Page 58 of Taming Chaos

“We? Who exactly are we?” Still feeling unsteady, Seph followed Torin as he left the bloodstained room behind. “Torin, you were after this man from the start, weren’t you?”

“His capture is necessary, but incidental. Please don’t ever think that you’re secondary to anything. As soon as I saw you, I couldn’t think of anything else. I just wanted to get you out.”

Oh. And just like that, she fell a little bit deeper under his spell.

Chapter Fourteen

They found Parrus in the other room. When the Veronian saw Relahek slumped over Torin’s shoulder, he yelped, his markings turning vivid pink. “Bastard. S-serves him right,” he said quietly, shuffling out of the way as Torin unceremoniously dumped Relahek on the long footstool. He removed a fabric belt from the noble’s robes and set about tying the man’s wrists together underneath the bench. Relahek’s head tipped, his long hair swaying, and Seph saw the whites of his eyes as they rolled back.

If not for the steady rise and fall of the Kordolian’s chest, she would have thought he was dead.

“Guard your former master, for a while, Parrus. You won’t let me down, will you, chichin?”

“No, Master.” Parrus’s voice held a note of wonder. He squatted on his haunches right in front of Relahek, aiming his plasma gun at the Kordolian’s head.

“Don’t kill him now, Parrus. I know the thought might be tempting, but we need to crack open that vault in his mind and take away his secrets.”

“I understand. He has many of those.”

“Then you will guard my captive well, won’t you?”

“I won’t take my eyes off him.”

“You won’t move from this spot, will you, Parrus?”

“No, Sir.”

“And apart from the main entrance, is there any other way in or out of these quarters?”

“N-no, Sir.” Parrus’s markings glowed blue, then violet.

“Good. Now where is his dining chamber?”

“Take the left inner corridor. At the end there is a lift that goes to the upper deck. There you will find his sleeping quarters, dining chamber, and sanitation facilities. If you want, I can show you—”

“We’ll find it.” Torin waved him away. “Who remains of Relahek’s retinue?”

“There is one other like me. That person has probably gone into hiding. Y-you will not harm my colleague, will you?”

“As long as they don’t make any moves against me or my female, I have no reason to hurt them.”

My female.

Ba-BOOM. Seph’s heartbeat exploded.

Unexpectedly, Torin grabbed her wrist, the one where she wore her link-band. The guide-light flared, illuminating his face from below. How intense he looked right now. Crimson eyes glowed like bright rubies, and his silver skin gleamed. How fierce. How utterly alien. “Persephone, come with me.”

Once again, he stole another little piece of her soul.

Could this be…

Without question, she followed, completely entranced by this man.

Yesterday, if someone had told Seph she would happily follow a lethal Kordolian warrior into the unknown without question, she would have laughed in their face.

Today, she didn’t bat an eyelid.

God, I am officially screwed.

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