Page 6

He was big and blond and intimidating, and he looked military too.

The cape was what was called Alliance red after the uniforms of the old Alliance.

He had insignia on his uniform, along with patches on his sleeves that I didn’t recognize.

As he came closer, I could see they featured some kind of lizard looking creature that had wings—the dragons, I supposed.

He looked like a Lycan, except for the blond hair.

He was seriously good-looking, though, and he had the arrogant expression on his face that often went along with that.

He gave all of us, both my group and King Travon’s, a deeply unfriendly look out of eyes that were jade green.

He resembled many of the other inhabitants of this part of the galaxy, in his size, and muscular build, but that hair and those eyes were unique.

Did I mention how good looking he was? It was worth mentioning a few times.

Even if he was staring at me like he wanted to eat me.

Or maybe because of that, come to think of it.

The Lycans, the Tygerians and even the Moravians resembled each other in a few significant ways in this area of the galaxy, and this tall, muscular build they all had was one of those ways.

Some ancient astronauts must have visited each of their planets, in turn, which were fairly close together in galactic terms and there they’d spread their seed around liberally.

This man was even taller and bigger than some Lycans and maybe even the Tygerians.

Not that it mattered—my training instructors had assured me that big men were often slow and didn’t know proper fighting techniques, because they relied on all that brute strength.

Somehow, I didn’t think that would be the case with this one, however.

I still wasn’t all that alarmed. After all, I didn’t know any of them and hadn’t had time to make any enemies on Lycanus 3—not yet anyway.

I hadn’t done anything wrong, as far as I knew, and I had no reason to think they were angry at us in particular, though they certainly looked as if they were furious about something.

“Which of you is in charge here?” the handsome man in the red cape demanded as he came up to my group. He looked straight at my friend, Kareb, as he said it.

I spoke up instead and stepped out to confront him. “I’m in charge. Who wants to know?”

“My name is General Fortina, of Horvath,” the tall, blond officer said in a surprised voice. “Did you say you’re the buyer of this vetami egg? How old are you anyway?”

“I’m old enough. Why? Who are you?”

“I’ve already told you my name. Now answer me! Are you the buyer of this egg?”

“Now see here,” King Travon said stepping over to us and interrupting. “Don’t speak to him that way. His Highness, Prince Rylan and I, are here conducting a private business transaction which is none of your concern.”

“I disagree,” Fortina said. “This is an illegal transaction and it’s very much my concern. You could both be arrested for this, in fact.”

“I beg your pardon!” King Travon said in a cold, imperious tone. “How dare you? Perhaps you didn’t hear me. I am King Travon of Thalios and this young man is Prince Rylan of Moravia.”

Fortina glared at him, and the king’s guards drew closer.

I decided maybe I should speak up before anything got any more intense.

“Listen, we seem to have got off on the wrong foot here. I’m a buyer for this vetami egg that King Travon has so graciously consented to sell us.

I’m here to pick up the crate containing the egg, and this is a perfectly legal transaction and frankly, none of your damn business. ”

Fortina whirled around to glare at me. “You’re admitting it then.”

“That’s an odd way to put it, but yes, I’m here for the egg! Pray tell me, what business is this of yours, sir?”

“Indeed, I’d like to know the answer to that myself,” King Travon said. “What’s the meaning of all this?” He had a haughty, bad-tempered look as he glared at the man in the red cape. “Who do you think you are to accost us like this?”

“Are you people hard of hearing? I just told you who I am.” He frowned at each of us in turn and settled on King Travon first. “Stealing something doesn’t convey ownership, sir, no matter how long ago it may have been.”

Travon made a huffing sound. “How dare you? I’ve stolen nothing! The egg came from my own herd of vetami back on Thalios.”

“The herd you’re speaking of was stolen by your father years ago when he left Horvath and migrated to Thalios. The creatures are an endangered species by order of Davos of Tygeria, the head of the Axis. I think you’re well aware of that fact.”

After he made that shocking pronouncement, he turned to me.

“As for you, boy, you have made an illegal purchase. Ignorance of the law is no excuse. The eggs are exclusively the property of the queen of Horvath. And mine, as her agent. I’m sure you know that vetami and their eggs are considered to be endangered and no one can own them except for a Horvathian. ”

“This is outrageous!” Travon shouted at the man.

“I am King Travon of Thalios, and we’ve had vetami on our planet for many years.

I own one myself. This egg was purchased from its legal owner, namely me .

Where’s your proof that you’re who you say you are anyway?

As to your claim that they’re an endangered species, they aren’t endangered on my planet! ”

“Are you really so ignorant?” he asked in an unfriendly, insulting tone.

“Is Thalios some backwater planet on the ass end of nowhere, where no one gets the news? Everyone knows vetamis are an endangered species in this entire galaxy and protected by intergalactic law. This egg is stolen. No one is allowed to own a vetami egg except for Horvathians. That makes you either sadly misinformed, extremely stupid, or a fucking thief. Which one are you?”

For a moment Travon was speechless, and so was I.

I was sure he’d never been spoken to in such a way and neither had I.

He turned alarmingly red in the face and spluttered at the arrogance of the insulting little speech we’d both just been subjected to.

All of my men began to murmur uneasily and draw closer to me.

Kareb tried to take my arm, but I pulled away.

“How dare you speak to His Majesty in such a way?” I shouted at him.

“Or me, for that matter. This egg was bought and paid for, damn you! I have the legal paperwork right here in my hand. So, I’d advise you to back off.

And if you dare speak to either of us like that again, I’ll-I’ll knock you on your big ass. ”

I have to admit I enjoyed the look on his face when that registered on him.

Clearly, he had no idea who I was. I had a half-formed idea in my head that if he wanted to start some shit, then I’d certainly give him some.

All I had to do was invoke King Davos’s name as my grandfather, and that should settle any difficulties pretty quickly.

Still, I was a little hesitant about doing that.

The Axis was not well-loved in all parts of the realm and especially on former Alliance planets like the Lycanus group.

Some might even say they were heartily disliked.

As Davos’s grandson, I had the full power of his name behind me, but what would he think if I bandied it around when I got myself in trouble?

No, I didn’t need my father’s or my grandfather’s name.

I would handle this myself. I threw back my hood and faced this general, feeling supremely confident that I could handle any situation that arose.

“I demand to see a Lycan official immediately. I’m going to demand your arrest.”

The soldiers who were with Fortina laughed at that, but he didn’t seem to think it was funny in the least. He glanced down at the receipt I’d been waving in his face contemptuously and then he slapped it right out of my hand and to the floor.

I have to say it shocked me. My hand was tingling, and no one had ever laid hands on me before or treated me with such disrespect.

“The vetami egg belongs to Horvath,” Fortina snarled at me. “We’re confiscating it as stolen goods and taking this egg in custody. I might just arrest you as well and haul you back with us to face a judge. I’m getting tired of your smart mouth.”

“Arrest me? You can’t do that! You wouldn’t dare touch me!”

He glared down at me and lifted one side of his mouth in a sardonic smile.

“Watch me. Little boys shouldn’t make threats they can’t back up.”

“You bastard!” I shouted at him and then I shoved him on his chest as hard as I could.

Looking back on it, I can see now that it was probably an unwise move.

It was like shoving a brick wall, for one thing, and for another he hadn’t been exactly violent up to this point.

Insulting as hell, yes, but not violent.

That was all on my part. And not only did he not budge when I shoved him—all I did was hurt my hands on his hard chest.

He glared down at me contemptuously and then he literally leaned over and growled in my face.

I reeled back and tried to punch him, but he stopped my fist with his hand and pulled me over to him to take me into custody.

The moment he touched me, he suddenly stiffened, getting a shocked expression on his face.

“What is this? Tell me who you are!” he yelled down at me and then inexplicably pushed me violently away again.