Chapter Six
Syri’s father had left her uncle in his suite and entered a small room in a strangely quiet end of the ship, leaving the guards at the door. She followed him, walking on legs that felt strangely detached from her body. Rayden is dead?How? Why? And why am I here?
The room was small and empty, with one odd metal door and nothing else.
“Father?” she voiced the word quietly, but she wanted to scream in anguish. I’m here, in my mating frenzy, and Rayden isn’t.Gods, don’t let it be true. He can’t be dead.
“Quiet now,” he said, kindly. “I have much to explain to you, and we don’t have a lot of time.”
She nodded, gripping the fabric of her skirt.
“Rayden went to Earth on a ship called a Starspeeder. It was the first of its kind, more than twice as fast as our own ships. But we have not heard from him since he left.”
“And when was that?” she asked, unable to keep the question to herself.
He took a deep breath, the wrinkles around his mouth suddenly looking deeper. “Two years ago.”
Her heart stopped. “Two… years?” Tears pricked the corners of her eyes. “So you really do think he’s dead?”
“Maybe not,” her father answered slowly. “I know enough to know that he had a crash-landing, but that his ship was intact when it hit the ground. We lost communication and his exact location, but he should have survived the landing.”
The slightest relief flashed through her, but it was overwhelmed by shock and fear. “He crashed? How?”
“I have a few theories. One of which is that his craft was sabotaged.”
He went to the far wall next to the door and a large portion of the wall shimmered and turned into a screen. His agile fingers flew as he typed in code after code. At last, he pulled up an image of something that made her blood run cold.
“What is that?”
It looked like a giant metal creature. It had eight legs, a long tail with a sharp point, and a body covered in what looked like thousands of metal spikes.
“We’re calling it a Spyre. We found one scurrying about in the chamber his craft departed from. After some research, we’ve determined it is made to withstand a trip on the outside of a ship…”
“So you think it was supposed to be attached to his ship?”
“Precisely,” he said, nodding at her in approval. “And we suspect there were more than just this one, since for a short time it appeared to be trying to communicate with some part of his vessel.”
She felt a small measure of relief. “So when we arrive at the blue planet, we can simply use the tracker to find him and rescue him?”
He sighed, crossing his arms in front of his crimson robes. “If only it were that simple. No, we believe if we wait until we get close enough to the planet to communicate, whoever attacked his vessel will make certain that we never reach him. What’s more, our people are currently without a Khar.”
“So you’re certain Rayden’s father is dead? But he’s so young.”
“We are certain…he was poisoned in his chambers just two days ago.”
“Poisoned!” Syri gasped. She could scarcely believe it.
How long had it been since one of their people committed such an act? Yes, with how hot their males ran there were sometimes accidental deaths in the heat of a fight, but a carefully planned murder? Their natural empathy usually kept them from such acts.
“Yes, so if we cannot find Rayden in time that worm Kaemon will become the new Khar of the Elementas. And his first order will be to dispense the bomb to wipe out the dominant intelligent species on the blue world.”
She inhaled sharply. “So what must we do?”
Shifting to the door, a thousand multicolored lights ran over his body before it slid open. Inside was what looked like a small chamber. She inched forward. No, not a small chamber, the inside of a small, odd vessel.
“We have finally completed a second Starspeeder ship.”
Hope blossomed within her heart. “So, we can fix this. We can save Rayden and that unsuspecting world.”
He shook his head. “No, daughter of my heart, you can.”
“Me?” She stared at him, afraid his mind had started to slip. “This is too important a mission. You should send—“
“No.” He took her upper arms, staring into her eyes. “It can only be you. First, because we were betrayed the last time, you are the only one I trust.”
“And second?” she asked, her heart racing.
“I believe you may be the only one capable of bringing him back.” She opened her mouth, but he continued on before she could speak. “My fear, one that I have expressed to no one else, is that he will not want to return.”
“But why?” she asked, unable to conceal her shock.
“Because he had grown weary of this place.Of his people.The fighting.After his mother and little brother died in the birthing process four years ago, he was not the same man. And his father, instead of showing him kindness, showed him only constant cruelty and disappointment. The day Rayden left was the first time I’d seen him smile in longer than I can remember.”
“But, Father, what makes you think I can convince him to come back with me?”
A slight smile curved his lips. “First, you could convince anyone of anything. Second of all, he holds a special place in his heart for you. And finally, because you are in your mating frenzy. He will not be able to resist you. And once he has tied himself to you, he will need to go where you go.”
She shook her head, forming her argument.
“I know you have only just arrived and this is a lot of information. But you must trust me. I have thought long and hard on this matter, and this is our best chance.” He closed his eyes and began to speak in the way of the elders. “Listen to my warnings well. You cannot allow yourself to be consumed by yourBiryut for too long. What I ask of you will be difficult, but you cannot forget your mission. You must be very quick, and very careful. If you do not find your mate in time, you will allow anyone to cool the fires that burn within you. Even, perhaps, the lower life-forms of the blue planet.
“I’m asking you to take a terrible risk, but I would not if there was any other way. But, my child, hear me now. If you do not find him within the next twenty-four hours, you must be mated anyway. If not, the fire within you can grow to a terrible inferno. Some women burn so brightly that they may never burn again…which means you will never be able to take a mate. While a rare few…well, they do not make it at all.”
She swallowed. This can’t be really happening. My father can’t be sending me to a strange planet while in my mating frenzy, hoping that I find Rayden in time to cure myself and tie him to me to bring him back to rule our people.
He touched his forehead to hers. “Time is of the essence. I have not received the council’s approval to send you. Soon they will discover what I plan, and they will stop me, which means all will be lost.”
Clenching her fists together, she drew back from him. “I’m afraid. But I trust you. I will do as you ask.”
Turning, because she was afraid if she didn’t act immediately she wouldn’t be able to, she strode into the small ship. The back area was the size of a small room, with panels lining the walls and a small bed against the far wall. She bypassed all of it, seating herself at one of two seats at the front, staring out at the side of the mothership and stars.
“Farwell, my daughter.” His voice held pride tinged with sadness. “My heart flies with you.”
She forced a smile in return. “And mine.”
The next few hours were a blur as the craft flew at an incredible speed, its destination already known. She tried to sleep, but her imagination wouldn’t allow her, too. What kind of creatures will live on such a planet? Images of horned giants, scaled men, and furry man-beasts flew into her mind. She wrapped her arms around herself as her teeth chattered. Even though my father warned me, I don’t think I could take another mate. I just hope I live long enough to find
Rayden.
When the computer started chiming, she awoke with a start, not knowing when she’d finally fallen asleep. Her eyes widened as the viewscreen showed the massive planet, a swirling of white, green, and blue. It’s beautiful.
The ship tilted as it descended into the bright atmosphere. “Target acquired,” the computer’s deep masculine voice said. “Adjusting landing point.”
They flew just inside the atmosphere, spinning around the planet so fast her gut churned. With each passing minute, they flew lower, sometimes passing large cities that reminded her so much of her homeworld that she stared in shock. Are these creatures even lower life-forms?
Their speed finally slowed when they were just above a sea of treetops and lakes. A forest. Even as she fought her nausea, she gloried at the lush landscape. This world would make a glorious new home.
At last, the ship slid between the treetops, landing with only a slight groan. Then, it grew strangely silent. Unbuckling herself from the seat, she rose and looked out the screen. The trees were green, so different from the fiery orange and cool blue ones of her homeworld. She didn’t see Rayden’s ship, though. In fact, everything seemed quiet. Too quiet.
She headed for the door but paused as the computer spoke. “Council Member Gekrit has prepared a file with information on the current planet, along with data I collected as we passed. He strongly urges you to watch it before leaving the ship.”
“Thank you, Computer.” She glanced at the window. “Also, how exactly am I supposed to find Rayden?”
“Now that we have landed, I have been able to accurately pinpoint his exact location. It appears that he is located at a human location known as Rusty’s.”
She rose, her muscles feeling tense with anxiety. I hope he hasn’t changed that much in that last two years, or I may have trouble finding him once I get there.
Pushing the frightening thought out of her mind, she decided to focus on her first task, reviewing data. Fun. Sighing, she went to seat herself on the bed where she could see the viewscreen but froze as she stared at her long red skirts. I can’t exactly wear this on the planet, can I?
“Computer, I would like to change clothes.”
A panel slid open behind her. “Clothes according to the local customs have been set out for you.”
Turning around, she stared in shock. What in the three moons?
Two outfits…if one could call them that, had been laid out. Her gaze swept to the one on the right. The top consisted of tiny strings and two triangles. No doubt to at least hide my nipples. Although, the material appeared thin at best. Below it, one small triangle was tied at each side. Are these their form of pants?
The idea made her feel more than a little uneasy.And I thought I felt naked in the Garden of Virtue.
Looking at the outfit on the left, she felt slightly more at ease. The top was black and low-cut, but at least it wasn’t a scrap of material. Below it was a skirt so short she feared her womanhood would be seen. But if I must choose one outfit, it beats the one made of strings and triangles.
She settled in to watch the vid, her gaze sliding to the outfit. Heat pooled between her thighs at just the thought of Rayden seeing her in it. What would he say? But more importantly, what would he do?
Closing her eyes, she pictured him. A shiver ran down her spine as she slid a hand from between her breasts to her lower belly. Soon. Soon this fire will finally be quenched.