by Roxie Ray
“Oh?” He sounded vaguely amused. “And what, exactly, am I trying to do?”
“You're showing off your stamina and physical prowess compared to mine, to prove that I shouldn't be going on this mission with you. You want me to feel weak and unprepared. But I'm not. I've spent days stalking the thick groves and parched deserts of my home world. I've climbed down into the deepest, darkest caves to hunt trolls, and helped the warriors of my village fight off incursions from other tribes who sought to pillage our resources.”
“I don't doubt any of that,” he said, curling his lip. “Yet a simple trip up a long flight of stairs was almost enough to make you faint from fatigue. Your past achievements are of little interest to me, Judy. What concerns me is whether you are up to the unknown threats and challenges that are ahead. If you are not prepared to face – and triumph over – the unexpected, you will surely perish.”
“But that's not fair!” I insisted. “No one can possibly be prepared for everything!”
“You are correct in saying it is 'not fair.' But as a loyal member of Valkred’s military, it's how I've spent my entire life – training for every possibility, planning for every contingency, honing myself to deal with scenarios that strain all limits of the imagination. It's how I've faced impossible odds and beaten them every time.”
“You really think now is the best time to test what I'm capable of? When I just survived a pod crash, and I'm still recovering from that?”
“Death and danger know no compassion,” he answered stolidly. “They do not wait for you to be healed and prepared. They come without warning, and with no regard for convenience. Proving yourself when you are at your best is meaningless. Showing what you're capable of when you've already been pushed beyond your limits is all that matters.”
“Fine,” I conceded, starting to get my breath back. “You were trained to handle anything that comes your way? Then give me the same training. Make me as ready to tackle the unknown as you are.”
He laughed. “Impossible. It took many decades for me to reach my current level of readiness. We don't have nearly enough time for you to learn those same lessons. Better for you to remain here.”
“Well, I'm not going to remain here. So it looks like you'd better make the time, if you're so intent on keeping me alive when we go after Torqa.”
“Based on what you told us in the throne room, I believed that you were motivated to go with us by your sense of duty to your people,” Dhimurs said slowly. “But now, I begin to wonder whether you are simply being driven by your ego.”
“You would seem to be the expert on ego around here, so you tell me,” I shot back. “Besides, I'm the only leader my people have left. Now is the time for bold action, not humility.”
Dhimurs looked me up and down carefully. My entire body felt strangely flushed under the intensity of his glare. I felt like some kind of wriggling insect found under a rock – one that the tribal elders were examining, trying to determine whether or not it might be edible. Even so, there was a part of me that welcomed that attention from him, and wanted to do whatever it took to hold it… even if I knew its heat might burn me in the process, as though I were staring directly into one of Macur's suns.
“Very well,” he said at last, motioning for me to follow him. “First, though, you'd better get some rest. You'll need it.”
He led me to a room down the hall, and I stared at the bed, my jaw slack.
So many blankets and pillows! Compared to the simple cushion of pulsating n'kanthya petals I was used to resting on, it was the most decadently luxurious thing I'd ever seen. I sat down on the edge of it, almost feeling guilty for enjoying something so soft and comfortable – especially knowing that my parents were huddled in a cramped metal cell, probably wondering whether I was alive or dead.
“How are your injuries?” Dhimurs asked. “Shall I summon Khim to provide additional ministrations?”
I was still feeling some pain – the long climb up the steps hadn't helped, and my entire body felt sore. But this felt like a test. Dhimurs wanted me to admit to weakness, and I'd be damned if I gave him the satisfaction.
“No, I'm doing just fine,” I replied, forcing a smile.
He nodded. “Good. I'll come to collect you again shortly.”
And with that, he left, shutting the door behind him a little too loudly.
I sighed. There were so many conflicting emotions running around in my heart, I couldn't even begin to make sense of them.
Dhimurs had never visited Macur with Akzun and Zark during any of the Valkredians' ceremonial missions there. Which made sense – he was a warrior, after all, not a diplomat or tradesman. No doubt he was busy leading armies into dangerous battles all across the galaxy, quelling invasions by the Mana or sorties by Krote corsairs.
Still, I'd thought of him often, and why not? He was the reason I was on Macur – the reason I was alive, and not enslaved.
I wasn’t ashamed to admit that there were plenty of nights when I fantasized that on the day of my mating ceremony, Dhimurs would show up unexpectedly, compete, and win. I came up with many thrilling scenarios about the aftermath of the ceremony… pampering him, bringing him the sweetest fruits and nectars, and lying with him when the time came.
Now here I was, face to face with him – and he was even more handsome than I'd remembered. But instead of romancing me, he was belittling all I'd accomplished since he first left me with the Macurians, and trying to prevent me from rescuing my parents. He was hostile and dismissive. He was arrogant. He was…
…trying to protect me, in his own way. Yes, I realized that. I'd have been a fool not to – and the most maddening thing was that in some ways, it even made me want him all the more.
But I didn't want him to protect me, not in this.
This was no time for me to give in to the romantic notions I'd treasured about Dhimurs for so long. Not when my parents were in such danger. I had to concentrate on saving them. I had to resist the temptation to show my true feelings for him, no matter how hard they tugged at me from inside, refusing to be ignored.
I wanted him to accept me as his equal. I wanted to prove myself to him – to show him that even though I might not have been a Valkredian warrior, I wasn't a defenseless child anymore either. Instinctively, I knew that it would be the surest way to win his heart. A man like Dhimurs could never be with someone soft and vulnerable. No, he'd only be content with someone who was on his same level.
I decided I'd do whatever it took to show him that I was that person.
There was a knock at the door, and my heart skipped a beat – I thought it might be him again, taunting me by letting me “rest” for just a few minutes before making me endure the next test. Well, if so, I'd show him I wasn't afraid.
I stood up, keeping my posture as straight and defiant as possible. “Come in.”
The door opened, and to my surprise, a pair of human women entered, smiling. One of them had dark hair and an athletic build, and wore a crystal amulet around her neck – while the other was shorter, with strawberry blonde hair and freckles on her nose. The shorter one was carrying a tray with what looked like a round pot, several delicate-looking etched cups, and a plate of pastries.
“Hi there!” the taller one said. “My name's Miranda, and this is Carly. And you're Judy, right? I hope we're not disturbing your rest?”
“No, not at all,” I answered uncertainly. “It's just… I didn't expect to see any other human women on Valkred. Are you blood slaves?”
As soon as the words were out of my mouth, I mentally kicked myself. What a rude thing to ask a pair of total strangers! Especially ones as cordial as these two seemed to be. What the hell was wrong with me? I supposed being raised by primitive tribes on a desert planet hadn't done much for my social graces – I'd have to work on that.
But rather than being offended, they both laughed at the question. “No, thank God!” Carly said. “Although we both came pretty close at one point, didn't we, Miranda?”
“Jesus, ain't that the truth,” Miranda chimed in ruefully.
“I'm sorry, but would you mind if I put this down?” Carly asked, nodding at the tray. “It's, uh, kind of heavy.”
“Of course!” I blurted out, feeling myself blush. “I apologize…”
“There's no need,” Miranda said kindly as Carly placed the tray on a table next to the bed. “We've heard you're from Macur. I've been there, and from the look of it, there's probably not a lot of formal tea service, huh? No offense, of course.”
“None taken,” I assured her. “It's a lovely planet in many ways, but yes, it certainly lacks many of the amenities here on Valkred. I realize I probably have a lot to learn in terms of basic decorum.”
“Well, we'll help you out any way we can,” Carly said warmly. “Meanwhile, we thought you might like a relaxing cup of raxa root tea, and some jortocks to nibble on.”
My stomach growled, and I suddenly remembered how long it had been since I'd had any sustenance at all. “Yes, thank you. But… raxa root? Isn't that a narcotic?”
“Raxa root has many uses,” Miranda explained, pouring some from the pot into a cup and handing it to me. “Some people do process it into rax, which is indeed a drug. But brewed in a tea like this, it's quite harmless. Soothing, even.”
I took a sip, and savored the warmth of the tea as it traveled down into my stomach. The calming effects were almost instantaneous, and I sighed happily. I hadn't even realized how jangled my nerves had been until now, like an alarm bell clanging in the back of my mind – one that was magically silenced by the tea.
I took one of the pastries and bit into it, enjoying the flaky exterior and the tart flavor at its center. I felt so nourished, like a wilted plant being watered for the first time in weeks.
“This was so kind of you,” I told them. “Thank you very much.”
“Well, we've both had to integrate into Valkredian culture, and we know it's not always easy at first,” Miranda said. “So we figured, hey, every little bit of hospitality helps, right?”
“You said you were almost blood slaves?” I asked. “What did you mean by that?”
“It's a long story,” Carly said, pouring herself some tea. “The short version is, we were both working at The Vein nightclub on the Cexiea space station. Nos was going to sell us off as slaves, but instead, we ended up in love with Valkredians… I'm mated to Akzun, the Blood Ruler, and I recently gave birth to his son and heir. Miranda's mated to his brother Zark.”
“And now Dhimurs has brought you here,” Miranda mused. “It's funny how the universe works, isn't it? Events which seem random suddenly arrange themselves into fascinating patterns, like how we see familiar shapes in constellations. Is the galaxy deliberately presenting these shapes to us in order to send us some message, or reveal some larger truth to us? Or are we only perceiving them because we imagine they're there? Or both?”
“Ugh, ignore her rambling,” Carly said with a roll of her eyes. “She's been studying philosophy with the Lunians.”
Miranda must have seen my eyes go to her amulet earlier, because she held it up to show me. “Lovely, isn't it? Respen, the Lunian who's been teaching me, gave it to me. It vibrates at a very specific cosmic frequency that resonates will all other amulets of its kind. Apparently, they all exist in the same quantum spectrum simultaneously… though I'm not wholly sure what that means yet,” she said with a laugh.
“Really?” I exclaimed. “Learning from the Lunians must be intriguing! I've heard that they’re powerful seers and sorcerers, but I've never met one before. Are you a seer, too?”
“In a manner of speaking,” Miranda said. “For example, I can see that you want Dhimurs to be your mate, just as much as he wants you to be his.”
“Miranda!” Carly elbowed her sharply. “I know you see things the rest of us don't, but you've gotta stop doing that – it makes people uncomfortable!”
“Oh, come on! On some level, she already knew. But now, she has the freedom to determine whether she wishes to act on it.” Miranda turned to me. “Again, the choice is still ultimately yours to make. But now, whatever your decision is, you can't claim that you made it blindly.”
“Thank you,” I breathed.
“We'd better go,” Carly said uneasily. “Judy's been through a lot already today, and we've imposed on her enough. Akzun did tell us we shouldn't take up too much of her time – he said we should let her rest as much as possible, remember? We’ve probably already overstayed our welcome.”
Miranda nodded, following Carly to the door. “It was a pleasure to meet you, Judy. I hope your mission to save your parents goes well. We'll be rooting for you.”
They left, closing the door behind them gently. I could hear them whispering to each other all the way down the hall.
Rooting for me? I didn't know what that meant. On Macur, “rooting” meant searching for edible tubers.
I sat on the bed for what seemed like hours, going over everything Carly and Miranda had told me.
Cexiea.
They'd said they were both on Cexiea.
The same place Dhimurs had discovered me as a girl.
I thought about what Miranda had said regarding the patterns of the universe and shuddered. Was this merely a coincidence? Or had the galaxy brought us together, arranged us all just so, in order to communicate something deeper and more meaningful?
I didn't know.
I should have been happy to know how Dhimurs really felt about me. Wasn't that what everyone wanted to know about the object of their affection? Instead, knowing that there was some larger plan or destiny involved made it feel too big… ominous somehow, like a blade hanging over my head by a thin thread.
There was another knock at the door, and this time, I was sure Miranda had returned to give me another message about my future. If so, I wasn't sure I'd be able to handle it. It was all too big, too much to think about. I'd only wanted to save my parents, and now I felt ensnared by a sticky web of fate and destiny that was beyond my comprehension.
I opened the door, and found Dhimurs waiting for me in the hall.
6
Dhimurs
Judy greeted me with a stony glare, and I did my best to hide my amusement. Clearly, she wanted me to think of her as fierce. I didn't necessarily want to laugh at her for that impulse, since generally speaking, projecting such an air is a good first step toward becoming fierce – like the Glakkan Puffer-Flea, which can inflate the air sacs in its body to appear ten times larger than it actually is in order to scare off natural predators.
Judy wanted to demonstrate that she was unafraid of me. That was good, especially since I was determined to make her my mate – even if I couldn't risk focusing on such things until after we'd completed the mission.
But it was also important for her to learn to conquer her fears in terms of other potential threats.
Hence the little demonstration I'd arranged. I waited patiently, hands behind my back, meeting her gaze evenly without a word.
Finally, she gave in with a sigh. “Well? What is it? Did you come here so we could start my training?”
“Not at all,” I lied. “I merely wished to see if you wanted to join me for a walk in the palace gardens.”
Judy opened the door the rest of the way, gesturing for me to come in. “Honestly? I don't know. I'm not tired, but since it's dark outside, I feel like I should be trying to sleep. Then again, I've heard that it's dark all the time here on Valkred, so I have no idea what time it actually is. In fact, I don't think I've had a firm grasp on the time of day ever since Torqa kidnapped me. I don't even know how long ago that was. A day? More?”
“It's been almost three days since then, actually,” I told her, stepping into the room and shutting the door behind me.
A shadow passed over her face, and I realized the news that so much time had passed was shocking to her.
“You must not have been in captivity for too long,” I went on, hoping to reassure her a bit. “I retu
rned to this planet immediately after Torqa took you, so I could make my report to Akzun. Your escape pod must have practically been right behind me, because you crashed within hours of my arrival. Which means you got away from Torqa in less than a day. Quite impressive, really. And for what it's worth,” I added, “it's not dark on this planet all the time. Only eighteen hours out of the day.”
“Well, since I'm from a world with three suns and short nights, it'll probably take some getting used to,” she replied ruefully. “The lower temperatures here, too, for that matter. Not that I'll have much chance, since we'll be leaving soon. So yes, I suppose I will take a walk in the gardens with you, if you promise not to be too rude or insulting.”
I grinned. “I doubt I could truly honor such a promise if put to the test, but I will certainly do my best.”
Judy laughed, seemingly in spite of herself. “I appreciate the honesty, at least. All right. Let me see if I can find something to keep warm.”
“There should be something in the closet that will suit your needs,” I said.
She opened the closet, pawing through several coats and other garments before finally settling on a soft fur-lined shawl and wrapping it around her shoulders.
I nodded to myself. Her selection was hardly surprising – and also somewhat unwise, as I intended to teach her during our walk.
But one thing at a time.
“Okay,” she said with a nod, “let's go.”
As we strolled the grassy paths outside the castle, part of me noted and enjoyed the natural beauty surrounding us. The two moons hanging in the night sky, one full, one crescent; the bats swooping and darting overhead in search of creatures to eat; the alabaster statues depicting legendary figures from Valkred's mythology; the glowing purple petals of the amaranthii lilies swaying on their long stalks.
The other part of me, as always, maintained constant vigilance – restlessly surveying everything around me, sizing up potential threats or hiding places which might conceal enemies lying in wait. It was an impulse that had become as natural to me as breathing or blinking, not something any true warrior could choose to turn off or ignore.