“I have to ask Raizxl to confiscate it until your departure.” A sadness filled his eyes. “For the safety of my people.”
“I understand your trust is not a given; it needs to be earned.” Jaiya slowly unclasped the sheath from her leg, making a show of handing it over to prove that she held no ill intentions. She wrapped the bands around the hilt and presented the beamblade to the prince.
Idris took it, nodding in respect as he turned the weapon in his hands. “May I?”
“Sure, I am already at a disadvantage.” Jaiya chuckled. Realizing her mistake, she coughed into her fist, trying to clear her throat before deepening her voice once more. “I mean, you outnumber me by . . .” She did a quick sweep of the room. “I estimate about thirty of you.” She shrugged and instantly chastised herself for overusing human expressions as the room watched her in confusion. “I mean . . . Yes, of course you may. It would be an honor.”
“I have always been interested in learning about the technology of other species,” he murmured as he slowly pulled the dormant beamblade from its sheath. “How does it work?”
“Every weapon dispensed by the government is created to fit its owner’s needs. Therefore, it only becomes activated when held by the person it was custom designed for,” Jaiya explained. “This reduces the risk of violence amongst our citizens and helps identify criminals.”
“Can you show me what it looks like when activated?”
“Sire, is that wise?” Raizxl cautioned, eyeing Jaiya with distrust in his silver eyes.
“We have to start somewhere,” Erlyn commented. “Besides, are you worried that a human might overtake a room full of warriors?”
“I assure you, the last thing I want to do is rekindle this war for another twenty-five years. If it was my intention to hurt anyone, I would have done so by now.” Jaiya drilled her stare into the three arguing males. “It is highly offensive for you to suggest that I would jeopardize my mission when there are countless lives at stake.”
The hangar fell silent as everyone’s focus fixed upon her. Jaiya jerked her head up with the same cocky arrogance with which all the egotistical males in her life presented themselves. She had come across enough pompous males over the course of her career to know how to mimic their superior attitude. If acting like a self-important ass would achieve her the results she needed, all while keeping her secret safe, then a self-important ass she would become.
“If you want to see my beamblade in action, then return it to me, and I will show you,” Jaiya dared the prince, crossing her arms.
Without hesitation, Idris sheathed her weapon and held it out to her, accepting her challenge.
Tension filled the air as they waited for her next move.
In one fluid movement, Jaiya snatched the weapon from his hand and pulled the knife from its sheath. Her thumb rolled over the bio-switch, activating the bright green laser blade.
The energy blade itself was about the length of her hand as it glowed in her grip.
A blaster pistol was pointed directly at her head. “Drop the weapon!” Raizxl demanded, his deep voice booming.
The sounds of multiple guns being pulled and loaded filled the room. She suppressed the shiver that threatened to pass through her.
Jaiya sighed and dropped her beamblade and its sheath to the ground.
She was annoyed by the lack of trust these males had in her, even after the points she had made. There were better ways to die, and at one time, she’d thought trying to forge an alliance with the Daextru was one of them. But she had only complied with the prince’s request to display how her weapon worked. A threat of deadly force for fulfilling his wish was uncalled for.
“If this is an indication of how our talks will be, I should just turn around right now and not waste anyone’s time,” she hissed. “Tell me now, Prince Idris, and I will be on my way and out of your hair.”
“Everyone is dismissed,” Idris shouted, his voice ringing through the hangar bay.
Jaiya didn’t dare to flinch as she continued to stare down the barrel of a gun aimed at her face. In her peripheral vision, she could see the security personnel all scrambling to leave—all but the male who continued to point his pistol at her, unfazed by the prince’s command.
“Stand down, Raizxl, before I make you.”
Jaiya sucked in a deep breath as the pistol disappeared from her vision. Every molecule of her body screamed to fight, but she feared any movement could worsen the situation. Her hand twitched, itching to grab the beamblade off the floor and defend herself against this rebellious guard.
How was she supposed to trust him to guard her if he couldn’t even listen to his superior?
“Raizxl, I want you to grab Diplomat Lian’s belongings and take them to his assigned guest room, then meet me at my office.” Idris bent down, and his long black hair cascaded over his shoulder, the curtain of hair blocking his eyes as he sheathed the beamblade. He tucked his hair behind one shoulder as he stood and passed her weapon to his assistant. “We will return this to you before you leave in order to prevent any more misunderstandings.”
Raizxl walked past, nearly bumping into her on his way to her fighter. She watched him as he picked up her travel cases effortlessly and left the hangar.
She crossed her arms and stared at the male who would decide the fate of their future. If he couldn’t keep his subordinates in line, how were they supposed to negotiate an end to this war?
“I want to apologize for how poorly my welcome party has acted. I promise you I will correct their behavior before the next time we meet.”
