Page 56 of Guardian's Destiny

"Will you stay with us for the night?" Hyugh invited.

"We have to get to the spaceport and get on a ship," Vraax said. "We need to get to Darlam."

"The spaceport is a few days’ march from here," Hyugh told us, causing Vraax to curse. "But we still have functioning transporters. We don't like to use them; we worry it might draw attention from the Krythar Order. Still, I can have one available for you tomorrow morning; it would only be a short ride."

"In that case, we would be very happy for your generous hospitality." Vraax inclined his head in gratitude. "Do you have a safe place for our hostages?"

"We will keep Moddekdum safe, and if you have me, I would gladly replace the female so she can start a new life here." Craygh offered, looking at Hyugh for permission, who nodded.

"My nuvala stays with me," Moddekdum protested.

"I hope you have accommodations that are not too comfortable for him," I ignored Moddekdum.

So did Hyugh, "Oh, I have just the right place for him."

"I need him alive," Vraax warned.

"This is an outrage," Moddekdum sputtered as Craygh waved another soldier forward and told him where to take the Ohrur.

"I will see you in the morning for breakfast. Hopefully, Chronarch Byalbor will have more information for you then. In the meantime, if you need anything, servants will be around your quarters."

"Servants?" Vraax raised an eyebrow.

Hyugh nodded. "I don't think guards will be necessary. It sounds to me that we might be able to be of beneficial use to one another."

"If I persuade my fellow Space Guardians to stand down while you take back the surface?" Vraax observed astutely.

A grin spread over Hyugh's face. "It would benefit both our species."

I could hear Vraax's unspoken comment,whatever species that is, and grabbed his forearm for support. I wanted him to know that I was there for him.

"Right," Vraax nodded.

"Sayfor, here will take you to your rooms." Hyugh nodded at another servant. The man looked young and nervous.

"If you will follow me," he stuttered, walking to the hallway from which we had entered this room.

The room he brought us to was more than I had expected. I especially hadn't expected a window, but it was there, with a view of a large circular area, where I caught glimpses of Ohrurs going about their daily business.

A large bed took over one side of the room, and on the other was a small sitting arrangement. A second door led into a bathroom with a shower, toilet, and sink. They looked old, worn, and utilitarian, but it all worked. I had a hard time believing that they were thousands of years old; they were still far superior to anything I had ever seen on Earth.

"I hope you're not going to make me sleep on these chairs." Vraax called from the other room.

Was I?

My body tingled when I recalled our earlier kiss.

"Let's get cleaned up and go from there," I said, exiting the bathroom. "All yours."

"That's okay, I can wait," he was sitting in one of the tiny chairs—made for the much shorter Ohrurs—and looking at me with such a despondent expression, I giggled. Rushing back into the bathroom, I snorted as I pressed my hand in front of my mouth, hoping he hadn't seen or heard me. It was good for him to think I was going to make him sleep in the chair.

It took me a little bit to figure out how the shower worked, but once it did, it was heavenly. Real water rushed down on me, rinsing out all the filth of last night sleeping in that old dusty… subway car—for lack of a better word. I also had some time to reflect on Vraax and the things that had been said earlier. Again, Arkhevari had been mentioned, and I asked myself if this would be a good time to bring up Zapharos and my mission. I could throw some hints out and see where things went from there. I had a deep, nagging feeling that we needed tocompare notes. Too many paths were leading in the same direction to be mere coincidences any longer. It seemed more like a powerfulmanipulator was pushing us toward something. By powerful, I meant truly powerful, because some of this shit, like the mating marks… I shook my head; they were beyond understanding. That wasn't to say I would start to believe in some almighty god creature, but like the famous Sherlock Holmes said,when you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth,or in layman's terms,if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck… it didn't necessarily mean a god like being was at work here. I was sure that as far as technology went in this universe, I had only scraped the top of the iceberg.

Thoughtfully, I stared at the brownish water rinsing off me. Climbing through the ruins hadn't done me any favors, but after a while, the water finally cleared, and I felt like a new woman. There was no drying cycle here like I had become used to on the Pandraxians' and Vraax's ship, but a quick search resulted in a few towels in a hidden compartment. They were worn thin, with stains that no bleach would ever get out, but they smelled fresh. Clad in only that, I reentered the bedroom, where Vraax was still playing with the chairs.

"I'm done," I announced.

He turned and stared at me as if I had grown wings. "What?"

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