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Danielle and I exchange confused looks, while Zell and Volethos sit up straighter in their chairs.
“And what kind of gathering do you think we’d be interested in?” Volethos asks. His head tips back, trying to get a better look at the messenger, but his face is deeply shadowed by the cowl of his hooded cloak.
“Oh, it’s just a small thing. For couples and groups.” His head tilts, surveying our table, and then he produces a clear film from his robe. “All the information you need is here, should you decide to attend.”
Volethos takes it from him, and the messenger promptly bows and disappears, merging seamlessly into the continuous crowd of aliens making their way through the station.
“What is it?” I ask.
“An invitation,” he says, setting it flat on the table in front of him.
“What’s it for?” I try to make sense of the alien hieroglyphs.
Volethos presses his lips together before looking across the table at Zell. “It’s a masquerade for couples… who like to share. And it’s being held at Kurrahstka’s pleasure house.”
Zell’s brows drop low over his eyes, and then he reaches across the table for the film. “I’ve heard of such parties. Let me see.”
Holding the film in one hand, he leans back and rubs his other hand across his square jaw while he reads. A moment later, his eyes flick to Volethos.
“No,” he says flatly.
“No?” Volethos barks, leaning across the table. “It’s the perfect opportunity. The perfectin.”
“We’re taking the females to Pamia. We’ve already decided that it’s too risky to bring them to Kurrahstka’s doorstep,” the black striations in his eyes darken, “and as fond of you as I may be, I’m not willing to go as your date.”
I’m ping-ponging between them, trying to follow along.
“What are the chances of finding a more perfect—”
“I said no!” Zell slams the film back on the table. “There are too many unknowns. Too many things that could go wrong.”
“You said it’s a masquerade?” I speak up. “With a disguise, Kurrahstka would never know it was us.”
“Until you’re stripped of your disguise,” Zell growls. “It will be much harder to hide your appearance naked.”
Naked? Just what kind of masquerade is this?
Still, I’m determined not to give up on what might be my only chance to get back at one of the people responsible for the shitty turn my life has taken.
“Why would you want to do this?” Volethos asks me.
His question surprises me.WhydoI want to do this?
I dart a look at Danielle, who is watching curiously.
“Because…” I shake my head, “I wasn’t kidding when I said I wanted revenge too.”
Zell snorts, “Kurrahstka hasn’t done anything to you, except for holding you captive. Although, you were lucky we rescued you when we did.”
“How do you know?” My eyes narrow to slits, and my hands clench into fists. “Were you there? Did you see what was or wasn’t done to us? Every day we were locked in a cage to be stared at. Leered at. Made fun of. Every night, we heard what happened to the other women who were trapped there. Their screams. Their begging. We heardeverything.
“I’m not doing this for me, not entirely. I’m doing this because he needs to be stopped. If I can somehow save those women from another night of torture, then I’ll do whatever it takes.”I place my hands on the table and push myself to my feet, not once taking my eyes from his. “You want to see him taken down? Well, so do I. Just because he never laid a finger on me, or Danielle, doesn’t mean we don’t have the right to seek our own justice.”
A long silence draws out between us, and my eyes dart back and forth between Zell and Volethos. Both males are expressionless as they consider—at least I hope they are considering—what I’ve said.
“You’ve made your point,” Zell sighs and leans back in his seat. “But the answer is still no.”
It takes me a minute to register that he still said no.No!After everything I just said. After Imade my point.He has the audacity—
