Chapter 26
Nojan sliced open his thumb, ready to provide his essence to bring Sanri back from the brink. The wound in her stomach was heinous, seeping blood all over the galley floor. He tried not to think about how they’d landed in this predicament, but it was impossible.
I can’t believe Mayra did this. If he hadn’t seen it with his own eyes, he never would have deemed it possible. But she’d done it. She’d pulled the knife from her own throat to stab it into the unsuspecting female who was only trying to help her.
Maybe that had been her ploy all along. Pretend to threaten suicide, use it as a diversion to catch Sanri off guard, then shove the knife in. But why?
Sanri’s green eyes opened, startling Nojan. For a second, unfathomable hatred stared out at him. And then it was gone, so fast he was sure that it hadn’t been there at all. “I hurt,” she moaned, shifting slightly.
“Don’t move,” he said, leaning closer. “And put this in your mouth.”
Nojan held out his thumb, expecting her to look at it quizzically, to ask questions, to suspect. Instead, she let him place it in her mouth without comment, sucking gently. When she’d had enough, he pulled the thumb loose and concentrated on clearing the blood away from her wound. It was already knitting itself closed, but he smeared his cut thumb over it to make certain it would heal.
He watched as her eyes slid closed and her breathing evened out. Taking a deep breath, Nojan rose and considered what to do next. He’d ordered Mayra to sleep, and for all he knew, she was snoring away in the bedroom. She would stay that way until he woke her. Sanri would need rest to heal as well. And as for himself, he felt tired enough to pass out where he stood.
He hadn’t expected such resistance to his powers. Mayra was tougher mentally than most, a surprising amount of strength hidden in such a delicate package. Perhaps it had something to do with her newly unleashed oracle powers. He’d had to use his ability at its maximum yield to break through her opposition. And now he was paying the price.
At least he felt safe on the journey back to Vartik. No one was going to mess with a squadron of attack fighters. He could put the ship on autopilot and get some rest.
Still, he wasn’t sure that would be the best option. Sanri was healed, and he thought she was the type who considered revenge a necessity in situations like this. Leaving her to her own devices wouldn’t be smart.
And there was Mayra to take into account as well. Perhaps her mental fortitude would allow her to push past his powers of persuasion and wake without waiting for him to prompt her. He couldn’t have Sanri and Mayra fighting to the death while he sawed logs, blissfully unaware of the carnage around him.
His thoughts circled back to his angel. How could someone so sweet, so meek and mild, have acted so violently? It was completely out of character.
Or was it?an inner voice inquired.The first time you saw her, she was fleeing from the scene of a crime. She’d just stabbed a guard and his blood was coating her dress. Don’t you remember?
Nojan’s brow furrowed. He didn’t like the sound of that inner voice. There was something foreign about it. Something distant. It sent a shiver through his body.
He could not deny the truth of its words, however. Mayra had stabbed a guard, but in that case, it was self-defense. The man had threatened to rape her to break in her powers. If Nojan had been there, he would have snapped the creature’s miserable neck himself, so he would never blame her for taking decisive action.
But on his ship, Sanri had been trying to save Mayra from herself. She’d been unhinged, muttering about returning to Vanfia. She’d called Sanri his girlfriend and accused him of betraying her. Nothing about her reaction made any sense.
How well do you know your beloved? You’d only just met her before you threw your heart in her lap. Many females are susceptible to jealousy, especially ones who have just given their virginity to their handsome savior. Could you blame her for feeling possessive? For wanting to act out to pull your attention back to her?
The inner voice was disturbing what measure of peace he’d found in the quiet of the moment. It seemed to find his deepest anxiety and twist it in front of him for its own amusement. But everything it said made sense. Perhaps he was trying to warn himself in a time of high stress. Maybe it was best to listen to what the voice said and forget its creepiness.
Yes, listen to yourself. Your little angel is a bigger threat than you expected. She’s come into her powers now, and once she really learns to use them, you won’t be able to control her so easily. You’re headed back to Vartik with someone who can see the future, who can predict every move against her. And now she thinks you’ve betrayed her. How do you think this is all going to play out?
Nojan shook his head. He didn’t know, but that didn’t mean he was going to give up on Mayra. There had to be some kind of explanation for her behavior. Whatever it was, he’d figure it out and fix it. He’d make her see that he wasn’t against her, that he only wanted to keep her safe, to treasure her.
And when we reach Vartik and you have to give her up? What then? How do you think she’ll take that? Hearing that she’s not good enough for you because she can’t bear your children. Learning that she’ll be helping to make your family whole even as she’s not allowed to become a part of it. You think that’s going to go well, do you?
Groaning, Nojan ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. He may well and truly be in love with the gorgeous Mayra, but his duty weighed heavily. Remembering the moment when he’d been between her soft thighs, ready to plunge into her willing heat, he’d sworn to buck tradition and claim Mayra for his own. It was still his fondest wish to do so.
You would bring that viper into the bosom of your family when you know how readily she utilizes her fangs? Do you think that’s a good idea? Mayra will have to represent the Vartik ruling family if you marry her. Do you think she’s up to the task?
His angel was sheltered, easily flustered, and apparently possessed of a violent streak. What would his parents say when they learned of her actions? And would his people accept an outsider who might not be mentally stable?
It didn’t matter. He loved Mayra, and he knew that she wasn’t unreasonable. She wasn’t prone to striking out. Something had happened to make her snap. Perhaps shutting her in the compartment had done it. It was his fault she’d reacted like she did, not hers. And he would spend the rest of his life helping her get better.
Ridiculous, the inner voice sneered.You haven’t got a chance of—
“Shut up,” he said out loud. “I’m not going to listen to you anymore.” He walked into the galley to make himself a cup of tea, working to shut the voice out of his mind. He could feel it scratching around the edges, ready to fill his brain with poison about his beloved. Nojan was beginning to doubt that the source of the voice was his own anxiety. There was something malevolent about it, something full of venom and hatred.
His thoughts were interrupted by a buzzing from the console. Nojan seated himself in front of the viewscreen and accepted the transmission. He wasn’t surprised to see his brother’s face staring back at him.
“What’s up, Zelup?” He’d often said that in his boyhood to irritate his brother but now it had become his standard greeting.
