Wasted in this artificial place where nothing was real excepther.
And for the first time, he wasenragedwith himself. He was enraged that he hadn’t gone with Khiva and Eve when he’d had the chance. He was enraged that he hadn’t taken Valerie, in the dead of the night, and justgone.
What had he beenthinking, all those months ago?
The restlessness was buzzing under his skin.
And now, he was almost out of time.
Tavak appeared then, emerging from his room in the Cluster. Casting a look at Ravu’s open door, however, he asked, “He’s not back yet?”
Dravka shook his head, “Veki.”
Clients could stay the night until eight in the morning. He would be back soon.
Tavak dropped into the armchair, a deep sigh escaping him. Though Dravka kept his gaze out at the dawn, he felt Tavak’s stare.
He waited for him to say something, but finally he heard Tavak shift, heard the slide of metal and knew that he’d taken out the Nu device instead.
Dravka began to pace again, his nostrils flaring when a sudden flash from last night came into his mind. Of Valerie, of her soft gasps and even softer lips. Her taste,vauk. The firmness of her backside underneath his palms. The way she’d responded to him so eagerly before…
He cursed underneath his breath just as he heard the door to the Cluster open. His hearts stopped briefly, hoping to see her standing on the threshold, but it was only Ravu.
Tavak greeted his brother with a sharp jerk of his chin. Ravu’s gaze slid to Dravka, pacing at the window. His brow bone lifted, his gaze catching on the tented material of his pants.
“Hope that’s not for me,” Ravu said dryly, though Dravka caught a hint of amusement in his tone. “My client drained me for the day.”
Tavak chuffed out a small laugh, already scanning through the news on the Nu, while Dravka adjusted his inconvenient erection, blowing out a sharp breath.
Tavak’s laugh suddenly stopped.
A creaking sound came from the armchair as Tavak leaned forward, his lips parting, his brow furrowing. His eyes were scanning rapidly over the Nu device. Even Ravu noticed and approached.
“What is it?” he asked.
Not again…
Dravka’s throat was suddenly dry. He half-expected to hear more news about Valerie’s engagement…but not even that would cause the sudden change in Tavak so dramatically.
“What is it?” Dravka repeated, edging towards the chair, the sunrise forgotten.
“Tavak?” came Ravu’s quiet voice.
Tavak’s gaze flickered up to his brother then came to Dravka before they lowered once more on the Nu.
A sharp breath escaped Tavak’s lips. “Firestones are in circulation again.”
Shock froze Dravka in place, feeling something pinch in his gut at the name.
Firestones.
“There’s an article here about Kerivu’s history,” Tavak rasped, shoving the Nu into Ravu’s waiting hands. “About how the firestones brought the end of the Dark Age. And that they are being made once more.”
“Kruvu?” Dravka breathed. “By Khiva?”
“It has to be,” Ravu murmured, his eyes furiously scanning over the words they’d all learned to read during their time on Everton. “He’s the only one that knows how.Demav, he’s done it.”
Dravka sank into an empty chair opposite Tavak as Ravu finished reading whatever article his brother had stumbled across.
