Firestones?
Firestones had fueled Kerivu’s economy and some believed that they’d brought about Kerivu’s destruction. Firestones were one of the most powerful fuel sources across the universe. Pure energy that had fueled merchant vessels, transport vessels, that had helped power colonies and planets. They were even more powerful than Luxirian crystals and they were what had brought prosperity and wealth to Kerivu.
Khiva’s family had been the makers of them. As such, Khiva’s family had been one of the wealthiest and most powerful families on all of Kerivu. Khiva himself had once been called the Prince of Firestones.
But with that power and wealth came outside greed and interest. Many tried to replicate the firestones with little success. Greed turned to anger and envy, which led to war. And it was war and hatred that had destroyed their home planet.
“You think it is him?” Tavak rasped. “He said he’d never make them again.”
It’s in his blood, was Dravka’s first thought. Khiva believed he’d had a hand in the destruction of Kerivu, but Dravka had never believed that.
“You think it’s a coincidence that firestones are in circulation again, a few months after Khiva escaped Everton?” Dravka asked quietly. “I don’t.”
Valerie had said Khiva and Evelyn Tesler had settled on a colony named Dumera. His mind started whirling. They were obviously building a life there. Khiva obviously thought it was safe enough, if he kept his female there.
Why didn’t I leave with them? Why didn’t I take Valerie with me and never look back?
Regret swarmed in his mind before he pushed it out. Regret accomplished nothing. It only kept one trapped, frozen.
Which is what I’ve been for the last ten years, arguably longer,he thought.
Ravu finished reading and handed the Nu to Dravka. The slim device felt abnormally heavy in his hands. He didn’t read the article. He slid the device onto the table instead before rubbing at his eyes.
“There’s nothing about Khiva,” Ravu said quietly. “The article says that small batches of firestones are being produced. The first orders are already sold out everywhere. They are originating from the Second Quadrant.”
Most neutral colonies were in the Second Quadrant, so it made sense. Dravka assumed that was where Dumera was.
His hearts were suddenly pounding in his chest. The three Keriv’i males in the Cluster were all quiet as they processed this new information—as they processed what itmeant.
“There’s something else we have to talk about.”
Dravka swallowed, knowing that he needed to tell them about what he’d learned last night. He’d heard Valerie tell Tavak and Ravu to trust her, that she was trying to make things right, to give her time.
But this involved all of them. This was too much for Valerie to have to bear alone. Not that Dravka would let her go through with this.
Determination shot through him as Tavak and Ravu regarded him, waiting for him to speak.
Ever since Kerivu’s destruction, he had been…idle. He had grown stagnant. A part of him had been resigned to die on Everton, to live out the rest of his life here, fucking hundreds of faceless human women who only wanted him for histeela.
Truthfully, a part of him had always known that he would have to watch another male take his place in Valerie’s life. She was a beautiful female with a beautiful heart…and he had always believed that another male would discover that, that another male would take her from thisdemav-forsaken brothel, take her from Dravka, and give her everything that she deserved.
He wanted that for her. He wanted her to be happy because she deserved to be.
Yet he had the startling realization that maybe…hecould be that male for her. Thathecould make her happy and give her everything she wanted. And that maybe, she’d only ever wantedhimto begin with.
Because that waswhyshe was doing this—she wanted that same happiness for Dravka. For them all.
Dravka loved her.Demav, he loved her. He had loved her since the very first moment he’d seen her, on that cloudy, wintry day she’d first set foot in the brothel.
Gabriel Larchmont wouldn’t love her like Dravka did. No male could.
If Dravka wanted Valerie to be happy, thenhewould make her happy.
If he wanted to have a life with her—if he wanted to build her a home on a peaceful colony, if he wanted to build her her garden, and give her the children he knew she craved—then he needed to fight for it.
Because he could give her those things.
Regarding Tavak and Ravu, Dravka’s nostrils flared. They were running out of time.
