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“I know you don’t like Raina’s parents, but I happen to love my cousins very much. Can I speak with her, maybe visit her?”
“Her name is Luna, not Raina,” Grinnel reminded with a dismissive wave of her hand.
Incensed by her mother’s nonchalance, Cara dug in her heels and put her hands on her hips. “If Flora is here, I want to see her. Now.” She didn’t yell, at least not yet, but she made it obvious that she wouldn’t let the matter drop.
Lezod turned to face her, his features tense with annoyance. “Flora is in training. Trainees are not allowed visitors. It would be too distracting.”
Altorians and their ridiculous rules. Cara took a deep breath, determined to remain calm and respectful. “If I could speak with her for just a few moments, see that she is unharmed, and—”
“I said no.” His gaze narrowed and his chin lifted. “You must stop arguing every time you do not get your way.”
“This is ridiculous,” she flared. “I just want to make sure she’s okay.”
“Is there a problem?”
The sharp, authoritative voice made Cara snap her head to the side. A middle-aged female with dark brown hair and amber-colored eyes stood a short distance down the corridor. She was dressed in the same matte black uniform that Cara had seen others wearing. Were they all Citadel employees? The female’s hands were clasped behind her back, giving her a militant bearing.
“A simple misunderstanding,” Lezod assured the newcomer. “We will be with you momentarily.”
Pausing to glare at her father, Cara strode past him and approached the female. Clearly her father had no intention of taking her to Flora. Maybe this person would be more reasonable. “Do you work here?”
“I am Supervisor Winlos,” the female informed. Her tone implied that Cara should understand what that meant.
“My cousin Flora is here somewhere.” Cara used the same even tone she had employed earlier, hoping it would be more effective now. Surely, someone in this star system would respond to politeness and logic. “I have not been allowed to see her since we were taken from Earth. I am concerned about her wellbeing. Can you please arrange for a quick meeting or even a holo-comm?”
“Your concern is a serious insult to her mates, and your father explained why you cannot see her.”
Trepidation closed around Cara’s belly, squeezing like a fist. If Flora was really fine, why wouldn’t they allow a quick meeting? She had been worried about both her cousins, but Flora in particular. Flora had seemed so different the last time Cara had seen her. It was as if her will had been sucked out, or crushed by her two ruthless males.
Apparently, it was time for a little human stubbornness. “Fine,” she snapped. “I’ll find her myself.”
Sidestepping the scowling supervisor, Cara took off down the corridor. She wasn’t sure where she was going, but she had to start somewhere. Someone knew where Flora was, and Cara didn’t care if she had to pound on every door in the place, she would see for herself if her cousin was being abused.
She turned a corner and darted down an adjacent hallway. After passing several shuttle bays, she came to a massive cargo area. She needed to get off this level, maybe ask someone where the training took place.
The rhythmic pounding of booted feet drew her attention to the corridor behind her. Two uniformed guards came into view and ran directly toward her. Damn it. Supervisor Whatshername must have summoned help.
This is foolish. You have no idea where to look.
Ignoring her rational inner voice, she continued to indulge the rebellious impulse. She ran faster, looking for a stairwell or ladder. Flora had to be on another level. There was nothing but empty ships and storerooms down here.
“Stop her,” one of the guards called out as she approached a team of workers.
She turned and headed down an adjacent hallway. The guards were gaining on her, but it didn’t matter. She was tired of being good, of doing what her captors said and accepting all the changes without argument or struggle. No one gave a shit what she wanted or thought, so why should she cooperate?
A hand closed around her upper arm and Cara cried out. “Let go!”
“Sorry, mistress,” the guard said softly in Altorian.
She yanked against his hold, fighting back tears as he pulled her back the way they’d come. “I just want to see my cousins.” Emotion burned the back of her throat and tears blurred her vision. She wanted to see Flora and Raina, but she also wanted to return to the life she had known with them. Being dragged along by an armed guard was more proof that her wishes and her opinions no longer mattered. She was a commodity, an empowered vessel others wanted to possess.
Her parents were nowhere in sight when they reached the original hallway, but Supervisor Winlos was waiting. The guard positioned Cara to face the supervisor and then stepped back.
“Such shows of defiance will not be tolerated by your potential mates,” Winlos said firmly. “You will learn that lesson very quickly if you do not take my warning seriously.”
Using anger to drive back her self-pity, Cara just glared, but her father’s prediction echoed through Cara’s mind.She will be face down over someone’s lap before we make it to our room. Cara could only think of one reason a woman would be placed face down over a man’s lap. Did these Neanderthals spank their females? The idea was too preposterous to take seriously, so she disregarded it.
“Where did Grinnel and Lezod go?” She was furious with both of them, but she was curious why they’d deserted her.
