Page 23 of The Alien's Cruel Starfrost Domain

“After all,” Svalkat is saying, “we are doing no less to them than they have always done to us.”

I make a non-committal noise as he drones on, unwilling to agree with his they-started-it-first logic, but not wanting to alienate the baron, either.

I need to get this conversation back on track.

“And I assume the human slaves came directly from Earth?” I interrupt his monologue, and he almost stumbles over his words.

“Of course—they are ever so much more fun when they don’tunderstand what’s happening to them. Once they’ve been here a few star-cycles”—he gives a faux-sad shrug and a conspiratorial wink—“they’re just so… broken. But of course, you already know that.” He slants me an oily smile to match the wink. “After all, you have your new purchase to play with.”

The man is foul.

I don’t particularly want to draw his attention again to Cyan, but that seems the easiest way to bring him back to the subject of space travel. “Does Prince Jonyk’s ship have an artificial pilot?”

Svalkat pauses and stares at me, narrowing his eyes. “You know, it never occurred to me to ask.”

I don’t believe that for a moment.

Despite my attempts to allow the conversation to develop naturally, Baron Svalkat seems to have picked up on the topic I’m truly interested in discussing.

Apparently, if I want this information, I’m going to have to pay for it.

But I’m not certain I will be willing to pay the price Mib Svalkat is likely to ask.

“That’s unfortunate,” I say, still trying to keep my tone disinterested. “I was wondering what steps he takes to mitigate his impact, to minimize his technological damage of our magics.” I, too, take on a faux-sad tone. “Oh, well.” I duck down as I ride under the branch of a needle-tree.

Luckily for me, Svalkat isn’t willing to let the subject drop. “Are you seeing the effects of tech damage on magics this close to the firelords’ border?”

And thus, despite himself, the baron betrays his own interests. He’s here to suss out how much the magic of my domain has been affected by our realm’s weakening magical fields.

Here, I have to tread even more carefully than before as I answer his question. I can’t let him believe that my domain is weak—he will use that information against me. Nor can I allow him to know how strong I am, either. That could be almost as dangerous.

I can’t risk anyone learningthe secrets I hide.

And so I give the baron a half truth. “My own magics don’t seem to be affected much at all, though I have noticed a decline in those magical creatures who, for instance, make these woods their home.” I pause as if considering all the ramifications of my words. “I suppose this could be because we are so very far from the center of the realm—maybe our magical fields were always weaker to begin with.”

“Ah, yes. Perhaps.”

But the baron is not as foolish as he pretends to be. He couldn’t have gained as much political influence as he has if he were the idiot he plays at being.

He doesn’t believe me any more than I believe him.

“You know, I don’t think there is any prey to be found out here this morning,” I finally say—and I’m certain we’re both aware of the double meaning in my words.

“Mmm,” the baron murmurs in agreement, inhaling and then opening his mouth as if he might say something.

He apparently thinks better of it, though, and we ride back toward Starfrost Manor in silence. When we reach the courtyard, I dismiss the horses, sending them swirling back into the air in glittering fragments of ice and snow. I’m glad to be back home, already tired of worrying about the man and what he might or might not learn while he’s here, who he might attempt to seduce, what he might possibly be planning.

And yet, as we head inside, I can’t help but wonder what the baron was about to say to me—about technology, about magic.

Perhaps about prey?

I have to admit to myself, if no one else, that I’m tired of worrying about protecting Lara from someone like Baron Svalkat when I know I won’t be able to protect her from myself.

Not once I have her sister, too.

CHAPTER 7

LARA

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