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Chapter30
BRUTE
Just as Ireach Jenny’s quarters, her rebellious song stops playing over the ship-wide speakers, and when I glance at the nearest info screen in the corridor, I’m relieved to see it’s blank. Officer Furrlis was successful.
The door of my mate’s quarters is open and human security officers are walking around, searching the nearby alcoves. I growl when I see Captain Warren standing just inside the entryway. Through the bond, I can still sense Jenny’s fear, and Star Gods how it guts me.
I grab the captain by the neck and pin him to the wall.
His eyes bulge and he grasps at my wrists. His face quickly turns red. When several security officers try to intervene, I stare them down and emit a menacing growl that stops them in their tracks.
“Where is Jenny?” I ask.
Margo appears at my side. “As I’ve told these gentlemen,” she says, “I haven’t seen Jenny in hours.” She gives me a half-wink with one eye that makes me suspect she’s not being truthful. I think she knows where my mate is but doesn’t want the security officers to find her. I loosen my hold on Captain Warren’s neck.
“Are you planning to arrest Jenny?” I demand.
The captain coughs and draws in a gasping breath. “Yes. She’s committed a grave crime.Inciting acts of violence or rebellionis a crime punishable by a decade in the brig at minimum. The maximum sentence, of course, is death by depressurization chamber.”
A snarl resounds from my chest. “Leave these quarters immediately. All of you. The female obviously isn’t here.” I release the captain and step back. It takes all my self-control not to pummel him to death. How dare he threaten my female?
The human males depart quickly. Once the door slides shut, I go from room to room just to make sure none have stayed behind. I look under beds and behind any piece of furniture that might fit a human body. After I’m satisfied that we’re alone, I stride up to Margo.
“Where is she?” I ask gently.
Margo’s eyebrows shoot upward. “Follow me.”
To my astonishment, she leads me into a bedroom and pulls up a piece of the floor, revealing a hiding spot. Revealing Jenny. My mate’s eyes are filled with tears, and she lets out a sob as I reach for her.
I lift her out of the hiding spot and carry her into the sitting room. I settle on the sofa while holding her, brushing her tears away with my thumbs and stroking her hair as I seek to comfort her. I send her torrents of warmth through the bond, and she sends me a wave of gratitude.
“Thank you for coming, Brute.” She sniffles. “But what happens now? The captain and his minions will just keep looking for me. He’ll tear the ship apart in his quest for vengeance. He’ll want to make an example of me. The fact that I’m his niece only makes it worse—he’ll believe I’ve paid him a grievous insult. I’ve humiliated him.”
A thought occurs to me. A plan.
One that would solve more than one problem we’re facing.
“Captain Warren didn’t execute the ten female members of The Saviors. I’ve made certain those females will be handed over to my people, which is set to happen in just three days’ time.”
Margo sits in a chair near us and scrubs a hand over her face. “So, you’ll ask Captain Warren to put Jenny’s name on the list? The list of one hundred has already been finalized, though perhaps Jenny can take the place of another woman.”
“I heard Captain Warren screaming and ranting about me as he walked around our quarters,” Jenny says. “I heard everything he said. He’s pissed as hell. He wants me dead.”
“According to the alliance, the leaders of theJansonnahave no legal jurisdiction over human females who have been claimed by Darrvasons. The wording doesn’t specify that the human female must be on a list that was curated by Captain Warren.” I tighten my hold on Jenny. “I will claim you. Then I will take you to theHaxxalin three days’ time. I will alert Admiral Tornn and Emperor Radakk. Knowing that they will wish to keep you safe, as you are the sister-in-law of Admiral Tornn, I am confident they will support us. I am confident they will intervene if Captain Warren tries to prevent your departure from the worldship.”
“That actually sounds like it could work.” She swallow hard and glances at her mother.
It will work. I promise. I will claim you. I will claim you today, little female.I send her a pulsing wave of warmth and kiss her forehead.
Are you going to claim me in my quarters? I mean, what about my mother and…Her thoughts trail off.
No, I’ll claim you in my quarters, he responds privately. “I want the captain to know I’m claiming you. Once he learns of it, he’ll realize why I’ve done it. He’ll realize any interference will be a direct violation of the treaty.” I stroke Jenny’s hair as my confidence in the plan builds. “Yes, that will work. In fact, I’ll type up a letter outlining exactly which tenets of the alliance he'll be in violation of if he makes a move against you. I’ll have Admiral Tornn and Emperor Radakk add their signatures, and I’ll ask my cousin to transmit the letter after I’ve successfully claimed you for the first time. There will be no going back after that.”
Surely my cousin and the emperor will be eager to help, especially considering the role I played in defeating the Grozznolans and tracking down the five wealthy rebels. Even if she was supposed to be off-limits, I won’t face dishonor for claiming Jenny. Not when my actions very well might save her life.
Technically, I’ll be breaking the treaty when I claim Jenny, but it’ll be up to my people to penalize me, not the leaders of theJansonna. And given the extenuating circumstances, I’m not fearful of sanctions or banishment from the empire.
