Chapter 16

SIXTEEN

As he held her in his arms, he observed her.

She wasn't paying him any notice. Ashrael's sudden appearance had stolen her attention. Although that was understandable—the Silent One was a rare and unusual being, after all—it allowed him the chance to study her a little.

For some reason, Ashrael's presence made him irritated—more so than usual. Perhaps it was because his curiosity had been sparked during the time he'd held her, for he'd never been this close to an outsider before.

Let alone a human.

It was irrational—this was Ashrael, after all, and he was well and truly mated—but the presence of another male put all of his senses on high alert.

He extended his ka'qui , letting it engulf her.

She needed it, anyway. Her energy was wild and untrained. He caught bursts of emotion: fear, nervousness, surprise, and, inexplicably, sadness.

Without her knowledge, he tried something on her.

He morphed his ka'qui into a sort of bubble and surrounded her with it, trying to soothe her frenetic energy. He couldn't contain her thoughts, but he could stop the outside noise from seeping into her head.

And so he did.

He couldn't even imagine what it would be like—to be so naive and unguarded against the outside world. He'd been trained to create barriers from a very young age. His first memory was of playing with bursts of energy. It was only much later that he realized everything they'd exposed him to was a form of training.

Some of his masters hadn't been unkind, but as he'd matured, the training had become more controlled, more brutal. Necessary benevolence was replaced with harsh cruelty. He'd learned that his masters were the ones who provided and protected.

They gave, but they also took away.

And if he ever disobeyed them, the punishment was severe.

They could lock him inside his mind and seal his body in a metal box.

They'd done it before. There were times when he'd been insubordinate— many times.

But that wouldn't happen anymore.

The Universe he'd found himself thrust into was much more forgiving.

And as he stood there with this soft, alluring creature in his arms, he marveled at the fact that he was simply allowed to be.

She was warm. Light and delicate. Slender and bony in places and generously curved in others. Her hair absorbed many wavelengths of light, making him think that if he saw color, it would be dark. It was long and lustrous, and a part of him that he didn't recognize wanted to run his fingers through it.

You're doing well, katach. Keep it that way for now. Ashrael's mindvoice echoed in his head, and it was the only time that Dragek could forgive the intrusion because he really didn't know what he was doing.

Right now, the other Silent One was the only being in the Universe who could guide him on this particular matter.

So I'm a glorified minder now, am I? He tried to hide it—the fact that holding her like this felt so cursedly pleasing. Have you assigned me to simply keep watch over this human?

There are much worse tasks in the Universe, as you so very well know. You'll be given your assignment soon enough. But would it kill you to stay by her side until her body has healed and her mind is quiet enough that she can learn the most basic of defenses?

It will not. I'm just surprised you trust me to this extent.

There's a difference between a willing enemy and a captive one. I'm starting to understand you, Dragek. You have a certain amount of freedom now. Use it wisely.

You've lengthened my leash, then, hmm? Sarcasm dripped from Dragek's mindvoice. The fact that he was still under their control rankled, although not as much as it used to.

You'd be surprised at the extent of it. You've already proven yourself not to be a mindless predator. If you choose wisely, you'll find that the rewards are far larger than you could ever fathom.

Hm. In the past, Dragek's only motivation had been the threat of punishment and the knowledge of his own helplessness.

What infernal trick was Ashrael playing on him?

Whatever it was, it seemed to be working, for he wanted nothing but to ensure that Jade was given the highest level of care and attention.

He wanted to see her healed and whole.

Such an outcome would give him satisfaction.

I'll leave you to it, then. This is where you will find the medical facility. Ashrael sent him a set of mental coordinates.

Received.

The Silent One drew his ka'qui around him and faded into the background, becoming nothing. He wore his power like a dark, invisible cloak, choosing when and where to reveal himself and by how much. But he could also make himself perfectly undetectable when he chose.

Dragek could do that, too, but he didn't wield his ka'qui as subtly as Ashrael.

No. He was a little more forceful, more direct. He didn't see the point in trying to hide so much unless he was in the thick of a mission.

But then again, that was probably all just second nature to Ashrael.

The ship settled.

The engines went quiet.

They were on solid ground.

Completely unaware, Jade looked up at him, her luminous eyes containing a curious mixture of trust and cautiousness.

She didn't completely trust him—not yet.

She was still guarded, and that was to be expected.

He sensed the energy pulsing through the Qualum doors of the hatch just before they opened.

Dark fibers unraveled to admit a scorching blast of solar energy. For once, he was thankful for his optical sightlessness because he wasn't blinded in the way an ordinary Kordolian would be. Instead, he simply created a mental shield with his ka'qui. This made the heat of the sun far less irritating. "Let's go," he told Jade. "I'll take you to the medical bay."

"Dragek…" Her lips parted. Her eyelids fluttered. Her cheeks were suffused with human warmth. He couldn't deny that for all her infernal humanlike chaos, she was rather appealing right now.

" What is it? " His voice came out rougher than he'd expected. It took some getting used to—this ability to physically speak.

She hesitated for a moment, inexplicable thoughts dancing behind a deceptively soft expression. "Um, I just wanted to say… thank you. "

Thank you.

Something happened to him then. His pulse accelerated. At the same time, it felt like a vine had tangled around his black heart, squeezing it.

He'd never done anything worthy of gratitude before.

And he was beginning to wonder if the reason he'd saved her in the first place was far deeper than the fact that she possessed the Talent.