It was hard to argue while doing my business in front of her. (The toilet was similar enough to fancy Japanese toilets I’d heard about not to bother me, but it was positioned way too high).
“Not yet,” I said, once the cooch dryer shut off.
“Fuck. You.” She was growling and her face was red.
I went to wash my hands. “Look, you heard Elentinus. He’s going to try to convince Nayjoor to let you stay at the colony. Even if Nayjoor doesn’t agree Eletinus might let you go there anyway and just claim you were kidnapped.”
She slammed the heel of her palm on the sink. “That wasn’t the fucking plan! I already have a place to go. I’m supposed to be fucking rescued.”
“Wouldn’t you rather go to Earth? If the Aquars rescue you they’ll take you to their planet. Apparently it’s not so great. Sasha was posting online trying to find someone who would get her out of there.”
“Earth isn’t sure! The rescue was sure.”
“You have to give it a chance, Inga.” I leaned close to whisper shout at her. “I don’t want to betray my husband!”
She grabbed the neckline of my dress. “Fuck this!”
I got hold of her wrists. Her skinny arms were like bands of steel. She dug into my cleavage until she got hold of the unit.
“I’m sick of putting my fate into the hands of a fucking idiot!”
“Let it go!”
I tried to pry it out of her fingers. She put her newly free hand against my cheek with claws bared. She was threatening to scratch me.
“Give it!”
“No! I’m going to scream and get everyone in here!”
“You fucking bitch!”
Some of her spit hit my face.
“I’ll tell them everything!”
There was a knock at the door. We both froze.
“Maritza?” Elentinus said.
I was already adrenalized from the fight. Elentinus’ voice made my heartbeat feel like it echoed inside my chest.
“Yes, husband?” I said, and then switched to a whisper. “Let it go right now or I’m getting him in here!”
Inga smashed it against my breastbone and broke away from me. I ignored the pain and tucked it back down between my breasts.
“I’ve come to fetch you and Inga for dinner. Lord Nayjoor is waiting.”
“We’ll be right out!” I kept my voice cheerful. “We were just freshening up.”
Inga was standing with her arms tightly crossed. “Fuck this shit.”
Bitch! I just lied to my husband for you!
Elentinus probably suspected something by now. We were too in tune for him not to detect my forced cheeriness. The thought made me glad. Maybe he’d confront me and I could break down and tell him everything.
No!
No, I had to do the right thing. I couldn’t let Inga’s personality enter into it. She was still a victim. I just had to keep reminding myself that.
Don’t get petty. Pettiness is for people with small minds like Rolf-Tem and Whore. You’re better than that, Maritza.
Elentinus took my hand to lead me to the dining room. Inga no longer clung to me. She dragged her feet behind us with her arms crossed and a derisive expression.
“Your face is flushed, my darling.”
I’m sure it was. I puffed out a breath. “It’s been a long day.”
“The letter was splendid. Concise, but evocative. You’ve a gift for the written word. I told Hor to send it straight away.”
I looked at him with a bittersweet smile. “Thank you, husband.”
His praise made my wilted spirit blossom again. Emotion built in my chest that could have easily stuttered out into sobs. I felt pain and joy at the same time because of how much I loved him.
We joined Nayjoor at the table. He put away the tablet he’d been reading.
“I want nothing but Earth food,” Nayjoor said. “I might as well get some benefit to staying here.”
“I informed the Cookers of your request.” Domestics served beverages and the first course as Elentinus spoke. “They were able to accommodate you.”
I got a plate of canned sardines on butter crackers. If this was all he could get from Earth it was no wonder we usually ate Dak-Hiliah food.
“Surely the cuisine is not the only benefit you can gain from this visit?” Elentinus said.
Nayjoor glowered at him while biting a cracker.
Elentinus smiled. “Am I forbidden to even broach the topic?”
“It’s your prerogative if you want to be rude.”
“Won’t you even look at the brides who would gladly take Inga’s place in your bed?”
“So…you want to be both rude and vulgar.”
Domestics replaced our first dishes with a second: blackberries on a blob of white stuff. Yogurt would have been nice, but it was some kind of runny cheese.
“Humans are innately compassionate, Nayjoor. Particularly the females. Inga’s unhappiness distresses my wife. I know she’ll be in anguish long after you’re gone if the situation isn’t mended.”
“You are not the one to mend my situation. That became clear enough after I got here.” He grimaced at his food. “This white stuff is disgusting. Take it away.”
Domestics took the plates away from all of us. None of us were interested in the salty goo. They set down soup bowls full of red liquid with big soft red vegetables and creamy looking white blobs on top.
Inga’s eyes widened. “Borscht? It’s borscht?”
“Yes, Inga,” Elentinus said. “Sasha used to have it made special for her. I thought you’d like it.”
She dug in with gusto. “My God.”
I couldn’t help but smile at the way she savored every bite. Once I figured out the red things were beets I didn’t even want to try it. The bowl was ice cold. I didn’t get why Russians liked cold soup. Don’t they need to warm up? I shoved it over to her.
“Here, have mine, too.”
She nodded without looking at me and kept eating.
“You don’t like it, Maritza?” Elentinus said.
I stuck out my tongue and made a face.
Nayjoor bellowed with laughter suddenly. “Your wife is so adorable, Elen.” His eyes glittered when he smiled. “There was never a Dak-Hiliah woman as carefree as this one.”
Elentinus squeezed my hand beside me.
“Are you happy now, dear?” Nayjoor said to Inga.
Inga nodded.
“That’s how they indicate yes,” Nayjoor said, “by bobbing their heads up and down.” He touched Inga’s cheek with his forefinger. “She can be adorable sometimes, too.”
Inga put down her spoon. “I’m not made to be adorable.”
Nayjoor stared at her.
“I was made to work. I grew potatoes and took care of my baby brothers. I carried water and firewood.” Her voice started cracking. “It was hard work every day, but I was happy.” Tears began to wet her cheeks. “I saw that beautiful village down there. I could be so happy in that place, husband.” She snuffled and wiped her tears on a napkin.
“But Inga, darling,” Nayjoor said, with some true emotion in his own voice. “What am I to do without you?”
Inga tipped her nose at me. “Get a stupid American wife like this one. They’re too silly not to be happy.”
Nayjoor stirred his soup. No one ate while he considered. I noticed that Rolf-Tem was flaring his clenched teeth. I pursed my lips. Please, Nayjoor.
“If I do you this favor, Elen, I expect something in return.”
Elentinus remained calm. “What would you like, my friend?”
“Yield your next vote to me.”
“You know I can’t do that.”
“Why the fuck not?” His face turned demonic so fast I got a shiver. “I’m letting you manipulate me.”
“I can’t stake the welfare of the empire for victory over a matter in my private life. It’s unethical.”
Nayjoor looked as though he’d just been slapped in the face. “So my votes h
urt the empire?”
Eletinus stayed silent.
Nayjoor turned away from him. “Why did I let you convince me to stay?”
“You care for Inga, Nayjoor. I can tell.”
The larger man eyed him.
“Won’t you do this for her? You said things were bad before you came here. Think of how much worse it will be once you deprived her of this. She’ll never stop longing, and she’ll never forgive you.”
Inga made eye contact with Nayjoor for the first time during their visit.
Nayjoor turned his head up toward the ceiling and breathed deep in and out. He looked like he could explode at any moment. “You’re forcing me to do what you want. This is always your way, Elentinus! You bully the entire high council!” He clenched his fists. “What a fool I was bringing my wife here.”
“Then you’ll let her go?” Elentinus said with his usual calm.
“Please, husband, please!” Inga said.
He looked at her while fuming through his nostrils. After an arduous minute of consideration, he finally gave the Dak-Hiliah nod.
Inga drooped over the table to sob with joy.
Nayjoor still spoke sharply. “Only if you find a suitable replacement. One even prettier than your wife—yet with none of her defiance.”
“I’ll see to it personally.”
Inga hugged Nayjoor’s arm. “Thank you. Thank you, husband.”
He refused to look at her.
“Master, I must protest!” Rolf-Tem shot up from his seat. “Inga and Lord Elentinus conspired together to force you into this. She knew what awaited her at the colony. Maritza told her.”
“Today was the first time I’ve been there.”
Rolf-Tem raised his voice to speak over me. “Inga and Lord Elentinus knew they could force you to release her with a feigned tantrum and phony stories about her picking vegetables in her home.”
Nayjoor eyed him a few times through his spiel but seemed unmoved.
“Do you know that right before this dinner Lord Elentinus had his wife write Pakpo a letter asking him to ban the shock collars?”
Now Nayjoor’s brow furrowed.
“Lord Elentinus was determined to force your hand. If he couldn’t do it here he was still going to make sure the rules were changed once we got home. He manipulates you, our druids—the whole empire! You can’t let this stand, master.”
Whore grabbed Rolf-Tem’s arm to force him to sit down again. “This is not Lord Elentinus’ way. He had no opportunity to conspire with Inga.”
Inga shook her head furiously. “No! We never even spoke!”
Nayjoor ripped his arm away from Inga and stood with enough force to send his chair clattering backwards to the floor. “Forget this! Forget the whole fucking thing!”
Inga launched herself at him. “Noooo!” She groped at the metal adornments on his chest.
Nayjoor threw her off him. She bounced onto her chair but then toppled back onto Whore. He righted her.
“Sit down, Lord Nayjoor,” Elentinus said.
Nayjoor stuck his forefinger into Elentinus face. “No! I won’t be dissuaded! You’re a power mad egotist, Elentinus! You have the whole empire tricked with your claims of compassion—but not me!”
“What reason have I to help Inga, if not for compassion?”
Nayjoor leaned close and slowly enunciated every word through his teeth. “To humiliate me!”
He stormed off. Inga clambered after him a few steps.
“How can you take this away from me, you monster! Because of your stupid fucking pride? What about me? You uncaring pig! I hate you! I hate you, Nayjoor!”
He froze after she screamed his name. “Shock her.”
“I can’t!” Rolf-Tem was indignant. “Lord Elentinus crushed my control unit the minute we got here.”
I couldn’t see Nayjoor’s expression with his back to us. He rubbed his hand over his face and I think I heard him laugh.
“Of course he did,” Nayjoor said.
He turned around holding a control unit in his fist. His thumb crushed the activation button.
Inga’s pink glowing collar appeared around her neck. She gave a scream that reverberated into my chest. The girl jolted off her seat and fell to the floor. She twitched and writhed with her eyes so wide it looked like someone was forcing them open with their fingers. Her screams made my whole body shake. Even Elentinus had to look away. She’d lost her mind with the pain.
Finally, Nayjoor released the button. I breathed again but every breath came with a shudder. My face was wet with tears I didn’t even remember crying. Just the sight of this would give me nightmares. How was it for Inga, actually experiencing it? She was quivering and jolting on the floor with aftershocks. Her eyes remained painfully wide and unblinking.
I forgave her for everything. Her bad attitude, her demands, all of it was so trivial compared to what I’d just seen. I should have given her the control unit when I had the chance.
Nayjoor tossed the control unit to Rolf-Tem, who caught it with both hands while wearing a disgusting smile.
“We’re leaving,” Nayjoor said. “Call the transport and pack our belongings. I’m going to our room. Don’t you dare come and say another word to me, Elentinus.” He continued storming out.
Rolf-Tem stood with a smug look on his face. Beside him I saw Whore clenching his teeth.
“Everything you said was a lie,” Whore said.
Rolf-Tem sneered down at him. “The bitch doesn’t deserve paradise.”
He walked over to Inga and jabbed his foot into her backside. “Let’s go.”
Elentinus got up, walked over to him, and slapped the son of a bitch off his feet.
Rolf-Tem crashed shoulder-first onto the floor. He looked up at Elentinus with the terrified face of a coward.
“She’ll follow once she’s ready,” Elentinus said.
Rolf-Tem several an outraged scoffs, but scrambled to his feet and ran out.
Whore walked over to Elentinus. “He’s the product of this generation. They think they only have to show respect for their masters. As if you’re somehow less noble than Lord Nayjoor. He should be executed for falsely accusing you.”
“It doesn’t matter, Hor.”
Whore lowered his head. His bottom lip quivered. When he spoke again I realized he was crying. “How could I befriend someone…someone who would speak against you?”
Elentinus wrapped an arm around his shoulder. His kindness made Whore’s face crumble. Tears ran down his face.
Inga struggled to push herself up with shaky arms. She used a chair to climb to her feet. Her dress was soaked with urine.
“I need to…I need to go to the bathroom.”
Elentinus turned to me. “Help her, Maritza. Take her to our room and get her changed.”
I stood up feeling just as dazed as Inga. This was it. I had to do it.
When I got around to Inga’s side of the table my legs felt like they gave out. I found myself seated in a chair next to her. Whore and Elentinus stared at me. I didn’t look back at them.
“What if she got rescued…by the same people who rescued Sasha?”
Did I really just say it? I felt like I was in a trance. Inga started to hyperventilate next to me.
“We can’t trick him now, darling,” Elentinus said. “It’s too obvious, but, in any case, we could have never tried your scheme.”
My reason came back. I looked at him. “Why not?”
“If it seems as though the Aquars have rescued her there will be an emergency session of the high council called. We’ll vote on going to war with them once again. This time I would have to vote yes, because Inga would have been stolen on my watch. We would decimate them quickly and by every means at our disposal. I despise the Aquars for their interference, but I also despise war for the sake of revenge. Millions would perish for the sins of a few reckless leaders.”
I kept staring at him. Elentinus’ lips parted as he stared back at me.
“Are you
sure that’s what would happen, husband?”
He became stern. “I’m sure, Maritza.”
Whore shot me a bewildered look.
I stopped looking at him and went back into my trance. My trembling hand went up towards the neckline of my dress.
Inga saw what I was doing and gasped. “No!”
“They’re ready to get her out of here. There’s a pod attached to the—“
“No! Nooo!” Inga bent her body over the table and broke into furious sobs.
“—waste disposal unit. All she needed to do was deactivate her collar so you couldn’t track her. Any…any control unit could do it. I stole this one from your drawer.”
Whore covered his open mouth with his hand. Beside him Elentinus had gone a much paler shade of blue than his normal. He slowly walked back to the table, pulled out a chair, and sat with his body sideways to me.
“They…contacted you?” Now Elentinus sounded like he was in a trance.
His shock made chest ache. I nodded and started to cry.
“How?” He looked at me.
I pursed my lips.
“Don’t you dare tell him, you fucking bitch!” Inga said.
“It’s too late to hold anything back, Maritza. Tell me. I’m ordering you.”
I felt like I was having a panic attack. Was he right? Was it all or nothing?
I closed my eyes. “They hack the Domestics.”
Inga looked at me like I’d murdered someone.
Yes. I told him. The words were fighting to get out of me. I stopped thinking and let them out. It was easier just to give in to Elentinus. Easier…and selfish. I knew I might come to regret this for the rest of my life.
“When…when we first went to Earth one of the Domestics talked to me in this old woman’s voice telling me I had to get the collar off so they could rescue me. I didn’t want to be rescued. I told them to leave me alone. They said human women were being tortured by their husbands and demanded that I help them. I refused, but they said once I see how bad the women have it there’s no way I’ll ignore them. They made me swear not to tell you. They said it would cause genocide if you ever found out. I told them I wouldn’t tell you as long as they never contacted me again. Then Inga came and told me she knew they contacted me and that I had to help her. All she needed was a control unit to shut off her collar. Then she could escape to the pod attached to the waste disposal unit.”
The Complete Alien's Bride Page 18