He offers Eluni his hand. “B-beautiful. I— I m-mean, hi.”
Eluni glances at his hand and uncrosses her arms. “A strange custom of humans, but I want you to know you are welcome here.”
Tal’s face is looking better already. “The portal that saved me was yours?”
“Yes.”
Fieri hands Eluni’s Royal guard badge back to her before returning to the pilot’s seat. “We’re heading into Amphiran space, so everyone, please strap in. We need to discuss what’s happening next.”
“We’re rescuing Aura, right?” I ask.
Blaize takes the copilot’s seat. “Yes, but how do we do it covertly?”
I belt in behind Blaize and help Talros ease into the cushions beside me. He looks like he’s in pain.
Eluni and Jorusk take the seats behind Fieri.
“Not sure if this helps,” Talros says, but when they took me, the Denarso argued over whether or not their tactics with the Talhuskins were going to work. Said something about stealing females in exchange for promised goods, like a form of blackmail. A double abduction for goods. But I’m not sure about the context or who the next target is.”
“Denarso have taken females from several planets and ships,” Jorusk offers while binding his wings with a strap. “They hold them in exchange for products they want so they don’t have to pay for the items. What they tried to take this last time was likely medicine.”
“Is asking or compromising really that hard for Denarso?” I ask.
“They’re a p-proud species that doesn’t like agreements which require them to make concessions or offer something of their own.” Talros licks his lips and seems to get them working again. “Denarso tend to mimic Novarks but with the more ruthless hand of Nebulous soldiers.”
Fieri flips through programs on the dash screens. “One of these days, they’re going to attack the wrong people and really learn their lesson.”
Eluni picks up a nearby crate, braces it between her boots, and begins assembling small metal parts from it. “They like to rape the females, send them back carrying half-breeds to water down a species’ purity.”
“Makes sense why Allele didn’t let us help.” I give Eluni a look, hoping she’s less upset about the situation. I can tell she doesn’t like being helpless. I feel the same.
“I cannot have children, so it would not have mattered if they tried with me.” Eluni takes an orb, locks it in a long cylindrical tube, and feeds it into a slot in Allele’s wall. Above the slot is a screen that readsSilversprites. “After Ijor killed Rylorn, Iwanted to be sure he could never force himself on me. So I had myself sterilized.”
The ship quiets as the pain in Eluni’s voice digs into all of us. Only the beeps and peeps of Allele’s navigation and scanners dare break the silence.
My sister did it by choice for a different reason, one that meant far less than Eluni’s. And I know now that I truly never care if I see my sister again. She has no idea what a hard life really is. “If I had any power in your world, I would destroy Ijor and any others who dared tell you what to do with your body and your Storm.”
“You are part of us,” Allele says. “As Prince Aurelius’ mate.”
Eluni’s eyes widen. “Isit official?”
“Notformally, no.”
“But you did…” Blaize makes a finger gesture that earns him a hard backhand to the chest from Fieri.
“Do not make such a gesture to the princess!”
I roll my eyes. “Yes. And don’t call me a princess, Fieri. If Aura is just Aura, then I am just me. Please consider that.”
Eluni draws in a deep breath and smiles with genuine relief. “Thought I caught his scent on you. But even if we don’t call you the name, you’re still on Genesis’ radar as their Royals.”
I don’t think he’ll like that.
Talros seems to pick up on my discomfort and changes the subject. “Looks like you’re missing some gauntlet parts.”
I look them over. “ABR took my defense system.”
“I’ll help,” Eluni says. “We’ll give you some upgrades while we’re at it.”
