“You’ll help us?” My voice cracked as I took in the various actors and crew surrounding us on the stage. “Even though it means defying the Empire.”
“Why in the sand-blasted hells do you think we’re doing it?” a tall man in back rasped.
Athena shot him an exasperated look. “That’s not the only reason.” Then she slid a wink my way. “But it helps.”
“You’re safe here,” Hal said, before leveling a finger at the assembled group. “No one will say a word about you. No one will even whisper about you outside of this theatre. Is that clear?”
Athena patted him on the back as she gave a gentle smile to the people he’d just admonished. “These two are now a part of our family. And our family takes care of its own.”
More nods and murmured agreement as the energy on the stage shifted from curiosity to unity.
Suddenly, I remembered something. “That mark over the side door. What does it mean?”
The troupe members exchanged glances before Hal cleared his throat. “It’s a symbol we use here in Kashara to let people know that we’re a haven.”
“It’s been used by those who work against the Zagrath,” Vallia said. “I’m surprised you noticed it.”
“I first saw it in the prison,” I said. “It was carved on a bench.”
The female’s mouth thinned. “I am not surprised. Many rebels have vanished into the prison, never to be heard from again.”
A growl rumbled Kolt’s chest. “For rendering aid to a battle chief of the Vandar, I vow on the gods of old that we will liberate your planet from the Zagrath. ”
I glanced at him, curious that he’d used Vandar speak. It must be second nature to him, like muscle memory but with words.
“Battle chief?” Vallia’s gigantic eyes grew even larger.
I suspected that she probably knew more about what the position entailed than Kolt did, but I would not be the one to reveal his memory loss. As a matter of fact, the fewer people who knew about that, the better.
“This all sounds great.” A woman with ample curves and a blue bouffant snatched the dropped bag from the floor. “But why don’t we eat while we talk? I’m starving.”
More bags were opened, and flat rings of bread dotted with multicolored seeds were passed around as everyone sat down in a semblance of a circle on the stage. The light pouring through the skylights overhead now shone on the audience pit, and faint sounds of the city crept through the high, open windows.
The bread was warm and soft, and the scent of yeast made my stomach growl. I didn’t hesitate to bite into mine, moaning as the dough sank beneath my teeth and the flavors exploded on my tongue. The bread itself was pliant, and it was only as I chewed that I tasted the full spectrum of flavors. The seeds didn’t just provide texture. They were both savory and spicy, and the combination was strangely delicious.
I finished one ring and accepted another from an amused boy with shaggy hair and a crooked smile who told me I was a fast eater.
“But not as fast as him.” He hiked at thumb at Kolt who was finishing one circle of bread while already biting into another.
The Vandar swallowed and leaned closer to me. “Do you trust them?”
I glanced around to be sure no one else had heard him, but everyone else was too focused on eating and swapping tales ofwhat they’d gotten up to the night before. I nodded. “They don’t strike me as the kind who fall in line with a controlling regime.” Then I thought about what had happened when the Vandar had come to my planet to liberate us. “I also don’t think they’d take too kindly to you guys taking females as payment or leverage.”
His brow furrowed. “Why would the Vandar do that?”
I’d been testing his memory, but I guess he didn’t remember the whole war bride thing. I still wasn’t sure if I believed what he’d told me about it before he’d lost his memories. If it had really been done to save Jasmine then my reasons for despising the Vandar were quickly vanishing. Especially since I was falling for one.
Clearly, Vallia thought they were the good guys. Maybe they were. The current version of Kolt certainly was, but was that the real him?
“I promised these people that the Vandar will liberate this planet.” He gestured with a half-eaten ring of bread, and some of the seeds went flying. “I do not intend to go back on my word.”
He was so earnest that I couldn’t help but believe him. “Then I guess we’d better figure out how to escape so you can keep your promise.”
Chapter
Twenty-Nine
Kolt
