by Lili Zander
If Saber is bothered by my anger, he doesn’t show it. “Sleep well, little human.”
12
Nero
I signal to Zeke and Saber that I want to talk to them. We go into my bedroom, and I close the door. “I have news. Big news.”
Saber raises his eyebrow. “What is it?”
“You know I've been cultivating the locals since we got here, right?”
They both nod. We each have our areas of expertise. Saber navigates the system, the poor sucker. Zeke hacks into the local intelligence. I prefer to hang out in every drinking hole, buying round after round, acting like a fool, lulling everyone’s suspicion. “Well, it finally paid off today. An enforcer who had more to drink than he should have told me something important.”
“What is it?” Zeke asks impatiently.
“The Overlord is up to his neck in debt,” I tell them. “He’s hoping to use this tournament as a way of getting out of it. He’s placed a large wager on Tomas Cabal with the Oensi Federation.”
Saber frowns. “Zimmer is in debt? Why? The blood tax on Boarus 4 is double what it is in Starra. Isn’t that enough for the man?”
I savor this moment. It’s rare that I know the answers. Usually, it’s Zeke who comes up with the intelligence we need to complete our missions. “One of the mines collapsed ten years ago. Who knows why? Overwork, neglect, or a mad rush to produce more boarium and win favor with the Empress. Whatever the reason, that mine is now unusable.” I shake my head. “Rather than confess to the Empress and face her wrath, Zimmer has been buying extra supply from Boarus 8.”
“What a fool.” Zeke looks disgusted. “That’s why he placed a wager on Tomas Cabal? But why would the Oensi take the bet? They would have to know that the Overlord would ensure that his champion won the Night of the Shayde.”
“I have a theory about that,” I reply. “Somebody probably saw Saber's name on the passenger list.” My lips twitch. “You, Captain, have a rather well-known streak of chivalry and fair play. The Oensi would have known that you would step in and ensure a fair contest.”
“Wonderful,” Saber mutters under his breath.
“Anyway,” I continue. “According to my source, the Overlord is furious about Raven's participation. She’s tough. There is a good chance she could win, and then he'll be in serious trouble.”
Zeke looks worried. “He's going to attack her,” he says.
I nod. “Indeed. That's the conclusion I reached as well.”
We both turn to look at Saber. In matters of strategy, the captain’s instincts and experience are second to none. “He'll attack quickly,” he says, his face grim. “Tomorrow.”
That soon? “When will the attack happen? During the day?”
Saber nods. “That’s what I would do if I were him,” he says. “Everyone knows that the Shayde cannot be exposed to sunlight. If something were to happen to Raven, Zimmer could pass it off as an unfortunate accident.” He turns to Zeke. “We brought the light masks, didn't we?”
“They’re only good for fifteen minutes,” Zeke warns. “Out on Glacis, with the sunlight reflecting off the ice, possibly a lot less.”
“It can’t be helped,” I reply immediately. “We don't have another choice.”
“Nero’s right,” Saber agrees.
So we follow her, taking care to stay out of sight. And if she's threatened, we will take care of it.
This is the kind of plan I like.
Saber turns to Zeke. “We need a way off of Boarus 4,” he says. “Any ideas?”
Not for nothing do we call Zeke our know-it-all. He nods at once. “I have two possible plans,” he says. “But none of them are particularly good.”
“Tell us anyway,” Saber insists.
“Plan A. We hide who Raven is by staying close to her and rubbing our scent on her. The tournament finishes, and Raven wins a trip to Starra. We get her off Boarus 4 before the Overlord, or anyone else can figure out who she is.”
“That plan relies on a lot of things falling our way,” I point out. As much as I’d love to rub my scent all over the beautiful, brave human, she’s wary of us, distrustful, uncertain that we are indeed her allies. For some Shayde, none of that would matter, but it does to me. I will bed her gladly, but only if she’s willing. “What’s Plan B?”
“I like this one even less than Plan A,” Zeke replies. “Adam told us that the weapon was being developed in the ice deserts. We find the site and with it, proof of the Overlord’s treachery. Then we cut a deal with Zimmer. He’s trying to use Raven to curry favor with the Empress, but if she finds out about the facility, she will annihilate every single person on this colony, starting with him. We trade our silence for safe passage off the planet.”
“I don’t like it,” Saber says bluntly. “I don't trust Zimmer. The guy will double-cross us in a heartbeat. However…” His expression turns thoughtful. “Now that you mention the laboratory where the weapon was made, I have another idea. A rather optimistic one. As Nero just pointed out, passenger lists are public information. Levitan’s a control freak. Knowing him, he was probably on Boarus 4 every second month, demanding progress reports. But of course, he couldn’t risk the Empress wondering why he was making repeated trips to a remote mining colony.” He pauses, leaning forward. “Somewhere on this planet, there’s a private spaceport, one that isn’t monitored by the Empire.”
I look up with sudden interest. “And if there’s a ship there…” I say slowly.
Saber grins triumphantly. “Then we have a way out of here.”
13
Raven
I watch the holos for a little while after Saber, Zeke, and Nero retreat into their bedrooms. The local channel is showing the choosing. I see Tomas Cabal ride out on his skimmer, tall and strong, waving to the crowd. The other contestants follow, one by one, and then it is my turn. My skimmer emerges from the shadows into the brightly lit arena, and I relive that moment of intense nervousness once again.
But my attention quickly turns to the three Shayde flanking me.
My emotions have seesawed all over the place today, but now that I'm alone, I can't hide that I find them very attractive. Even though they are Shayde. I shut my eyes, and I see Nero and Saber spar. I remember the weight of Saber’s erection when I sat on his lap. I feel Zeke’s rough hand squeezing my breast, his thumb brushing my nipple. I see the heat in Nero’s eyes as he watched me respond to their touch.
My body feels heavy with desire. What would it feel like to be a thrall? To be a creature governed only by her needs and nothing else? To feed on the Shayde, to be their plaything, to undo my braids for them?
Will they be gentle, or will they be rough? I don’t know. They’ll be skilled, of that I am sure. I don’t know the three men at all, but so far, they’ve done everything with an air of effortless ease.
My hand has moved between my legs. The moment I realize what I’m doing, I snatch it away. I’m fantasizing about three Shayde enforcers, when the Shayde Empire was responsible for the death of my parents. Shame fills me, and I close my eyes, clenching against the sudden grief in my heart.
I'm sorry, mother and father. I will not fail you again.
I’m falling asleep in front of the holos when there's a quiet knock at the door. Glancing at the monitor, I see a familiar face outside. Joanna.
What the hell is she doing here?
Saber’s compulsion only stops me from leaving. It doesn’t prevent me from opening the front door. I undo the locks and pull the door ajar. “What’s going on?” I hiss at my friend.
Her eyes dart around. “Can I come in?” she asks, sounding nervous. “I told the patrols that I had a delivery for your Shayde.”
There’s a chance that this is a trap. It’s possible that Joanna’s bought Michal’s freedom by telling the Overlord that I’m the woman that was bitten. Then again, if the Overlord does know, why send Joanna to get me? Why not send armed enforcers?
My intuition tells me I can trust Joanna Placzek. I
step aside, and she enters. Her eyes go wide when she sees the main room. “Sector 6 doesn't look like this?” I ask her, surprised by her reaction.
“Not at all,” she replies with a shake of her head. “Three fireplaces,” she marvels. “We’re only allowed to burn a fire on the coldest winter days.” She moves in front of the nearest one, undoing her cloak and holding her hands out to warm herself.
She hasn’t noticed Zeke’s disks on the floor, but she’s standing within the secure zone. Good. “What are you doing here, Joanna?” I ask her bluntly. “The last time I talked to you, you were planning on leaving Boarus 4. Why are you still here?”
She chews her lip. “Can I trust you, Raven?” She gives me a searching look and seems to make up her mind. “I'm going to get Michal out of the re-education camps before I go. I cannot leave him behind.”
“No one has ever escaped Glacis before the end of their term, Joanna,” I say flatly. “The only other way out is death.”
She looks unperturbed. “There's always a way out of every prison,” she replies. “And I'm determined to find it. I have resources.”
“What kind of resources?”
She shakes her head. “I said too much.” She takes a deep breath. “I came to ask for your help.”
“I can't get him out, Joanna.” I stare at the fire, trying not to remember the endless misery of the re-education camps. “I don't know if you've noticed, but I'm being hunted myself.”
“I know. I'm not asking you to participate in the rescue. I just want intelligence. You're the only one I know who was in Glacis. Is there anything that you can tell me that will help in our attempt?”
I gaze at the determined woman, my heart troubled. Her brother is in Glacis, and hope is foolish. Then again, Joanna helped me when I needed it, without question and without any hope of gain. If it is within my power to aid her, I must do it.
“When are you thinking of doing this?”
She shrugs cagily. “One of these days,” she says. “Next week.”
She’s wise to be wary. If I don’t know the exact date, I can’t betray her.
Then her words sink in. “During the day?” We’re so used to working at night and sleeping during the day in deference to our Shayde masters that Joanna has forgotten that humans naturally gravitate to the sunlight. “The camp doesn’t maintain Shayde hours,” I tell her. “It’s filled with humans. We slept at night and stayed awake during the day. If you try to get Michal in the daylight, you will be caught.”
“Oh.” She claps her hand over her mouth. “Thank you so much, sister.” She swallows hard, seeming to realize the impossibility of her task for the first time. Then she pulls herself together and gives me an appealing look. “I came to ask you one more favor,” she says. “You’ll be on Glacis. Do you think you can get Michal a message? Tell him to watch out for us in the next week.”
Great Spirit. I liked it better when I didn’t know the date of the escape attempt.
I don't know what to say. One of the five locations I’m aiming for isn’t too far from the camps, but will I have the time to embark on such a dangerous errand?
She helped me when she didn’t have to.
I bite my lip. “I can't promise anything, sister,” I tell her honestly. “There are more than a hundred people in the camps. Even if I could get there without being seen, I might not be able to find your brother.”
Her eyes shine with hope. “But you'll try?”
Hope is weakness, but I can’t fault her for it. “But I'll try.”
She exhales in relief. “Thank you, Raven.” She hands me a small parcel. “A delivery for your Shayde,” she says, with a shy smile.
I raise my eyebrow. “What is it?”
“I don’t know,” she replies. “Lula Kenner gave it to me. She was there at the choosing, you know. She said she wanted to sponsor you.”
I blink in surprise. “I didn’t know you knew any Shayde,” I reply. “I thought you didn’t like them.”
She looks confused. “Why would you think that?” she asks. “I don’t like the Overlord, and I detest Olaf Vandar. But Lula’s an old family friend. She’s the one who bit both my parents, you know.” She looks sad. “She tried to stop Michal’s sentence, but in Boarus 4, Klaus Zimmer controls everyone.”
I remember the way the Overlord had frowned at the female Shayde when she’d tried to step forward. “So you trust her?”
“Of course,” Joanna replies promptly. “Not all Shayde are bad, Raven, and not all humans are good. You know that. The person that betrayed your parents was most likely human.”
I lift my head. “You know about my parents?”
She nods. “When you appeared in class for the first time, I was curious and looked you up.” She smiles at me. “I’m really glad you’re being sponsored by Jarl Saber and his two teammates. Lula thinks quite highly of them, and she’s not the only one. Everyone in the outer sectors is singing their praises.”
“Why? Because they sponsored me?”
“Not just that,” she replies. “You know the gangs in the outer sectors that the Overlord kept ignoring? Well, when the three men found out, they insisted that the enforcers do their job and protect the population, human and Shayde. The enforcers patrol the area now during the day.”
“They do?” I should have noticed that the streets seemed safer, but I’d been so afraid of being caught by the patrols that I’d been avoiding the outer sectors.
She nods enthusiastically. “And you know that it’s Jarl Saber’s ancestor that signed the Treaty of Blood?”
Finally, something I do know. “Yes,” I concede. “He mentioned it.”
Her cheeks turn pink. “Have they… you know… touched you?” She giggles. “Don’t get me wrong, I love Hamed, but if one of them ever propositioned me…” Her voice trails away and she giggles once again. “I want to lick all those muscles. And more, if you know what I mean.”
I don’t know what to say. “I should go to bed,” I murmur. “The tournament is tomorrow.” I’m not planning on sleeping. I need to shift my sleep patterns. The first task kicks off at nightfall, and in the wilds of Glacis, it’s foolish to keep Shayde hours. The s’kal cats hunt in packs during the day, and if they find me when I’m asleep, there won’t be anything left of me to worry about.
“Of course, sister,” she says at once. She gets to her feet. “Oh,” she adds. “I almost forgot to tell you. My father is in charge of supplying the Overlord’s dungeon with food. I’ve seen Ma Kaila. She’s fine. For the moment.”
Thank the Great Spirit. “But,” Joanna adds, “That could be simply because the Overlord is distracted by the tournament. Once it’s over…” Her voice trails off.
A sudden need to see the old woman fills me. “Could I visit too?” I ask Joanna urgently. “Could you arrange it for me?”
“You’ll be recognized,” she says. “You’re something of a celebrity, Raven.”
“I can disguise myself.”
“Then tell them your name is Betty Blodget. I’ll arrange for them to let you in.” She embraces me. “Good luck,” she whispers. “We’re all cheering for you, Raven.”
No pressure at all.
When she leaves, I return to the holos, but the programs can’t hold my attention. I’m thinking of Saber, Zeke, and Nero, remembering all the things they’ve done so far. Saber sponsored me, and brought me two trays of food, with more variety than I’d ever seen in my life, all because he didn’t know what I’d like. Zeke picked up on my nerves in the arena, and he’d tried to calm me. Nero taught me how to fight.
Not all Shayde are bad, Raven, and not all humans are good. You know that. The person that betrayed your parents was most likely human.
Joanna had said it so blithely, as if it was a self-evident truth, but her words have shaken the foundation of my world.
14
Saber
I’m falling asleep when I hear Raven cry out. I immediately sit up.
Nero and Zeke aren’
t as good at waking up out of deep slumber as I am. They won’t hear her. She whimpers in distress. “Please,” she begs. “Please. I want my mama and papa.”
Shayde don’t dream, but humans do. Raven’s obviously in the middle of a nightmare, and I can’t do it. I can’t listen to her suffer. I push open her bedroom door. “Raven,” I say softly. “Little human, wake up. You’re having a bad dream.”
“Please,” she sobs, her legs kicking out in her sleep. The blankets covering her slide off, and I swallow hard as I realize she sleeps naked.
I crouch down next to her, brushing away the tears rolling down her cheeks. “Raven,” I say again. “Wake up, sweet one.”
She grabs my hand. “Saber,” she whispers. Her eyes flicker open, and she looks directly at me. “Is that you?”
“Mmm.” She’s on her back now, and it takes all the willpower I possess not to stare at her round, beautiful breasts.
“Stay with me? Please?”
Kill me now. “Okay,” I murmur. “But I’m not sleeping on the floor. Move over.”
She obligingly makes room, and I climb in. “You’re naked,” she says, sounding both startled and sleepy.
My lips twitch. “So are you.”
“I’m not used to the fireplaces,” she yawns. “I was too hot. Does it bother you?”
My cock is achingly hard. “No, little human,” I reply, lying through my teeth. She’s half-asleep. She just woke up from a nightmare, and all she’s looking for is some comfort. Not sex.
“I’m not that little,” she says, snuggling up into me. My throat closes. Half-asleep, she’s so trusting, so unguarded. Is this who she would have been had her parents not been taken away? “You’re so warm.” Once again, she sounds surprised. “I don’t know why, but I thought the Shayde would be cold.”
I can feel every inch of her body, pressed into mine. Her round ass, her gracefully curved back, her braided hair. “You sleep with your hair tied?”
