Page 9 of Into The Rift

If he’s not already coming after you, then Colonel Tariq of the Imperial Tygerian Forces will soon be here. He’s probably already hot on your trail. That’s his mate in there. His pregnant mate. And if you think I’m being difficult, wait until you meet him. He’s an Imperial soldier. Tell me you know who they are.”

“We’re familiar with the Tygerians and their soldiers. You think we should be afraid of this ‘Imperial’ then?”

“I think you should be petrified.”

“Oh? Tell me more.”

He opened his pretty mouth to do so but thought better of it and clamped it shut again. “I can give you my name, rank and serial number. Nothing more.”

“Really? But we’ve already ascertained you’re a princeling and you don’t have any of those things. Besides, you were just about to terrify me with stories of these Tygerian Imperials. Do go on.”

He folded his arms across his chest and stared at me. I was still standing so close he felt he needed to put a hand on my chest to push me away. He actually applied pressure. Not that he could have made me move. The look on his face was so insolent I was half expecting him to stomp his little foot and refuse to say anything more, but it was too much for him.

“I’ll tell you this much,” he said, unable to shut his little mouth, “the colonel won’t stop coming. He’ll pursue you to the gates of hell and beyond if he has to.”

“So dramatic. The gates of hell? Which hell would that be? One of the four Tygerian ones? Or would it be the one we Pton are most familiar with? No, probably not.”

“You think you’re so smart, but he’ll show you. On the other hand, if you stop now and let us go, he might relent and let you live. You could leave here and crawl back into your hole.”

“My hole? But I’d much rather crawl into yours.”

He gasped and his eyes got wide and scared, and for just a moment, the impertinence slipped, and he looked very young and very shocked. I instantly regretted the crude words, and I had to turn away so he wouldn’t see it. I had become too jaded with the men and women of the dula. This boy was nothing like them and neither was the other one. We’d heard about the pampered and sheltered children of the Tygerian royalty. I’d do well to remember it. I wondered again just how old this boy was.

“Please let us go,” he said, his voice betraying him with its trembling.

I quelled the urge to take him in my arms and comfort him only with great difficulty, replacing it with irritation and anger instead.

“Tell me how exactly you think I can ‘let you go?’ We’re in space and in the middle of nowhere.”

“Just stop and let the colonel catch up to you then. He can’t be far behind, and he’ll make a deal with you. I know he will. Or-or put us in a shuttle and let us travel to him. I’m a very good pilot.”

“No.”

His mouth fell open. “What do you mean no?”

“It’s generally considered to be a negative response.”

“You know what I mean! You can’t just dismiss this out of hand.”

“I believe I can. And I just did.”

“Then-then just let Prince Rakkur go and keep only me!”

“Stop talking. You don’t know what you’re saying.”

“Yes, I do. Rakkur is going to have a baby. This isn’t good for his health.”

“I said, no.”

“But please just listen. I’m King Davos’s grandson. He’d pay well to get me back, if that’s what you’re after. If you won’t let us both go, then let Rakkur leave. Rakkur would just be a lot of trouble if you keep him here.”

“Whereas you’d be no trouble at all.”

He flushed, but still faced me defiantly. “I’ll be better if you’ll agree. I promise. I’d be a good bounty for you. I’d do whatever you say. I’ll let you do whatever you want to me. Just keep me and let him go.”

I didn’t like to admit that his words were working. “Do you have any idea what you’re offering?”

“Yes, I think so. Please, sir.”

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