Page 131 of The Edge of Dawn

He hid it well, but he was rattled.

“How do you know I won’t just flip my switch and kill you all?” He almost sounded indignant, as if he’d expected more of a reaction from Tarak.

“You?” The slight raise of Tarak’s eyebrow was positively disdainful. “Who has been granted a reprieve from death by the Goddess more than once? Come off it, Amun.” He waited, allowing his words to sink in. “I am here. Speak.”

This was a new situation for Dragek. Standing so close to the enemy yet unable to kill him, his blade perfectly level, ready to inflict a mortal wound if Tarak so much as gave the signal.

But he wouldn’t.

Tarak and Amun had both anticipated this.

They were both using one another for their own advantage.

And yet, who really had the advantage here? It was so interesting watching Tarak handle a son of the highest noble family as if he were a mere child.

His expression was as hard as stone, but Amun’s aura wavered ever so slightly.

He was good at keeping up the facade, but Dragek could just about read minds, and he got the sense Amun wanted to confide in the general.

He’d better not fuck around because Dragek was running out of patience.

He had no idea what had happened to his sarien.

He couldn’t feel her anymore, and the tempering effect she had on his madness was waning fast.

This state of being was almost unbearable. If he didn’t connect with her soon, he would lose it.

Why the fuck had Tarak chosen him to do this?

Mating Fever be damned.

“You’ve logged our course,” Amun replied. “You know where this ship is headed. We’re close now. Close enough that you might just be able to avert a disaster of Universal proportions.”

Disaster? The skin on the back of Dragek’s neck prickled. What were these imperial morons playing at?

They would risk everything just for power?

Now, he didn’t know who or what to be furious at.

Now, he understood the seriousness of this mission.

Tarak was right.

So much was at stake, including the life of his sarien.

He wanted to drag the secrets out of Amun. He could torture him, sever parts of his body bit by bit, and expose the nerves that were exquisitely sensitive to pain.

It would give him satisfaction. He was sick and tired of men who thought they could play games with the fate of the Universe.

But Tarak had a plan.

Of course he did.

It was the only thing keeping Dragek remotely sane right now.

“I’ll tell you, but only if you agree to my conditions.”

Ah. There it was. The bargain.

---