Page 45 of Whispers of the Void

Besides her.

I want her.

I feel the need grow with every passing day. Stars, every passing minute, if I’m being completely honest.

“Here he comes,” Altis says quietly as the male we’ve been waiting on finally enters the pub.

He walks with a noticeable limp, probably from an injury from one of his missions in youth. He was a Commander before I was even born and fought in several of the Brotherly Wars. Basically, petty squabbles between houses over land and water rights. He pulls out a chair between Hyva and Altis, sitting without greeting anyone.

“Thank you for coming, Las.” I give him a nod of greeting. I set a small box on the table and hit the button on top. It’s a noise barrier to keep our conversation from being overheard. Thank fuck for alien tech that isn’t nullified by electromagnetic storms.

The male hates being out in public, much prefers to spend his time underground exploring. It’s one of the reasons he’s the best to lead us through the caves and tunnels to the temple. He’s mapped out nearly half the continent, helping to find places fit to build underground cities as our population grows.

“What exactly are you hoping to find inside the temple? I’m not interested in helping you loot.”

“We don’t want to loot.” I lean forward. “We just want to look at several of the old texts, see what they say about the Bak’hura.”

His eyes narrow as he examines me. This is the part about letting him in on the plan that’s the most dangerous. He could stand up and go to the Sovereign right now, tell him I’m looking into things I shouldn’t be, and I’d be executed on the spot. The Bak’hura is our most vital and horrendous tradition. The blood rite that decides which child will lead their house and which will die. I want it to end.

As our society has ventured further out into the galaxy and come into contact with more civilizations, it’s become increasingly obvious we need to leave that tradition behind. Multiple people have approached the Sovereign with the sentiment, but every time they leave ready for a funeral pyre.

I care too much to advocate for it when I have no one to leave my house to. Not to mention all those I’m responsible for. I’ve heard rumblings that the Bak’hura had been suspended for centuries before the Sovereign brought it back during my grandparents’ time. In the hundreds of years since, it’s been normalized, and most accounts differing from accepted history have been wiped from our records.

It’s a risk to bring someone I don’t know into the fold. But from what I’ve heard, he’s no supporter of the Sovereign. Still. It takes every drop of my will power not to hook my foot around the leg of Neev’s chair and pull her to my side as Las stares me down with an inscrutable look on his weathered face.

Fuck it.

I do just that, ignoring her yelp of surprise as the chair scrapes across the floor.

“All those texts are written in the ancient languages. No one knows them anymore.”

“That’s not a problem.”

“How many will go?”

“Just those you see at this table.” They’re the only ones I trust to do this with me.

“Payment?”

“Twenty-five thousand credits paid tonight. Seventy-five thousand upon return.”

Las stands abruptly. “I’ll give you my decision in three days.” He points at Neev. “And I suggest you get her out of here quickly.”

Altis is on his feet and heading for the door to check things out before I can even say something into his mind. Hyva and Vynia radiate tension as they glance around the crowded room. If Las’s quick departure and warning have done one thing, it’s eased my mind that he can be trusted because if I had to guess, what’s coming our way is no good.

“A band of the Sovereign’s inspectors is headed this way,”Altis says into my mind.“I’ll slow them down while you get Neev out the back door.”

Why the fuck is he sending his inspectors here? It’s never happened in all my time as Lord. I’ve occasionally asked for their assistance when I’ve been off on missions. Otherwise, enforcement of laws and traditions is up to each Lord. The inspectors shouldn’t be here.

“Come.” I grab Neev’s hand, helping her up. “I’m taking her home. You stay inside and help Altis if he needs it,” I say to Hyva and Vynia.

Neev trails behind me, her hand clutching mine just as tightly as it does hers. Her fingers are small and warm against mine. Any other time I’d wonder over them, but not now. I can’t risk engaging in mate-like behavior. I pull her out through the back exit and into one of the dank alley ways.

“One inspector just broke away and is heading for the back alley.”

I look around, searching for anywhere to stash Neev where they won’t notice her. But there’s no alcoves and only one exit, which is where the inspector will be any second now. There’s only one thing to do, and while I know I’m going to enjoy it, I don’t know if she will.

“Play along.” I stop us and lift her into my arms. “Wrap your legs around my waist.”

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