Chapter 6
“Dammit,” Nojan muttered as he stopped chasing the girl in front of him. What was he doing? His father had been more than clear in his directives to stay low-key, buy a few things in the marketplace, and then ask to meet the king with an offer he couldn’t refuse on choice linens.
He turned and walked back toward the gem dealer as the crowd seemed to grow thinner around him. Something was happening near the castle, but it had nothing to do with him. After traveling for two days to get to Vanfia and then having to hypnotize the guards that escorted him off his ship so that he wouldn’t be scanned, he was exhausted. Getting a quick nap sounded like the best use of his time, and yet something nagged at him. There was something about the woman in the red cloak. The smell of vanilla lingered in the air, and he couldn’t stop himself from thinking about Jazmine.
Whoever she was, she’d run away from him in fear. That, and she was Territhian for sure.
“Where did you go?” The large male cat glanced up from his seated position. His body was bare except for the tiny underwear he wore, which left his saggy skin on display.
Nojan avoided looking at him and tried hard to keep a calm facade stuck on his face. No reason to offend anyone and get thrown in jail. The rules on various planets were different, but the main one on Vanfia was not to offend a citizen or his sensitivities. It only applied to the men though. Females were not accorded such elevated legal status.
So odd.
“I thought I saw someone I knew from my own planet.” Nojan shrugged and reached up to pick up the jewel again. “How much for this?”
“More than you have, my friend.” The vendor laughed and leaned over as he turned his head toward the commotion. “Wonder what is going on in the square today.”
“Who knows?” Nojan rubbed his thumb over the stone and lifted it toward the light. Counterfeit.
“I’ll give it to you for eight thousand rubbals.”
“You’re right.” Nojan smiled at him and laid it back down. “That’s far more than I have on me today.”
“Another time then?” The vendor moved back and pulled the table with him. “Move or you’ll get run over.”
“By whom?” Nojan moved in time to see the girl from earlier racing by him with two large palace guards on her ass.
The wind had hold of her long fire-colored hair, making it impossible to see her face, but her body was the stuff of dreams. He turned and watched her run with all of her might before realizing that she was fighting for her life.
“Who is that?” He stepped out in the street. His father would fucking kill him for getting involved in something political on another planet. He needed to remain the ghost his people were thought to be, but to watch something bad befall a woman—and a beautiful one, from what he could tell—was out.
“She’s a slave. Leave it be, foreigner. Nothing will cause you more harm than getting involved with the wrong woman.”
Nojan chuckled and moved down the far aisle of street vendors before jogging toward the commotion. He watched the girl duck into one of the folds of a dress dealer’s shop.
The guards rushed toward him and paused. “Did you see a human girl? Red hair? Ugly as hell?”
“Yes. That way.” Nojan pointed toward the castle and waited until they were gone to move toward the trembling servant still wrapped up in the cloth on the side of the dress vendor. “I think they’re gone for now. You’re safe to run.”
“They’ll be back.” Her voice was nothing more than a sweet whisper. It raced across his skin and left his heart constricting in his chest. Was this her? The oracle who had been torn down to shreds?
“Who are you?” He pressed his shoulder against the lump that was her and smiled, unable to help himself as her sweet smell filled his senses.
“No one.”
“I very much doubt that.” He tugged at the edge of the cloth only to have her pull it in more tightly.
“Please.” Her voice was filled with tears all of a sudden. “Please leave me be. They’re out to kill me or turn me into a whore. Just leave me alone. Please. I’ve done nothing to you.”
“Why would they want to kill you?” Nojan reached out and pressed his hand to what looked like it might be her shoulder as she cried softly.
“I killed a guard. Go. Seriously.” Her sniffles were beyond cute, and yet the sadness behind them tore him open.
His father might have his ass for it, but he wasn’t leaving the girl until he was sure she was safe. Nojan had been the one royal son who’d collected stray animals and bound up the wings of broken birds. It was his nature. He was a lover of everything, and those that needed fixing were irresistible to him.
“I’m not leaving you. Tell me your name, girl.” Nojan tugged at the cloth again, half expecting her to grip it more tightly. He almost stumbled back as she released it and let him open it.
She grabbed his shirt and dragged him behind the curtain with her before pulling the cloth back tightly around them both. The position had them pressed chest to chest, and for the first time in his long life, Nojan couldn’t find words.
