Chapter 6

Chapter 6

D anyx’s face was so expressive, it revealed her every thought. I watched emotions flicker—happiness, confusion, annoyance—until she settled into anger.

Her eyes picked a spot behind me and she walked with purpose. I stepped out of the way when she would have run into me.

Perhaps surprising her on the dock wasn’t the smartest idea. Xekil warned me against it, but I didn’t know him to have a great deal of expertise soothing females.

“Danyx…” Despite towering over her I found myself hurrying to keep up.

“I don’t have time for this.” She spun on her heel and glared at me. “I don’t have time for you.”

“You need to eat. Please, let me join you for a meal.” I lengthened my stride to stay with her as she took off again.

“No.”

I sought patience from the stars. “One meal. That’s all I ask. Are we not friends?”

I leaned back to keep my balance as she whirled to face me.

“Friends?”

Her voice reached that pitch that told me that was the wrong thing to say.

“Friends don’t leave without saying goodbye. Xekil is my friend.” She paused to look me up and down. “I don’t know what you are. Acquaintance? Even that sounds too familiar.”

Her venom rocked me. I should have known she’d feel betrayed by my leaving without personally saying goodbye. Circumstances necessitated it at the time. I should have changed the circumstances.

I jogged to catch back up. “I only ask for the opportunity to explain. Please, I am begging you to give me that.”

She stopped but didn’t turn. I watched her shoulders rise and fall. I prayed to the stars. I considered dropping to my knees at her feet.

She turned her head to the side. Not looking directly at me, but I’d take it.

“Will you tell me then?”

I didn’t have to ask what she meant. I didn’t hesitate. “Yes.”

She followed a curt nod with, “Meet me at Bittercrag’s in the Chraakad market in two hours.”

The knot in my chest eased. I watched until the crowd swallowed her. Then I went in search of Drokak. In the few cycles since I’d left her, we’d worked together trying to uncover some of the secrets the khumtu were keeping.

We’d skimmed the surface of our ruling council’s surreptitious dealings. To dive deeper, we’d need more help. Drokak suggested we bring Thexit into our circle. I wasn’t convinced.

Thexit was the final of the trio of captains who patrolled Skeall borders. It made sense, in a way, for the three of us to join forces.

But where Drokak was unpredictable and volatile, Thexit was cold and exacting. Drokak joining a rebellion made sense. The whole thing appealed to his natural chaos.

Thexit was the opposite. I knew him for long silences and strict attention to detail. I wondered if that extended to adhering to the authority of the khumtu.

Drokak pointed out that appealing to Thexit made sense and was our only strategic option. If the warbird captains united, we would have military superiority over anything the khumtu could muster.

It was a good sign Thexit agreed to meet with us. We’d agreed to arrive in three separate ports to avoid suspicion. It wasn’t often the three of us were in the same place outside Skeall space.

I’d appealed to Xekil to ask Arella which port they planned to use. Thank the stars she’d shared with him. I would have searched the planet for her, but I was grateful I didn’t need to.

Drokak chose our meeting place, and I wasn’t sure what I expected but a small tea shop wasn’t it. A bell above the door jingled as I entered. When my eyes adjusted to the gloom, a Maqnu pointed to a door at the back.

I ducked through the low opening and found the other two Skeall captains seated around a diminutive table, their knees chest height in the small chairs. They made a ridiculous sight.

The Maqnu cultivated the best varieties of tea. Their entire culture revolved around it. Perhaps three feet tall with skin wrinkled from birth, they were quiet and moved with slow grace.

They were also known as expert assassins.

I decided to forgo the chair and sat on the floor. Drokak snickered, nodded, and removed his own chair to follow suit. Thexit didn’t even blink.

“Why am I here?”

Straight to the point, as always. I glanced at Drokak, but he busied himself pouring us tea. “We seek an alliance of sorts.”

Thexit tilted his head. “For what purpose?”

“The khumtu has been keeping secrets. We think it’s time they’re exposed.”

I wouldn’t have been as blunt as Drokak, but he summarized the issue and I was on a timeline.

“What sort of secrets?”

“The sort they’d go to great lengths to keep. You should understand, if you join us you risk being labeled a traitor—or worse.” I wanted him to know that his decision had serious consequences. We weren’t playing at rebellion, we were skirting an all-out coup.

Thexit managed to sit back two inches before the chair’s back stopped him. “I’ve had my own suspicions for years.” He turned his attention to me. “I understand Drokak’s motivation, but what spurs you to uncover problematic truths? Aren’t you the khumtu’s golden boy?”

I’d heard whispers of being favorited, but nothing overt. I was the latest in a long, familial line of warriors who served the council. “My loyalty is to the Skeall, not the khumtu. The things I’ve uncovered are troublesome for us all.”

Drokak slurped his tea. “Are you with us, then?”

Thexit’s expression never wavered from its serene blankness. “Yes. As I said, I’ve been wondering for years how far the corruption goes.” He sipped from a delicate tea cup and his eyes closed in pleasure.

It was the first hint of emotion I’d ever seen from him.

Drokak grinned. “Let’s share what we know and arrange for further communication. We need to be quiet, until we’re not. Besides,” he wagged his eyebrows at me, “Khanet has a meeting in a short time and he won’t want to be late.”

I had no idea how he knew, but he wasn’t wrong. I might be contemplating sedition, but only execution would make me late for the meal with Danyx.

***

The Chraakad market was an overwhelming array of sights, sounds, and smells. Vendors wafted the scent of cooking meats to entice customers to purchase, or shook colorful fabrics that shimmered in the light as they extolled the virtues of the weave.

They kept the wide aisles between goods-filled carts clean so that fancy dresses could be kept neat as they dragged the ground. Unlike the other Todrore markets, Chraakad was open air, allowing plenty of room for the elaborate headdresses the uber elite favored.

Any other time I would want to sit and people watch for hours, but today I was on a schedule.

I hitched an insulated bag higher on my shoulder and walked with confidence. I’d learned as a thief that what you needed most was the air you belonged. You could enter plenty of restricted places in peace as long as you acted like you had the right to be there.

At the end of the long central aisle, I stepped inside one of the few permanent structures. The space was light and airy, with several displays showcasing everything from exotic animals to delicate pastries.

I didn’t bother looking at any of it. I couldn’t afford anything sold here.

Instead, I made my way to the back of the building and searched for the Haflay I was set to meet. This particular one was the personal chef for a prominent Todrorian family and promised to pay top dollar if my produce and meats were as fresh as I’d claimed.

The Halflay were known for their refined palates and exceptional cooking skills. Almost all of them chose culinary positions.

I found him with little trouble. They weren’t a species of small stature.

“Il’ors?”

“Ah!” He turned and gave me a toothy grin. “There you are. I’d almost thought you’d changed your mind.”

I returned his smile. “I would never pass the chance to offer such fine raw materials to a chef of your caliber.”

He chuckled. “You flatter me, but it’s unnecessary. Your goods will make or break the sale.”

I nodded and opened the bag, allowing the sides to fall open like a flower and revealing the items inside.

Il’ors clapped his hands together. “Let’s see what we have.”

He lifted each vegetable and fruit, feeling them, smelling them and even taking a bite from one or two. He unwrapped the cuts of meat and chortled happily. “You spoke true. These are exceptionally fresh and perfectly ripe.”

“I do not lie.”

He gave me an indulgent smile. “How many pounds total?”

“I have three crates of fruit, twice that of vegetables and an entire kilfet’s worth of meat, separated into cuts and ground.”

“I will want to inspect the rest, of course.”

“Of course.” I would be suspicious if he didn’t. I could have carried only these few fresh items, with the rest preserved or rotten.

He tapped a finger against the table. “Would one million credits suffice?”

It was more money than I’d seen in my lifetime. “We agreed on three million.”

He chuckled. “So we did. Fine. Three million credits upon inspection. I’d like to go now. I’m eager to see what else you’ve brought and plan meals that will delight my employer.”

I nodded and carefully closed the bag, slinging it over my shoulder to lead the way to Arella. She must have been watching for me, since she lowered the ramp to the cargo area as we approached. Bless her artificial heart.

Il’dors took his time going over the entirety of my cargo. He opened every crate, exclaiming when he found something that delighted him. By the time he’d finished and transferred the credits, I was late.

I’d planned to change before meeting Khanet. I’d worn a professional suit for meeting with Il’dors, but I wanted to dress up a bit for dinner.

“Arella, can you contact Khanet and tell him I’m running behind? That I need another thirty minutes?”

“What makes you think I have the warrior on speed dial?”

“The fact that the only way he would have known where we planned to land was if you told him.”

“It was Xekil I told.”

I snorted at her tone. “Same difference, and you know it.”

“Fine. I will attempt to contact him.”

“Thank you.”

I speed changed, ran a cloth over my face, and re-braided my hair. I nearly ran into Khanet as I raced down Arella’s ramp.

He steadied me, his hands burning through the sleeves of my dress like twin brands. I heard him suck in a breath before he cleared his throat and stepped back.

“I thought we could walk together.”

I nodded, my voice stolen by the image of him in what must be Skeall’s version of a dress uniform. The crisp, navy shirt was made of heavy fabric and hugged his body to mid-thigh. The pants were looser than his usual leathers, but the tips of his well-worn boots poked from the hem.

I completed my slow perusal of him the same time he finished his own of me.

“No sword?”

His lips quirked. “The Todrorians don’t appreciate displays of weaponry.” He jerked his chin at me. “No overalls?”

I couldn’t help but smile. “Trying to present a professional image.”

The dress I wore was a simple sheath made interesting by a low back and high side slits. It was far from professional, but he didn’t call me on it.

“What type of food are you in the mood for?”

I chuckled. “Anything that isn’t beige.”

He offered me his arm and I tucked my hand in his elbow.

“I know just the place.”

The place turned out to be one of the finest restaurants on the planet. I balked at the door, knowing I couldn’t afford it.

“I’d like to treat you, to make up for… everything.”

Well, when he put it that way.

The host sat us at a table with a fabulous view of Todrore’s twin suns as they set in tandem. The vivid colors of the sunset were striking, but my attention kept being drawn to the warrior across from me.

The attendant took our orders and what followed was an intense round of staring at each other. He finally broke the silence.

“I owe you an apology, and an explanation.”

Just touching his arm on the walk there had me raring to go, and my mind was below street level.

“And sex.”

His eyes flared and I wanted to crawl under the table. I hadn’t meant to say that out loud.

***

If my control slipped even a fraction, I would have forgotten the food and had her laid out on the table before diving between her thighs to sate this infuriating hunger.

Her face turned three shades of red and I growled.

“Never be embarrassed for saying what you need from me, zhuvof.”

“Right, well,” she fiddled with her place setting before waving her fork at me. “Given our surroundings let’s start with the apology and explanation.”

“I apologize, Danyx, for the way I left. The Thiljo shuttle arrived faster than expected, and I didn’t want to fuel more rumors about my interest in you. I thought it best to return immediately.” I waited for her to look at me and put all the sincerity I could into my eyes. “I was wrong to leave without saying goodbye.”

“It was a dick move.”

I hung my head. “It was. I have no excuse.”

She grunted. “What about the explanation?”

“Given our surroundings, as you said, that will be a difficult topic to discuss. However, I will do my best and if you allow me to accompany you back to Arella, I can go into as much detail as you like.”

She nodded as the food arrived. “I understand. The walls have ears and all that.”

“Indeed.”

The food was delicious but not near as much as watching her enjoy it. Her moans stoked the fire in my chest and every time she licked her lips I thought I might explode in my pants. The ache that had been my constant companion every second I was apart from her had been replaced with a burning desire.

It was so intense I doubted even a lifetime of sinking into her would lessen it, but I was willing to put that to the test.

Over the past six cycles, I’d not only scoured the archives for information on the Volnu project, I’d also researched everything I could about Skeall ancestral mating habits. There wasn’t a lot of information, but what I had found pointed to Arella being right.

Our distant ancestors had felt physical effects when presented with what they called their arawt—their true mate.

If modern Skeall experienced these feelings, it wasn’t known. Or perhaps it was another bit of information the khumtu suppressed.

Drokak, Thexit and I had a plan to find out all the ruling council hid, but it would take time. We needed to access the archives directly. Find the original texts that weren’t redacted like those found through digital access.

We couldn’t just descend on Sulphus as a group. The khumtu didn’t like the three of us on planet at the same time and had discouraged us from speaking to each other. The more we talked, the more we came to realize just how secretive our council had been. Just how restricted we actually were.

Gaining access to the deepest reaches of the archives wouldn’t be easy, but Drokak assured us he had a way. I’d always known he knew people who knew people who knew things. I began to understand how vast his network was.

To distract myself from the need to feel her naked against me, I dove into what explanation I could. “The debris field, and the presence of plasma Arella detected, made me suspect something larger was at play. A program that was said to have been shuttered long ago by our ruling council.”

I glanced around, but none of the other patrons seemed to pay us any attention. It made me more suspicious. I tilted my head and hoped she understood what I said next was for whoever was listening.

“My theory is that someone was able to steal the program details and recreate the project. I need to find out who and put a stop to it.”

Her nod was slow. “I understand.”

“Would you like dessert?” It might kill me to watch her lick sugar from her fingers, but her pleasure was worth my death.

“I think I’d like you to escort me to Arella.”

I knew she meant so we could talk, but my body had a different idea. The trip back to the port area was painful due to my raging hard on.

Danyx didn’t stop once we were on board. She strode to the sitting area with the large view port where we’d sat to talk our first cycle together.

“Arella, are we secure?”

The ship’s response was immediate. “Yes. I have deployed sound dampeners around my perimeter as an added precaution. If there is a listening device capable of hearing your conversation, I’m unaware it exists.”

“Great.” She folded herself into the big blue chair she favored, sending the slit in her dress dangerously high.

“Now tell me what’s really going on.”