by Cheree Alsop
A glance at this one showed a thrilling variety of glass and metal. The question was, could he use it?
The Corporal let the ends snake along the floor before he took a few practice swings through the air. The strands gave a loud snap. He nodded in satisfaction. “I’m going to enjoy this,” he said.
“Not as much as I enjoyed your mom.” The words slipped out before I could second-guess the brilliance of them.
The Corporal’s mouth fell open. He dropped the whip and crossed to me in two strides. His fist flew forward in a badly telegraphed punch I couldn’t avoid with my hands chained over my head. The punch connected with my jaw and spun me completely around. I tasted blood where my lip had split beneath the blow.
I think you found a sore spot with the Corporal.
The Corporal glared at me with his chest heaving. Pure, unfiltered hatred simmered in his dark eyes. He shook his hand. Satisfaction welled briefly in my chest at the fact that he had split his knuckles.
“Smiren scum,” he spat. “Don’t you dare mention my mother!”
“Why?” I shot back. “Afraid she’ll slap you for beating on her lover?”
He hit me again.
I should have seen that coming.
I mean, I did. The man couldn’t sneak in a punch if he tried. His feet were too close together which took some of the power out of the blow, and he rotated his shoulders too far as if he had learned to dance before he had learned to fight. The punch should have been twice as hard; as it was, he was hurting himself when he hit me.
Do you think I should mention it? It might help his overall fighting skills in the long run.
Maybe I should mention his mother again. He seems to like that.
Keeping him away from the whip’s not hurting anyone, and I mean that in the most literal sense.
I ignored the spots that danced in front of my eyes and grinned at him. “What’s wrong, Corporal? Got some unresolved mommy issues? I’ll be glad to talk to her about them when I see her again.”
The next punch knocked my head back.
Anger definitely makes up for skill.
He hissed at the sting to his knuckles. I wondered when he would get smart enough to pick up the whip. I tried to come up with another comment, but my mind was whirling in a way I was sure wasn’t healthy. The words of the empath from the Dark Universe surfaced in my mind. “The brain bruising is extensive. You’ll have some permanent impairment if you ever get hit again.”
The Corporal stalked to the table behind me. The sound of metal on metal met my ears before he returned. The cold, deadly blade of a knife pressed against my throat.
“Mention my mother again,” he growled in my ear, “I dare you.”
I heard the door open but couldn’t turn to see who entered.
“What’s going on here?” an angry female voice demanded.
“I-I was just getting him ready for you,” the Corporal stammered.
She must have made a gesture because he set the knife back on the table and left the room without another word.
“Hey sis,” I said. “I’ve come to rescue you.”
The sound of the whip snaking across the ground made me grit my teeth. Rescue was going to be painful.
Chapter Two
NOVA
“Countess Loreander?”
Nova’s head lifted from where it had been resting on Redden’s shoulder. “Yes?”
“Countess, I’ve been sent to summon you for my master,” a man in a blue uniform said from the door. A soldier stood next to him with the keys to the cell. At her uncertain expression, the man said, “I can reassure you that you will be perfectly safe and returned with no harm to your person.”
Nova glanced at Redden. The Quarian lifted his shoulders in a shrug.
“It’s probably more exciting than staying in here,” he said.
“Much more,” his father seconded.
“But what if Kove comes back?” Nova replied. She couldn’t help the worry that showed in her voice. They hadn’t hidden the fact that they were taking him away to be questioned. She had heard the terrible things done to the Godking’s captives when they refused to bow to him. But the gladiator would never bow. She was afraid for Kovak life, and even though nobody else would say it aloud, she saw the same fear on Redden’s face and even in McKy’s. Nobody knew why the Smiren had been gone for so long.
“He’ll understand that you didn’t have a choice,” Redden reassured her. He forced a smile. “I’m sure he’s fine.”
McKy nodded encouragingly. “Find out what you can. I’d rather not waste my life sitting here doing nothing at all.”
Nova rose to her feet. Her bones ached from sitting on the rigid surfaces for so long. The cell’s accommodations included a single bed, a hard bench, and a sectioned off corner latrine. They had taken turns with the bench and the bed while Redden’s brother Farlon sat in the corner and didn’t talk to anyone.
The soldier opened the door to the cell, then closed it again when she passed him. The sound of it locking her brother and friends back inside echoed after them.
“Right this way, Countess,” the uniformed man told her.
He led the way up several flights of stairs and through another door. The contrast to the prison beneath them and the hall in which she stood made Nova pause. The natural dark gray rock of the moon had changed to painted tan walls with plants in pots every few feet. Pictures of red rolling hills, green sunsets, purple lakes, and mountains covered in orange trees lined the hall. A thick carpet woven in reds, yellows, and greens lined their path. It was hard to believe she was only a few floors above the cold, damp cell.
“Are you alright, Countess?” the man inquired.
Nova nodded silently and followed him through several similar halls and past many doors. She wondered what went on in the Godking’s home base, and if there was a squad of supposed troublemakers still coming, were they all in danger? Or had someone spread the news about their arrival? If that was the case, there was a snitch in Parliament. The thought made her very uneasy.
“Right through here,” the man instructed. He pulled open a door and motioned for her to continue on without him.
Nova steeled her nerves and walked through the door. The sight of a familiar face made her pause with both confusion and consternation.
“Lord Briofe? What are you doing here?”
A smile slid across her cousin’s face. “Countess, I’ve been up the walls with worry about you. I’m so glad you’re safe!”
She crossed her arms. “Lord Briofe, you betrayed not only me, but my brother, my father, and our people! How dare you throw in with Lady Winden?”
He held up his hands, his green Cadonian eyes wide. “She betrayed both of us. Trust me when I say by the time I realized her true intentions, it was too late.” He shook his head with a sad expression. “I never intended for Lord Tempran to disappear at her hand, nor for her to force me to take your seat. She had me convinced that she was seeing to your best interest.”
Nova glared at him. “Including when you commanded your ships to shoot me from the sky in her name?”
He shook his head. “Mistakes were made. Trust me when I say Lady Winden can be very persuasive.” Red touched his cheeks. “And I was a fool to believe her.”
“And now?” Nova pressed.
He lowered his gaze. “Now I want to do whatever I can to make it up to you.” He gave her a beseeching look. “I need you to forgive me. Let me make it up to you.”
She watched him carefully while McKy’s words repeated in her ears. Find out what you can. She gave him a skeptical look. “How?”
He gestured to a simple but beautiful dress that she just noticed spread across one of the settees. “You’ve had a rough day. I have ordered a bath to be prepared and all the time to relax you desire. Food will be brought to you as soon as you are ready for it.” He gave her an apologetic smile. “My hope is that if I can’t free you, I can at least see to it that your stay is comfortable.�
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Nova couldn’t deny how tempting the thought of a bath was. She was coated in the grim of the dungeon as well as in the sweat and debris from their battle. The chance to clean up would be a relief.
But she couldn’t help thinking of the others down below.
“What of Redden and his family?” she asked. “I can’t justify relaxing in comfort while they’re left in such dismal conditions.” She wanted to bring up Kovak, but something in the Cadonian Lord’s gaze told her not to go there, at least not yet.
“I was able to petition his holiness Malivok for the respite for yourself based on our relationship and history; however, he is determined that the Fays will bow to him before they are allowed to leave the dungeon. Regalus has held true to his beliefs in the face of one son imprisoned, but it is the Godking’s hope that having another son captured as well will soon turn the Lord’s heart to the light.”
Nova shook her head. “Then I can’t stay.”
Lord Briofe’s face fell. “Please, cousin. It is the least I can do.” He hesitated, then said, “What if I send them refreshment? I’m sure the Godking would turn a blind eye in the hopes that I can help sway you to our side so that they will follow.”
The thought of Redden’s too-skinny brother Farlon made Nova hesitate in her denial. It was clear the Quarian had been through a lot. If she could help ease his suffering a bit, maybe it would be worth it.
She gave in. “If you could do that first.”
He nodded quickly. “I will see to it that they are brought refreshments while you bathe.” He clapped his hands and four serving women appeared. “You can trust my servants as you would your own,” he said grandly. “I will avoid the rooms for as long as you need.” He gave her a warm smile. “Please take your time.” His smile deepened. “Thank you for allowing me to do this. I’m hoping you will soon see that our gracious Godking Malivok is far more than he seems. An understanding between us would be most beneficial.” He left the room, gave a grand, deep bow, and shut the doors.
Nova found herself alone with the four serving women. They were of Sendian lineage, a race of which she was not completely familiar. Their yellow skin was complimented by their pale pink robes and the purple tattoos that ran in floral patterns down their arms and across their cheeks. Each woman had three eyes with long lashes above a soft white beak. They smiled at her when she looked at them and bowed in one matched motion.
As kind as the women looked, Nova didn’t know them. No matter their intentions, there was no way she would be able to relax amid strangers. Before her father had died and McKy had been kidnapped, she would have accepted the help of serving maids without a second thought; how things had changed so quickly.
“I will see to my own needs,” she said with what she hoped was a warm smile.
Surprise showed on the faces of the women.
“We are here to help,” one said in stilted Tecotian.
Nova nodded. “And I appreciate it, but I can take care of myself. Please give Lord Briofe my gratitude.”
The women exchanged glances, then bowed as one. She watched them leave with a hint of apprehension at their reluctance. Was it that they were regretful they couldn’t assist her, or could there have been an ulterior motive from Lord Briofe? She grunted as she pushed a couch in front of the closed doors. She would at least hear if someone tried to get inside while she bathed.
She turned away, then hesitated and glanced around. Her gaze rested on a delicate Gramanian vase that was probably worth more than the SevenWolf. She set it on the edge of the couch and then stepped back with a smile of satisfaction. Kovak would be proud of her for taking a page from his book. If anyone tried to enter before she moved the couch, the shattering of the vase would alert her of the danger. She could probably find something less valuable, but there was a bit of contentment in knowing that if Lord Briofe had set her up, someone would pay for it.
She couldn’t trust Rishton no matter how charming he tried to be. He had betrayed her to Lady Winden and put not only her family in danger, but possibly her planet. Her only motive in accepting his kindness was to find out everything she could about the Godking’s plans for the Accord Systems.
Nova’s thoughts slowed when she opened the door to the bathing quarters. The sight of the bathtub in the middle made her sigh. Perhaps her motives were a bit shallower than she wanted to admit. The steam wafting from the water tangled invitingly above it. The delicate scent of petals from unknown planets colored the air. Nova took a deep breath and stepped inside.
She walked to the edge of the tub and looked down. Her reflection stared back at her amid the bubbles. Her long dark hair had worked out of its usual plait, there was a dirt stain across her cheek, and her eyes looked at tired as she felt. A night in the cell had not been kind to her.
But as she stared into the water, she couldn’t bring herself to take advantage of the opportunity Rishton Briofe had given her. Thoughts of Kovak pressed against her from every side. She didn’t know where he was and could only imagine the things that were being done to him. It wasn’t his fault he wasn’t a lord to be protected by his title. It wasn’t fair that as the only non-titled member of their party, he was singled out to be interrogated. Tales of the Godking’s method of gaining loyalty from his followers haunted her.
“Kove, where are you?” she whispered.
She refused to change into the beautiful white dress and instead opted to remain in her grey and black uniform taken from the SevenWolf. The last thing she wanted was for any of the other prisoners to think she had received favors while she was gone.
She did take a little time to re-braid her hair. Her Cadonian eyes were impossible to hide, but she usually covered her pointed ears with her hair. It had been a conscious gesture when she was younger. Only Cadonians in the Loreandian System had royal blood. She had taken to hiding her ears when she snuck out to run around with the other children of their city. It was easier to avoid questions that way and had kept her from standing out. Somehow, the habit had stuck.
She dipped a rag in the warm water and used it to clean the filth from her face. When she crossed back to the doors, she felt refreshed and better able to concentrate on the matter at hand.
She replaced the vase and moved the couch back, then opened the doors only to find Lord Briofe standing there. His gaze was questioning. Nova knew he must have heard her move the furniture. She brushed past him without an explanation.
“Thank you. I feel much better,” she said.
“You’re not wearing the dress?” he asked.
She shook her head and feigned nonchalance. “It’s drafty in the dungeon. My uniform is better suited to keep my body heat in.”
He touched her arm. The gesture surprised her enough that she stopped walking.
“Nova, if I may be so bold—”
She cut him off with a direct look. “Lord Briofe, we are not yet on such familiar terms. I would appreciate it if you wouldn’t take liberties with my name.”
He lowered his hand. “Of course, Countess.” A spark of something burned in his gaze before he blinked and it was gone. “My apologies.”
She bowed her head in acceptance.
He motioned for her to continue beside him down the hall. “As I was saying, you wouldn’t need to go back to the dungeon if you would simply accept our Godking’s leadership.” He lowered his voice as if he was worried someone would overhear and said, “It’s the only way I can protect you.”
Nova gritted her teeth, then loosened her jaw. She kept her voice level as she replied, “Lord Briofe, Malivok will never be my Godking, not ever. I have to think about the welfare of the Loreandian System; throwing in with the Godking has not and will not be in the best interest of my people.” She attempted to keep her voice level when she concluded, “And I do not need your protection.”
“I beg to differ, Countess,” Lord Briofe said. He looked around, then told her, “I can help you if you stop this foolishness. Otherwise, everyone you love will be
in danger. That includes your people.”
Nova held his gaze. “What does Malivok want with my people?”
Her cousin’s face blanched. He cleared his throat and said, “It’s not so much with your people as with your system.”
Nova rolled her eyes. “I know. He wants to gain power in the Accord Systems. He’s greedy and is going to find himself up against the strongest front in the ‘Verse if he tries to garner too much more control. The seat—”
“The seat has nothing to do with it,” Lord Briofe said, cutting her off. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Affronted by his tone that implied her concern was childish, she glared at him. “You have never been more than a sniveling, marks-grabbing, pathetic whelp hungry for the power of the Loreandian seat. Why are you here instead of at Parliament trying to implement Malivok’s wishes?”
“The seat doesn’t matter,” Lord Briofe said again.
Nova watched the man closely. If what he implied was true, then their warning to Parliament hadn’t been accurate. “Are you saying the Godking doesn’t want control in Parliament?”
The Cadonian actually scoffed. “Countess, my dear cousin, this is far bigger than a few star systems.”
Nova’s heart tightened in her chest. Had her father died for nothing? Or had his efforts been merely to bring the Godking’s motives to Parliament’s attention? Either way, she couldn’t help them if she didn’t know Malivok’s motives. She willed her hands to unclench and affected a nonchalant tone.
“Please then, Cousin, show me the error of my ways,” she said as lightly as possible. “Maybe if I understood the Godking’s motives, I might be more likely to bow to his wishes.”
Lord Briofe’s eyes lit up. “I’ll do more then tell you,” he said excitedly. “Let me show you!”
Foreboding flooded Nova’s body as she followed the man up the hall. Several more twists and turns took them to a steep set of stairs.