascination at my mate. She is beautiful. I struggle to suppress the low growl rumbling in my chest at their open and curious stares.
Caryn stands in the center of her guard, waiting for us, a regal but neutral expression on her face as her sharp gaze scans Liana from head to toe. No doubt she is probably concerned by her small stature compared to a Mosauran female, and by the striking similarity of her appearance to V'loryns. A smile tugs at my lips. She and the rest of our people will quickly learn that my Ashaya may be small, but she is as fierce as any warrior of Mosaura.
Tr'lani and her brother walk a few steps behind us. They insisted on accompanying us in a show of support and acknowledgment that we are now part of their clan. Tr'lani is especially protective of her. No doubt they both question my people's unwillingness to accept someone just because of their race.
As soon as we reach Caryn, the three of us bow deeply in respect before I lift my gaze to hers.
"Future Empress Caryn of Mosaura," I begin solemnly. “I present to you, Liana Garza of Terra. My mate and my Ashaya."
Shocked gasps come from some of the guards. Caryn's expression is unreadable, but her eyes betray her sadness as she greets us with a formal nod. She steps forward and embraces me warmly before turning to Liana. A pained smile tugs at her lips. "I am glad to meet the female that holds my brother's hear
t."
Dressed in long flowing robes with the colors and insignia of Clan Al'ani—one of seven ruling clans of Aerilon—Tr'lani and Al'aneo step forward. The each place a hand on Liana’s shoulders and begin the low trilling hum that tells everyone she is their family and part of their clan. My sister's eyes widen briefly in shock. An expression I'm almost certain is reflected on every Mosauran witnessing this event. Their acceptance of Liana is the highest honor an Aerilon can ever give to an outsider. That Tr'lani and her brother are from one of the ruling families on Aerilon means that much more.
Tr'lani moves closer to Caryn. "As the mate of our sister, we find Soran of House Mosaura worthy of acceptance into our clan. May the House of Mosaura and the House of Al'ani be joined in friendship from this day forward."
Now my sister's face is openly shocked. The Aerilon and the Mosaurans have never had anything more than a tenuous relationship between them. Our two races have a long history of mistrust.
Caryn dips her head in acknowledgment. "Thank you for returning my family to me."
I notice she says "family," instead of "brothers," and I wonder if she's intentionally done this to include Liana in her statement.
She turns her attention to me. "The Empress wishes to speak with you privately when we reach the palace."
Liana's eyes dart briefly to mine, but I force my gaze to remain neutral. I don't want her to see the disappointment on my face that my mother was not here to greet us. I will be Outcast soon enough. I had only hoped to spend at least a few hours with my family before we leave for Aerilon--never to see them again.
Caryn looks to Al'aneo and Tr'lani. "It would please the Empress if you would stay as our honored guests tonight before leaving for Aerilon."
My ears perk up. Perhaps Mother is not as angered by my taking Liana as my mate as I thought if she's inviting Tr'lani and Al'aneo to stay the night, and by extension, Liana and myself as well.
Liana
Caryn's eyes rake over me once more with a hint of intense curiosity behind their gaze. Strange. From everything Soran and Rowan have told me about how much their people dislike the V'loryn's, I'd half expected her to look at me with disgust.
When she informs us that their mother wants to meet with us privately at the palace, my heart quickens its pace. I'm nervous not because she's the Empress of one of the largest Empires in the quadrant, but because she is Soran's mother. I don't expect her to like me, but I pray that their reunion will go well for his sake. This may be the last time they ever see one another.
Doprava Station is a hive of activity. Except, unlike Telvo Station, most of the people here are Mosauran instead of a mixture of different species. Much larger than Telvo, Soran explained that this place was designed so that each level could easily accommodate Mosaurans in draken form.
To my great disappointment, I'm not afforded much of a view. Caryn's guards surround us on all sides as we make our way to the transport. Much taller than me, they make it difficult for me to see anything. The few glimpses I get between the gaps of the warriors is mainly the curious stares of several onlookers that study us in rapt fascination as we pass.
I lock eyes with one, and he gasps. "V'loryn." The word escapes from his mouth and is soon uttered throughout the crowd as we continue on our path.
Soran's hand is in mine, and he gives it a gentle squeeze of reassurance. "They are merely curious," he whispers. "They do not know what you are and believe that I have taken a V'loryn as my mate."
Regardless of their intentions, I find their stares unnerving, and I'm glad when we finally board the Imperial transport.
From the viewscreen, I'm able to study the surface in greater detail. My jaw drops at the beauty of a lavender sky full of fluffy gray and white clouds, punctuated by the light of a soft orange sun. This entire region is nothing but mountainous terrain. A place that, on Terra, would not normally lend itself to a city due to the sheer drops of many of the towering rock formations. It seems Mosaurans have carved out their homes and buildings into the obsidian stone walls. Their structures are surrounded by a sea of deep green trees, similar to pine but taller than any that are found on my world. The dense vegetation is interrupted every so often by gorgeous cascading waterfalls that spill down from the tops of the mountains.
Winged Mosaurans in both draken and humanoid form fill the sky, and I stare in wonder as I take it all in. As we draw closer, the palace comes into view. Carved into a sheer cliff wall, the obsidian rock fortress gleams in the light. Closely resembling the ancient castles of Terra, with several formidable towers capped by silver domed roofs and built out terraces, it appears to have been constructed as much for defense as it was for aesthetics.
A waterfall drops from the mountain above, straight into a large overhang at the top of the palace. It cascades into a series of waterfalls down the front of the structure before flowing into a pool at the base, feeding into a river that runs straight through the valley below.
We land next to the gardens. As we exit the transport, I marvel at how wild everything appears. As if standing in a natural forest instead of carefully manicured castle grounds. Large trees that resemble the great pines of Terra line winding paths carved from the same obsidian stone as the palace, punctuated every so often by various sea-green pools of water.
Tr’lani and Al’aneo give us a quick smile before leaving with two of the guards to find their accommodations. It doesn’t escape my notice how Rowan’s eyes follow my friend longingly as she walks away, before he turns back to us.
When we finally reach the entrance, two Mosauran guards stand on either side of a large, open entryway. As we pass beneath it, a small pulse-like energy ripples through me and I stop in my tracks. I look up at Soran. "What was that?"
"A forcefield barrier. Only those permitted may pass through it."
"How does it recognize who is allowed?"
A smile tugs at his lips. "Such a primitive place, your Terra," he teases under his breath.
I roll my eyes in mock frustration before an answering grin quirks my mouth.
He explains. "Members of the Royal House are automatically granted access to every part of the palace." He lifts our joined hands. "It is coded to recognize the genetic structure of those belonging to the Royal House and our guards. Because I am touching you, it allows you to pass as well."
"What would happen if we weren't holding hands?"
"The energy barrier would be as a solid wall to you."
There are a million things I want to ask, but when Caryn stops to look over her shoulder with a slightly raised brow, I close my mouth, and we continue to follow. I'll save all my questions for later.
Our footsteps echo loudly as we move farther into the palace. Knowing that they are predominantly a warrior race, I had expected a mostly utilitarian space, and I'm surprised by the lovely interior. It has just enough soft touches to make it feel like an actual home instead of a fortified castle. The rooms are great, cavernous spaces, but remembering how big Soran's draken form is, I suppose that's the reason they're built this way—to accommodate a Mosauran in either form if necessary.
When we reach the end of a long hallway, the large door seems to disappear into the wall beside it. The farther we walk, the more comfortable and plush the furnishings become, as if this part of the palace is actually lived in and the outer rooms near the entrance are more for visitors and formal gatherings.
When we finally reach the Empress's atrium, my mouth drifts open in wonder. Mosaic tiles line the floor and walls in a beautiful pattern depicting forest scenes and Mosaurans in draken form. Light filters in from a glass ceiling above, lending an almost ethereal effect to the space as it reflects off a large sea-green pool of water that sits in the center of the room.
A woman dressed in traditional dark-green Mosauran robes stands at the edge of the water, hands clasped together in front of her. With a regal air and a slight tilt of her chin, her expression is at once stoic and yet almost predatory as she watches us approach.
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Her sharp gaze scans me from head to toe, and I force myself to keep my eyes trained on hers. I am the bondmate of a Mosauran warrior. I will not show any weakness or fear in front of Soran's mother, the Empress.
She studies me a moment more before turning her attention to Soran. "She is small," she says impassively.
He bristles beside me. "She may be small, but she is as fierce as any Mosauran female."
Her nostrils flare, and her eyes widen briefly in shock as she stares down at me. "It is done then." Her gaze turns to Soran with a look I can't quite decipher, but if I had to guess, it's something between disappointment and sadness. "You have already mated her."
My cheeks burn red hot in embarrassment. She can scent that we've mated?
"Why would you take this female that looks so much like a V'loryn as your mate?" she asks, and this is the first time anger bleeds into her imperious tone. "What could you possibly have been thinking?"
Soran opens his mouth to answer, but I step in front of him, tilting my chin up defiantly. "I do not appreciate being talked over as if I'm not standing right here. Soran is my mate, and I am his. We chose each other. We do not come here for your judgment or approval. We came here so that your son can spend some time with his family before he is banished by your archaic laws."
Something akin to respect and admiration flashes behind her eyes, and now I'm thoroughly confused. She arches a brow. "So, not like a V'loryn then," she says in a low voice more to herself than to us.
She levels a hard gaze at me. "You call our law archaic, but it exists for a reason." She turns to face the far wall.
As I look closer, I notice the small tiles depict an image--a draken falling from the sky.
She continues. "Our people mate for life. Our very hearts even beat in synchronization at the moment the bond is forged, creating a link between our souls." She turns and meets my eyes evenly. "Our mates are our greatest strengths but also our greatest weakness."
The Edge of it All Page 28
