Page 12 of I Married Amreth

“The Peacekeepers—and the Enforcers for that matter—only need the slightest evidence of probable cause. An image or video of one of the three missing people would suffice to justify them entering Kestria’s atmosphere.”

I shifted uneasily in my seat.

“This would be a deliberate violation of the laws,” I said.

The ‘Are you fucking kidding me?’ look Maeve gave me had my cheeks burning with embarrassment.

“Seriously, Amreth… I realize your species is raised indoctrinated about the importance of upholding the law. But with all due respect, you need to remove that self-righteous stick out of your ass and focus on what matters. What is more important to you? Rescuing your soulmate, or righteously upholding some law?”

“That is an unfair question! However good one’s intentions may be for breaking the law, they were created for a reason. Don’t you humans have a saying about the road to Hell being paved with good intentions? What if me going there with a conveniently timed accident ends up creating even more diplomatic problems?”

She shrugged. “Then don’t go, and hope for the best.”

I bared my fangs at her, her unimpressed look stinging even more. Obviously, I would never just sit back and do nothing while my other half was potentially in danger somewhere and being held against her will. But breaking the law…?

“You mentioned occasional interactions with the Sangoths. I seem to recall that they offered contracts for seasonal trade workers. If I joined one of those teams, I would legally enter their airspace,” I offered.

Maeve slowly nodded. “You heard correctly. Unfortunately, there won’t be any such trade missions for another five months. Are you willing to wait that long?”

I didn’t have to answer. My face did all the talking. She once again gave me a sympathetic smile although her dark brown eyes sparked with mischief.

“Look, I know how difficult this must be for you to even contemplate. Sometimes, bending the rules is necessary. What do you think I’m doing right now even sharing all of this with you? More often than not, the Enforcers—and their greater network that I am a part of—have no choice but to toe the line, and sometimes even trample it. What do you think would havehappened to Malaya and Kronos had we not bent those rules? How many more innocent lives would Judge Wuras and his father have destroyed?”

I gave her a stiff nod.

“I’m telling you all of this because we implicitly trust you. You are a highly regarded Warden and an elite Warrior. Both Kayog and Linsea vouched for your outstanding moral compass and diplomatic skills. You are the best candidate the Enforcers could have wanted to investigate the situation in that area without making waves.”

My jaw dropped from sudden understanding. The Enforcers were not washing their hands of the fate of those three missing people. They were recruiting me as their silent agent to protect their plausible deniability.

“I understand what you are saying,” I said at last.

She smiled with approval. “I will transfer all the tracking info you require to your com. Go in stealthily. To the extent possible, avoid contact with the locals unless absolutely necessary. Get the proof we need and then leave. Do not try to play the hero. Communications will be slow as any message you send will need to travel to the nearest relay before it gets picked up. But keep us apprised as much as you can about any development. We will assist you in any way possible.”

“Thank you, I will.”

“Good luck, Amreth. And bring your girl home. You deserve every happiness.”

As soon as we ended the communication, I began preparation for my immediate departure.

Chapter 4

Ciara

Iwoke up with a start. The bright lights of the room made me blink a few times before my vision adjusted. A glance at my surroundings revealed it to be the fanciest medical bay I had ever set foot in. In all my years, I had visited the infirmaries and laboratories of countless ships and species. None of them rivaled this one.

I fleetingly wondered if this belonged to the Xurgens. After all, they were the most advanced species in our sector of the galaxy. But for having drooled over their technology more times than I could count, I could say with great confidence that this didn’t feature in their line of products.

I tried to sit up from my lying position only to realize some sort of energy field kept me immobile. My initial confusion quickly gave way to a sliver of panic as memories of the recent events came rushing back. The pain from being torn to shreds by the terrified Darwandir female flashed through my mind. However, a quick self-assessment revealed no true discomfort aside from a little stiffness and soreness. Considering thegrievous wounds she inflicted on me, I should be in complete agony without heavy sedation. As my mind was clear, this meant that whoever attacked the ship and stopped my deadly fall apparently also healed me.

I wanted to believe this to be a good sign that maybe their intentions weren’t as evil as my fertile imagination suggested. My heart leapt when I turned my head to the side. Through a glass wall, I stared in shock at a strange female with the simian-looking male I vaguely remembered from the ship. They were talking with Brett Dunham, another of my acquaintances with the Interstellar Doctors Organization.

What do they want with us?

Whatever question she asked him, his answers prompted a rather unimpressed reaction from her. Her male companion stood there stoically, occasionally speaking. I would have given anything to be able to hear their exchange. If nothing else, I took some small measure of comfort in that Brett didn’t seem scared, just confused.

A glance at the opposite side of my room revealed a second glass wall separating me from another staff member of the IDO. Discovering an unconscious Mehreen Aziz freaked me out. Sure, many physicians and medical professionals had been aboard the Gladius. But countless politicians, investors, corporate magnates, social and ethics advocates, and people from various other fields had also been present. Why did it feel like only members of the Interstellar Doctors Organization had been targeted?

They mentioned something about Elias Jacobs…

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