“As touching as this is, Som’ae demands your attendance,” Hassa’s voice said from the other side of the door.
Rathal blew out a breath through his nose before straightening and pushing the door open. He glowered at his cousin, but Hassa just stared at him.
“Oh alright. We’re coming.”
He kept my hand in his, threading his fingers through mine and led the way into the Assembly hall.
The noise was as loud as ever. Aliens were shouting over each other and a few fights had already broken out in the stands. I searched for Aga, finally finding him pouting in one of the chairs inside the caged VIP area. Som’ae patted his knee affectionately and I just knew he’d been put in his place by the three foot tall female.
Aga didn’t say one word to either of us as we took our seats but Som’ae winked her triple iris golden eye at me before standing to walk to the Speakers stage.
Once again, the noise died as she took the stand, her little claws raised.
“Greeting, denizens of Erral. We have called you here today to discuss something of great importance. Something we have all been waiting on for millennia.” She paused for effect. The atmosphere in the room grew tense enough to cut.
Her little claws closed into a fist and when she spoke again, her voice was edged with so much viciousness it actually made me shift closer to Rathal.
“It is time for us to go to war with the Unity.”
The room was dead silent for all of a nanosecond before the crowd roared in approval. It was the only time I’d ever seen these people agree on anything at all.
I tapped Rathal who leaned in close, putting his ear next to my mouth. “I thought they’d fight about going?”
He shook his head, turning to press his mouth into my ear in turn. “Never. We are refugees, remember? This is what they have been waiting for.”
Som’ae raised her hand for silence and the crowd quieted. “I have other news. News that may come as a shock, but know that I have confirmed it myself.” She swept her gaze around the hall slowly.
“The Rijitera have returned.” Shock rippled through the crowd, with people looking at each other in uncertainty.
“This is certain!” she called feverishly. “The Rijitera have contacted our Lord and promised their aid. They come for vengeance!”
The answering roar at her words nearly deafened me. Thousands of teeth bared, their eyes wild with bloodlust and renewed hope.
They were right to hope.
With Jack and her people on our side, the Unity was going to end in a bloodbath.
Rathal stood and approached the stand where Som’ae stepped aside.
It took longer for him to quiet the crowd with how frenzied they were, but eventually he was able to speak.
“The new Rijiteran Empress contacted me. She instructs us to travel to the planet Tuanov and defend them from the Unity there…”
Listening to the battle plan laid out with so many mouths frothing to get started had my own blood pumping with the pre-fight adrenaline dump.
It was finally time to get this shit over with.
twenty-nine
Rathal
“Wouldyouliketosee my collection?”
They were sitting in the empty Assembly hall, the others having long since departed to their own homes to prepare for the coming exodus of the station. Aga was with Som’ae getting the Cutter ready for battle and doing the final checks of all their many ships and shuttles.
They’d been allowed to stay behind and skip much of the prep. A wedding gift from Som’ae.
She blinked up at him from his lap where she sat like she’d always belonged there, her long lashes fanning her cheeks for a second as she processed the question.
