by Raven Dark
Gulp.
“You have no idea what has been happening all over the Outer Territories, do you?” He grinned.
I shook my head jerkily.
“It started when you two left Kudar Gavik on Grandis Four. Almost as soon as you did. That pirate started playing this everywhere.”
He set something on the table, and I stared. It looked like a recorder, but small as a cell phone and all silvery. He flicked it on.
My voice crackled out of it, clear and unmistakable, and singing Somewhere Over the Rainbow.
I stared at him again. He nodded slowly. “Kudar’s been playing that everywhere, all across the Outer Territories. It got here, to Xandar’s system about a week after you did. It hit my desk shortly after.”
Ohhhhh boy…
“How…?” I rasped.
“One of my talent hunters heard it, and he said I had to hear it. The minute I did, I had to meet you. Your voice is… there is no word to describe it. Not in any language.”
I covered a small squeal and looked up at Malek with huge eyes.
He winked at me.
I looked at Halrek. “Um…sir, you do realize I’m a slave. Slaves can’t work.”
“Yes, they can, actually.”
“How?”
“Very carefully.” His eyes were full of secrets. “Slaves can and do work when and where their masters say.”
“I don’t understand.”
“See, you’re…hehem…masters and I have a deal. If you accept what I’m going to propose, this is how it will work. Officially, your men will decide where and who you will sing for. The money will go to them. They will make all the decisions. But unofficially, you will decide. They have agreed that you will have the choice, but no one will be the wiser, as they say.”
My heart hammered. “Are…are you serious? Are you for real?” God, I loved my men. So, so much.
Halrek nodded. “It happens more often than you think. It’s been happening a whole lot in the last year.”
I squeaked. “So…let me get this straight. You want to be my agent?”
“Yes. I already have three companies asking for you.”
My eyes went huge. This can’t be happening.
“You mean…record companies?”
“I’m not sure what a record is, but there are people wanting you to sign on with them. You, little human, are going to be huge. Huge.”
I was going to pass out. I was going to turn into a puddle right there.
“Well?” Halrek cocked his head, waiting.
Oh my God, I could have hugged him. Instead I bounced to my feet and threw my arms around Malek. I pressed my lips to his ear. “Kan Jun Hada, my love.”
He squeezed me close. “Of course. But you owe me.” He drew back and the light in his eyes told me exactly what kind of payment he expected. My stomach danced. I’d give him, Raul, and Z’pheer the same payment. Happily.
I spun and grinned at a waiting, amused Halrek. Then I put out my hand. “Where do I sign, Mister Halrek?”
Epilogue: Lady Vahashatai
The crowd was huge tonight. I blew out a breath and squeezed Z’pheer’s hand, then Raul’s.
“Break an arm,” Malek said into my ear as he walked around to stand in front of me.
I made a face. “Huh?”
“I mean leg.” He rolled his eyes. “That’s what they say on Earth, right? What Shelly says?”
I nodded and kissed him deeply on the lips.
All the months I’d been doing these concerts, and Malek still couldn’t get that saying right. And after all this time, I was still so nervous that it felt like my stomach was trying to jump into my throat.
I hugged Shelly and she squeezed me close.
“I’m so proud of you. You look like the galaxy’s brightest star.”
I looked down at myself. I just hoped to hell the outfit my crew had come up with wasn’t too avant garde. Two thick shackles encircled my wrists with a long chain linking them. I was supposed to pull the chain apart when the music started, a single tug causing a trick link to unlock and separate them. The chain would break, making it look like I’d broken solid-steel cuffs. I was also dressed in a tunic like my old slave’s dress, but this one was black and bedecked in diamonds, made to look as if it was dotted with stars. My makeup was soft pink, as flashy as my hair. The act would challenge the status quo, but not enough to get us in trouble because my masters told me to do it.
Or that’s what the world would think. The performance would offer the forbidden fruit of a free female in appearance, but since I was acting under the direction of my masters, it was allowed. The shtick was Shelly’s idea, and it was brilliant.
“All right, girl, come on, get out here.”
I turned and grinned at my keyboard player as he tugged on my arm. He was the only guy who could touch me without making my men get all growly, mostly because he was as gay as the day was long.
“Hold on a second.” I nodded over to another man who came running up the steps to the left side of the stage.
Raul rolled his eyes at him. “Savik, where the fost have you been? She needs to get out there.”
“Sorry, I got held up. It happens when you rule the world, you know.” Raul’s successor winked at me and squeezed my fingers. Okay, so he was allowed to touch me too, but barely. The hammak gleamed crimson on his chest, standing out against the cloth of his golden robe.
“I owe you for this, Your Majesty,” I said. “I’d hug you, but one of these bears would probably kill you.” I gestured to my men.
He chuckled and put up his hands in a placating gesture, then whispered so that only we could hear, “Good luck, Danika.”
I nodded. “Thanks. Listen, Savik, thanks for doing this for Raul.”
“Hey, I got to be king, Danika. It’s not a hardship, trust me.” He waved and vanished toward the doors that led to the upper floor VIP suite in the club.
“Hey.” Z’pheer caught my hand before I could go on stage. He pulled me against him quickly. “You still haven’t made your wish yet, you know.”
Right, the wish.
I kissed him on the mouth. “Yes, I have, Silverfox.” I nodded toward the stage. “It already came true. Thanks to all of you.”
He touched my chin lovingly.
My guys squeezed my hands, then shoved me playfully out toward the stage.
I started onto the stage to a chanting crowd, following my keyboard player. I blew my men a kiss.
“VA…HASH…AH…TAI…” the crowd belted out. I smiled. That had been Raul’s bright idea, using a stage name. Technically, it was Lady Vahashatai, to distinguish it from the Goddess, but people rarely bothered with the ‘Lady.’ The huge crowd punctuated each syllable with fists in the air, aliens from halfway across the system and beyond raising voices in a thunderous chorus.
“VA…HASH…AH…TAI…”
My body trembled with excitement and nervousness.
How the hell was I still terrified after all this time? I didn’t think that feeling would ever go away.
The music began to pound it’s rhythmic beat. I went to the mic stand, opened my mouth, and began to sing one of the few Xandari songs I knew.
Right on cue, I yanked my wrists apart and the chain snapped.
The crowd roared.
I sang the whole song and didn’t close my eyes once. I did, however, look over at the men I loved and smiled the biggest smile I’d ever worn. They’d given me so much. The world didn’t know it, but they’d given me everything I thought I’d never have.
My freedom, a career…and their hearts.
The staff at the Xandar Home for Girls always said I was headed for whole new life.
They said all my dreams would come true.
They were right.
The End of Book 1 of
THE XANDARI CHRONICLES
If you enjoyed Danika’s story, please leave a review! And stay tuned for Laura’s story,
Book 2 in THE XANDARI CHRONICLES
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