Page 34 of Captured By The Alien (Starbound #2)

As was customary, a guard accompanied her back to the Potential quarters. She was never quite sure if the constant presence of an escort was to keep the candidates safe or stop them snooping round the palace.

A bit of both, probably. Though in her case it was also because they didn’t trust humans.

She tried to engage the guard in conversation but he remained stoically silent. As they turned into the wing housing the Potentials’ rooms, a Vraxian was waiting in the shadows.

Vahn , she thought.

He stepped into the light and Kara’s heart plummeted.

“Oh. It’s you.”

Baelon smiled. He motioned to the guard.

“I’ll accompany her the rest of the way, soldier. You may leave.”

The soldier bowed and went on his way. Baelon turned his oily smile towards Kara.

“I thought we could talk while Layahn keeps the Zhaal occupied. He seems quite taken with her.”

“I’m quite tired Lord Vantrax. I was on my way to bed.”

She made to walk past and Baelon whipped out a serpetrus and wrapped it round her upper arm.

“You will remain here until I tell you otherwise.” The appendage round her arm tightened painfully.

“What do you want?” Kara said through gritted teeth.

“I want to know what spell you’ve put on Talvahnax to make him think peace with humans is wise.”

“There’s no spell. Just good old common sense. No-one wants war any more.”

“That is true. But not everyone wants peace.”

“If you don’t want war and you don’t want peace, then what do you want?”

“Victory.” His eyes glittered. “Total victory.”

“Well, tough. Vahn’s in charge and he’s calling the shots.”

She tried to pull away from his grip but he wrapped his second serpetrus around her other arm and held her steady.

“You’re cutting off my blood flow,” she said pointedly. “Is there a reason you’re acting like a douche?”

“You will show me respect, human,” Baelon snarled. “Talvahnax may be in charge for now. But that could change in a heartbeat. For instance, if he was shown to be unbalanced.”

“No-one’s going to buy that baloney.”

“No? Rutting with a human is at the very least treasonous, if not insane.”

Kara swallowed.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“What is between your legs that keeps him in your thrall? Is there some human trick that makes him weak for your cunt?”

“God, you’re vile. Let me go.”

“Perhaps I should see for myself.”

He groped her crudely between her thighs. The coarse invasion shocked her and she kicked out, catching him on the knee. In a fury he backhanded her across the face.

She saw it coming and managed to ride it out a little but the blow brought tears to her eyes.

Baelon tightened his serpetri on her arms and lifted her off her feet. She gasped in pain as he shook her like a dog in mid-air.

“There will never be peace with our enemies,” he snarled. “And you will never become the Zhaalini. I will watch you burn before I allow a sub-species like you to stain our royal line.”

He let her go and she fell to the ground in a crumpled heap. She braced herself in case he decided to mete out more punishment but he turned on his heel and left.

Slowly, she pulled herself into a sitting position. She was a mess. Her hair had come undone and the beautiful flowers painted onto her skin were smudged. Her cheek was sore. Vicious red welts circled her upper arms.

Trying not to wince, she gathered up the emeralds which had scattered everywhere when Baelon had shaken her. The sound of footsteps made her freeze and she prayed it wasn’t him coming back for seconds.

“Kara. Is that you?” Ela’s face creased in consternation. “What in the name of Ayanlesh happened?”

“Baelon. He happened.”

“ Drek. Let’s go to your room before anyone sees you.”

Kara allowed Ela to help her back to her quarters. She sat on the bed while the general examined her arms.

“He’s broken your skin. I can see where his dendra pierced you.”

“I’m surprised the bastard didn’t just inject me with arak and have done with it.”

“No. He wouldn’t risk killing you. He can’t openly reveal he’s opposed to the peace plan.”

“But Vahn will know when he sees what he did to me.”

Ela looked at her sharply.

“Kara, you can’t tell Vahn about this. You mustn’t breathe a word, do you hear me?”

“What are you talking about?” Kara was surprised. “I can’t keep this a secret. Vahn has to know what Baelon really thinks.”

“No!” Ela clasped Kara’s hands. “Think about it for one second. You are Vahn’s kalehsha. His fated one. If he sees what Baelon’s done to you, he won’t just reprimand him. He’ll beat him to a pulp.”

“Vahn wouldn’t…”

“He won’t be able to stop himself. That’s what kalehsh means. He won’t be able to think straight, Kara. He won’t be able to think at all. And not only will it confirm what Baelon already suspects, it will taint Vahn as unhinged. Perhaps unfit to rule. It will ruin him, do you understand?”

Kara closed her eyes.

“You’re saying Baelon marked me on purpose,” she said slowly. “To provoke a reaction from Vahn and then challenge him for the throne.”

“And sink the peace process. Perhaps even seek approval to use the Vastos Bomb.”

Ela took a small tube from her pocket and spread some cream on the welts. Kara winced at the initial sting but relaxed as the pain diminished.

“Thanks. That’s better.” She glanced at Ela. “I’ve heard the Vastos Bomb mentioned before. What the hell is it, exactly? Vahn talks about it as if it’s the end of creation.”

“It is. That’s exactly what it is.” Ela put the healing cream away and sat back on her heels. “The initial explosion devastates key cities. But that’s not the full extent of the damage. The blast releases the vastonium particle which our scientists engineered several years ago. It causes immediate infertility in all organic matter. Plants, animals, microorganisms. And, of course, humans.”

“Infertility?”

“Every species on Earth would die out in one generation.”

Kara felt the air rush from her lungs as she digested the information.

“That’s… sweet Jesus, that’s… is there even a word for that?”

“Terracide. The death of an entire planet.”

“Your scientists made that deliberately ?”

“We’ve never used it,” Ela said, shame-faced. “And by Vannla’s Sword I hope we never will.”

“But you’re saying Baelon wants to use it? To annihilate my planet?”

“Not just him. He has a cadre of followers who believe peace with Earth is too risky and getting rid of it altogether would be safer. But they’re a tiny minority,” Ela added hastily as she saw the color drain from Kara’s face. “Most Vraxians are encouraged by the ceasefire. And by your participation in shaa’baara .”

“Rhyn said people were betting against me.”

“Rhyn says a lot of things.” Ela’s nose wrinkled. “Trust me, there’s support for Vahn’s hypothesis that a marriage across the species would cement peace. Many Vraxians are rooting for you.”

“But if Baelon is trying to undermine the plan…”

“The best thing we can do about Baelon is not to give his vile rhetoric any oxygen. And that means not telling Vahn what he did.” Ela looked at her steadily. “You see that, don’t you?”

The general was right. If Vahn saw the welts on her arm, if he learned that Baelon had brutalized her, he would try to kill him.

And that would play straight into Baelon’s hands.

Right now Baelon only suspected she and Vahn were intimately involved. If he knew for sure, he’d twist it into something ugly. He’d use it against them.

“You’re right. I have to keep this quiet.” Kara touched her arms. “But the marks…”

“Sleeves will cover them. Make-up for the bruise on your cheek. Or we could say you got it in the challenge.”

“Yes. That would work.”

“Kara…” Ela hesitated, then spoke quickly, as if to get the words out before she changed her mind. “I wanted to thank you. For trying to get Earth and Vraxos to make peace. It is no small thing.”

Kara glanced at her in surprise.

“It’s not just me. We’re all trying.”

“But you’re the one putting yourself in danger. You’re the one far from home and surrounded by enemies.”

“Not all enemies. I hope.”

Ela’s mouth twisted.

“I judged you harshly when we first met. I was wrong. It no longer seems so fantastical that Vahn found kalehsh with you.”

Kara was stunned.

“That… that means more than you know.”

Ela didn’t give her the opportunity to say anything else. She got to her feet briskly.

“From now on I advise you to stay with other people. Do not walk alone. I will keep a closer eye on Baelon, but you’d do well to keep out of his way.”

“I’m not scared of him. I’m looking at the bigger picture. An end to this goddam war.”

Ela nodded thoughtfully.

“Hard to imagine, isn’t it? After so many years of fighting, not fighting will be…”

“Weird? Complicated?”

“I was going to say novel.”

Kara raised a brow.

“Interesting. Rhyn used the exact same word.”

“What’s interesting about that?”

“It means he’s on the same wavelength as you, for a start.”

The general snorted.

“Rhyn spouts so much nonsense it’s inevitable he’ll come out with something intelligent at least once in a while.”

“If you say so.”

“I will leave you to get some rest now.” Ela ignored the smirk on Kara’s face. “The next challenge begins tomorrow night.”

“Can you give me any clues?”

“No. But you will be fine, I have no doubt.”

After she left, Kara took a shower. She scrubbed off the remains of Daa’sten’s body paint, wishing she could clean away the memory of Baelon’s attack as easily.

Then she pulled on one of Daa’sten’s creations, a flowing chiffony dress. She would never have chosen something so girly but it was the first thing she found with long sleeves.

She paced about the room, too wired to take Ela’s advice and go to bed. She wondered what Vahn was doing now. Still dancing with Layahn? He’d better not be. He’d be getting a serious talking to about boundaries the next time she saw him.

She wished she could go outside and take a walk, get some fresh air, but that was impossible. Potentials weren’t allowed to wander, not without an escort and possibly a hall pass. She wasn’t in a cell, but she wasn’t exactly free either.

It was only when she remembered the secret passageway in the bathroom that she perked up.

She would go up to the balcony. Breathe in the night air. It wasn’t wise, she knew that. But no-one would miss her. Everyone was still at the ball. And if any of the Potentials called it a night they’d just assume she was asleep.

It took her a little while to find the catch in the towel cabinet. But when she pressed it, the whole unit swung away from the wall to reveal the hidden exit behind.

Quietly she slipped through, and for the first time that evening she felt more like herself.

Out on the balcony, the night was as beautiful as before. She looked out at the city, the soft glow of the moons washing everything in silver.

Her chiffon skirt billowed around her legs in the soft breeze. Somewhere in the distance she could hear the music from the ball. It was almost perfect.

Almost.

She climbed onto the balustrade and sat cross-legged, palms upward. Her eyes closed and she let her mind drift, not thinking of anything in particular. Just breathing. Just being.

When she smelled his scent, she assumed she was dreaming. But then his arms slid round her and his mouth pressed to her ear.

“ Kalehsha, ” he rumbled.

And then it was perfect.