by L P Peace
‘Nothing.’
It took almost an hacri and a lot more climbing before they finally came to the second-highest roof. As soon as Kadian stepped out onto the terrace, a chime announced a signal connection.
‘Got it.
Immediately, Kadian put in a call to Tanir.
‘About time! I’ve been sitting over this planet for fourteen hacri. How is it? Do you need me?’
‘Yes. My ship’s been locked down. I can’t get to it.’
‘I can cause a distraction. Take eyes away from the dock.’
‘Yes. But I also need you to come get us.’
‘I don’t understand?’
‘There are illegal slaves here. They saved Olivia from the Myardahl when she arrived. I want you to get us. That’ll free up my ship for some of the slaves to take it.’
‘How do you know they’re illegal?’
‘There are Amaran and Bolsen slaves down here.’
There was an audible hiss from Tanir. Neither of their races signed up for that. Prisoners of their races are supposed to be sold to their homeworld so that they can be imprisoned there.’
‘Exactly,’ Kadian said. ‘The Myardahl don’t seem to care.’
‘I’ll plan a surprise the Myardahl homeworld will never forget,’ Tanir growled. ‘Where am I picking you up. I can come now.’
‘We’re not ready yet,’ Kadian said. ‘We should wait for night to fall. We’re on the light side.’
‘Well, vrok! Fine. Where do you want to meet?’
‘I don’t have a place scoped out,’ Kadian admitted. ‘I was thinking the section of the city I’m in now, but this comm is unsecured.’
‘Understood. Then a visual cue,’ Tanir suggested.
‘Yes. Something big. Something that will stand out. We’re in the capital city.’
‘That narrows it down. We’ll be there come nightfall. As soon as you’re ready, light it up.’
‘Tanir! Can you come help me with this?’ The voice calling off-screen to Kadian’s friend was female.
Kadian frowned. ‘You brought a female with you?’
‘I rescued a female. I’ll explain when I see you.’ There was a pause. ‘Night. A visual cue. Capital city. Got it.’
‘Got it,’ Kadian confirmed. ‘And Tanir. Thank you.’
‘I owe you. That debt will never be paid, brother.’
Kadian shook his head. No matter how many times he’d told Tanir he didn’t owe him anything, Tanir insisted there was a debt. ‘I appreciate that, brother.’
The signal cut out as Tanir, not one to linger, cut the comm. Kadian grinned at the other males. ‘Let’s head back.’
Without Kadian in the bed, Olivia was becoming overheated. She kicked the covers off. Despite her busy mind going over everything that could go wrong, she eventually slipped into sleep.
Dark dreams dominated her unconscious mind so that by the time she awoke, she felt wrung out and more tired than when she’d closed her eyes.
Sitting up, she scraped her hands over her face and decided she was done with sleeping without Kadian by her side.
Since the attack on Endurance, the dream mixed with images from that day. Even so, none of them affected her the way seeing Kadian attacked had. Being taken, caged, sold and meeting Falmon, none of it had felt as traumatising as that night. Even when she’d seen that room, it was Kadian she thought of. Kadian she called for.
When Olivia slept in Kadian’s arms, her body felt him wrapped around her, and she knew he was safe.
Getting up, she quickly washed, dressed and stepped out into the town to see if there was anything she could do. The wait would go much quicker if her hands were busy.
Walking up through, what could be called, the main street, Olivia came across Tassian and an Amaran female with skin that was as dark as his. They were whispering, and Olivia turned, feeling like she was interrupting.
‘Olivia.’
She turned back to see the two Amarans watching her. ‘This is Casrie. She will be one of those taking Kadian’s ship.’
Olivia stepped forward and smiled. ‘Hi. I’m sorry, I don’t remember seeing you before.’
‘I usually patrol tunnels to the south of the city,’ Casrie said in a heavily accented voice.
‘You must be relieved to be going home,’ Olivia said.
‘I am,’ Casrie said. ‘I have family on the homeworld I was meant to be joining, but my ship was hit.’
‘I’m sorry. Will you be going to Amara?’
‘Oh, yes. Hopefully, this will get me in front of the Ilan himself. I’ve always wanted to be a part of his harem. Perhaps even his bond-mate.’
Olivia swallowed and reminded herself they were aliens from a different culture. ‘I was supposed to meet the Ilan.’ She remembered. He’d wanted to discuss radiant production and supply with her and the chief engineer.
‘Oh, lucky you,’ Casrie said.
‘The Ilan is very desirable,’ Tassian said. ‘It is the dream of many adalan and females to spend some time as his lover.’
‘I hope you get to meet him,’ Olivia said to Casrie. ‘I’m going to go help Dema serve food.’
Tassian nodded, then turned back to Casrie. When her hand touched his, he flinched but took it in his. Olivia could see how it cost him, but the two Amarans obviously had a bond that transcended Tassian’s issues with touch, and he was trying.
Turning, her heart breaking a little for the Adalan, Olivia made her way over to the cook pot, thinking about Tassian.
He’d suffered a lot of abuse from his previous owner. He’d never spoken of it to anyone but Casrie as far as Olivia knew, but the scars on his face and body were a testament to his story. Her heart broke a little more. He couldn’t bear to be touched. Olivia was sure if she carried the scars he did, she’d have trouble as well.
With everyone but Kadian. There was never a time she didn’t want him to be touching her.
Passing the line, she walked over to Dema as she served food to the other escaped slaves. ‘Can I help?’
Dema nodded, and Olivia joined her. Grabbing a ladle and bowl, she got to work.
The children of the town, most of them Myardahl, moved quickly down the line, each taking a bowl. Most of them offered food they’d stolen for tomorrow’s pot, but even though some of them arrived empty-handed, none of them was turned away. A little over an hour passed before the whole town had taken food, including Tassian and Casrie, who disappeared together to eat. When they were done, Olivia and Dema ate before turning to the task of cleaning up.
A scream pierced the chamber, followed by a dark, deadly laugh.
The children eating nearby stood and ran, disappearing into the tunnels and away from the commotion. From where Olivia stood, she could see many adults following them.
When she turned, Dema had disappeared.
‘If she’s here, you have nothing to worry about. I will take her and leave.’
Olivia recognised the voice as the male who’d attacked her and Kadian in the alley. She had no doubt he was talking about her.
The voice screamed again, this time in pain.
Fear sank deadly claws into her, making her want to run and hide. But she recognised the voice. Casrie. The alien, the Inadiine, had Casrie.
Gritting her teeth, Olivia forced her feet to walk through the camp and around the edge of the town.
The Inadiine was standing about twenty feet from one of the tunnel accessways. A guard was lying on the ground, their throat cut. Olivia recognised the light orchid skin of a Zavi, their white hair stained in their hot pink blood.
In his arms, Casrie’s pale blond hair fell about her, a look of rictus fear on her face as the Inadiine held a knife to her throat. Tassian and several males stood several feet back, Tassian’s hands up as he tried to talk to the male.
‘I’m here,’ Olivia called out. ‘I’ll come with you; just leave her alone.’
The Inadiine’s head turned slightly to take her in, a grin stretching his lips.
‘Finally, someone who’s speaking sense.’
‘Olivia, you can’t—’
‘Kadian will come for me,’ Olivia said, walking hesitantly towards the male.
The Inadiine laughed. It was dark and anticipatory at the same time. ‘I am looking forward to it,’ he said. ‘Come here.’
Olivia approached slowly, watching his hand on Casrie’s throat. When she was several feet away, she stopped. ‘Let her go.’
‘When you are here,’ he said, a mocking look on his face.
‘You have your sword.’
The sword made no sound as he drew it from behind his back. He held it out towards her.
Her whole body shaking with fear, Olivia stepped forward, her neck millimetres away from the sharp blade. ‘Let her go.’
The Inadiine released Casrie. At the same time, he moved. Her eyes were barely able to register him before he had Olivia in Casrie’s place. ‘Tell Kadian we’ll be having fun with her while we’re waiting for him.’
The Inadiine dragged her into the same tunnel through which he’d entered. When they were a few feet back, he picked her up and ran.
Olivia saw the town getting smaller and smaller as he moved faster than she could conceive. Standing there, Tassian and the others watched until, with a turn, they were gone.
Kadian’s heartbeat was steady even as his thigh screamed white-hot in protest at its overuse. But as he grew closer to the town, he sped in anticipation of arrival—in anticipation of seeing Olivia again.
They’d been gone most of the rote, most of it spent running, and every moment was filled with anxiety at her absence. A part of him wished he’d just brought her with them, but it would have slowed the group down and it would have been hard on her fragile and starved human body.
The first sign that something was wrong occurred when their Bolsen scout stopped ahead in the tunnel and looked back, confusion on his face.
‘Rorak, what’s wrong?’ Vyan called him.
‘Atri is dead!’ The Bolsen's voice was thick and full of shock.
The group drew to a halt in front of Kadian, who’d taken the back, blocking him from going ahead.
‘Dead?’ Vyan whispered.
Kadian pushed through the group and ran over to Rorak. There was a young Aavani female lying on the ground covered in blood. Her eyes were open, and she stared sightlessly at the wall of the small alcove where she was hidden.
‘We have to get back,’ Kadian said, moving to run to the town.
‘We can’t just leave her here,’ Vyan said.
Kadian felt the cold grip of fear on his heart. ‘We have to get back!’ Kadian shouted. ‘One of you lead me, if the others insist on staying here. I have to get back. Now!’
‘Do you think someone’s attacked the town?’ Vyan asked.
Kadian looked down at the clean cut across the Aavani’s throat. A major artery had been sliced open, and burnt orange arterial spray had covered not just her but the wall opposite. The cut was deep and had taken out her voice box first, meaning she never had a chance to call a warning or for help. ‘This was clean. Professional. There’s an Inadiine assassin acting as a bounty hunter for Olivia. So yes. I think they’ve made it to the town by now.’
The group broke into a run, Rorak taking the lead. This time, Kadian didn’t fall back. He ghosted Rorak’s steps as they ran the last four hundred metri to the town's entrance.
The vast room was black and empty. All traces of the town had been cleansed. If Kadian hadn’t followed residents who knew the way, he’d have thought they’d taken a wrong turn somewhere.
‘What!’ Vyan looked around the room, confusion and horror etched into his features. Arms raised, his hands linked at the back of his head as though he had to hold his thoughts inside. ‘What?’
‘Did they get them?’ An Mvari female who’d joined their group during the run stepped deeper into the cavern. ‘Did they… What happened here?’ Her voice was high and filled with distress.
Kadian studied the room as a soldier. ‘I don’t believe so,’ he said. ‘I can’t imagine the Myardahl would clean up or care about things left behind. This is your town leaving, relocating.’
‘You’re not wrong, Todaal,’ a voice said. Tassian stepped into view from a crevice in the wall.
‘Tassian, what happened?’
‘An Inadiine male came. He was going to kill Casrie, so Olivia gave herself up to him.’
Tassian kept on talking, but Kadian didn’t hear him. Olivia was under the power of the Myardahl. He had to get her back. He couldn’t allow that sadistic vrok to lay a single finger on her.
Aware he was standing still, Kadian stumbled back towards the tunnels.
‘Where are you going?’
Kadian ignored the words shouted at him and continued on, gaining speed, slowly forcing his sluggish, stunned body to move quicker.
Someone tackled him, and he hit the floor. All sense fled and he turned and struck out at the barrier between him and Olivia. Several of his strikes were senseless, powerless and struck only air. Then he hit something and reoriented, focusing everything on that spot, he punched again and again.
Someone held his arms and Kadian thrashed, trying to loosen limbs from their hold.
‘You’re being a vrokking vashni!’ a voice roared at him. ‘You’re too emotional. If you leave like this, you’ll die and she’ll be in his power for the rest of her life. Olivia’s counting on you to save her, Todaal!’
It was her name that brought Kadian back to himself.
Olivia was counting on him.
Kadian was breathless and panicked. He forced air into his lungs and slowly the dim red of his rage bled away, leaving him shaking and motivated to move.
‘I am myself,’ he said. He looked up and saw the Bolsen had royal purple blood on his face where he’d been struck. His dark purple blood ran over his Prussian blue skin; his navy marks pulsed an angry rhythm down his face. ‘My apologies.’
‘I understand,’ Rorak said, standing. He reached down and helped Kadian to his feet.
Kadian looked at Rorak properly for the first time. He was older than Kadian had initially thought, not an old man, but getting there. The reason he seemed younger was the way he carried himself, the power he exuded. Heading towards fifty solars. His face had a long scar that ran from almost the centre of his forehead, barely missing his right eye and ran down to his jaw. It was a clean cut but had become raised and ugly as it healed and was dark purple against his skin. Kadian nodded his thanks to the Bolsen.
‘You need to be smart about this.’ Tassian walked up to him. ‘The Inadiine said he was looking forward to your arrival. They are expecting you, and when you go, they will kill you unless you’re prepared.’
Kadian nodded, suddenly ashamed of losing control.
‘You need equipment. You need an escape plan.’
Kadian thought about the Vonidon’s shop. There were weapons in there. ‘I have an escape plan. I need a visual cue for my friends. When they see it, they will come and pick us up. I just need to get Olivia; I can take her to the roof.’
‘What about your cue?’ Tassian asked.
Kadian thought about what a suitable cue, something big enough to be seen for madith, might be and grinned a cold smile. ‘I’ll blow the vrokker’s house up. That should do it.’
Tassian stared at him, his eyes moving between Kadian’s. Finally, he nodded. ‘Do you need help?’
Kadian shook his head. ‘Just to get me from here to the central shopping district. I can do the rest myself.’
‘These rich Myardahl, they have bodyguards. Security.’
‘None of it matters,’ Kadian said. ‘I’ve been trained for this. You just make sure your people are at the port, ready to go.’
Tassian nodded. ‘Rorak, take him where he needs to go.’
The Bolsen stepped forward, wiping at the blood on his face with the back of his hand. ‘Let’s go.’
‘I’ll send your people, Tassian. As soon as they�
�re aware of this, they’ll come for you.’
Tassian nodded. ‘I’m not going anywhere. I have work to do here, but like I said, if they can help set up a system through which we can get others out of here, I’ll be happy to coordinate this side.’
Kadian frowned. ‘Then perhaps you need the Tessans rather than your own people. If they take the diplomatic route—’
‘Then the Myardahl will cleanse us from this planet to ensure no one can prove we were ever here,’ Tassian said, his voice grim.
Kadian nodded. ‘The Tessans it is.’
‘Are we going?’ Rorak said impatiently.
Kadian turned to follow the Bolsen, then turned back to Tassian. ‘Where will you be?’
‘I’m not sure yet. There’s nothing else like this.’
‘Tassian. We could move to the abandoned section of the city,’ Avyn said. ‘There are madith of streets and buildings. They’ll never find us there.’
A thoughtful look fell over his face. ‘We’ll have a look. It may not be safe.’
‘Will you be leaving people in the tunnels?’ Kadian asked.
‘Always,’ Tassian confirmed.
‘Then I’ll send people down here to look for you.’ With that, Kadian turned, and he and Rorak ran back into the darkness of the tunnels.
Kadian gave Rorak the address of the Vonidon’s shop. It took over an hacri to reach it, but finally, they were climbing up through a street access in a small alley behind the shop. They scoped it out and realised it was empty. Kadian took care of the alarm and Rorak picked the lock, taking them inside.
They searched the premises quickly, confirming it was empty before Kadian walked back into the main shop.
It was still smashed up from the fight, and there were signs that law enforcement had been through it.
A small amount of light came in from the street outside, allowing Kadian to scan over the items in the shop. He began piling things on a countertop. After a few metri of this, he realised Rorak was going through the shop after him and adding additional items to the pile. Kadian scanned through them. Everything Rorak added would help Kadian create explosives.
‘These are good,’ he said, nodding his approval at Rorak.
