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The flight to the ranch Jardan had rented felt both too brief and too long. The part of me that needed answers to help avoid more deaths and senseless pain couldn’t wait to arrive. And the other part, that had only ever known a simple life with limited means that revolved exclusively around the shelter, hungered for this journey to last forever.
As much as Keran constantly said he had no need for luxury, this shuttle screamed the opposite. I’d never flown inside anything this fancy. One square meter of the synthetic leather which covered our seats cost almost as much as my monthly salary. On top of individual temperature control, they also had an integrated massage function, and their own personal vidscreens. The leg room provided ample space for giants like the purebloods. The large windows all around gave the impression we were floating in the air with the unimpeded view of Haven’s stunning landscape.
In keeping with Braxian aesthetic, the design boasted simple lines, more symmetrical than organic, and earthy colors with a dominance of dark grays, burgundy, and every shade of brown, from very light beige to very dark.
I stole a glance at Keran, sitting in the passenger seat next to me. Even lost in deep thoughts, the Braxian Prince looked fearsome. And yet, my fingers itched to slip through his shoulder-length black hair. Beyond trying to solve these murders, more heavy burdens troubled him. I wished I knew what they were, and that I could relieve him of some of them.
Based on what I had gathered since his arrival, his imminent ascension to the throne played a part in it. But it didn’t make sense. A hybrid couldn’t possibly threaten his position. After witnessing his training this morning, I couldn’t see how anyone—pureblood or otherwise—could rival him. Tagar and Nowik had gone all out on him, and Keran had almost effortlessly kept them at bay.
I need answers.
Tagar—who was piloting the shuttle with Nowik sitting in the copilot’s chair—announced our impending arrival as he began our descent. Outside, Sulan Ranch was growing bigger on the horizon. The sprawling estate had two large stables, a massive pen, and an imposing ship hangar next to the main mansion.
The previous wealthy owner had raised adrans here, a bovine animal which constituted one of our main sources of red meat. His booming business had required even larger lands. But the river to the east and the rocky ridges to the south had made such an expansion impossible. So he had moved to a more suitable location and rented this ranch for special events or to dignitary delegations that needed accommodations for large groups.
But right now, the place looked like a military boot camp.
A crazy obstacle course had been set up in the largest pen. They’d converted the second one into a battle arena where dozens of hybrids were currently sparring. As we approached the landing pad, a Guldan walked out of the mansion and headed our way. Although the hybrids continued to spar and run the gauntlet of the obstacle course, many heads turned in our direction with curiosity.
We landed seconds after Jardan stopped at a safe distance from our vessel. As soon as the doors of the shuttle opened, Nowik and Tagar exited in the lead and took position on each side of the lowered ramp. Despite their neutral expressions, their eyes didn’t miss anything in our immediate surroundings in the search of a potential threat.
A wave of sympathy coursed through me for Keran. I couldn’t imagine living with the constant need of security guards shadowing you because random freaks might want to harm you over some perceived grievance.
As much as his two guards did give me a sense of added safety, I didn’t fear for us, not with so many hybrids nearby. Even though the men were always highly competitive and trying to one up each other, and despite the frequent brawls and disagreements, when one of us came under threat, everyone else rallied to their defense. We were all each other had.
Jardan approached us with the warm smile of the seasoned salesman. In his mid-eighties, he still looked quite young. With his silver white hair—one of the common shades among his people, you couldn’t see any graying he might have had. Unlike species like Veredians and Sarenians where everyone was drop dead gorgeous, Guldans only fit in two categories: hot or ugly. There truly was no middle ground.
Jardan fell in the former. Tall and slender, he was dressed in dark grey pants and a pristine white shirt that made his slightly tanned skin stand out. The fine cut and high-quality fabric hinted at wealth and elegance, but not excess or ostentation. His thick, black horns recurving over his head contrasted sharply with his hair. He brushed a rebel lock away from his deep forest green eyes before pressing his palm to his heart in greeting.
“Jakar Keran, I was wondering how quickly I would have the pleasure of your visit,” Jardan said in a friendly tone that sounded genuine.
He didn’t look at me or even acknowledged my presence. It wasn’t out of disrespect, but the exact opposite. Well, respect for Keran, not me. In Guldan culture, females were property. You always had to belong to a male: father, husband, brother, any male relative based on the hierarchy of the blood ties, or a guardian, in that order. You didn’t speak to a female without being given permission by the male who owned her, except if she was found wandering around by herself without a chaperone.
Off-world, they bent those rules with foreign females, treating us like any other person, except if we were accompanied by a male.
“Greetings, Sen Korey,” Keran said politely, using the Guldan term for ‘sir’. He then gestured at me. “This is Dawn Merrick. She runs the Genxia shelter.”
Jardan finally looked at me, his expression friendly. “Greetings, Miss Merrick and welcome to Sulan Ranch. The hybrids speak highly of you and of the work you’ve accomplished at the shelter on their behalf.”
“Thank you. You’re very kind. But please, call me Dawn.”
“Only if you both call me Jardan,” he replied with a smile before turning to Keran. “Your Captain contacted me yesterday. I understand you have questions for me regarding the murders?”
“Yes. The investigation is dragging too long. The murderer needs to be stopped,” he said in a stern voice.
“Good!” Jardan said with an almost rabid zeal that took me aback. “I don’t know if it’s incompetence or indifference, but the local peacekeepers seem more focused on scratching their balls and obstructing rather than moving this case forward.”
“You’ve faced obstruction at the hands of law enforcement?” I asked, Keran looking as stunned as I felt.
“Non-stop,” Jardan said with obvious aggravation. “I’ve gone four times to their offices and even tried to get the Twelve to intercede.”
“I didn’t expect you to get this involved,” Keran said, making no effort to hide his surprise.
“Of course I would! Murder is wrong, and we cannot have someone capable of this level of savagery running loose,” Jardan said as if it was self-evident. “But I’m also here on business. I came to Haven to match these hybrids with potential employers. Dead men do not sign contracts. No contracts mean no credits in my coffers. And right now, I’m spending a great deal to rent this property, not to mention all the training installations I had to set up. I am as eager as you are to get the culprit apprehended.”
That made sense. I doubted compassion played a large part in his desire to see this situation resolved, but these murders certainly affected his bottom line.
Which means we probably won’t get too many helpful clues from him.
