Stardancer

by Ariel MacArran

  Unata’s mother addressed Aidar. “What do the Az’anti ask to keep the peace?”

  Aidar nodded to Kyndan. “Give over the Tellaran slave to us. We will punish him."

  The lady bowed. “I give him and offer our apology to the Az’anti. I will have him brought to your house before evening meal.”

  Aidar bent his head in acknowledgment. “Honor is satisfied. We will keep the peace.”

  Aidar pulled her away. Kinara twisted her head to watch as one of Unata’s warriors tossed Kyndan across his shoulders like a sack.

  She was still shaking as Aidar led her into the sunshine of the street.

  Kyndan – here, alive – all this time. Why did she never think of it? After the destruction of the Rapier why did she never wonder that if the Ty’pran had taken one Tellaran crew it might have taken another?

  All these months he was here, held captive on Az-kye.

  Her heart sped up. He’s alive! He’ll be at the house in few hours! I need to get word to Papa! Gods, if I’d only knew it sooner I’d have— She stopped, dropping the hem of her elaborate gown in the soft powdery dust of the street, her iridescent jaha feather fan dangling at her side.

  “You knew,” she breathed. “You knew my brother was alive.”

  “This is so.”

  “This is so?! You let me think he was dead and all along you knew?”

  Aidar’s glance darted about, taking in the Az-kye around them. He took her elbow, gently urging her to a quiet place beside the building. It was shaded and cooler here away from the crowded street.

  “I can’t believe this!” She shook her head. “I can’t believe it! After all your talk about honor, about not keeping secrets, about no lies between us? You hid this from me? Were you ever going to tell me?”

  “I do not know.” He closed his eyes briefly. “I thought did I tell you—”

  “You don’t know?” she cried. “Kyndan was being kept — oh, gods, as Unata’s slave! — not two kilometers from where I slept and you don’t even know if you were going to tell me my brother was alive?”

  He swallowed. “He is . . . Tellaran.”

  “Right,” she choked. “My brother is nothing. Tedah, my friends, my family all of them Tellarans, so they don’t matter at all.”

  “You are Az-kye,” Aidar said hoarsely. “You are Az’anti. You have no Tellaran family, my mate.”

  He never would have told me.

  Her hand pressed flat against her breastbone. Gods, that means he’s been lying all along. My friends, my brother, all this time I could have helped them! I can’t believe it. I was so caught up in Aidar I actually went along with what he said. What the hell was I doing letting him keep my friends in cages? Why did I think that setting them free even mattered to him?

  Her brother’s too thin, bruised face flashed through her mind. Stars, what’s Kyndan been going through while I was being dressed up like a doll and fracking the enemy?

  Kinara’s fingers curled into a fist. I trusted him. I fell in love with him — a festering Az-kye! — gods, I’m so starblasted stupid!

  The humiliation of it, the shame of it, rose up in a flash of red.

  “I am not one of you!” she snarled. “And what you mean is I have no mate!”

  His dark eyes widened. “What is this you say?”

  “You promised to free my crew, to send them home in return for me being your mate! You broke that promise!

  “Such was not my doing!” He held his hands out to her. “I did not know that Baruta would offer to buy them. I did not know the Elders would order it done. We could do no other but obey them. Cy’atta, I am sorry!”

  “Sorry? For losing my friends when you promised to help them? For letting believe my brother was dead? For leaving him enslaved when you could have told me, when you could have helped him? Gods, I’m such a fool!” She stepped back. “No, this is finished now. Whatever this is, whatever we had, it’s over!”

  “Please,” he croaked. “Cy’atta, I—”

  “There you are, foster-brother!” A lady with sweet features hurried toward them her expression happy and relieved as she embraced Aidar.

  She frowned when she caught his expression and he looked away from the woman’s concerned gaze.

  The woman turned to her and her smile returned. “You must be Kinara,” she said, embracing her briefly. “I am Cenna, Aidar’s foster-sister.” She looked between them. “I have been looking everywhere for you.”

  Aidar’s face was white. “We . . . were delayed.”

  “Ah, the crowds and dust are terrible today,” Cenna said with a disapproving glance at Aidar. “And you would keep your mate talking here till she grows faint from hunger and misses the celebration you planned for her!”

  Cenna looked between them a frown touching her brow.

  “You must both come with me now,” Cenna said firmly, cheerful again and hooking her arm through Kinara’s. “Aidar wished to mark the day of your meeting with the Elders and everyone is come for your party, Kinara. The house is full to bursting already.”

  “I don’t — I need to go—” Kinara began as Cenna led her into the street.

  “Yes,” Cenna agreed, squinting against the dust and pushing her way through the crowd. “We must hurry and get out of this mob, they grow more unruly with every passing year! Everyone waits to meet you. The little ones are terribly excited! I fear if we do not arrive soon they will work themselves into crying fits.”

  Halfway across the square their way was suddenly blocked by a huge, scowling warrior.

  “Where have you been, Cenna?”

  Cenna smiled and stood on tiptoe to brush a kiss against his cheek. “I was looking for Aidar and Kinara, my mate.”

  “You must not wander away so!"

  Cenna’s face was a mix of amusement and impatience. “Kalen believes I will be stolen away by another warrior do I take five steps from him,” she said to Kinara.

  “She does never listen to me,” Kalen complained bitterly to Aidar. “I hope your mate is not so contrary as mine own.”

  “Oh, nonsense!” Cenna sniffed, steering Kinara toward the litter. “I walked but a few feet across the street! And I found them right away standing outside. You worry overmuch.”

  “You give me much to worry over,” he shot back. “You are a disobedient mate!”

  Cenna made a face at him. “And you are too slow a warrior if you cannot keep up with me.”

  “Do you hear this, Aidar?” Kalen demanded as Cenna hustled her into the litter. “The woman sneaks away then calls me slow!

  Their arrival at Cenna’s house brought a tidal wave of eager relatives waiting to meet her. Kinara endured their greetings and the embraces as best she could.

  She sat stiffly beside Aidar as they were toasted and teased at the feast. She watched the entertainers with a semblance of attention but she couldn’t bring herself to do more than taste any of the elaborate dishes set before her.

  One of Cenna’s little ones ran up, startling her, and Aidar caught the boy in his arms. The toddler held out a bent flower for her and she took it, forcing a smile. Her gaze met Aidar’s as he looked at her over the head of the child with eyes dark as his.

  She turned away quickly.

  Her brother lived. She would see Kyndan soon.

  She would get her crew back home.

  She’d get them all back home.

  If she hated the man beside her, there would be plenty of time for revenge.

  Kinara evaded Cenna’s repeated attempts at conversation, relieved when the woman finally turned her attention on Aidar. One of Cenna’s cousins teasingly asked when they could expect to be invited to the Az’anti house for a child’s naming ceremony.

  Kinara bit back her sharp reply. She was riveted as she watched Aidar’s foster-brother come through the door.

  Dael, arriving late, had brought Nisara to the party.

  Aboard the Rapier, Nisara served as helm officer. She had a quick mind, cheerful disposition and was
a brilliant student at the academy.

  That gifted pilot with the bright future now sat enslaved at Dael’s feet. She was dressed in the white of the clanless and he fed her bits from his plate like a favorite pet.

  Kinara looked sharply at Aidar. He flinched and dropped his gaze.

  He’d given Nisara to Dael?

  Gods, when did he do that?

  Not having seen her crew much she hadn’t even realized the girl was missing.

  I should have. They’re my responsibility.

  Kinara’s fingers clenched. He promised, he promised none of the other women would be touched.

  But I know what his promises mean now.

  When Kinara caught Nisara’s eye the girl flushed and dropped her eyes.

  Kinara shot to her feet. She curtly announced that she was needed back at the Az’anti estate. Cenna’s brood had obviously settled themselves in for an all night celebration and her pronouncement had been met with startled looks and confusion. Cenna quickly stepped in, hushing their objections and galvanizing her relatives into making their farewells to the Az’anti.

  Upon climbing from the litter Kinara turned toward the building where her crew had been held, thinking to find Kyndan there, but Aidar reached out to stop her.

  “Don’t touch me!” she hissed.

  Az-kye’s moons had risen and by their light she could see him go pale.

  “I will have him brought to you.”

  “Now,” she snapped, striding away from him even as he gave the orders to a guard.

  He followed her to the rooms they shared.

  “Cy’atta, I could do no other.”

  She rounded on him. “Maybe you can explain that to the crew you promised to send home. Maybe Tedah will understand why he’ll never see his family again. You and he were friends, right? Oh, yeah, I forgot. He couldn’t be your friend. He’s Tellaran.”

  “Cy’atta,” he said hoarsely, spreading his hands. “The Elders ordered it so.”

  “I don’t care!” she shouted. “You broke every promise to me! You gave Nisara to Dael? Were you even going to tell me? And Kyndan…” She stopped for a moment, dizzy with hatred. “You let me think he was dead, you let me grieve for him. Oh, gods, I was so grateful when you killed Malm! I thought you avenged my brother when all along you knew he was here!”

  “Kinna?”

  Thinner than she had ever seen him, Kyndan’s face was bruised and swollen, his eyes deeply shadowed, his brown hair falling over his forehead. Two of her warriors held him between them in the doorway by his upper arms.

  Kinara flew across the room. “Take your hands off him!”

  The startled warriors released him and Kyndan fell into her arms.

  She bared her teeth at them. “Get out!”

  The warriors obeyed her instantly.

  “It’s all right. Everything’s all right now,” she murmured.

  Kyndan shrank back. Horrified, she realized she’d spoken in Az-kye.

  “It’s all right,” she repeated in Tellaran.

  “I can’t believe it’s you!” Kyndan held her face in his hands. “I can’t believe you’re really here. When I saw you – Gods, I thought I’d finally gone crazy.” He shook his head. “Have they hurt you at all?”

  “No,” she said, pressing his palm against her cheek. “No one’s hurt me.”

  “What are you doing here, Kinna? How the hell did you get to Az-kye?”

  “I came—” her voice broke and she tried again. “I thought you were dead. I wanted to make them pay so I took a ship—”

  “You took a ship?”

  “To destroy the Ty’pran, but . . . That doesn’t matter now. You’re alive. That’s all that matters.”

  His glance took in her clothes, her jewels. “Why are you dressed like that?” He frowned. “You look like one of their women.”

  Her eyes went unwillingly to Aidar, standing frozen where she had left him.

  Kyndan’s nostrils flared. “Not him!”

  Aidar’s face had gone deathly white.

  “What?” Kinara asked. “Why not him?”

  “He’s the Ty’pran’s commander. He’s the one who destroyed the Reliant.”

  Kinara felt the blood drain from her face. “No, Malm was the commander.”

  “No! No, it was him!” Kyndan insisted.

  “You were in command?” she whispered in Az-kye.

  She read the truth instantly in Aidar’s dark gaze. Her hand went to her throat. He captured and destroyed the Reliant. He enslaved – he sold – her brother. “No secrets between us, no lies. Isn’t that what you said? You sneered at Tellaran honor. Gods, is there anything you haven’t lied about?”

  “Cy’atta,” he croaked, reaching for her.

  She recoiled.

  “Get out,” she snarled. “Get out! And if you ever touch me again I swear I will kill you!”

  Aidar blinked rapidly and took a step toward her. “Please—”

  Kyndan threw himself forward, and landed a punch across Aidar’s face. Aidar automatically fell into a fighter’s stance his hand reaching for his sword.

  Kinara moved quickly between them to shield her brother. “No!”

  Kyndan was trying to push past her.

  “No,” she repeated sharply in Tellaran. “It’s not worth it. He’s leaving.”

  “Get out,” she spat.

  Ashen-faced, Aidar stepped back.

  Kinara turned and hugged her brother as the door shut behind Aidar.

  “It’s okay,” she murmured. “Everything’s going to be okay now.”

  Kyndan’s bruised face was drawn with exhaustion.

  “Sit here,” she urged, leading him to a couch. Leaving him there she went to the door and sent one of the guards to fetch Laric and the healer.

  She poured wine for Kyndan and offered him the cup.

  “Thanks,” he muttered, taking a drink. “I think I need it.”

  She knelt beside him, gently touching the bruise on his cheek. “I thought you were dead. He let me believe you were.”

  Kyndan gave a bitter laugh. “Sometimes I wished I was. You can’t imagine what it’s been like. Being as important as an insect. They won’t even let you speak to them.” He touched his face. “Remember the hellcat I was with?”

  She nodded. “Unata.”

  “Well I got this one when she stumbled and I made the mistake of catching her. Not supposed to touch them you know. They’re too good for Tellarans.”

  “But what about your crew? What happened to them?”

  “I’ve kept track of the others as best I could, they’re all still alive as far as I know,” he said into the cup. “I didn’t want to do it, but they were my first responsibility, Kinna. I didn’t have any choice, I surrendered.” Suddenly he looked up. “How did you get here?”

  “Tedah and I—”

  “Tedah? Tedah let you come to Az-kye space? I’ll kill him! Where is he?”

  “I don’t know.” Her eyes stung with tears. “Baruta took him, along with the rest of my crew. Didn’t you see them?”

  “They were there today? No, she kept me outside until the meeting was over.”

  “Tedah and I got a crew together.” She shook her head. “Actually, I got the cadets together. Tedah just didn’t stop me.”

  Kyndan frowned. “You came in a ship full of cadets? How did they let you out of space dock?”

  She bit her lip. “I came in a stolen ship full of cadets.”

  “Oh, Kinna!”

  She knew that look. Halfway between wanting to upbraid her for something crazy she’d done and admiring her for doing it in the first place.

  The door opened and Laric came in with the healer. Kinara stood, wiping at her face.

  “He needs medical attention. Laric, I need you to find something for him to eat. He’ll also need a bath and some clean, warm clothes.”

  Laric hesitated then nodded acknowledgment and hurried away.

  The healer drew herself up. “My Lady of t
he Az’anti—”

  Kinara whirled on her. “Treat him or I will have you dusting every leaf in my garden until you die of old age and then I will leave your bones to bleach in the sun!”

  The healer’s face paled. She hurried to her work but even Kyndan’s grateful smile when she had finished couldn’t unbend her. She nodded stiffly to Kinara, quickly leaving when her task was done.

  When Kyndan was bathed and dressed in warm but white clothing, he sat in her apartments devouring his supper.

  The now fading bruises only emphasized how prominent the bones of his face had become. Kinara wondered when he last had a decent meal. Her crew had not been made to work, their clothing had been warm and new, and even Kinara had seen the fare that Aidar provided them.

  When Kyndan heard that they’d eaten well he’d laughed, saying the Az-kye must have put it out because he knew she was going to visit them. Kinara protested that Aidar couldn’t have known. She herself hadn’t known that she was going to visit.

  Kyndan stopped eating. “It sounds like you’re defending him.”

  “I’m not! But he did treat them well and that’s the truth.”

  Kyndan leveled his eyes at her. “Why did he treat them so well, Kinna?”

  Her cheeks went hot but she didn’t drop her gaze. “Because that was the deal we made. He promised to protect and free them and in exchange I’m – I’m –”

  “You’re his Ornament.”

  “No.” It’s not like I owe him anything now. “He wanted a wife.”

  “That’s not possible,” Kyndan said flatly.

  Kinara’s heart thudded. Another lie? No, the Elder called me ‘Kinara of the Az’anti’. I’m clan leader.

  Aren’t I?

  “They might bed Tellarans Kinna, but they don’t marry them.”

  She gave a short, bitter laugh. “According to them I’m not Tellaran. I’m Az-kye.”

  “Are you?” he asked quietly.

  “No!” Stiffly she began clearing the plates away. “It was part of the deal I made. I promised to be an Az-kye wife.”

  He shook his head. “I’m so sorry, Kinna. Did — did he hurt you?”

  She froze, her eyes on the plates in her hands. “No, he . . . he was gentle.”