Page 8 of Whispers of the Void (Voidborn Chronicles #1)

CHAPTER 8

RAIZ

* * *

N eev whips the remains of her shirt over her head, leaving her bloodied and bruised body on display around the undergarment wrapped around her chest. Our females don’t wear such items, but they only develop breasts for feeding young. My eyes catch on a tattoo that extends from beneath the material and downward. Before I can try to puzzle together an idea of what it depicts, I force my eyes back to her face.

Her skin takes on an even paler pallor as she sits there, her eyes becoming unfocused on the wall behind me. She’s going into shock. I drag a deep breath in, forcing myself to relax, so my fangs retract as my talons have. I don’t need to be hovering over her in a beastly form like that.

She doesn’t speak as I wet some cloth with antiseptic liquid. “This will sting.” I slide my hand on her unmarred cheek to hold her head still. My chest loosens when she tilts her head into my touch. Even with the vacant look in her eyes, she is giving me her trust.

Stars, she’s so small. Her head fits in my hand, and her hair feels like ribbons of silk winding through my fingers. She flinches as I run the soaked material over the first cut.

“I’m sorry,” I say, running my thumb over the smooth skin of her other cheek.

“You know,” she says without moving her head, “I almost had him right before you showed up.” The light is coming back in her eyes.

“You did?”

“Yep. Kneed him really good in the area I assumed genitals were. That’s why he was choking me.” Her voice is a bit rough, likely from being choked. “I’m actually a lot tougher than I look.”

“A fierce, tiny human,” I smirk at her.

“I’m not tiny. From what I understand I’m tall for the average human woman.”

“You’re child size for the Zeahiri.” I dig around in the cabinet for the cream that should quicken healing and prevent scarring. “What do you mean from what you understand?”

She shrugs. “I’ve never met another human. Did you see that there was an older male human in the pub? That was the first look I’ve ever gotten at one.”

“No, my focus was elsewhere.”

“Do you think Altis is okay?”

“Yes. He’s one of the only males who can spar with me and occasionally come out on top. He is fine.”

“It was four on one.”

“He could handle a dozen.”

I grab all the used supplies and toss them into the trash shoot. Neev slides off the counter and walks into the bedroom. She grabs clean clothes and looks at me.

“I’m going to shower off all the blood,” she says.

“Okay.” She looks to the door as if wanting me to leave.

I always forget that humans are more reserved about nudity, so I step out into the living room. But I have no plans to leave my quarters. I have to figure out how I knew she was in trouble before Altis yelled for help down our connection. I was already running for her, a tug from within directing me.

As I change into a clean uniform, I can’t stop myself from trying to figure out an answer to the mystery. Could it be from scent marking her? Did that somehow trigger a connection between us, or at least forge the foundation of one? Her terror hit me with the force of a boulder on my chest. My fangs and talons instantly extending to fight whatever or whoever threatened her. I’ve never reacted like that to anything before.

But seeing her held against the wall like that, her face turning blue, I went into a rage unlike anything I’ve ever felt. I knew I shouldn’t have let her off the ship. Outposts are lawless and attract the worst scourge of the galaxy. At least Cuna has already found what they need and has already begun fixing the drive.

The water stops, and I hear her moving around behind the closed door. My fingers flex on the back of the couch. I might look relaxed, but I’m still pulled so tight I could snap.

She walks out of the bedroom with her damp hair plaited and wrapped on top of her head. She’s pulled on a set of the uniform we wear for training. The black material seems to suck the life from her skin and makes the purple bruise on her cheek stick out in stark contrast.

“I didn’t realize you’d still be here,” she says, dropping onto the other end of the couch.

“I wanted to make sure you were alright.”

A brief smile lifts the corners of her lips. “I’ll be fine. Were you speaking telepathically with Altis today?”

“Yes.”

“Is that how you knew I was in trouble?”

“He did alert me.” I’m keeping the tug to myself until I understand it.

She nods contemplatively. “How does it work?”

“The mind speaking? Or the mind walking I did with you?”

“Both. Can you do it with anyone? Just read their minds?”

“I can, but I, as you know, find it invasive. Especially the mind walking. Your thoughts are your own unless you decide to share them. Forcing my way inside always feels wrong. But to do so, I just have to close my eyes and place my hand on one’s head.”

“That’s so interesting. Can all of you do it?”

“Not anymore. It’s believed that skill set is from long ago, when we were still an aquatic species and has mostly given way to the force of evolution. My bloodline remains one of the strongest, and as the heir to the Asterean House I’m gifted with abilities.”

“But Altis can?”

“He can communicate with me, as can Hyva and Vynia. They gave me permission to build a sort of channel within their subconscious.”

“That’s really interesting.” A frown settles on her face as she looks past me and through the window.

I find myself wanting to know her thoughts. Yearning for them. “What are you thinking?”

She glances at me. “Is it tempting to just peek for yourself?”

“No.” Yes.

“I occasionally feel this sense of emptiness, I guess. Maybe seeing that human man triggered it. I just wish I had the same kind of innate knowledge you have about your history for my own. I spend all my free time watching human documentaries, films, and other forms of media. Or reading books. But it isn’t the same as living it.”

“I’m sorry.”

She shrugs. “It could be worse. At least I had the galaxy at my fingertips within the glass walls of Oculus Nine.”

“Do you miss it? The Order?”

“No.” The word comes out in a sigh. “Shockingly, I don’t. This is the most excitement and adventure I’ve ever had.” She tosses me a wry smile. “Though I would have preferred not to be stolen from my bed.”

“Talk to the Order about that. I asked politely the first time.”

“I still don’t understand why they told you no.” A line forms between her eyebrows. “Other members of the Order routinely travel off Oculus Nine to help.”

“Is there some reason they would want to keep you on board? Something special about you?”

“No.” She looks at me with sincerity. “I’m completely mundane. The only gift I have is my ability to translate and understand so many languages.”

“There are many words I’d use to describe you, Neev. Mundane would never be one of them.”

Before she can say anything, Cuna calls me down to engineering. I leave her curled on the couch, looking out at dusk falling over the horizon through the window. It feels wrong to walk away from her while she’s upset and pensive, even if her emotional state isn’t my business.

I find Cuna with their team, two of which are halfway inside one of the panels behind the drive, legs sticking out as they work on repairs. Cuna looks up from their tablet when I enter the room.

“How long until the drive is fixed?” I ask them.

“We should be able to launch back into space as soon as everyone is on board. After that maybe another hour before we can make the jump back to Zeahiri.”

“That’s perfect. I’ll get everyone to their stations.” The twelve-hour leave I granted will be ending in a little over an hour. “Do you need anything else from me down here?”

“No. We’re good. I’ll let you know if that changes.”

* * *

I’ve called all crew to their stations to prepare for atmospheric exit and then our jump to Zeahiri. As soon as I announced over the coms system that they’d be back in their own beds by tomorrow night, I could practically feel the wave of euphoria ripple through the ship. We have been gone nearly a month, some of the crew have mates and families waiting at home for them. I know they’re anxious to get home.

Vynia sits at her console, ready to fly us out of here. Altis sits to my right, Mydax to my left. I didn’t tell either of them that I invited Neev to the bridge to observe take off and the jump. There’s nothing like watching the stars streak by in the seconds leading to being able to bend space and time to the will of your ship.

The lift doors slide open, and all eyes turn to the female who walks into the room. Despite the bruise and cuts on her cheek, she looks completely fine. She moves with a smooth, confident stride, nodding in greeting to the twins. I stand and gesture to my seat.

“You can sit here.”

She glances quickly at Mydax. “Are you sure? Isn’t that your chair?”

“It is. I’ll be fine standing behind you. The first time you experience a jump can be disorienting.”

“Okay.” She doesn’t spare another glance at the male to her left.

“Jump drive is ready, Commander.” Vynia taps a few buttons on her console. “Ready to engage at your mark.”

I lean down and reach over Neev’s shoulder, grabbing the belt and buckling her in. “Just in case,” I say quietly into her ear.

The only tell that she’s nervous is the way her fingers grip the arm rests.

“Engage,” I say to Vynia.