And Freya, like many other female children, grew up thinking the Rhimodians were monsters who hated women and wanted to kill them all.
It was so strange, so terrifying. Yet, it never felt real or logical. She had been determined to prove that the stories were wrong, but she had very little basis for her belief. Most of it was her own gut instinct. While she didn't understand Caoimhe’s motives to bring peace now, she still wanted to know the whole story.
As she watched Kian head down another set of stairs, it seemed as though he was nothing like the stories. Tall, yes. Strong, yes. But he wasn’t a female-hating machine. If anything, he merely seemed like yet another humanoid.
Imagine that, she thought. An Imperial story being disproved.Hownotsurprising.
"Did you know her?" she asked as she followed him down the stairs.
"Who?"
"The Empress. The Terran Empress."
"No. I did not know her. I was outside of Sol when she came, on a mission."
"She was very beautiful," Freya said. "And very tall. At least, she seemed that way to me."
"I would imagine everyone seems tall to you," Kian replied.
She grinned as she reached the landing where he stood. "Are you mocking my height?"
"You are very tiny."
She rather liked being told she was tiny. While she was not tall, she certainly had gotten a lot curvier in the last few years, so being referred to as tiny was quite flattering.
Her cheeks warmed.
Kian reached out and touched her hand.
She caught his fingers and squeezed back.
They stepped closer to one another. Attraction surge through her, or perhaps it was merely reactivating.
She wanted to kiss him again. She craved kissing him a lot.
A shift in the shadows caught her eye. She registered it, but since they were down here with plenty of organic movement, she didn't think anything of it.
Or maybe she was distracted by the way Kian moved closer to her.
And she really wanted another kiss.
She should have paid attention.
"There you are, Freya," came a male voice.
Not Kian's.
Freya gasped as a Terran man appeared, yanking her away from Kian. A Terran soldier, to be more accurate.
One she'd seen about the palace on occasion. A good friend of the Emperor.
And two Charro came out of the shadows and bound up Kian, their tales tightening around his chest.
Kian winced.
Oh no.
“You must stop!” she yelled. “Do you know who I am?”
