“That’s your decision.Youare the Prime Leader,” she said quietly.She studied him.“Are you going to tell me what’s going on, Vaxa?”
“It is…”He sliced his hand through the air, a dismissive gesture she recognized.“They are council matters.”
“Vaxa,” she murmured, shaking her head.He didn’t get it.“I’m trying to build a bridge here.But I need you to help me.Or else this is going to turn into a very big problem for us.”
Her heart pounded in her chest, but she already felt a spike of dread when he didn’t immediately answer.
Please, Vaxa…please, she thought, silently urging him along.
Just when he opened his mouth to speak, the silver pad on the column of the living room chirped to life.Kate jumped and Vaxa immediately strode over.A video call appeared and she recognized Cruxan’s face on the screen.
Immediately, Cruxan burst into Luxirian, the words flying from him.It must have been bad news because Vaxa asked sharply, “Rebax?”Whatin Luxirian.
Cruxan spoke and shortly after, Vaxa jerked his head in a nod, ending the call with a short sentence.When he turned to face her, Kate asked, “What is it?”
He clasped her cheeks between his palms and pressed a slow kiss to her lips.“Luxiva,” he murmured, his voice ragged.“I will tell you everything…just not at this moment.I must attend to something.”
She looked down at his chest.
“Luxiva, please trust me,” he pleaded.“When I get back, we will talk.”
“I believe you,” she whispered, looking up at his eyes.“Be careful,” she said, even though she didn’t know what he was walking into.But something told her it wasn’t good.
“It is Lihvan who needs to be careful now,” he murmured.
She frowned, her brows furrowing, but before she could question him, he was already out the door of their house and firing up the hovercraft.
He was gone before she could blink.
SEVENTEEN
“What happened?” Vaxa’an growled, heart thudding from his sprint into the council room at the command center.
Rixavox, Kirov, and Cruxan were present, although the elders were not.He strode over to one of the Coms and scanned his eyes across the screen.
It was a message from Vikan.A distress call.
“It is fortunate that you returned early, Vaxa’an,” Rixavox said quietly.“This just came in.”
“I did not expect them to arrive at the Pit until later tonight,” Vaxa’an said.
“They went through Jetutian territory,” Kirov said from his place at the Com.The light from the holograph screen made his skin look blue as he tried to configure their vessel’s coordinates.“The infiltration was a success and the Krevorags are in a panic.The Urunian Federation has already been in contact, but they will not send aid since we acted before we received their confirmation.They see our actions as rebellion.”
Vaxa’an growled.What a mess.One that was entirely his fault.
Kirov continued.“The last message we received from Lihvan was that they saved the females that remained on the Pit.He said they had seven.But that’s not all.”
“What is it?”
“The Jetutians managed to intercept them on their return from the Pit.They captured the vessel but struck a deal,” Cruxan said.“They would spare the vessel and the crew if Lihvan surrendered and went aboard their ship.”
“And of course he went,” Vaxa’an finished for him, running a hand over his horns in frustration.
“We assume the Jetutians wanted to leverage him against us.They know that Lihvan is one of your ambassadors,” Kirov said.
Rixavox cut in, “One more thing, Vaxa’an.Vikan reported that one of the females is missing.”
“What?”
