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Rezal’s low, wicked laughter echoed around the room.
“I know you were taught better than to greet a guest like that. I even brought a gift.” He nodded at the round table in the corner, with two chairs.
A decanter of ambronin awaited on top of it, flanked by two small glasses.
Taryn’s brow symbols rose. This was serious if Rezal had risked coming hereandsmuggling in ambronin.
Quillons had vinnor, Zavorians had ambronin. Far superior, in Taryn’s opinion, but it came with a catch, like all good things.
It was also called truth serum. Drink enough of it, and you couldn’t lie.
Zavorians could uncover truths with one touch, but they didn’t want other species knowing about that powerful ability.
So they’d perfected ambronin throughout the generations.
The sweet, golden liquid was highly sought after, highly expensive, and highly illegal on Quillon.
“I remembered how much you like it,” Rezal said, tone pacifying.
He walked toward the table and sat down in one of the chairs, looking expectantly at his brother.
Taryn would never forget how frightened Rezal had been on the night he’d activated the escape pod.
His hands had shook so hard, he’d dropped the exit key and had Ignited.
But right now, Taryn didn’t recognize his little brother.
He’d grown to be unrelenting. Unflinching. Cruel. A true Zavorian heir.
He must have been in real trouble to set his pride aside. Heirs to the Zavorian throne couldn’t afford to be anything but arrogant.
Not enough.
Not after all the rumors he’d heard all these yanns.
Not after the Zavorian ship had shadowed Terra and countless other planets.
“Remind me why I shouldn’t slash you in two after you put my Lightmate in danger,” Taryn rumbled.
Rezal clenched his jaw, now sharp and regal. “That wasn’t my doing. Father contacted the balding man and I found out about it only when it came time to fix it. As usual.”
They shared a knowing look. Nobody went against their father’s orders, not even his heirs.
“I wanted information,” Rezal went on. “I was assured she was giving it willingly. If I had wanted to put her in danger, I would have threatened her myself.”
“You didn’t stop it when you found out what was happening.”
Rezal’s grin grew. “Who do you think damaged the human’s ship?”
“I find it hard to believe you deigned to board a human ship only to sabotage its ignition.”
“Please.” Rezal scoffed in that princely manner he wouldn’t have been able to pull off yanns ago. “One of my generals installed a disabling switch. All I had to do was press a button from three galaxies over.”
The silence turned ugly.
“I didn’t want to hurt your Lightmate,” Rezal said, sounding almost pained by the admission that his overlording ways had a limit. “Or any of the humans.”
That, Taryn believed. Rezal didn’t want to dirty his precious Zavorian hands, but he didn’t shy away from assuming the worst of his deeds.
