BENEATH A TROJAN MOON
CHAPTER ONE
Profits were up.
Relda Dela-Cruz smiled as she tapped a long red nail against the Sync communicator screen, studying the figures for her fortune-telling business. Outside her tent, she heard the busy sounds of the market starting to quiet. Dusk had fallen and Souk’s moons would be on the rise.
Relocating to the market planet of Souk four years ago had clearly been an excellent decision. She loved the old-world charm of the planet, and much preferred it to the glass-and-steel megacity worlds of the central systems.
Her two stores here in the planet’s capital, Medina, were doing very well. She tapped the screen to study the next page of information. Her new branches in the neighboring market towns weren’t quite in the black yet. But they were close.
Souk was situated not far from the edge of the galaxy, a perfect location to cater to the explorers and adventurers heading off into uncharted space. She smiled. And while they bought supplies or hired crew, they liked to learn their fate before they jetted off into the black.
Relda leaned back into the plush cushions scattered across the floor of her tent. The sweet scent of the incense she lovedto burn filled the air, the roof of the tent dipped low, and on a nearby table a beautiful orb the size of a VelocityBall glowed silver-pink.
All the embellishments were for her clients. When people came to discover their fate, they expected to hear it in surroundings like this. The ancient art of fortune-telling was a time-honored tradition of old Earth. The planet’s destruction in the Great Terran War millennia ago hadn’t killed off people’s need for hope.
Of course, Relda knew most of her clients didn’treallybelieve what she told them was true. They came for that glimmer of hope. They wanted to believe that whatever made them unhappy was going to change, improve, or get better.
For some, life promised wonderful things—a mate, family, children, wealth, success. For others, there was no happy ending. She knew that better than most.
Pain was a bitter sting under her heart. Annoyed with herself, she set her Sync aside and rose. She needed some tea. Something soothing. The sash around her waist—adorned with beaten gold coins—tinkled. Her full red skirts swished against her legs and she dug her toes into the plush rug, enjoying the decadent sensation.
What her clients didn’t know—what her fellow market-stall holders didn’t know—was that every fortune Relda gave was true.
Seeing the future, reading the energy auras that surrounded every living being, were among her least powerful abilities.
And none of them would ever know the truth.
She’d made the mistake of trusting someone with her identity once. It wouldn’t happen again.
She moved to the tiny area cordoned off by a wall of colorful fabric and ordered a tea from the small food-printer sitting on the table. Lights flashed and the machine gave a discreet beep.Taking the small, green mug, she let the fabric fall back into place. Couldn’t have technology spoiling the effect of her tent.
Fragrant steam drifted upward and she breathed deep, enjoying the scents of zhoma-berry and taxx root. Taking a sip, she stepped back into the main area, savoring the hot, spicy taste.
The past no longer held power over her. And even though her future would never hold the things she’d once hoped for, her life was exactly as she liked it. She had a thriving business, took lovers when it suited her, and she surrounded herself with the small pleasures she enjoyed.
She took another sip of tea and with her other hand she lifted the mass of dark curls off the back of her neck. She needed to get these financials finished and then head home to take a long, hot bubble bath.
Suddenly the flap of her tent was thrown back and a body barreled inside. Relda almost spilled hot tea over her white blouse.
“Relda!”
Alia was eighteen, with a long, reed-slim body and an exquisitely beautiful face. She’d been living on the streets—barely avoiding the men who preyed on the vulnerable—for over a year when Relda had caught her trying to steal her favorite Vedian chocolates from the back of the tent. She now ran Relda’s second tent in the market.
“Alia, honey. Are you okay?” Relda set her tea on a low table, then straightened and held out a hand. The girl’s aura was shot through with streaks of orange and black. Stressed and fearful.
Alia nodded, but after a good look at the girl’s face, Relda’s stomach hardened with rage. The entire left side of her face was swollen. It would probably bruise before Relda got her to a medbooth to heal it away.
“Relda—” a choked sob “—I’m so sorry.”
Relda pulled the girl into her arms. “Tell me what happened.”
“The tent, all your beautiful things…they’re ruined.” Alia gave a hiccupping cry.
“They’re just things, honey. Who did this?” Once she knew, she’d take them apart into tiny, little pieces.
“Two men. They thought I was you. They c-called me Relda.” Alia’s brow creased. “They were after something.”
