Chapter 8

CHAPTER 8

Jacaranda

T he left side of my body burned. I shoved the source away, not really conscious of what I had done. Not until I heard a dull thump and Deacon’s grumpy, gravelly voice, “The hell, Jac?”

My eyes shot open. Everything was too bright, so they closed again. I rubbed my forehead and rolled over to see what I had done and found Deacon on his back and elbows on the floor of his bedroom, grimacing from the jarring impact.

He frowned up at me. “What was that for?”

“Sorry, Deacon,” I muttered. “I was still kind of asleep.” I offered my hand to him to help him up.

“I’ve got it,” he grumbled as he stood.

I made room for him once more on his bed. Somehow, Deacon’s morning tumble and the bright light had not woken Sarah. Her snores were still heavy—not that I was surprised after everything that had transpired at the temple the night before. She had to be exhausted.

Deacon spooned me and wrapped his arm around my waist. He murmured, “Go back to sleep.”

But I knew that I couldn’t. Sandwiched between the two of them, I was antsy, and troubled. I didn’t understand anything that had happened at the temple with Sarah, and I couldn’t rest any longer. I needed answers.

“Can’t sleep. I’m getting up.” I tried to pull away, but he held firm.

Deacon licked the side of my neck and his hand skimmed its way down my abdomen. “Think she would wake up, if we had a turn, just the two of us?”

I caught his wrist before he could grip my cock. “As much as that sounds like a great way to wake up, I’m too warm right now for anything like that.”

“Very well.” He released me, and I got out of the bed. Deacon spooned Sarah while I dressed, but then he looked over his shoulder at me. “Would you like some company, wherever you’re going?”

“I need to go for a walk. Alone.” I didn’t like lying to my companion, but I couldn’t do what I needed to do with Deacon around. And if I told him what I was up to, he would have insisted on joining me. “But thanks, anyway.”

“Sure.”

I grabbed a few things and left his ship for the outdoors. There was only one person I could go to for answers. Knocking on Valor’s door, I tapped my foot. My patience was gone. Silence answered the door, so I tried to keep my manners. “Good morning—”

“Morning?” she asked in her dulcet tone. “Jac, it is early evening.”

I looked around and realized she was right. “Damn. Well, uh, is Omen around?”

“She—”

Omen popped up behind her, her eyes filled with concern. “What is it? Is Sarah alright?”

“She’s fine—she’s asleep. I need to speak with you. Join me for a walk?”

“Sure.” Omen stepped around Silence, who smiled and closed the door behind her. “What is on your mind?”

I swung a bone knife to her throat and said, “You told me before that we’re not friends."

She held very still, her eyes wide. “That’s true. We’re not.”

“So how would I know if you ever told me the truth?”

“You don’t.”

That seemed honest. “Are you manipulating Sarah for something?” I demanded to know.

She was plainly shocked. “I have no idea—”

I dug the blade under her jaw—not cutting her, but close. “Do not lie to me!”

“I’m not!” she insisted. “Jac, where is this coming from?”

“You saw what happened to Sarah last night, Omen. She died!”

“But she’s alive now—”

“Because we gave her CPR!”

She frowned, having no clue what I was talking about.

I explained, “It’s the Earth thing, where I breathed into her lungs, and Deacon pumped her heart.”

“Oh, that’s what you two were doing?”

“Stay focused, Omen,” I growled irritably. “Are you doing this? Are you tricking everyone into making Sarah the Mother for some reason? The fuck is going on?”

She took a breath. “I would be happy to answer your questions, if you put the knife down.”

I narrowed my gaze. “If I put the knife down, you might think I trust you.”

“I promise, I won’t make that mistake,” she said in a wry tone. “Ever.”

Slowly, I moved the weapon away from her throat and sheathed the knife. “Talk.”

“I’m not manipulating Sarah into anything,” she insisted, taking a safe step back from me. “I presented an opportunity to Deacon, and he ran with it."

"Because you know we are obsessed with her safety. I know conduits are skilled manipulators, Omen. You always hated Portend, so it’s not too far a leap to think you would glom onto her successor.”

Her eyes bulged. “Wow. You think I’m that diabolical?”

“I think all conduits are.”

“Even Sarah?”

“You know what I mean,” I grumbled.

“I don’t believe I do.” She leaned against Valor’s fence, and I wondered if she actually felt it against her body, or if the gesture was a leftover habit from her former life, like when ghosts breathed. “I think you are so busy underestimating her, that you assumed she must have been manipulated into taking the test. You cannot fathom that she would want some power for herself.” She narrowed her gaze on me and said, “Some companion you turned out to be.”

I stiffened. “You think I’m so petty?”

“I think you are so insecure,” she countered, raising her chin. “You are united to a classed man and a royal-blooded Mother conduit. So, what do you bring to the table? Your wit?”

I inwardly winced. “Wow, thank you for sparing my feelings.”

She laughed. “I am sparing your feelings, Jac. You don’t want to know what I wanted to say.”

“That’s probably true.” I leaned against the fence next to her. “It’s not that I’m insecure, Omen. It’s that…since I met Sarah, my whole world has been spinning out of control. I’m ecstatic one minute, terrified to my ghost the next. Every moment is a high or a low—"

"What’s this moment?” she asked, cutting me off.

“After what you said about my wit? A low.”

She giggled, reminding me of the clever girl I used to nail in the back of the temple on Orhon when we were young. Then she shrugged. “Sorry. But you did put a bone knife to my throat. You had it coming.”

“Probably.” I sighed and rubbed my fingers across my forehead. “I’m tired of being scared, Omen. I just want things to settle down for a day, but—”

She abruptly pointed toward the forest.

A young Ladrian woman came down the path. She had a rucksack and wore a pink tunic and pants outfit. Her outfit matched her pink hair. Pale skin—almost as light as Sarah’s ivory skin. She smiled when she saw us, but I noted a hint of trepidation, too. It was a practiced fake smile.

I do not trust this girl.

“Hello there,” I said as I stood from the fence. “What business do you have in these parts?”

“I am in search of the contra,” she said.

I glanced to Omen, who stood shoulder to shoulder with me. She played dumb and asked, “The who?”

“The contra,” the girl said, with her brown eyes downcast. “I am here for her.” Then, she pulled her sleeve back, revealing a tattoo. It was a circle with two evenly spaced parallel lines.

I had seen that mark before and my entire body tensed. “Why did the Terians send you?”

“I am not permitted to say more, until I meet the contra.”

I crossed my arms over my chest. “Then you’ll never meet her.”

But Omen said, “She should get to decide for herself. I will ask if she would like to meet you. May I have your name?”

“No.”

“Fine.” Omen left for Allegiant .

I eyed the female intentionally. “What makes you think you should be able to come here and demand an audience with the contra, girl?”

“It is my job.”

“You some kind of courier? A mercenary?” I knew she wasn’t that, but I needed to gauge her reaction to the question.

She laughed, covering her mouth. Her eyes were still cast downward. “No, sir. If you would like, you may check my rucksack and you may strip search me for weapons. Or for fun.”

“I’ll take the bag, thanks.” I grabbed the rucksack and all I found inside were clothes and some food. Nothing to indicate any kind of threat.

Sarah, Deacon, and Omen came from his ship, and as soon as the girl saw my consort, she ran to her. Deacon and Omen threw themselves in front of Sarah, bone knives ready, but the girl dropped to her knees and bowed her head to the ground. Her tail fell to submission.

“Great Contra, I am in your service.”

I walked over to join the rest of the confused people.

Sarah frowned. “Huh? What is going on?”

Staying in position, she said, “I am here to serve you, in whatever ways you would like to be served. Tell me, how may I serve you now?”

Sarah glanced around at the rest of us, but we had no clue either. “Uh, you can tell me who you are and why are you on the ground.”

The girl remained with her head bowed. “I am Leda, and I am here to serve you.”

“You have a normal-ish human name?” Sarah was astonished.

“My former master enjoys the mythology of your people.”

“Who is your former master?” Sarah asked.

“Rex Terian.”

Me and Deacon shared a knowing glance.

“I don’t know who that is, and please get on your feet,” Sarah said. The girl stood, but Deacon and Omen stayed in front of Sarah. “You two, you mind? We’re talking.”

Omen’s lips pursed. “We don’t know anything about her, Sarah. She could be dangerous.”

“Yes, she could be,” Sarah said, her tone annoyed. “But I have the three of you right here, and I’m not helpless, so scoot.”

Omen looked to Deacon, who nodded. They parted, giving Leda access to Sarah and making me nervous as fuck. So, I moved behind Leda, with my hand on my bone knife, poised and ready for an attack if need be.

“That’s better,” Sarah said with a smile the girl did not deserve. “Now, Leda, can you explain what you’re doing here?”

Leda clasped her hands in front of her. “I am a gift from Rex Terian.”

Sarah’s brows rose. “He gives people away as gifts?”

Yeah, that sounds like him.

“Rarely and only to honored residents of Halla,” Leda said.

“Why is he giving me a gift?”

“Because you ended the scourge of the conduits by killing Mother Portend.”

Shit. People know she’s here and what she is. This is not good.

“Well, I appreciate the thought,” Sarah said kindly, “but I don’t need any help with anything, so you can run back to your boss and tell him—”

Leda quickly shook her head. “I cannot return.”

“Why not?”

“It is not permitted. I have been gifted to you. You own me now.”

Sarah cringed. “The fuck? You mean, you’re not like, here to apply for a job to work for me or something?”

Leda shook her head again and shifted on her feet. “No, Contra. I am yours.”

“Okay, that’s crazy,” my consort said, clearly repelled by the notion. “I don’t own anyone. I’m not a slave-owner—”

“Yes, you are,” Leda said brightly. “You own me .”

“Oh absolutely-the-fuck-not!”

Leda’s cheerful expression fell. “I do not understand. I am here for whatever you need, Contra. I can clean and cook, and I know many ways to please a woman, and I’m sure I can learn to please a human woman—”

“Oh god, no, stop!” Sarah objected, looking horrified. “Just stop. What the hell?”

I moved closer to Sarah. “Rex is repugnant scum, Sarah,” I said, needing to make sure she understood what she was dealing with. “You don’t want anything to do with him.”

“Seconded,” Deacon added, flanking her other side.

“Repugnant or not, we have to deal with what’s in front of us, or in this case, who is in front of us,” Sarah said, studying the slave girl. “If I were to set you free, what would you do?”

“Anything I could to find you, Contra.”

Sarah exhaled an impatient breath. “Right, and if I took you to Orhon—”

“Please don’t,” Leda blurted before she slapped her hands over her mouth. “I’m sorry—I should not express my desires so openly. You may do whatever you wish with me.”

“God, that’s creepy,” Sarah said, shaking her head. “If I take you to Orhon and back to your family, then what would you do?”

“I have no family, so I would do whatever it took to find you again.”

Sarah smacked her own forehead, clearly at her wit’s end. “This is a freaking nightmare.”

“I am yours, Contra,” the girl insisted yet again. “Do with me as you like.”

“Why do you not wish to go back to Orhon?” Deacon asked.

Leda’s tail froze upwards, like she was scared of the thought. “I have nothing and no one on Orhon. I was raised here on Halla, a plaything for ghosts, until Rex Terian bought me. He marked me.” She showed her tattoo once more. “And now the ghosts cannot possess me—rather, they are too afraid to. Here, I am safe.”

“Here, you are given away like you are nothing,” Sarah said angrily.

But Leda smiled and shook her head. “No, Contra. I am given to you . The second most important person of Halla. There is no greater honor for someone like me.”

“I can’t. I just can’t with this.” Sarah shook her head, frustrated. “Leda, what would happen if I were to take you back to your master?”

“Out of the question,” Deacon immediately said. “We are not going anywhere near Rex Terian.”

Sarah shot him a perturbed look. “I didn’t ask a question, Deacon.”

Leda frowned, and actually seemed sad. “I do not know. No one has ever returned a gift to my former master.”

Sarah straightened her spine in resolve. “Then, he’s due for a surprise.”