Page 31

I shake my head in frustration. I’ve lost count how many times I’ve been over this with Carmen. She agrees to reason, only to return to her crazy escape plans moments later. It’s maddening! Maybe I should just let her get her dumbass killed before she drags me along the murder tour?

Yet, I feel compelled to stop her, “Carmen, don’t be—”

“ Silencio, Princesa .” Carmen cuts me off with a casual wave of the hand, not even deeming to look at me.

The rude bitch!

“Can you do it, matea ?” she asks, her sharp brown eyes locking onto Kazumi.

Kazumi wilts under the harsh glare, her eyes dropping to the floor. “No,” she mutters, sounding miserable.

“ A la mierda con esto! ” Carmen exclaims, throwing her hands up dramatically before pacing the bars like a caged lioness. “But you used one before! Didn’t you send a message?” Her voice is laced with desperation now.

“I press buttons, make random selections.” Kazumi offers with a weak, nervous laugh. “Entire system not binary based. Unknown languages, interfaces.”

“But you could learn.... in time?” Carmen presses. It’s almost painful to witness this level of coping, like someone clutching the edge of a cliff with cheap fake nails.

Kazumi frowns, thinking of a reply. “If taught, maybe.”

“Right, that’s as likely as being abducted by a giant red alien.” I mutter sarcastically, my patience fraying at this pointless conversation. “Even if you hack the ship, how long before they—”

“ Princesa !” Carmen snarls, contorting her hands like she wants to strangle me. Once again, I’m the target of her impotent rage. Typical. I get blamed for everything. I’m only trying to stop the stupid bitch from getting herself killed!

“Will you stop interrupting me? It’s really rude!” I snap, my jaw tightening with annoyance, tempted to stand. But I know Carmen will only escalate and threaten violence if I do so.

“You’re the one who tells me to shut up.

” Carmen scoffs, her voice loaded with indignation.

I stare unblinkingly at her sheer hypocrisy.

My chest is tight, struggling to hold back my torrent of outrage.

But before I can get a word in, she keeps going.

“You make excuses. You and that other one. Roja .” She waves a hand, gesturing down the corridor.

“Just lie back with your legs open, waiting your turn. Is that the plan? Well, not me chica . No way. Not this time.” Her voice drips with venom, like a cobra ready to strike.

Her words sting, implying much. Beneath her anger I glimpse something more—pain, fear, a trembling lip she tries to hide behind her rage. She’s lashing out because she’s scared. Desperate to escape. I finally see it.

“Carmen...” I falter, my eyes drop, searching for the right words but finding none.

Carmen looks away, wavering a dismissive hand. “Forget it, Princesa . I had.” She gestures around the cell, sweeping her arm to take in the cold metal walls. “Until this.”

Her actions make sense now... well, maybe not sense, but at least I understand the reasoning.

Still, I think she’s making a terrible mistake projecting her past trauma onto Dracoth.

Maybe I’m na?ve, but I don’t think he would harm us—he could have done it already.

He saved us from being raped by those disgusting space hobos, fought like a red dragon to protect us.

Sure, he probably views us as his property—I’d be the equivalent of a penthouse on Central Park South.

Ah, I’d love to live there.

“You want to go home? Get away from this, sí ?” Carmen’s voice cuts through my daydream, directing the question at Kazumi.

Worry caresses my brow; Carmen’s trying to drag Kazumi into whatever desperate escape plan she’s forming. “It’s not going to—” I start, my voice sharper than I intend.

Carmen whirls on me, eyes blazing with a fury that makes my breath catch. “I don’t want to hear it, Princesa !” She snaps, before turning back to Kazumi. “Your answer?”

Kazumi shrinks, her eyes shifting to me as if seeking support, but I have none to give her.

What can I say? My gaze falls to my hands, resisting the urge to curl up in the furs and disappear.

Carmen won’t listen to reason, and fuck, who knows, maybe she’s right.

Maybe Dracoth does have something horrible planned for us?

After a long pause, Kazumi finally mutters, “I go home... if safe.” Her voice is barely above a whisper, and she nods once, cautiously.

Carmen scoffs, her face hardening again. “Safe was back on Earth, chica . We’re way past that.” She looks pleased, though, like Kazumi’s tentative agreement gives her a sliver of hope. “You keep your eyes open. Learn their machines. I’ll get us out of here.” She slaps the cell bars.

The color drains from Kazumi’s face, but she still nods, lost in thought. “Sandra, can help us?” she asks, after a tense silence.

“ Roja ?” Carmen snorts, shaking her head. “She’s worse than Princesa !” She lets out a short, mocking laugh.

What a cheeky bitch. I try not to let her words sting, letting them roll off me like insults back in boarding school—stored away but not forgotten.

“She wants it,” Carmen adds, sneering.

My ears perk up at her words. Carmen’s more perceptive than I thought, hinting at my own thoughts.

How much does she know? Maybe she’s seen or heard something I’ve missed?

Feigning shock, I interject, “Sandra, would never!”

“ Hola , are you blind, chica ?” Carmen snorts, waving her arms like I just declared an Americano tastes better than a mocha. “You hear what she said about the pendejo having a heart?” She spits on the ground—again—and I feel my patience slipping. “I’ll rip his heart out!”

I suppress a sigh. Can’t she stay focused for two seconds? “That could mean anything, Carmen.” I wave a dismissive hand toward her, attempting to steer her back to the real issue: Sandra.

“No, no,” Carmen shakes her head. “I saw that look in her eyes. She was excited to go with the big pendejo —wanted to go.” Her face twists in disgust. “They’re probably cogiendo right now.”

I’m not sure what ‘ cogiendo’ means, but I guess it involves being naked.

Fuck, it’s not just me then—Carmen sees it too.

Sandra’s got the head start, and I might’ve stumbled right out of the gate.

But it’s not like I haven’t taken someone’s boyfriend before—did them a favor, if anything. Bunch of losers...

Carmen grimaces, running a hand through her dark, wavy hair. “Kazumi, don’t tell Roja about the plan,” she warns.

Kazumi nods weakly, her face pale and drawn as usual, but I barely register her response.

My attention shifts as footsteps echo faintly down the corridor, growing louder with each passing heartbeat.

It must be Sandra and Dracoth returning.

A wave of relief washes over me—they haven’t been gone too long.

But maybe it was long enough?