Chapter 29
The guards led her to Nojan’s door, where Mayra knocked. “Come in,” a muffled voice invited, so she hit the keypad and the door slid open. The chamber wasn’t large, not even as big as Demaylia’s quarters on Vanfia, but it was filled with enough stuff to make Mayra’s head spin.
Book and scientific instruments littered almost every surface. Nojan had devoted his life to study, and the equipment of that life was scattered all around her. The furniture was functional more than fancy, although everything looked comfortable and lived in.
Then her eyes hit upon something out of place. Sanri was lying naked on one of the sofas, her lean body sprawled out, a catlike smile on her face.
“Mayra,” she said. “What a surprise to see you.”
Likewise, Mayra thought.What the fuck is she doing here?
She’s come to supplant you, that evil inner voice chuckled.Duh.
“Nojan summoned me,” Mayra supplied lamely, wondering if she should just leave now or wait to see how things played out. The decision was taken out of her hands when the bathroom door opened and Nojan strode out, equally naked.
“Ah, you’re here,” he said nonchalantly to her before bending down to kiss Sanri on the sofa. “Good.”
Mayra began to shake, confusion and rage battling for superiority inside her. “What’s going on here?”
“I thought it best to make a clean break now that we’re home. My father had charged me with bringing out your oracle powers, and the only way to do that was sex. So I seduced you, and now you’ve unlocked your abilities and you can help us in our mission.”
She couldn’t have been more surprised if he had suddenly grown two heads. “But—but you said you loved me. Said you wanted to be with me always.”
Nojan laughed. “I wanted to stay on your good side. I saw what you did to my real girlfriend. I had to make sure you stayed docile until we got to Vartik.”
The room started to spin. Everything he’d said was a lie.
What did you expect?the voice inside her whispered.Did you really think a man like him could love an ugly beast like you?
“You’re lucky you’re the oracle,” Sanri said, rising to stand beside Nojan and put her hands on him. “Otherwise, I’d make you pay for the pain you caused me.”
Mayra shook her head. “This doesn’t make sense.”
“Doesn’t it?” Sanri laughed. “You must be incredibly naïve if you think an unattractive and awkward behemoth like you could really draw the interest of one of the Vartik kings.”
“Now, now, Sanri, no need to rub it in,” Nojan said, his tone indulgent. “We still have to work with her, after all.”
Sanri sniffed, then leaned her head into Nojan’s chest as he put his arm around her. “What are you still doing here?” she asked, sneering at Mayra. “Don’t you get the point?” As if to accentuate her words, the dark-haired woman raised up on tiptoe, pulling Nojan’s head down to hers and joining their mouths in a wet, sloppy kiss.
Mayra wanted to vomit. She turned and fled, barely able to make out the door through her tears. Once on the other side, the guards grabbed her, forcing her to slow down.
“Don’t bother,” Nojan said, sticking his head out the door. “Go back to your normal duties. The oracle can find her own way back to her chambers. You’re dismissed.” Then he slammed the door. Mayra could hear them giggling on the other side of it.
The two Vartik guards shrugged and headed off down the hall, apparently not in the mood to disobey a direct order. That left Mayra all alone, weeping and confused. She started off down the hallway, not knowing what to do next.
It had all been a lie, a dirty trick to win Mayra over to his side. And now, she was experiencing the betrayal she’d been expecting all along. It hurt more than she had ever thought possible, especially after he’d said the words she’d been longing to hear.
I love you.
The cold voice inside her chuckled.I told you so. You should have listened to me from the beginning. If you would have slit your own throat on the ship, you could have avoided the embarrassment you just suffered. Now’s as good a time as any to find a bridge or roof to throw yourself off of.
Mayra swiped at her tears, anger overcoming her good sense.He’s not worth it, she argued.I’m not going to kill myself over some dirtbag lying Vartik. I’m going home, and I’m going try to forget about all this bullshit.
But you don’t have a home, the voice whispered.You have nothing and nobody.
Not true. She had her mother. And if she could find her way to the lunar colonies, maybe she could build a relationship with the only family she had.
Wouldn’t it be easier to just end it, the voice asked in a bored tone.It sounds like a lot of work to escape off-world. You’d have to steal a vessel, avoid the ships they’re bound to send after you, and make it through thousands of light-miles to get back to the colonies. Are you sure it’s worth it?
