Page 66 of Scars & Starlight
“We’re gossiping about Cade, of course,” Sa’ami purrs. “I wasasking Tara if she knows any human females who would be able to tolerate him long enough to give me a niece or nephew.”
I grin at the thought of Caden with small ones. They would probably be climbing all over him, testing the boundaries of their endurance while he quietly suffers their grabby hands and poking feet. Like many Avaren, Sa’ami hasn’t found her match yet, but in her case, she’s not in a hurry to do so, preferring female company to that of males, though I know she would do her part for our survival without complaint if the time to do so arrived.
“I told her my sisters are available, as far as I know,” Tara says. Her smile falters a bit. “We just have to find them.”
“We will, my love,” I assure her, kissing the side of her neck in comfort.
“Aw, you two are as sweet as everyone says you are,” Sa’ami gushes, her hands clasped in front of her hearts. I smile at her and open my mouth to reply, but close it when I’m hailed by the flight security hub – the Sovereign has arrived, likely pushing the speed limitations to get here this fast.
“Excuse me,” I say to Tara and Sa’ami as I straighten. “My officers have arrived.”
“Go, go,” my love dismisses me with a wave of her hand. “You don’t want Caden to feel neglected.”
My cousin snickers at Tara’s words, setting my princess off too. I shake my head – perhaps it was a bad idea to pair these two.
I opt to walk to the port – it’s not like the Sovereign can land here, and it could use a ground checkup – allowing the fresh air and the sounds of celebration from every home and business to pass through me, balancing me in the face of so many changes, welcome as they may be. Seeing my cousin will do wonders, I think. He was always the first one to hear my thoughts, though I recognize Tara will take over a part of that duty.
It takes me less than a mark to reach the terminal, just long enough to start missing my love. I realize I’m well and truly besotted,but don’t give a Nekkar’s ass about it. I’m happier than I ever remember being, and I know the joy will only increase.
“There he is,” Cade shouts, first out of the access chute. My wrist port signals an incoming communication from the queen, but I ignore it for the moment, embracing my cousin instead, slapping his back.
“Welcome home,” I say, looking behind him to see more of my command crew descend. That’s when my mother speaks to me through our nanites, one of the rare occasions she’s done so.
Kairen! Tara has been taken!
I step back with a jerk as a stinging cold sensation suffuses my entire being.
What?I return numbly.
My mother’s frantic thoughts take shape into words I wish I could forget.
She’s gone! Korvann took her!
33
TARA
For the second time in just over a month, I wake up aboard an alien spaceship with a headache and not knowing how I got there. One thing is instantly obvious, though: whoever brought me here now doesn’t have good intentions.
I was almost enjoying the celebration for my pregnancy since people weren’t crowding me as much as I expected – probably Kairen’s doing – when my bladder made itself known. Kai’s cousin, Sa’ami, offered to go to the restroom with me, but I waved her off, feeling embarrassed to have a princess hear me pee. Now I’m torn between being glad she stayed behind and remained unhurt, and wishing she were there to sound the alarm when two large Avaren males cornered me and hit me over the head before I could scream.
How did they get me out of the palace and aboard this ship without anyone noticing? Did they bribe the guards at the exits, or did they hurt them too? My breathing starts to accelerate as I realize the predicament I’m in. These people obviously have no problem with hurting a pregnant woman, and I’m terrified for the life that just started to unfurl within me. More selfishly, I’m terrified I’mnever going to see Kai again, the love I didn’t think I’d ever meet, the love I don’t want to live without anymore.
Tears gather in my eyes as I ruminate, my mind going in circles. I’m in some sort of holding area, and bars made out of beams of light that I don’t want to risk touching are enclosing me in a cell. I touch my head where it throbs, my fingers coming off flaked with crusted blood. My nanites must be hard at work again, or there would surely be more blood, fresher blood.
My nanites!
Where am I?
CURRENT LOCATION: VANGUARD SHIP THE PRIDE OF AVARIS. COMMANDING OFFICER: GENERAL ZEIRAN KORVANN.
Shit.
Unfortunately, it makes sense. I don’t think any Avaren that wasn’t connected to this family expressed hostility against me. He’s been throwing shade at me since I came here and is actively trying to dethrone the queen. And the apples must not have fallen far from the rotten tree. His son tried to take what wasn’t his by force. His daughter went from one prince to another, hoping to snag a dowager queen seat. I need to get myself and my little sprout as far away as possible from them. I need help.
Kairen? Can I talk to Kairen?
ALL OUTSIDE COMMUNICATION HAS BEEN LIMITED.
