Chapter 20

TWENTY

That's how you make the voices stop.

She was out of breath. Mentally and physically exhausted. That little exercise Dragek had taught her—protecting her thoughts by putting them into a mental container—had really taken it out of her.

Was that really all there was to it?

She was full of doubts. Dragek's method seemed a little too inexplicable, too woo-woo for her tastes.

But when she did as he told her, the noise in her head had stopped.

So there was something to it, and Dragek was clearly a master at controlling this… psychic energy or whatever it was, the thing Kordolians called ka'qui.

"A human will come and visit you soon. Noali—Ashrael's sarien. "

" Sarien? " Her tone sharpened. "What does that mean?" As if she couldn't already guess. The thought of that formidable Ashrael being with some human woman was too much for her to compute. What kind of human hooked up with a Kordolian? How did it even work?

Were they… just like humans when it came to…?

Why was she getting all of these thoughts now, when she was in such close proximity to Dragek?

"A sarien is a one-in-a-billion. A fated mate. Perfectly compatible in both soul and mind and body. To find a bonded pair like Ashrael and Noali is exceedingly uncommon." His voice deepened. It resonated right through her, making heat swirl in her belly. "She's here now, anyway. I'm going to have to leave you, but you will be in good hands."

"You're leaving?" In such a short time, she'd grown used to his unwavering presence. The thought of being alone again sent a spike of anxiety through her chest.

Even though she knew he was dangerous.

Even though she suspected she didn't understand the full extent of his dangerousness.

Dragek looked down at her with his all-seeing, sightless gaze. He cracked a shadow of a smile. "I have work to do. I've helped you as much as I possibly can. Just remember what I taught you. When the noise becomes too much, try it. Practice until it becomes as natural as breathing."

Huh. So this was goodbye, then. "Will… will I see you again?"

"Yes," he said simply and with great certainty.

And Jade wondered how this being, who was practically a stranger, could evoke such a feeling of longing from her. Her tongue burned with a thousand questions. Where are you going? What are you going to do? What are you really capable of? But she didn't dare ask because she didn't want to shatter this warm, comfortable illusion.

Even though she trusted nothing and nobody, and she was all alone, it was the only thing that kept her going.

Because what was the point of her existence now?

Her world, once so safe and certain, was gone.

Her family didn't know anything. Her husband was a completely different person to the man she thought she'd married. Her friends wouldn't believe her if she told them what had happened to her. How could she go back to Earth and slip back into her old life now? How could she catch up with friends and try to have conversations about ordinary Earth things—dogs and house prices and handbags and petty workplace grievances—over various plant-milk lattes?

There was no going back.

He was the only constant thing in her world right now, but she had to be careful. Nobody could be this good, especially a Kordolian who could kill without batting an eyelid.

Even though he felt good and seemed to have assumed responsibility for her well-being, people could change in an instant.

And really, she didn't know a thing about Dragek.

The ship's doors opened, revealing a human.

A woman.

She stood there for a moment: quiet, calm, watchful, taking in everything with her dark brown gaze. Like Ashrael and Dragek, she exuded a certain aura; only where Dragek was forceful and Ashrael was ominous, her presence was gentler, more subtle.

But no less intimidating.

Unaccompanied, she walked across the cabin until she reached Jade and Dragek.

"Hello, Jade." She was beautiful, with soft brown hair that fell to her shoulders and elegant features. Something about her was uncannily familiar, even though Jade was certain she'd never met her before. "I'm Noa. I'm one of the humans who lives and works with the Kordolians—the Darkstar Group. I'm pleased to meet you, although I'm not so sure you'd say the same about me right now. I heard you've been through quite an ordeal, and I'm sure ending up here was the last thing you were expecting."

"When I got out of bed this morning, I wasn't planning on taking a trip up to space," Jade said dryly. Despite the strangeness of everything, she was relieved to see another human, and Noa's demeanor put her at ease. "But things happened, and I realized I'd rather be here than on Earth—for now."

"Wise thinking." Noa's lips curved into a faint smile. "They really aren't as bad as they look." Then, her expression turned serious again. "I was like you once. I know how destabilizing it can be. I know it's probably hard to trust anyone right now, but I want you to know that you have allies here. We humans stick up for one another."

"I wish all humans were similarly inclined," Jade muttered, a hint of bitterness creeping into her tone.

"I highly agree. Now, if I can actually convince Dragek to let you go, I'd be happy to show you to your quarters. You will have plenty of time to rest and refresh."

"I hope you have hot showers here."

Noa's smile widened. "We most certainly do. A post-human modification. Kordolians don't do warm showers."

Jade turned to Dragek, who had been watching her with quiet intensity the whole time. "You don't?"

Dragek let out a soft snort. "What for? Deep cold is much more preferable."

"You really are from another planet, aren't you?"

"Aren't you? " A hint of amusement crept into his tone—so unexpected from someone like him.

"If the rest of the Universe finds the idea of warm showers strange, then maybe I am." The fact that she could get amusement out of him invoked a feeling of giddy lightness in her. Pressed against his warm, hard body, the heaviness and pain left her.

She felt like she was floating.

The murmuring voices were still there in the back of her mind, but they'd reduced to background noise, and she was fairly certain she could try Dragek's jar trick again if they became too overwhelming.

Maybe things weren't as bad as she'd first thought.

"I need to leave." But then the spell was broken because, once again, his voice grew cold and hard, hinting at a dark existence she could only try and imagine. How did he know he had to leave all of a sudden? Was someone else talking to him in a mindvoice? "You go with Noali now. Rest. Heal. Everything else will take care of itself."

"And you?"

"Me?" His dark brows drew together into a look of genuine puzzlement—as if it was unthinkable that someone else would worry about him. "Don't concern yourself over me. There isn't much in the Universe that can harm me."

A floating machine appeared in the open doorway. It took Jade a moment to realize it was a hovering seat—for her.

Everything was taken care of. There was nothing for her to do but go along with the flow.

And hope that the Dragek she knew now—this calm, strong, unshakeable male—would exist somewhere in her future.