“Is something wrong?” he asked, confused.
She stiffened. “No. I’m a little tired, is all,” she apologized, though privately cursed herself for overacting.
“Sorry,” he grunted.
He spread her thighs, impatient to lift her up to the heights and let her fall back down into slumber, but Sarra knew he was simply being selfish for his own zenith. She gasped as he entered her and tears sprang into her eyes ... Now she wished that she was performing, but her pleasure was becoming real. She restrained herself from crying out—he might hear her abhorrence there, as well. She mustn’t rationalize—she had best let herself feel if he were to believe her? As he groaned huskily, his passion mounting, she surrendered, wanting him off of her and knowing that he wouldn’t until ... She yielded to him a physical response, one that surprised her, a consoling bliss that rocked her violently ...
Finally satiated, he rolled off her, and she bit her bottom lip and gradually made her breathing come naturally. Perhaps believing that she slept, he slid his arm beneath her, drawing her close.
While she was wondering how to escape, the apartment door opened. Footsteps moved near.
“Your Royal Highness?”
Sarra almost shrieked at the sound of Darius’ eager voice; she caught herself and stayed silent. He couldn’t be trusted to rescue her—surely he thought more of his friend than he did of her.
Raine whispered, “She’s asleep, Darius. It’s all right.”
The man grumbled while he left the suite.
The door shut, and Sarra wondered if it could truly be that the lock didn’t beep.
She listened, waiting for him to fall asleep. To ease the beat of her heart, she tried meditating by conjuring up nature scenes, but her efforts were useless. After a while, she rolled restlessly over to the edge of the bed; he didn’t move. Her patience was put to an excruciating test ... and at last she was certain that he slept, his breathing even and deep.
She had nothing to wear but the nightgown, but that wouldn’t matter—if anyone on this rebel estate saw her, she’d be captured, anyway. She wouldn’t look for the remote, just yet. First, she would see if her suspicions were correct.
Stealthily, she located the nightgown within the bedding, slid her feet to the floor, and crept through the darkness. When in the next room, she slipped into the cloth and hurried for the exit. Joy burst within her—Darius hadn’t locked it!
Raine stirred when he heard a door open and close. He discovered that she wasn’t beside him, but he relaxed, assuming that she wanted a private moment alone in the bath. But, as the minutes passed, he began to have his doubts. He rose, touched a light, and rang the bath. When no sound came from within, he opened the door.
He knew instantly. He made long strides to the main exit and saw that the panel’s red light wasn’t on.
It wasn’t locked.
“Dammit!”
His bird had flown.
Chapter 14
Sarra darted out of the elevator and crouched down behind a tall silver column. The shipping port harbored three spacecrafts but only one was active, in the loading dock at the far side. She didn’t know its destination or who manned it. She only knew that she would be on it.
The Class C-F merchant ship was being packed with goods, the black boxes and cylinders coming out of the warehouse that was partially hidden to her by a wall. The containers moved across the ceiling on a magnetic pulley and sailed slowly into the cargo hold where a robot’s six mechanical arms labored to tidily store them away. She didn’t see anybody, but from her angle she couldn’t see everywhere. This was her only chance—she couldn’t risk opening the building’s exterior doors. She timed the rhythm of the action above the ramp ...
As soon as she began to run, a dark shadow moved, coming out from behind the ship. She sprang to the nearest parked auto and bent down low.
Sarra grew faint from the furious beating of her temples, certain that someone had seen her ... but she came to realize that too much time had passed. She glanced askance, and in the distance was the full view of the elevator. If it was to open, and someone was on it, she would be caught!
Fighting hysteria, she peeked around the auto. Kalcoons—three of them! The tall and husky creatures communicated with gruff grunting while they surveyed the loading of the ship. All wore animal pelts, and although only their torsos and loins were covered, they seemed uncomfortable being in a warm Human environment. She shuddered, seeing their black and round eyes, and the bristly, brown hair that blanketed them nearly from head to toe. There was something rather suspicious about them, for the trio seemed peculiarly nervous about their merchandise. She held her breath, fearing that they would come her way ...
Her prayers were answered when the behemoths finally headed for the warehouse. After they were gone, she braved the open space. She sprinted up the incline, slipping between two barrels and dodging the wiry robotics. She gasped as a blast of the ship’s cold air assaulted her, but in the nearly full, deep hold, she chose a direction and heisted herself up atop the rows of large boxes, scrambling across them until reaching the wall. She lifted a square lid and saw the dark, identical garments within, the merchandise the Kalcoons were transporting. She jumped into the bevy of cloth, dropping the lid back into place.
Sarra burrowed into the softness to ward off the chill that penetrated her hiding place. She must stay here until out of orbit—it would be foolish to confront the Kalcoons now, lest they knew Raine personally. And, if he woke he’d surely seek her out and ask them. Even if he did check the ship, would he search every container? Wouldn’t he assume that she fled on foot?
When heavy footsteps sounded, she tightened and scrunched herself down beneath the material. Faintly she heard the closing of the cargo door.
Pressing her palms up against the metal top, she peered out into the dimly lit hold, finding herself alone. She eased the lid back down, but this time placed it a bit sideways in case the Kalcoons electronically locked the boxes from the bridge, trapping her in this darkness. She settled back in her downy refuge, to wait for takeoff.
And then she cried, as calmly as she was able to.
The memory of Raine’s callous words set her awash in despair. It was horrifying to realize just how vulnerable her heart really was. She had been his lover—had willingly given her most private emotion to a savage!
Sarra buried her face in her palms, lost in her shame.
What had she done? How could she be so foolish! Still, he had given an award winning performance, tricking her into reading more than just sexuality in his touch. What did she expect? Why shouldn’t he have tried to get her into his bed—so witless of a woman was she! She had been just his plaything, a toy to amuse himself with until he got what he wanted from her father. He’d never cast a spell—she simply fell prey to his charms, that devastating handsomeness, that overpowering magnetism. How the Heavens need to humble, sending her premonitions, giving her a happy moment with a man who would be lost to her for forever, just to punish the willful and lofty Princess Royal of Adriel! Was misery to be her fate?
She choked off a sob and rage flared within her.
“But I outwitted you, Raine Nicks—whoever you are! I got away! I’ll keep the secret of my shame until my dying day. No one must know—not Father, not even Alma. But, be certain of this, I will have my vengeance and see your face once more, and I will laugh on the day of your execution!”
Sarra held on tightly to her fury to keep the raw sorrow from taking her again. She wiped her tears away, concentrating on her blessed revenge and how much she despised him.
The spacecraft started to move, leaving its pier at last. She shut her eyes, her ears aching in the ascent, but the pressure left when a cosmic flight began.
Victory!
She would wait a while before approaching the Kalcoons, to make certain that they didn’t intend to land on the other side of Myrrh. Believing that enough time had passed, she climbed out of the box. She shivered from the
chill that assailed her thin nightgown, and took one of the simple black gowns out, and hurried into the snug-fitting, extra layer of warmth. She rummaged through a few crates near her, hoping for a coat and shoes, but found only more dresses and undergarments. She gave up and crawled across the metallic squares and jumped down to the icy-cold floor.
Seeing the cylinders stacked up in a corner, she was curious, for the tiny red lights that glowed on the lids’ panels meant that they were locked. She recalled the Kalcoons’ nervousness and concluded that the cargo was illegal. But, right now she didn’t care if the vessel carried explosives.
Hands on her arms and her teeth clattering, she opened the door and hurried for command control. The crew would number no more than ten because of the size of the ship. The captain would obey her demands and set course for Adriel—they’d all be ecstatic with their good fortune! For their trouble her father would reward them handsomely with rainbow gems, their favorite form of money. And they would heat up a cabin for her, a warm-room, giving their guest a pleasant place to stay until arriving at Queen’s Palace.
As she entered the bridge, one of the four Kalcoons turned.
Sarra put her numb, freezing hands on her hips to present an air of authority. “Who commands here?” she asked.
The others acknowledged her. She briefly wondered why they weren’t shocked. The eight, dark and watery eyes examined her with interest, but without surprise.
Suddenly feeling defenseless against their size and strength, she regretted that she hadn’t brushed up on her knowledgeable, but inexperienced, Kalcoonian tongue.
“Princess Royal of Adriel,” she said slowly, motioning at her breast.
The creatures stared blankly.
“Ooch trale?” she asked, meaning: Who commands?
They didn’t speak.
This could be more difficult than she had imagined. “ShoNo Karato bruff Adriel,” she said gruffly, hoping the words meant: Take me to Adriel.
One tilted his head to the side as if trying to understand.
The icy-cold sent a tremor rippling violently through her. “Sorot! Sorot Bri! Adriel!” Riches! Great riches!
“Graaah! MetOnk uoohph!”
“Sallech! Ook ook ook!”
Although relieved for a response, she had no idea what the two beasts had said to each other and guessed that they spoke in slang. Strangely, they all seemed somewhat amused, making her wonder if she was being made fun of.
Her bare toes were threatening to turn to ice. A warm-room—there was no time to chat!
“Adriel!” she cried, striding over to the helm to show them how to set course for the planet. The one nearest the controls moved, blocking her path. She flitted backward, intimidated.
“Trant cra cra! SruT za ruft!”
When she realized that the angry behemoth said: “Don’t touch! Go to your master!” she looked at where his hairy finger pointed.
At the comm sat a presence, hidden completely by the tall back of the chair. As it began to turn, her heart missed a beat—even before she saw him. He stepped out and her jaw dropped, her eyes widened, and she paled.
There stood Raine Nicks, smiling.
Sarra expressed her rage with a primal scream. She became aware that he was carrying her over his shoulder and that her fists were pounding on his back.
“No!” she screeched. “No—no—no—no—no—”
Raine shouted at the beasts, “CranNa!” Until later!
Sarra felt a wave of a warm-room’s heat, and when he put her down she struck at him blindly, her vision flooded with her tears. He silently took her abuse until she became weaker and slid to the floor, sobbing in her misery.
Raine let her cry a while and then bent to lift her up. She scrambled away and jumped onto and over the room’s bunk.
“Get away from me!” she warned with her fists ready for battle.
Quite casually he doffed his long gray coat and tossed it onto the bed. He sauntered over to the only chair and sat, nonchalantly stretching his legs out, crossing his boots and arms. Anger was there on his face, but an expression more like curiosity was in his eyes.
“You almost upset some very important plans,” he said quietly.
“You were sleeping!” she cried, tormented. “You couldn’t have known!”
“I woke. Saw you by the auto, saw you get on the ship. I planned to retrieve you from the hold when we were a safe distance from Myrrh, but you saved me the trouble. And here we are, on a pleasant journey to Kan.”
“Kan! These Kalcoons—is everybody a Revolutionary?” she spat.
“Unfortunately, no. Only the wise.”
Sarra glanced around for something to throw but saw nothing worthwhile. “Smut—of the galaxy! Get out of here!”
Raine didn’t obey. His gaze grew warmer, watching while she absently rubbed her hands together as if unable to thaw out. She looked like she had just come out of a windstorm, her black gown wrinkled and her golden hair in disarray. He’d never seen such dark, delicate patches beneath her eyes, the evidence of her fatigue. Her ashen, tear-streaked cheeks stirred his gentler nature—she was vulnerable and forlorn, in need of comforting. He rose, eagerly. “Let’s go back to bed,” he uttered.
Horrified, she thrust out a palm. “Stay away!”
He crossed his arms, becoming irritated by her stubbornness. “So your escape plan didn’t work. It isn’t like it hasn’t happened before. Why can’t you just accept it?”
“Why?” Her jaws clapped together twice before she could coherently mimic his words. “The princess has the morals of a whore—you know I loath her! If the king doesn’t, she will die—I may as well enjoy her!” And then she added, “I wish ‘Nathan Christian’ really had been blown to bits!”
Genuine surprise crossed his face. “Oh.”
“Oh! Is that all you have to say?”
“I ... Sometimes men just talk. I wasn’t telling the truth.”
“Right! Do you really expect me to believe you?”
For a moment Sarra saw something that she never had seen before. He seemed at a loss ... confused, bewildered ... and then his confidence was back.
“You’ll have to believe what you want to.”
“Oh, I will! I believe what I should have known all along! You’re not just a savage, you’re evil—a smut! And if you think that I’m your ‘tamed prisoner’ you’d better think again!”
“Princess ...” he said distraughtly, taking a step nearer.
She snatched up his coat and flung it at him. “Get out of here!” she hissed. “Get out! Out!”
He stared at her, menacingly. He shrugged, and headed for the door.
“Sweet dreams,” he said, stiffly.
“Go to hell!”
When alone, she collapsed on the bunk. She coughed and gagged, choking on her hot tears.
***
Stardust laced the darkness, enshrouding the heavens with a faint, shimmering glow. The serenity out the port eased Sarra’s bitter mood, making her feel somewhat at peace—that is, when she could forget.
Although she had no clock to watch, she guessed that almost two days had past since Raine had left her. Twice she had slept only to awaken and recall her dreadful circumstances, being frustrated while the seconds crawled by. But, did it even matter what the hour was? The invisible wheel ruled and she couldn’t speed up its passing. There are other dimensions where time can be distorted, but, after all, time is a universal entity that always remains constant, it simply depends on how you measure it.
Raine was like time—there was no getting rid of him. Although he hadn’t returned, he was far too near. The Kalcoons’ ship wasn’t big enough for the two of them—at least not where she was concerned. It made her furious just thinking about him.
It was simply no use to plot escape. She had no choice but to go along for the ride and wait until the FAS snared him. She would prevail!
Sarra rose and moved about restlessly. How long would she be trapped here? She’d never
been to Kan, but knew that it was a fair journey there. Her patience was almost nonexistent. There wasn’t even a toy computer board—there was nothing to do! She had already showered in the cramped bath this day and had taken her third meal from the small, portable galley.
She flounced down onto the bunk. The port blurred as her memory traveled down a familiar path. Again and again she replayed Raine’s careless words until she became nauseated from the stress. This was her punishment—she couldn’t find it in her heart to forgive herself.
But, it was what Darius had said that baffled her. He had asked Raine if he was taking his family’s deaths out on her, as if she were somehow responsible. She couldn’t recall his answer.
“How? How could it be my fault?”
Who was his family? If he thought that she had caused their deaths ... She knew firsthand that the loss of one’s kin could devastate anybody. At times she still felt cheated by the empty places in her heart where only her mother and brothers could fill. But, she would see them again, in the next life.
“Ahh, Nicks—he’s just twisted! He blames me for everything just because he hates my title! I’ll be damned if I ask him about it!”
She successfully stopped the threat of compassion, but her mind still worked on the mysterious puzzle, finding that she didn’t have even one piece.
‘Why doesn’t he come?’
She cried out a curse, and blamed her self-betrayal on her boredom.
Sarra couldn’t know that Raine viewed space in his own warm-room, but he didn’t see the stars, either. He was perfectly consumed, thinking about her.
He had underestimated her. It wouldn’t happen again. What—her against him, plus six behemoths? He didn’t rule out the possibility. He took every precaution, posting a guard at her door and at the helm. Even her sly ways couldn’t master all of this.
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