by Poppy Rhys
Mr. Topla signalled with his hand and a very large projection of a security vid slid down. It was from the white room she had been in. People gasped as they saw Lucia naked, bloodied, chained and hanging. The distinct sound of a neck snapping off vid was chilling, followed by the body falling just inside the vids range. It showed Soren slowly approaching her and cradling her in his arms after barely avoiding Ta’Ra’Enn’s claws before his brothers took her kidnapper down. Lucia watched with rapt attention with the rest of the world as chains were yanked from the ceiling and she was set down. The sight of Soren in his enraged state sent chills up her spine that he could even get that wrathful.
The fight between Ta’Ra’Enn and Soren was vicious and disgusting and every sound of snapping bone and roaring accusation as he tore pieces of Ta’Ra’Enn off had her shaking with fear and elation that he would go to such lengths for her. How had she ever doubted he would never remember her? That he’d never come for her?
When the word ‘MINE’ erupted from his lungs, the gore flying about him as he slashed Ta’Ra’Enn into a puddle of goop, it was deafening and his momentary savage look of rapture as he panted on his knees was frozen in everyone’s mind.
The vid stopped.
No one spoke.
Lucia turned to Soren who looked pained and furious all at once. His chest rose and fell heavily as he stared at the frozen projection. His gaze fell away and looked at her for understanding.
Lu nodded, even though nothing was said. She nodded because she wanted to let him know it was okay. Her arms lifted as she gestured for him to come down to her level and when he did, Lucia threw herself at him. Her arms wrapped around his neck as she kissed every part of his face that her lips landed on. And she laughed. Laughed! Because that son of a bitch got what he deserved.
“I guess the whole world knows what I look like naked now, huh?” she laughed and kissed him because at that point, she couldn’t care less that the world had seen her at her worst. She only cared that Soren had hunted until he’d found her. Lucia’s chest swelled until it felt like it was going to burst.
Mr. Topla cleared his throat again. “The Trepnils sent us this security footage because they are seeking justice for their commander’s death. The Assembly has voted not to cooperate. We saw a man protecting his family. You may take your seats.” And a small smile finally cracked his stoic demeanor.
As Lucia approached her seat once again, she noticed the nearly crazed look of fury on the faces of her family. She sat and sighed with relief that her part was over.
Everyone watched as Quinton was walked to the podium from where he’d been kneeling, enjoying the testimony and the vid. The chains sounded musically as he walked and the smugness was still in every movement he made and every flick of his haughty gaze. The sentencing began.
“Quinton Trewna of territory Curra, this Assembly finds you guilty of kidnapping, assault, intent to do harm, and human trafficking. Your sentence is death at the hands of the unborn youngling’s father, or a person of his choosing, in any manner he deems fit.”
Quinton laughed.
All eyes turned on Soren as he and his brothers stood to growl and stare daggers at him. Lucia stood at that point, not wanting Soren to actually kill Quinton.
“Soren, don’t do this,” she pleaded. He looked down at her but ignored her otherwise. Lucia tugged on Val’Zun’s arm. “Don’t do this. Don’t be him.” Val’Zun brushed the backs of his knuckles tenderly across her cheek before he and Gi’Ren looked at Soren.
“Ja’Rokno.”
That one word pulled Lucia’s scalp tight with fear and it didn’t even translate. Her eyes searched their faces. Val’Zun squeezed Soren’s shoulder and Gi’Ren gave a nod of agreement. They stalked toward the middle of the room where the podium was being removed and a chain similar to what Lucia had suffered was lowered from the ceiling.
“What are you doing?” she gasped and started for the two brothers. Soren wrapped an arm around her middle, pulling her back against him and holding her in place easily, even though she struggled. “Soren! Don’t do this!”
“Quiet, Loo-Sha.”
Lucia turned and looked at her father. “Dad, say something!” Angus’ eyes were full of hatred as he watched Quinton being pulled along by Gi’Ren and his wrists wrapped in the chain by Val’Zun. Her whole family ignored her and waited for revenge. That’s all this was about and while Lucia understood, it wasn’t right.
“Gi’Ren! Val’Zun!” she yelled, lurching in Soren’s arms but it was like trying to move stone weights. Val’Zun swung his gaze toward her for a split second and then he went back to his task. Quinton was being foul.
“I should’ve cut that creature from your gut myself,” he laughed evilly. Lucia drew back at the horridness of it. The hall grumbled. His family got up and walked out, dishonoring him, which made him sneer. “Weak.”
“You do not address Loo-Sha,” Val’Zun growled, bearing his large, imposing teeth. He and Gi’Ren stalked around Quinton, their claws lengthening and growing. It was the first time Val’Zun had said her name instead of ‘the human’, ‘her’, ‘she’, ‘it’ or ‘creature’. He pronounced it with the same accented English as Soren, saying her name like it was two words.
And then the madness began.
Val’Zun shredded through Quin’s tunic and tossed the rag on the ground. Gi’Ren slowly stuck one pointed, curved claw into the flesh of Quin’s arm as he hung there. Val’Zun followed suit with the other arm. They continued making punctures of various depths, purposefully missing every artery, like they’d done this before.
Crimson blood trickled over his alabaster skin and each scream made Lucia hunch in closer to Soren. The hall and Dor Nye as a whole watched Quin’s execution as Gi’Ren and Val’Zun continued to slowly puncture holes with their lethal claws; sometimes twisting just enough to really make Quinton feel it. The stench of wet iron filled her lungs as droplets of blood ran slowly over his body like scarlet rain. They stabbed holes along his legs, his stomach, his back, and his shoulders. He looked like a pin cushion as he got weaker and weaker, the screams fading into whistles of air. It was slow and sickening and it took him over an hour to finally bleed out.
When Quinton’s body hung limp and a doctor pronounced him dead and justice met, Val’Zun and Gi’Ren bit off their claws one by one, leaving them over Quinton’s body as a last insult and walked away.
Chapter 20
Later that night, Val’Zun sat alone with his thoughts in the garden next to the capital hotel they were staying in. A pair of hands scrubbed over his face as he tried to wash away the image of Lucia hanging in the white room. He’d been trying to get rid of it since he had been there, watching his youngest brother gently cradle her weak body. It had not affected him as much until today, when Lucia had bared her testimony to everyone.
Val’Zun whined into his hands at the agony he felt for her and then he groaned because he didn’t know why he felt any sympathy at all for a human. Humans were supposed to be weak. Humans were supposed to be foul creatures. Lucia was none of these things, even though he would never give voice to these opinions. Her entire family, they were not what he had been raised to hate. They were not lesser creatures; they were not unintelligent; they were not dirty.
His pleasure at slowly taking the life of that foul, loathsome beast was immense. Val’Zun wanted to do it again and again. She tried to defend him, he thought. After all that beast had cooked up and the awful things he’d wished upon Lucia, she had mercy.
Val’Zun shook his head, incredulous while he sat back against the bench, blending into the night around him as he continued to try and stuff down his disturbing feelings for humans before he went back inside.
****
In the aftermath of the trial, Lucia couldn’t go anywhere without people recognizing her. It just made her feel worse. Quinton’s actions and words were foul, but she couldn’t help but feel a little guilt over his death. When it surfaced in her mind, she shoved it back a
gain, or tried to. Every time she’d get down in the dumps about it, Soren would remind her stress wasn’t good for the youngling. Lu would ‘woosah’ and distract herself.
When another month passed, she’d put it out of her mind completely. It was hard to think about anything except her stomach that was bulging. It was always right there, blocking her view of nearly everything. Dezzy had learned to avoid her at all costs, or be up high when she was in the room, because she couldn’t see him underfoot. His poor tail.
After the trial, Val’Zun and Gi’Ren were much more agreeable. Lucia suspected it was due to what she’d revealed about her experience, but she wasn’t quite sure. Then again, when two men dole out ‘Ja’Rokno’, it’s kind of a huge thing. Lu found out it meant exactly what they had done; death by punctures.
“I’m just saying, you could feed me faster,” Lu complained. Her voice had made a full recovery and she was back to eating meat, much to her delight. Gi’Ren fanned her while Val’Zun fed her tiny red berries and Soren rubbed her feet. They lazed about the terrace with the rest of the family for second meal. Every once in a while they would rotate so Soren wasn’t stuck on foot duty. Foot rubs by four armed Melier’s were amazing.
Gi’Ren shook his head. “This is degrading.”
Val’Zun grunted his agreement.
Grams snickered from her chair across from them.
“At least I washed my feet this time,” Lu scowled. “Ungrateful.”
Gi’Ren sighed.
“Lucia, we need to discuss the bearing ritual,” Nova said as she made notes on her tablet. “All invitations have been sent and everyone has responded. The chef for the feast has been procured. Have you decided if you want to wear the traditional gown or go nude?”
The foot rubbing stopped. The fanning stopped. The feeding stopped.
“What?” Val’Zun choked. Soren raised his brow.
“I don’t know,” Lu mumbled, a little miffed they’d all stopped their jobs. “Maybe I’ll start with the gown. If it gets to be too much, I can just remove it.”
“Good idea.” Nova made another note. “Soren, how about you, robe or nude?” The startled look on his face made Lucia peel with laughter.
“What is she talking about?” Soren balked, looking between Nova and Lucia.
Lucia went on to explain how during the week before the babe is due, family will come to prepare the mother for birth. It’s followed by celebration, feasting and bestowing of gifts. “You and I,” she gestured to Soren. “Will be in the center of this gathering. You’re expected to catch the babe as she comes out and cut the cord. Some prefer to be naked during this while others prefer a robe or the gown.”
Soren looked pale. “I know nothing of catching younglings.”
“Strangers will watch you during the birth?” Val’Zun looked like he was going to faint along with Soren.
“This is not good,” said Gi’Ren.
“Not strangers,” Lu corrected. “Family.”
“This is not done with my people,” Soren said. “Females go off to labor in private.”
“That sounds awful,” Lucia wrinkled her nose, rubbing her belly. “And lonely.”
“Strange,” Val’Zun disapproved.
“Well get used to it,” Lucia signaled for them to continue their jobs. “You’ll all be there.”
Cue the grunts.
****
Soren had been disappearing on Lucia a lot as of late. She’d wake and he’d be gone and sometimes she’d turn around and he’d just not be there anymore. It disturbed her how easily he vanished without a sound.
He’s a predator. It’s easy for him.
Lucia would find herself wandering about the residence, trying to figure out where he was. She figured now that Ta’Ra’Enn and Quinton were dead, she was safer. He did however, feel the need to leave his brothers to babysit her. That’s exactly what they called it.
“Why must we babysit the human?” Gi’Ren still hadn’t started calling her by her name, though he didn’t call her creature anymore. He spoke more too, instead of grunting. All this time later and Lucia still hadn’t figured out if there was a difference in his grunts; she just assumed they all meant he was insulted.
“Feel free to leave at any time,” Lucia waved him away and continued her search. “I work much better alone.” Soren wasn’t anywhere in her wing, so she was searching in her grandparents wing. He wasn’t in their office and she really doubted he’d be in their bedroom. None of the guest rooms held a hulking beasty that she could see and unless he developed magical camouflage powers, he would’ve stood out like a sore thumb.
Onto her sister’s wing she went. Rafe was in his study in a call and Lu hand signaled that she was sorry for interrupting and snuck back out. Soren and Rafe got along really well, and she’d sometimes find him there but apparently not today. They had been working on more tech for tighter security on ending the flesh trade in Dor Nye in cooperation with the Intergalactic Coalition. The trial had created a wave in the Assembly to do better when it came to what entered and left the planet. Lu couldn’t help but be proud her family was helping in such an important matter.
“Lulu! Lulu!” Zan barreled through her shadows and attacked her legs. “I lost a tooth!” he pointed at the empty space among his tiny teeth and smiled. “Mama said in the YutYut culture, they have tiny creatures that like to eat the teeth you lose. She said they’ll pay you for them!” Lucia was very familiar with the tale, as that particular one was in the single YutYut tome she’d decided to keep.
“Disgusting,” Gi’Ren shook his head and Val’Zun agreed.
“Okay Thing One and Thing Two,” Lucia waved her hand, dismissing their negativity. They bristled. “How will the creatures find your tooth all the way over here on Dor Nye?” she asked Zan, sinking down to her knees very slowly so she didn’t topple over.
“Well…” he looked confused. “I didn’t ask mama. I’ll go ask” Zan took off. Lucia rubbed her forehead and chuckled that she’d gotten down on the floor for nothing since who knew what questions would follow that single one. Zan could go round and round with questions.
Lucia began to strategize how she was going to get up off the floor, looking around her. She reached out a hand to rest on the wall in her attempt to get up. Then she heard a sigh and four hands were placed about her sides and under her arms. Up she went, steadying herself on her own two feet. “Thanks Zunny,” Lu said cheerfully and ignored his grumbling as she moved to the next wing in search of Soren.
An hour later, she was having a hot flash and really angry that neither Zun nor Ren were telling her where Soren was. They were down in the kitchen and she was raiding the pantry for something that looked appealing. She had a craving, she just couldn’t pinpoint it.
“I don’t know why you two are covering for him,” she complained while she was bent over in a crate, rummaging through the various pitted fruit varieties. Nothing was jumping out at her, so she wandered around to the shelves, searching. “I will get to the bottom of this.”
Lucia shrieked suddenly and Val’Zun and Gi’Ren winced and growled.
“I know what it is I want!”
Two hours later, Lucia’s mouth was salivating with the urge to heave and gobble up the dish before her. Poshka tentacles. The cooked, green mash was there too with the herbed flatbread. She’d called the capital hotel they’d been at to get the specific name of the chef who made that dish. Luckily, he ran a restaurant in the neighboring territory and it had been easy to get there. She was flanked by Grams, Val’Zun and Gi’Ren. Soren was still gone and she hadn’t forgotten she was pissed about it.
Lucia danced on the cushion and smiled at the chef who personally delivered it to her. “You are one of the few who enjoyed the dish,” he told her. Lu didn’t feel the need to explain it was a love-hate kind of craving; she just thanked him and dug into the mash. That part of the dish her human self actually really loved; no conflicting reflexes. Grams liked it too and they ate happily.
“So Grams, where’s Soren?” Her eyebrows lifted after she’d instructed Zunny to grow a claw so she could eat the tentacles. He shared a look with Gi’Ren and then begrudgingly obliged. It tickled Lu that two princes were stuck with her, carrying out tasks beneath them, whenever their brother decided to run off.
Grams didn’t miss a beat. “He’s at the capital.”
Lucia almost bit off Zun’s claw and he quickly snapped back his hand. “What?” She chewed around the tentacle and gagged instantly before it began to taste good. “What’s he doing at the capital?”
Grams eyed her suspiciously as she ate another piece of herbed frona. “He hasn’t spoken to you about Gramps choosing him to pass his seat to, then?”
Lucia’s eyes bugged and her jaw fell open. The second tentacle Zun had just fed her nearly slipped all the way out before she chomped on it and sucked it back in, making her Grams grimace. “No!” she said around the mouthful. “He didn’t!”
That little shit.
At that point, so many thoughts assailed her. She knew her Gramps had wanted to retire and with no Herana family member to pass the seat to, he was very reluctant to even think about passing the seat on to another residence. Politically, Soren was kind of perfect. He’d sucked up every ounce of Dor Nye law and history he could get his many hands on. His youngling would be a Herana, making him one by default if he stayed on Dor Nye. He was a prince of Melierun which could open up many possibilities for future trade routes and allied unions.
But Melier’s hate humans.
That’s true…
“But I thought his people needed him?” Lu directed this question to the brothers who looked at each other.
“Our father and mother do not know he lives yet,” Gi’Ren said. Lucia’ gave him an incredulous stare before he continued. “If they knew, they would not understand why he has not come home yet.”
Val’Zun nodded agreement. “It is better he do what he has to here before our king and queen knows he lives. You will labor and then we will go.” They shared a look once more.