Pain seared him and he glared at Rixavox, cursing at him in Luxirian.His stomach clenched as his leg—and all the other claw marks adorning his flesh that the dark brew had managed to catch—pulsed in rhythm with his heartbeat.
“I will summon Privanax,” was all Rixavox had to say.“That needs to be mended with his lasers.”
Vaxa’an continued to drink, prepping himself.Privanax arrived shortly after but wisely didn’t say anything once he saw his leg.Vaxa’an pulled on the flask while the doctor lasered his wound shut, gritting his jaw as the pain sparked up his spine.
“May I ask how thelavrix’anis doing this span?” Privanax asked as he worked.“Has she any concerns since I saw her?”
“I do not know,” Vaxa’an rumbled.Except upon waking, Vaxa’an had not seen or spoken to his mate that span.He’d touched their blood bond a few times to make sure she was well, but beyond that he didn’t know.
In truth, he had not handled the previous span well when it came to his mate.He had hurt her, taken his anger out on her, and he’d pushed her away.And instead of facing her this morning, he’d avoided her, like a coward.
His Instinct demanded that he reconnect with his mate.He felt her absence with every part of him; he longed to hold her, scent her soft, pale skin, and listen to her strange heartbeat.But Vaxa’an worried that he would only raise the tension between them.He did not want to tell her why he had been away from her so much.He did not want to tell her about the Trials.Soon, he wouldn’t have a choice.
If he fell in the Trials, he would need to make preparations.His ambassadors would ensure her safety if worse came to worse.Vaxa’an would not let his warrior pride take precedence over his mate.
Lihvan and Rixavox exchanged looks.His mood was already sour and the brew made his tongue loose.For reasons unknown to him, he growled, “I have not told my mate about the uprisings.Or about the Trials.”
Rixavox’s face morphed into surprise.“Do you expect to keep it a secret?News is already spreading.She will learn about it soon enough, probably from that gossip of a female she works for.”
Vaxa’an remembered the way his Kat hissed in pain when he’d grasped her wrist and suddenly, he wished that the warrior had cut his leg even deeper.Hurting a female was the ultimate sin in his culture and he could hardly bear the knowledge that he’d harmed his ownmate.
He looked up at Rixavox and then his gaze turned to Lihvan.He leaned back as Privanax finished lasering the wound closed.“It seems I have been keeping many secrets lately,” he murmured.
“What does that mean?” Rixavox asked, narrowing his gaze, his eyes flickering to the other war general.
Privanax interrupted, quickly gathering his supplies, “I will take my leave.Is there anything else you require, Prime Leader?”
Vaxa’an shook his head.“No.I will bring my mate to you in a couple span for another exam.”
Privanax inclined his head and left.
Rixavox stood like a pillar, watching him.“Cruxan, Kirov, and Vikan have their suspicions, Vaxa’an.As do I.We see you and Lihvan discussing matters in private and it makes us wary.”
He may as well just tell the truth, if only to get one secret off his chest.“I have tasked Lihvan with infiltrating the Pit.”
Rixavox went still.“What?”
Lihvan shifted on his feet, keeping his voice low.“We are planning an attack after the lunar cycle.Once the Trials have concluded.”
“For what purpose?” Rixavox asked, his voice rising.“In doing this, we invite war with the Krevorags.”
“I do not wish to start a war,” Vaxa’an said.“But my female made me realize that we have all been hypocrites when it comes to the Pit.We stand by and allow such an event to happen.We allow unprotected and vulnerable females to be won.Yes, there are honorable males that fight at the Pit, who would not hurt the females, but then there are species, like the Jetutians, whom we know use them for depraved purposes.All for the profit of the Krevorags.They are a weak species.If it comes to war, I am positive that they will fall easily and swiftly against us and our allies.”
Rixavox processed his words and was silent for a brief moment, before he rumbled, “There are warriors in my outpost, as I am sure are in others, who have requested my permission to journey to the Pit.”
Vaxa’an started.“How many?”
“Seven or eight.They have heard of your victory, of yourluxiva.Now that you have announced that she carries your offspring, I fear more will want to fight as well.Which bears the question…if you do succeed in your mission, what will happen to the females?”
“We will bring them here for safety and then make arrangements to return them to Earth,” Lihvan answered.
“We have a limited supply of Luxirian crystals powerful enough to journey to the Fourth Quadrant,” Rixavox argued.“We cannot waste them.”
“Then they will be used for this purpose,” Vaxa’an murmured.“I will give my own family’s crystal if I must.Any who wish to return to their home will be given safe and quick passage.”
“And how many of these rescue missions are you planning?The Krevorags will simply attain more females to use.”
“I have already begun petitioning the Urunian Federation to put an end to it,” Lihvan said.“We are awaiting confirmation that they will take it to a vote.”
