by Raven Dark
I’d expected to end up in a huge room with a throne, but this was only the small anteroom, with benches along the walls. Raul stood by one of the benches, speaking to a man in white robes. The man turned when we entered, allowing me to get a good look at him. Something about him screamed familiarity, but for the life of me, I couldn’t think of how or where I knew him from.
The man turned his attention back to Raul and patted him on the back. “I shall see you when you return, Hadu Raul. And good luck.”
As the man made his exit, it hit me. He was the spitting image of the original benefactor of the Xandar’s Home for Girls. A deceased benefactor whose portrait hung in the foyer, one we girls would always secretly stick our tongues out to when we passed by on our way to breakfast.
I leaned in toward Malek and whispered, “Malek, who was that?”
Malek looked back at the doors the man had left through. “That’s the head—the Vaka—of the Xandari Order.”
I scowled at the doors. How in the hell could he look like someone from Earth? Well, what was it they said? Everyone had a twin somewhere.
Raul crossed the room to us, catching my attention. I bristled instinctively.
A smirk pulled at his mouth, and he slid his hand around my waist, his nose in my hair. “How’s your ass, Vahashatai?”
My teeth ground together, and I willed away the urge to snap at him. Doing so would have been pointless and would probably earn me more pain for my trouble. He swept his lips across my forehead and drew back, tucked a lock of hair behind my ear.
I turned my head away.
“Come. She’s already here.” He took my leash from Malek and clipped it on, then walked me toward another set of doors which the guards there opened for him.
“She?” I asked.
“Yes. There’s someone who wants to see you.”
“Wants to see me?” Nervousness raked up my spine. Anyone on this world who wanted to see me couldn’t want that for any good reason. Besides, why in hell would anyone here want that? I didn’t know anyone outside of my three captors.
It’s a girl from the Home, I thought with a sudden twinge of worry. Gwen wouldn’t have been the only one here who knew me.
Malek clapped Raul on the back and left, and the outer doors closed after him.
Raul escorted me into the room. “She’s been waiting all day to see you. I’ve been looking forward to this.”
Oh, no. I didn’t like the delight in his tone. I jerked against his grip on my wrist without thinking and his grip tightened, pinching.
“Don’t ruin this for me.” He was smiling.
I clicked my teeth but deflated. He took me across the wide, open marble-floored room. At the back of the huge space, the throne I expected to see sat atop a dais. In fact, there were two of them, side by side. There was a woman sitting in one.
I scrunched my brows. She looked weirdly out of place, dressed in a collar and slave’s dress like the one I wore. Hers was the same, but a deep, royal blue. Familiar, crinkled blue eyes softened, shining above the cloth that covered her face.
The older slave from the bath yesterday.
When Raul stopped before the dais on a large representation of the armored wolf on the floor, she stood, her head down.
Raul inclined his head. “Hello mother.”
Mother. Oh, crap.
“Hello, Danika,” she added, nodding to me.
I blinked. She’d said my name with an odd inflection that sounded like familiarity. One that went beyond having seen me at the bath.
I swallowed, unexplained fear running up and down my spine. Who the hell was she, and how the hell did Raul’s fucking mother know me?
The woman pulled the scarf down from her face.
My jaw almost hit the floor. My fists clenched until I thought my knuckles would break.
“Oh my God,” I snarled. “Shelly.”
27
An’tanaka
I was going to pass out.
Dizziness swam through me in a sickening wave, to the point where I actually wobbled. Raul’s hand took my arm, steadying me with a tight hold that suggested he was forcing me to remain awake, rather than showing concern.
Either I would faint, or I was going to wring the ever-loving neck of the woman standing in front of me.
Emotions, too many to name, bombarded me, making it impossible to speak or to figure out which one to address first.
Confusion, hurt, anger. Anger—no, burning, seething violent rage so intense it didn’t feel like me.
“Okay,” I huffed, my whole body shaking. “What the actual fuck is going on, here?”
Shelly, Raul’s mother—Raul’s mother!—came slowly down the steps. Her blue eyes were soft with the compassion I’d once known so well. Compassion I’d once loved. She touched my arm, a reassuring gesture, I thought. I bristled and recoiled as if stung.
I wanted to attack her. I wanted to claw her eyes out. If Raul hadn’t been there, I would have, but the last thing I wanted was a repeat of last night’s fight.
“Raul, please give me a moment with her.”
“Whatever you have to say, you can say in front of me, mother.”
She shook her head, keeping her eyes on his, not intimidated by him at all. Yep, she was definitely his mother, all right.
“Raul, please. She is going to be my daughter-in-law, after all.”
He gave her a look like he didn’t understand the title.
“Five minutes, An’tanaka.” He marched to the doors, unclipped his end of my leash, and slapped it into the hand of a guard there, leaving the room.
As soon as the doors closed, she shook her head sadly. “I’m sorry, Danika. My son can be…difficult.”
Her son. Oh, God. Hearing her say the words made my head spin. This had to be some sort of cruel joke. God was up there laughing at me, having himself a fucking ball.
“You have questions, I’m sure.” She walked up the steps to the dais and seated herself on one of the thrones, then patted the velvety purple cushion on the one beside her. “Have a seat. Please.”
“I’ll stand, thanks.” I wasn’t about to sit next to the bitch.
She smiled, a sad sort of look, and shook her head. “You’re perfect for him, you know. I was right.”
My fists shook. “So you did have a hand in all this. You allowed me to be sold—taken—knowing what a monster he was?”
“You’re angry with me.” She nodded. “You have a right to be.”
“Oh, I have? So generous of you. Thanks for your permission.”
She sighed and looked at the ceiling. “I’m sorry, Danika. I really am.” Her eyes were wet. Funny enough, I couldn’t make myself care.
I crossed my arms. “Whatever. Skip all the bullshit and just tell me one thing, Shelly.”
“Anything.”
“Why?” I drew out between my teeth. “Just tell me why.”
“It’s complicated, Danika. I don’t have a lot of time, not enough to explain properly.”
“Were you forced into this?” I snapped.
“Yes. In a way, you could say that. There are many things you don’t know, nor would understand right now.”
“But why? You could have done something, Shelly.”
Her eyes slid closed. A tear rolled down her lightly wrinkled cheek. “I didn’t have a choice.”
“Was it Sauders who forced you?”
“No.”
“Then who? You evil, soulless bitch, what forced you to sell me? How many other girls has this happened to? How many girls in that home? Because I know it wasn’t just me.”
“None that I helped arrange to be brought here. There was only you.” She opened her eyes and wiped them.
“Only me? Don’t I feel special. Shelly, was any of it even real? The friendship? The late nights spent talking? The fucking dolphin? Are you even who you say you are?”
Her shoulders fell. I saw the guilt all over her face.
“Are you even human?”
> “Yes.” Her voice was soft with sorrow. “I am. I don’t suppose you’d be any more pissed off if you knew Shelly isn’t my name. I used to be a lot like you, in the beginning.”
I gave a harsh, bitter laugh. “Right. I’m sure you were.”
“When I came here, Haruuk, Raul’s father, gave me a new name, as Masters often do. He called me An’tanaka.” She sat back slowly and locked her eyes on mine. God, there was a strength in her I’d never seen at the Home, an almost steel-like resolve. “Do you know what the name means?”
“Do I care?” But I did. If she was here, did that mean that she was taken, too? Would it matter? I was being a total bitch, but I was too angry and confused, feeling too betrayed to be nice.
“It means Spirited One. He called me that because I spat in his face when I first saw him.” A slight smile touched her lips. “That was the last time I had a choice on this planet. But I grew to accept it, just as I grew to love my Master.”
“Did he do this to you then? Did he force you to give me to his son like chattel?” Sympathy jabbed at my anger. Until she shook her head.
“No. But I still didn’t have a choice.”
“There is always a choice. It may suck ass, but there is always a choice.”
She stood and came down the steps. “Danika… Someday, I hope you will understand. I hope you will give me the chance to explain, and then forgive—”
I waved off her bullshit words. “Not a chance, Shelly.”
Her shoulders drooped, and she sighed. “We’re almost out of time.” She took my hands, and when I pulled mine away, she dropped hers. “Do you still have the dolphin?”
“No,” I scoffed. The last I’d seen of it, Z’pheer had it. I didn’t know if he still did, and I so didn’t care.
Her eyes welled up. “Well. I should have expected that.” She cradled my face in her hands, ignoring my disgusted flinch. “I love you, girl.”
“Don’t touch me,” I muttered, moving back from her. “Just don’t touch me.”
The doors opened and Raul stepped in. “Five minutes are up. Mother, you can talk more with our nayna when we return.”
She clicked her teeth. “My son, please be safe. This mission, I know it’s important, but please be careful. When should we expect your return?”
What mission? We were leaving? I glanced at Raul who returned my look with a smirk.
“We will return as soon as we can, Mother, and hopefully, the mission will be successful.” He gave his mother a kiss on the cheek, and she patted his shoulder.
Raul turned to the guard and said something to him while retrieving my leash, giving Shelly an opportunity to grab my hand. Focused on the prospect of leaving, I didn’t think to pull away from her.
“I don’t regret for an instant having you for my son. If anyone can bring light into Raul’s soul, it’s you, Danika. Don’t give up on him. And don’t give up on me.”
With that, she wiped her eyes and scurried from the room.
Having finished talking with the guard, Raul took my leash and marched us across the room, winding up the slack as he went. He cupped my chin.
“Don’t be angry with my mother, nayna. This isn’t her fault.”
“Yeah, right.” I looked up at him. “Why didn’t you tell me? She was at the club, right there with you. Why didn’t you tell me she was your mother?”
As soon as I asked that, I knew I shouldn’t have bothered.
“What did I tell you yesterday, nayna?”
I looked away.
He jerked my chip up. “What did I tell you?”
I heaved a breath. “That you aren’t required to tell a slave anything.”
“Good. You are learning.” He bent and raked his mouth across mine. “There is hope for you yet. Now, we have things to do, we’ll be leaving shortly.”
“What is the mission, anyway?”
He shook his head. “Not learning a thing after all, I see.”
I rolled my eyes as we made our way to Raul’s suite, passing Malek and Z’pheer on the way.
“There you are. We have made all the arrangements,” Z’pheer said, he and Malek turning around and following us toward the room.
Malek shook his head. “I still don’t think you should go, Raul. The world needs its ruler here.” By his tone, it sounded like they’d had this same argument earlier.
“You want to get rid of me that badly?” Raul teased, handing my leash to Z’pheer.
“I’m serious!” Malek snapped. “This is irresponsible of you.”
“It’s irresponsible of me to want to oversee a mission to save my world? If the weapon is, in fact, within reach, you better believe I’m going to be there to retrieve it.”
Ah. So that’s what the mission was about.
Maybe it was just my imagination, but I swore I heard the guilt in Raul’s words. Guilt over abandoning his people. It made sense that he would want to atone for that by going on this mission.
Raul and Malek continued to bicker. They headed down another hall and their voices faded.
I looked sidelong up at Z’pheer. “How long will this trip take?”
His thumb massaged the back of my hand. “It’ll take us a week or so to get to Gandris Four. Why?”
“Well, uh, what will I do while you’re gone?”
Amusement turned the corners of his lips up, making his smooth, hard features look so much more handsome than they already were. Wow, how had I not noticed he was that hot?
It bothered me that I sounded like I’d miss my captors.
“I mean, um. It’s just that I don’t know anyone here, and I imagine the nightlife here stinks.”
He laughed and his hand squeezed mine. “You are coming with us, ra alia.”
Surprised, I stepped into the room he’d led us to and turned to him as he shut the door. “Me? Why?”
He stroked my cheek with his fingers. “Would it be so bad to go with us? Are we that terrible?” He leaned in, nibbling my earlobe.
I squirmed in delight and was startled to realize I’d laid my hands on his muscled waist, holding it.
“I…it’s not that. I just meant… uh..” He bit my ear and the light sting made my nipples peak. “I just meant that I didn’t think men like you would allow… slaves—women—on a dangerous mission like this.”
He drew back. “Normally we wouldn’t. But we aren’t trusting anyone here enough to leave you. And Raul doesn’t want you left in this place with Laric here. I don’t either. I don’t like the way he looks at you.”
Was it me or was did that last part come out growly?
After all that had happened, my belly did a weird flip.
My God, I was so in trouble here. I bit my lip. “Are you jealous, Z’pheer?” Why the heck did I hope he said yes?
“When it comes to you? Always, alia.”
Christ help me. I was falling for him. Help me!
What the hell was I supposed to do now? I was falling for a barbarian, a master who could, by the rules of his own world, never love me back. I needed to think about how to get home, not let him steal my heart.
What the hell was wrong with me?
28
Salve
We were going on another trip.
It was bad enough that we were taking a spaceship again. I wasn’t looking forward to another flight. Nor was I eager to go through another landing. But the situation was made so much worse for the fact that, once again, the men wouldn’t tell me much.
Malek and Raul had talked about going to retrieve the weapon that would kill the Rith, but I knew nothing beyond that. I’d tried to ask repeatedly, only to receive the usual scowl from Raul, a grumble of irritation from Malek, and a pat on the head from Z’pheer.
Nothing had changed from the first day I’d arrived here. I was a slave, and therefore had no business asking about or being told affairs meant only for men.
Z’pheer’s penchant for taking care of me, and his comparative openness with me, apparently only went so f
ar. He still lived by whatever twisted, misogynistic view Xandari men had, and if he deviated from that code, he did so only when he chose, and only so far as he wished.
There was a bright side to this whole thing, though. Wherever we were going, at least we’d be out of the damned shelter. Away from the Xandari guards, away from Laric and his leering eyes, and perhaps, most important of all, away from Shelly.
The ship we were taking, the Tanticore, sat in its own cavern in the middle of a maze of tunnels I couldn’t have hoped to find my way out of on my own. Five times the size of Raul’s old, beat up ship, it was huge, with a ramp that connected the open hatch at the front of the gleaming white hull to the lighted platform on which the craft sat. A huge metal hatch in the cavern’s stone ceiling stared down like a giant eye. Obviously, the ship was supposed to fly out of it, though it was closed now. Monitors glowed on the cavern walls around the ship while a dozen men in black uniforms worked consoles and touch pads, the babble of tech and controller personnel a constant buzz.
I stared at the ship, marveling at its beauty. Like a white marble jewel, the ship looked brand new and clean, as if hundreds of people had polished it to a shine.
With so many people around, the men had cuffed and muzzled me, Raul holding my leash around one fist, Tarku’s in the other. The dog trotted up the ramp at his side, pink tongue lulling out. He seemed a lot happier to be boarding the ship than I was. Behind us, Malek and Z’pheer clamored up the metal ramp, their arms full of supplies for the trip, carried in large metallic chests.
Raul said nothing to me, but I was glad of his stony silence. After that encounter with Shelly, and after the companionable time spent with Z’pheer, I had too much to think about to focus on anything anyone said.
Once inside the ship, for what had to be the hundredth time since I’d arrived on this planet, my eyes went huge. The inside was as gorgeous as the outside, with clean, metallic black walls, gold trim, plush seats on the bridge, and thick red carpeting on the floors. The rooms were wide and open, and above all, the lights in the ceiling appeared to be working, not flickering on and off.
