I find the courage to take his hand in mine. “That’s something we have in common.”
“Prince…” A voice calls out from a doorway, summoning my attention. Looking in from the hallway to the racers’ rooms is a woman, Aura’s shade of purple, with similar black hair. She speaks with another man who looks like them, too.
“Friends of yours?” I ask.
Aura lifts his head and looks. “Excuse me for a second.”
He gets up and walks toward them. The moment he’s gone, a Mindor I recognize from the field starts toward our table.
Oh, hell no.I pick up my drink and flower and hurry after Aura. He’s already kept me safe from two big possessive dudes. The last thing I want is to be away from him. I might be capable of working on engines and thrusters without dying of electrocution, but I am not tough enough or strong enough to fight off many, if any, of the males at the races. They’re far bigger and stronger than I am. If I want to survive this packed heat, I need to stick with the one who wants to keep me safe.
“Aura?”
I hurry after him but slow when I notice the slump of his shoulders.
Something is very wrong.
12: Aurelius
I don’t know what Eluni and Blaize are doing interrupting, but it can’t be good if they’re willing to risk their faces potentially being on the broadcasted show. Every king and Elder will certainly ban them from Amphir’s fleet along with me. They’ll never escape being associated with my dishonor after this. Video evidence is rarely disputable.
Part of me fears that it was how I handled the Gragoraphor in the creek. I have no doubt it made it onto the ABR show. I just couldn’t contain myself. Two males tried to take and hurt Jovie.
But she’s mine.Every ripple in my Storm calms and finds a corner of my body to rest in when I touch her. All the chaos in my mind and my soul is gone. Nothing else matters but her.
“What is it?” I join my crew in the hallway. “And what did I say about titles?”
Eluni grimaces. “Sorry,Aura.”
Blaize sighs and shows me a tablet playing a video of our people running through the halls of a ship in terror. By the woven blue and purple crests in the floor, it looked likeRaiem.
“And?” I ask.
“Don’t you care?” Eluni demands.
“He does. He’s asking for details. You’re with Rogues, Eluni, not Royals.” Blaize mutters. “The Denarso attacked our fleet about the time we arrived here. They were neutralized, but the fleet is broken. We took out three Slitherships. Only mothershipRaeimwas affected. A few are on limited engines and being towed.”
“Did command move them to the center?” I ask.
Blaize nods. “We have cloaks up and Rogues scouting. The Nebs are using weapons made of the Cicarron cluster on the Denarso. Denarso are getting desperate for supplies and trying to take females.”
I run a hand through my hair, frustrated that this is happening when I’m finally getting the one thing I need to keep going. I am torn between helping myself for once and returning to my people.
“The weapons that work on Denarso Slithers are called Silversprites,” Eluni rolls her eyes. “I’m building some for Allele. Don’t tell ABR. We’re not supposed to havebigweapons.”
“The Denarso have been taking females from other species’ homeworlds and ships. They’re using them as bargaining chips for supplies. But the people fear that’s not all they may use them for if we don’t solidify our defenses.”
“How many were taken?” I ask.
“None this time, but they almost boarded.”
I scratch my jaw while I think. “We should go assist.”But what are we missing? How could they break Rogue Orbit and almost board? Where is the weakness in our system?
Eluni shakes her head. “Your father put out an Araxus Order on your head.”
“You’re kidding.”
“No. So every cold-hearted Amphiran is going to be looking for us and you.”
