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“Sure.” She cocked her head. “You’re Rhyndar Davorrian, from one of the three ruling clans. That’s General Solarun, whose army we’re beating the crap out of. The little ray of sunshine over there is Baelon Vantrax, another royal contender. And the guy on the throne is a lying fuck.”

In a heartbeat Ela unsheathed her blaster and pointed it at Kara’s head.

“Watch your tongue, human scum.”

“Ela, stand down.” Vahn sounded amused. “Kara is nothing if not direct. And she is correct. I did not tell her I was Talvahnax Castellian. I let her think I was an ordinary soldier.”

“It was right you did not reveal yourself as the Zhaal’s heir,” said Baelon. “Especially not to the spawn of the war-monger President Cameron.”

“Shut your mouth, you piece ofzift,” Kara hissed. Without blinking Baelon whipped out a serpetrus and smashed her across the face.

Shocked, she fell backwards, unable to save herself because of her handcuffed wrists. She landed in a heap, the breath knocked out of her.

Vahn stood, eyes cold with rage.

“Do not dare to touch her again,” he growled. Baelon jerked in surprise.

“You are defending this creature?”

“Kara may be the key to peace. Isn’t that what we all want, Baelon? Ela, put your blaster away and help her up.”

With obvious reluctance the general did as she was asked, yanking Kara to her feet none-too-gently. Vahn’s eyes darkened at the sight of the bruise blooming on her cheek.

He wanted to beat Baelon to a pulp for it but he knew he couldn’t reveal his feelings. Not if he was to make his plan work.

“She must remain alive if we are to have any hope of forcing the humans to end the war,” he said.

Baelon’s eyes gleamed.

“Ah. Now I understand. You intend to ransom her to force the President into peace talks. That is not a bad idea.”

“It’s a terrible idea,” Kara said. “It won’t work. My mother would rather see me die than admit defeat.”

“Your mother is indeed a formidable female,” Ela said approvingly. “If I had a hatchling foolish enough to be caught, I would have the same reaction.”

Rhyn rolled his eyes.

“Well,thatwould never happen. You’d have to let a male get close enough to touch you first.”

“Speaks the one who has bedded half the Vraxian female population.”

“I can’t help it if they’re falling over themselves to get to me.”

“Is that because they are all drunk?”

“Stop it, both of you,” Vahn said irritably. We need to focus.”

“It is a sound plan,” said Baelon, ignoring the others. “We should torture the human. Transmit video to her people. I will oversee it myself. What mother could withstand the knowledge of the horrors being perpetrated on her own flesh and blood? We will demand a ceasefire in exchange for her life.”

Kara’s stomach roiled at the anticipatory expression on the Vraxian’s face. The bastard snake was clearly a sadist.

“No-one is torturing anyone.” Vahn’s tone was icy and Rhyn nodded in agreement.

“Indeed. That’s not how Vraxos operates. We don’t use torture, not even on our enemies. Otherwise we’re no better than the Terrans.”

Kara opened her mouth then closed it again. He wasn’t wrong. Human history was littered with examples of torture. Hell, there was even a famous museum dedicated to ancient devices that were once used to wring secrets from prisoners.

“We don’t do that anymore,” she muttered.