Page 55 of Xefe
Three.
Holy mierda! It’s about to start.
Two.
“Get ready!” I slapped Nieve, Nheenya’s, and Querida’s asses.
One.
We sprinted off.
CHAPTER 24
“Nothing-thingspecial sofar. The-the earthers may be a disappointment after all,” the supreme declared, high atop his viewing stage. His assistants adjusted his cape behind him for maximum effect, while others preened his oversized feathers. “I-Ishouldn’t have bothered to attend. These initial games are beneath me-me.”
Untruth.Xefe didn’t say it aloud, but the supreme hadn’t shown this level of interest in manysyads, and he was fascinated with the earthers. Xefe was surprised the leader’s words evoked a flare of… annoyance. Thankfully, the overdose ofGlrtsstllllorogggdid its job. After his shameful actions in the lab, Xefe had consumed every drop he’d possessed. The magical golden substance flowed through his veins, numbing his emotions. He no longer felt, perceived, or acknowledged the distractions. He was back in his controlled state, saved from cravings and want. At this moment, Xefe had returned to the warrior who prioritized the supreme, his fellow warriors, andnothing else.
The Aavvee cheered in the stands. Their high-pitched screeches echoed off the mountain walls. This was Primary Field Three. It was a surprise that the supreme would allow a qualifying race in one of the main arenas. Massive and oval-shaped, it dwarfed the group of competing aliens. They looked inconsequential in the state-of-the-art stadium. But the real show was the spectators. The Aavvee had come out in droves, outnumbering the participants a hundred to one.
They all wanted to see the new competitors. The earther’s reputation had preceded them. Xefe wondered if that had anything to do with Loxo and his endless need to speak about them. Their beauty. Their intelligence. Xefe sighed, realizing there was a method to his Second’s madness. Loxo understood how things worked: interest from the crowd guaranteed interest from the supreme.
Wind whipped through the stadium. It flowed through strategically placed openings along the endless stone walls of the mountain. They couldn’t completely remove the force field because of the Guardians. The massive wind tunnels were relentless, always waiting to destroy. They kept a constant vigil.
“Let-letus see if these earthers live up to their promises.” The squat leader settled into his oversized throne. His personal guard hovered behind him while his concubines settled around his feet.
BAM.The plas-pistol fired, but Xefe refused to watch the race. He could not. Not because he was worried. Not because his carefully constructed walls would crumble if Hermosa was hurt.No.He must focus on his only priority. Protecting the supreme.
To cover his unease, Xefe stretched his shoulders. They felt tight, encased in his battle uniform. The heavy outfit wasn’t ideal for the arena. It hampered his speed, but he needed to cover his markings. The supreme, and certainly Tontoh, would see that the black design on his arm had grown across his back and chest. The Aavvee would never stop testing him if they discovered the change.
I will never allow that.His need for the earther, and the mistake he’d made, would not jeopardize everything he’d worked for, everything he lived for. Supreme First! The chant automatically slammed through his mind.
After the incident in the laboratory, the interrogation by the Aavvee had been relentless. They poked and prodded,questioned him through the night, only allowing him to attend the Great Race at the supreme’s order. Xefe had much to prove. His only blessing? They’d missed the earther completely. Had not seen her touching herself as she watched him from above. There were no monitoring devices outside of the lab. Xefe didn’t think the Aavvee had any idea those tunnels existed. The sheer number of portals and pathways on Nozaroc was countless.
The Aavvee eventually concluded his violent reaction had something to do with the extraction process, and he reinforced that assumption. Xefe owed them nothing. The deception held weight because his warriors had reacted similarly after he’d attacked the removal tubes. The anarchy in the lab protected him and, more importantly, allowed the earthers to compete in the prequals. Because if the scientists ever discovered reproductive compatibility between Nozarocan warriors and the earthers, they would be doomed. Dissected and experimented on relentlessly. He would not allow that to happen to them.
To her.Hermosa.
The name was a whisper in the deepest part of his mind. TheGlrtsstllllorogggprotected him, covered him in a shield of ice, blocking any feeling that might begin to erode his carefully constructed walls. Nothing would deter him again, not even the remembered pleasure of holding her in his arms.
“What-whatsay you, First?” The shrewd supreme studied him far too closely, his head feathers ruffling in agitation. “Your-yourearthers compete in front of your eyes and you refuse to look their way.”
He noticed?“My concern is for you at all times, Supreme. They are no threat to your safety.”
“How are-areyou so sure?” He whirled away, surrounding himself with his fawning harem, exchanging fluid with their questing tongues. The stench permeated the stage. “I heard ofyour tantrum in the labs-labs. Tontoh wanted me to give you to him. To experiment, I’m sure.”
Xefe refused to respond. It wouldn’t matter if he did. The supreme made his own decisions. Xefe wouldn’t be here if his leader planned to give him to Tontoh. And because of theGlrtsstlllloroggg, it didn’t affect him one way or the other.
The squat leader flicked open his cloak, clearly agitated. “I-I forbid you to see them.”
Xefe’s gaze slowly turned to the Aavvee, and he fought the urge to lash out.Keep me from her?A slow burn ignited in Xefe’s chest, slowly eroding his control. “Supreme?”
“Your-yourlack of focus, your actions in the lab. They-theyare connected. To when the earthers arrived. I will not have your attention divided-ded!” He squawked, and his elite guard surrounded him in a whirl of feathers and claws.
Xefe eyed the gold and teal warriors, their metallic wings as sharp as knives. If the three of them ever engaged Xefe, the battle would be deadly. For all of them. So, he chose peace. To prove his fealty, Xefe tipped his chin down to his supreme.
“Yes-yes. Your main focus is me! And this facility-ty.” The supreme spluttered and eventually shooed away his guards.
But Xefe couldn’t forget the supreme’s words.He forbids it.
