Page 10 of His Clever Captive

I roll my eyes even in my sleep. “Spare me the cryptic garbage, Xi.”

Her image stabilizes, sharpening into the sister I haven’t seen in ages—dark metallic skin, hair like fine-crafted twined jewelry, and that sunny little smile that makes her look like an eternal child despite being only slightly younger than me and Ryz.“You think your schemes protect you?”She tilts her head, a gesture so achingly familiar it stings.“The human is yours. Your mate. Deny it, and you’ll both?—”

The dream fractures.

I’m back at the Palace in Ydris, playing in the courtyard. Ryz stands beside me, a young boy, his hand gripping mine.“We’ll always be brothers,” he whispers. Then he’s gone, replaced bythe sneering Royal Commander who says“bastard”like it's my only name.

Xi’s voice booms, final as a death knell.“Pride will drown you, Vex. But she…she is the air.”

I wake drenched in sweat, clawing at the sheets. My heart is racing like I’ve just outrun a Scav bot.

Why does Xi always have to be so dramatic? Would it kill her to just appear as she would on a vid call?

Ugh…I’m sure the empty bottle of Denorian rum on my nightstand that mocks me also has something to do with that. Should’ve known mixing alcohol with the memory of that kiss Lacey planted on my cheek would warp my brain.

Fate? Please. Ryz and Gwen were an accident, not destiny. Coincidence. Same as Iris and Tak.

And me? I’m a pirate. A thrill, a transaction, a…regret, maybe. Not a…mate.

I’ve got a healthy appetite for pleasure, and that’s all the fate I need.

I get up and stalk toward the bridge.Stupid dream.

But then I see her.

Lacey’s curled up on the pilot’s bench, knees to chest, wrapped in that ivory tunic I stole for her. The viewscreen bathes her in dappled light, galaxies swirling beyond the glass like spilled ink and stardust. Her hair’s a mess of dark waves, and she’s gazing out at the sky in awe.

Quorr’s teeth, she’s a beautiful sight.

“Couldn’t sleep either?” I lean against the doorway, arms crossed.

She jumps, then glares. “Ever heard ofannouncingyourself?”

“Where’s the fun in that?” I saunter over, dropping onto the bench. She scoots aside, her eyes dipping to my chest. I neglected to throw on a tunic. Glad I didn’t because I like theway her eyes drift over my bare form. “You have a nightmare or something?”

“Somethingis right.” Her eyes snap back up to mine and she tucks a strand of hair behind her ear. “Veryweird dream. You?”

“Vivid hallucinations. But I blame the rum.”

Her cute nose wrinkles. “You drank alone?”

“Jealous?”

“Concerned.”

It’s been a while since anyone wasconcernedabout me. “Don’t be. I’m?—”

“A pirate. Yes, yes, we’ve established this.” She hugs her knees tighter. “But even pirates need a friend to drink with.”

I bark a laugh. “Friends are just enemies who haven’t stabbed you yet.”

She rolls her eyes. “That’s…tragic.”

“That’s survival.” I stretch my legs, knocking my foot against hers. “What’d you dream about, my dear? Dragons? Unicorns? A dashing pirate sweeping you off your feet?”

She hesitates. “I dreamed someone was…singing. I couldn’t make out the words, but it felt…important.”

My throat tightens. Xi. She must have visited Lacey, too. Xi used to sing to Ryz and I when she was just a little baby Kraetian. Silly songs about the stars, fate, and stolen gods.

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