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Nadzia headed for the rotating escalator and didn’t look back as she headed upstairs. She had her head tipped back in a futile attempt to hold in the tears threatening to overflow the corners of her eyes, and nearly missed the floor she needed to get off on. She made it to her room, flopped on the bed and curled into a ball around Tarsus.

Aculus

Break me!he cursed when his conclave bombarded him, forcing Nadzia to the side.

Before taking off, she said she was going to let him catch up with everyone, but it was painfully obvious she wasn’t thrilled seeing his conclave and the boisterous way they greeted him. He sighed in frustration.

Each time he attempted to excuse himself someone else had something to say or ask him. With the Conclave in front of him and his conclave surrounding him it was impossible to break free without being rude. And the last thing he wanted was to be rude to the females who pinned their hopes and futures on him. So he unclenched his jaw, smiled and answered their questions, while attempting to keep an eye on Nadzia.

“Did that human female truly help you destroy the Topus slave auction? She seems too delicate to manage a feat like that,” Costa asked as she jockeyed for a position by his side.

“No. It was a different human female, who is now mated to one of the Cadi,” he replied.

“That is the red species who is also here, right?” another of his conclave asked, but he didn’t catch who.

“Yes. Payim is here as a representative of his people,” he replied.

From the corner of his eye he caught a glimpse of red going to the secondary level. But it wasn’t Payim, it was Nadzia. She was leaving the party. His brow furrowed.

“Pardon me.” He nodded to everyone and attempted to break free of the group as Nadzia disappeared upstairs.

“Oh, but we haven’t seen you in so long,” Costa implored, looping her arm through his.

He extricated his arm.

“Costa is right. The evening is young. There’ll be more than enough time for you to make the rounds. Tell us about this other new race you made contact with. What were they called again?” Tellar asked.

“Miran Sona. They come from a quadrant that we’ve yet to chart. It was their ship the Jurou Biljana stole.”

“Ah yes, I recall from your reports. You and the Cadi retrieved the ship, but the rift drive had been stolen.” Tellar nodded.

“And the last thing anyone needs is the Jurou Biljana using that technology to traverse rifts.” He growled, thinking of all the death and pain the reptilians would wreak.

“You know, this is why my sobrus never wants to come home. He has more breathing room in the cramped quarters of his ship,” Merus declared as he joined them.

“Merus,” he sighed and smiled at the brother who knew him so well.

“I think you need to check on the human female. We were talking and Nadzia abruptly excused herself. She said she was tired, but I don’t think she felt well,” Merus relayed.

His gut clenched and worry instantly flooded him.

“Thank you.” He nodded to his Merus.

“I’m sure she’ll be fine. You can’t leave a party in your honor. I’ll have one of the guards check on her.” Axilla waved to Romion.

“No.” He glared at the group. “None of you have any clue what Nadzia has been through. In less than a lunar cycle, she’s learned other races exist, that her sister wasn’t dead but abducted by one race, abused by another, then mated to yet another, and that her entire planet is in mortal danger. On top of this her own people hunted and repeatedly attempted to kill her for aiding me. They fired an incendiary at her forcing her to flee the only world she’s known, in hopes of saving her sire’s life.”

“Aculus, you are causing a scene,” Axilla hissed through pursed lips.

It angered him that he had to lose his temper before the Conclave listened sometimes.

“My apologies, Matron. Let me remedy that situation.” He gently but firmly pushed past the conclaves. “Merus, congratulations. We’ll catch up later.”

“Of course. Over a flask of vocatus,” Merus agreed.

“Make that two.” He nodded to his brother and the conclaves then took off after Nadzia.

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