by Hope Hart
I tense, sliding one hand over her breast, and she shivers.
“A reduction?”
“Made smaller. They would cut here and take away some of the…” Her voice trails off as I stare at her, horrified, and she bursts out laughing.
“I think this is the most disconcerted I’ve ever seen you,” she says.
I can barely find my words. “Your mother wanted this for you?”
She shrugs. “When I was young, it was fun, you know. As long as I was doing what I was told, my mom would be supportive, and kind…almost like a normal mom. But the moment I pushed back, she would turn on me. She could be…vicious. I know she had problems of her own—my dad was never around. But no matter how much I dieted, I was still all tits and hips. I hit rock bottom when I realized I couldn’t remember the last time I’d eaten properly and I was considering going to see a surgeon. It would be one thing if it were a career I chose, or something I loved, but I was just doing it for her. And if she couldn’t love me enough without the modeling, then why was I begging for scraps of her affection?”
Vivian’s face is wet, and I wipe away her tears, but more quickly take their place.
“I’m sorry. Where was your father in this?”
She shrugs. “He didn’t give a crap. When Mom decided she was done with me, he cut me out of his life as well. I was still modeling, but I was never going to be an editorial model, and I wasn’t suitable for high fashion. I was lucky though. I had my own little niche doing commercial modeling, and before I was abducted, I’d moved into lingerie and bikini modeling. It may not have been my passion, but I was good at it.”
I don’t know some of the words Vivian has spoken, but I understand a little more about her life. She was betrayed by her family and taught not to trust. She had to choose to look after herself and only herself.
Her cousin is all she has left of her family. It’s not surprising that she would do anything to ensure they both return safely to their own planet.
Some of the rage that has been simmering inside of me since Korzyn told me she agreed to betray me…it is lessened. Oh, I am still angry. But I have not told Vivian I have ordered my people to search for the chip she needs. I don’t want to give her false hope if it can’t be found.
I scowl as thumping sounds come from the other room. Someone is banging on the door.
“Your Majesty, Your Majesty, come quick!”
Vivian’s eyes widen, and she sits up, clutching her blanket to her chest. I push away the urge to order whoever has dared interrupt me to leave so I can roll her beneath me once more. Instead, I stride from the bedroom to the sitting room and throw open the door, scowling at Bevix.
His face is pale, and I open my mouth, but he’s already stumbling over his words.
“It’s Tridi,” he says. “He’s dying.”
Vivian gasps behind me, and I meet her eyes. She has pulled on her dress and is leaning against the doorway.
“Stay here,” I order her, and she nods as I stride from the room.
“Where is he?”
“His rooms.”
I run through the halls, ignoring the gasps of the servants as they jump out of my way.
Tridi is choking on his own blood when I arrive, Korzyn attempting to stem the bleeding from his chest wound.
“He wouldn’t let me call for the healers,” Korzyn says. “He insisted on speaking to you first.”
“Are you mad?” I turn and roar for the healers.
Bevix crouches next to me. “I’ve already called for them, Your Majesty. They’re on the way.”
I survey Tridi’s chest wound as Korzyn replaces the thick cloth he’s using to stem the bleeding. Tridi gasps, and I lean down.
“What happened?”
“Attack. Traitor.” He coughs, and his face turns gray. “Came out of nowhere. I turned, and a knife was in my chest. The rooms were dark. I fell to the floor, and they were gone.”
“You were in here?”
He nods. “Someone close. Someone with access to our rooms. Likely whoever killed your parents.”
My heart sinks into my stomach, where it turns to lead. “I thought it was you,” I admit. “You always looked so enraged whenever I sat on my throne.”
“I know.” The ghost of a smile crosses his face. “I was enraged. You look so much like your father. It made me sick to think he would never get to see you rule, never get to see the male you have become.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be.” He attempts a smile, but his breaths are wet. “I had a good life. Not everyone can say the same.” He reaches for my hand, clutching it with surprising strength. “You need to be careful. Keep Korzyn close. Someone wants what you have, and they’ve killed me, they want to kill you, and they will murder anyone else who stands in their way.”
“You’re not dead yet.” I turn, roaring again for the healers. We just need cava berries. He’ll heal. He has to.
I glance back down as he squeezes my hand. He gasps, blood bubbling between his lips.
“I know a mortal wound when I see one. If I had access to a cava berry the moment I was stabbed, it might have been…different.” He chokes for a moment, and I want to throw my head back and howl in frustrated fury. “I think you’ll find the healers were prevented from getting here as quickly as they should have.”
I glance at Bevix, and he nods.
“I’ll go.”
Tridi ignores that. “If the human female is the female you choose, you will need to fight to keep her safe. They will take everything you care about if you let them, Arix.”
“Don’t go. Please.”
He smiles. “Your parents would be proud of you, boy. And I am too.”
He chokes again, his body stilling, and I reach down and close his eyes.
Chapter Ten
Vivian
Arix is silent next to me, his eyes hard as he stares at the water as if it can solve all his problems.
Now that the part for our thruster is fixed, we’re heading back to Rakiz’s tribe to drop it off. Alexis and Dexar are still there while they attempt to figure out a plan to remove the threat the Dokhalls present.
Arix hasn’t said much since the death of his uncle. He still comes to my rooms, but there’s no more talking about our lives. Instead, he takes me again and again until I fall into an exhausted sleep. When I wake up, he is often training with his men or having meetings with his advisers.
From what Sarissa has said, not only was Arix’s uncle murdered, but he and Arix were barely on speaking terms when he died. His uncle had conveniently always been around when key people were killed, and it seemed likely he was responsible for Arix’s parents’ deaths. But with no actual proof, Arix had chosen to allow him to stay at the castle in order to keep an eye on him. This whole time, Arix was barely tolerating him while his uncle was trying to discover the traitors himself—and ended up dead for it.
The guilt he must feel…
And the rage…
I can’t do it. I can’t be another person who betrays Arix. The thought makes me sick to my stomach.
Sarissa glances at me from across the boat. She’s chatting to one of the guards, but I can practically read her mind. Stay cool.
I know it’s not just about me. I know it’s about the other women too. How do I sentence them to a lifetime on a planet they never wanted to land on? How do I live with myself, knowing I could have gotten that chip?
I don’t. There’s no way I could look the other women in the eye as we try to get off this planet. All while knowing I had the chance to get us up into space. To get revenge against the Grivath. And to get us home.
Maybe…maybe it’s not as bad as we think. Maybe the ship doesn’t actually require a control chip, and we can get off this planet without it.
“Are you okay?”
I blink, realizing Sarissa is now sitting in front of me. “I’m fine.”
She tilts her head, but I can’t bring myself to explain what I’m feeling.
She warned me not to get attached to Arix. And now I’m considering risking all our futures just to keep his butt planted on his throne? Ridiculous.
And yet resentment sits hot and heavy in my stomach. It’s easy for Sarissa. She doesn’t care about anything.
I push that away. Great. A heaping spoonful of guilt has been served along with the tension and resentment. Sarissa has had an incredibly hard life. She’s deeply wounded. It’s not fair to blame her for this.
We’re all silent as we get off the boat. Rakiz has arranged for some of his warriors to meet us with mishua, and from the look of the large pen they’re setting up, he’s obviously building some kind of stables here, which will make traveling back and forth across the water a lot easier.
Arix pulls me to him, helps me onto a mishua, and slides up behind me. I blush as Korzyn narrows his eyes at us, but he’s already turning his attention to Sarissa, who is attempting to convince one of the guards to let her ride alone.
Good luck with that, cuz.
Korzyn stalks over to Sarissa and throws her over his shoulder. She curses, but he ignores her, the expression on his face making it clear she has gotten on his last nerve. He hands her to one of the guards, who lifts her onto a mishua and mounts behind her.
I almost smile as I catch Sarissa’s eye. She is definitely going to make the commander pay for that little move.
She glowers at him most of the way to the camp, and it’s obvious she’s thinking up the best revenge. I attempt to ignore how good Arix’s arm feels around my waist, but I end up slumped against his chest, falling into a light snooze.
“You were snoring,” he tells me when the mishua makes a sound and I jerk awake.
“Was not,” I say, feeling my cheeks heat.
He grins at me for the first time since his uncle died. I scowl, ignoring the relief that flashes through me like lightning at the sight of his smile.
“Maybe you shouldn’t keep me up all night, then.”
He raises one eyebrow. “Are you complaining?”
Someone makes a gagging sound, and my cousin’s voice reaches my ears. “Give it a rest, you two. We’re here.”
Arix stares at Sarissa like she’s a new, unusual species he’s never seen before, and I can’t help but laugh. He helps me off the mishua and strides away to speak to Rakiz, who is standing at the camp gates.
“So.” Sarissa leans in close. “I’ve come up with a few ways to make the commander feel very, very sorry for his actions today.”
She tilts her head, watching Korzyn order the guards around, and I sigh.
“Girl, you need church.”
She smiles. “Wasn’t there something in the Bible about doing unto others as they do to you? I liked that part.”
I frown because I’m pretty sure that’s not what it says, but she’s already striding away, looking like she’s about to start some shit.
“Viv!”
I spin, mouth dropping open. Nevada is now standing next to Rakiz, a bundle in her arms.
“Oh my God! You had the baby!”
I bounce over to her, and she laughs as I lean close.
“Vivian, meet Danica.”
“Wow. She looks just like you.”
Danica opens her eyes, and they’re all Rakiz. “Wait. I take it back,” I laugh.
Nevada pushes a blanket aside, revealing tiny, chubby baby shoulders.
“Wow.” I run one hand down Danica’s shoulder, gently tracing the same blue-green scales Arix and the other Braxians have, only in miniature.
My chest clenches with a longing I’ve never felt before.
Arix leans close, his body hard against mine as he peers down at Danica, ignoring Rakiz’s obvious tension.
“You are blessed,” he finally says, raising his gaze to Rakiz, who nods, satisfaction burning in his eyes as he stares at his mate and baby.
“I am,” he acknowledges, meeting Nevada’s gaze for a long moment. She smiles and then tilts her head, returning her attention to me.
“Now that you’re back, maybe Beth will finally agree to go through with her mating ceremony. Zarix is muttering about how he’s ready to tie her up and hold her down for it if he doesn’t get to finally make it official soon.” Nevada winks at me, and I laugh. Poor Zarix.
“Beth wants all of us there for her ceremony, and she’s had a rough time. She and Alexis haven’t been back to their tribe since before the last skirmish with the Dokhalls.”
I smile at that, but I can’t help but rub at my chest, where I now have a permanent reminder of that battle. Arix lets out a low growl next to me, his body going tense.
Rakiz steps closer. “I have had a number of kradis prepared for you,” he says formally, his eyes still on Arix. “I’m looking forward to our negotiations.”
Arix nods. “Thank you.”
Nevada leans forward, her voice low as she murmurs to me while the Braxians discuss meeting arrangements. “You’ve got good timing. Alexis and Kate are planning to go see the ship tomorrow if you guys want to go with them?”
She glances behind me to where Sarissa is hanging back, stroking her hand down one of the mishua’s necks. Sarissa instantly nods, and relief swims through me. If we can leave Agron without the control chip, I’ll no longer be walking around feeling like I have a rock in my stomach.
“Everyone’s so excited to see you guys,” Nevada says, and Sarissa joins me as we follow the tribe queen into her camp.
“Zoey ordered me to make sure you guys visit her,” Nevada continues. “She’ll be in the healers’ kradi, so let’s go see her now, and then you can get some rest.”
“I want to hear everything about Zoey and Tagiz,” I admit, and Nevada laughs.
“Yup, the big guy didn’t stand a chance against Zoey’s stubbornness.”
“I heard that,” a voice says, and I spin, almost knocked off my feet as Zoey throws her arms around me.
“We were just coming to find you,” Nevada says.
“Some of the other women are hanging out in Beth’s kradi,” Zoey says. “Maybe you guys can do Zarix a favor and let her know you’ll be here for a couple of days. Poor guy is threatening to kidnap her if she doesn’t agree to do the ceremony soon.”
I burst out laughing. These Braxian males try their best to be civilized for us human women, but deep down, they’ll always be barbaric warriors.
“I’ll talk to her,” I promise. I glance over my shoulder, and Arix nods at me as he follows Rakiz. I don’t know much about their negotiations, only that Rakiz and Dexar want access to Arix’s marketplace, and if I know anything about Arix, it’s that he’ll drive a tough bargain.
Nevada and Sarissa walk ahead, while I take my time until it’s just Zoey and me.
“Do you have it?” I murmur, and Zoey nods, handing me the package I asked for.
“Be careful.”
I shove the bundle deep into my pocket. “I will. Just don’t tell anyone about this.”
She nods again, and I smile.
“Now tell me all about how you finally got your man.”
Arix
I watch the females walk away, glancing back at Rakiz to find a smile dancing around his lips as he keeps his gaze on me.
I narrow my eyes at him, and he grins. “Another Braxian falls to the charms of human females,” he murmurs. Behind me, Korzyn mutters something uncomplimentary. Rakiz glances over my shoulder, his face turning hard, and I sigh.
“Korzyn is unconvinced of those charms,” I murmur, and Rakiz laughs.
“As was I.” He slaps me on the shoulder, and one of his warriors steps forward, directing some of my men toward their kradis.
“I’ve set aside some time if you would like to negotiate now? I understand if you would prefer to rest after your journey.”
I almost smile at that. This tribe king believes he can taunt me into negotiating with him without a clear head. Little does he know that my father ensured I was trained for exactly this circumstance. Along with almost any circumstance imagin
able.
In fact, it is to my benefit if this tribe king believes I am negotiating while tired.
“I’m willing to talk now if you are,” I say, and Rakiz smiles, baring straight white teeth. I show him my own teeth, and Korzyn steps close, hand on his sword.
Rakiz glances at my commander and turns away as if unconcerned, leading us toward his tashiv. But two of the tribe king’s guards fall into step between us and the king, making it clear we are not trusted at Rakiz’s back.
These negotiations are already going well.
While this barbaric camp can’t compare to my own kingdom, the tribe king’s tashiv is large and comfortable.
A fire crackles, removing the chill from the air, and a large pile of wood is stacked neatly next to it. There are two closed doors in the tashiv, likely leading to a bathing room and a sleeping room. An older servant bustles into the room, placing a platter of food on a large table, and Rakiz gestures for me to be seated on one of the low chairs surrounding the table.
Korzyn positions himself behind me while more of Rakiz’s warriors file in, joking with the tribe king and jostling as they help themselves to food before taking their own seats. I left all my advisers behind, unable to trust the people around me enough during these negotiations. Meanwhile, Rakiz is joking with one of his warriors about the male’s mate, taking bets on when his babe will be born.
Is this a negotiation tactic? To make me see exactly what I’m missing in my own kingdom?
Rakiz makes one more low remark, and the other warrior throws his head back and roars with laughter. Then the tribe king focuses on me, taking his seat, his face clearing.
My mood is foul. The brotherhood here reminds me of my father’s court. He hated formality, and the people he kept close were his friends.
At least most of them were.
Unbidden, I can see myself sitting next to my father, learning how to be king—and hoping I would one day be half as worthy to rule as he was. It wasn’t just my father who was killed that day. My father’s best friend was also found dead in another supposed accident elsewhere in the castle, as were three more of his most trusted advisers.
