Because, despite everything I have done, the ancestors have seen fit to send me Lydia. My tiny creature who made noises I want in my head forever as I plundered her sweet body. Or as she stands beside me, making my fate her fate. My little fierce female, far more bold than she believes she is.
I need to be with her. The Ulep do not get to keep me from her.
“This one is producing an excellent amount of what the Sarkarnii callmating mix.” The Ulep’s voice rings in my ears.
Given no one has spoken to me for some time, this is a development. One I would prefer to use to my advantage.
I snarl. The collar hisses at me, the gas again.
Thing is, when a Sarkarnii warrior is left alone in a cell with a collar filled with all sorts of tricks, he’s going to spend some time working out what they are.
And Sarkarnii can hold their breath for a long time.
I close my eyes. Only my first eyelid, the one I can still see through even if it looks like I am unconscious.
The door to the cell slides open.
This is certainly getting interesting. I let my body go slack. The Ulep enters, followed by a set of creatures I recognize immediately.
Ntahal.
Two of them, one purple and one blue. The blue one is the superior to the purple one due to his color and markings. Their tentacles flick with some concern as they’ve entered an enclosed area with a Sarkarnii. Their fear is palpable.
“The gas we have created is enough to stun even a fully grown Sarkarnii,” the Ulep announces with some glee. “It is partially based on the venom their females produce and which is the only thing that can stop a rutting male like this one.”
“He is completely safe?” one of the Ntahal asks.
“Entirely insensible.” The Ulep rubs one of his appendages against the other. “As you can see, we have a collection collar installed, and it is presently extracting the mating mix. It can also take the fluid used by the Sarkarnii to make their flame, along with the venom the male produces, although this is considerably less potent than the female venom. It does, however, have some healing properties for certain species.”
“I had no idea Sarkarnii could be so useful,” Blue Ntahal says. “I thought they were mere pirates and the best way to deal with them was to toss a few jewels their way occasionally.”
“I thought there had to be more to the creatures.” Purple Ntahal takes a few steps closer to me. “I didn’t realize they could be this useful,” he adds. “How much do you want for him?”
The Ulep makes a gurgling sound. “He is not for sale.”
“Everything is for sale, Ulep,” Purple growls. “Name your price.”
LYDIA
My friends look at me.
“Goodbye?” Scarlett queries. “What do you mean?”
“I don’t know.” My face heats up, and the ever present tears are still hovering in my eyes. “It was like…something was wrong, and I can’t put my finger on it. And I did what I always do. I ran away,” I say, lifting my chin.
“You did what you did to protect yourself. Don’t ever be ashamed of it,” Maggie says, matter of factly. “Let’s say, for the benefit of the doubt, Deus is not a massive douche, and a traitor,andthere really was something wrong which is why he treated you like dirt and then disappeared.”
“Oh, thanks,” I grumble.
Maggie holds up her hand.
“Perhaps if we go back to the scene of the crime, or rather the seat of the douchebag, we might find something out.”
“Won’t the other warlords have already been there?”
“They can’t enter the forbidden sector,” Rosalie says. “Or only Dante can enter it, and I know he hasn’t.”
“We should go,” Scarlett says. “I love a good mystery.”
