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  Arthinial smiled, “There is also a bout in the arena if you would care to join me there to witness some of our best warriors.”

  Jiska perked up—she was always up for watching fighters and analyzing battle tactics.

  She tapped Deskin’s wrist twice to indicate agreement. He smiled. “That would be fascinating. I am sure that Ms. Irthano would be only too pleased to witness the best that your colony can offer.”

  Arthinial beamed in delight, and the servant came forward with a tray of foodstuffs. The food was offered to Jiska first, a tradition she felt more men could benefit from learning.

  She took a small plate, picked a few fruits and a tiny sandwich and sat back, nibbling cautiously as she took in the new flavours. She delicately spit out two that she found objectionable, and she noted that their host was watching her intently.

  “You stare, Prefect.”

  “I am trying to place your species. You seem to be built like a lovely standard female, but there are a few discrepancies in your features. Your irises contrast violently with your pupils and your hair is so pale as to be almost translucent.”

  She smiled. “I come from a blend of many species, too many to count. I understand your confusion.”

  He nodded and continued his visual examination of her skin, hair and eyes.

  To throw him off the scent of her species, she ate a few items that were completely repellent to her. Her stomach would keep them down, but she didn’t enjoy them one bit.

  Deskin and Arthinial spoke quietly of inconsequential things while she ate. When she was done, Arthinial mentioned something that sent a sense of unease through her.

  “Of course, to make it a fair test, she should be wearing something a little more suitable for the task, a gown perhaps.”

  “I am afraid that I left all my gowns in my luggage.” She inclined her head.

  He smiled. “I am sure that we can arrange something.”

  She frowned. “I am sure that I can find something on the shuttle if it is required.”

  Deskin looked at her. “You can?”

  She nodded, hoping that her research into Masuo was as complete as she hoped. “I can look.”

  “That is not necessary, I am sure that I can find something here.” Arthinial smiled.

  She nodded. “As you will, Prefect. I am unfamiliar with the fashions of the Enjel.”

  He smiled, and once again, the servant appeared at his side. “Clothing for the lady. Put it in the gold bedroom please, Camios.”

  Camios gave her an intense look and nodded with a smile. “Right away, uncle.”

  The youngster disappeared, and Jiska felt a slight smile creep over her features. “You keep your children with you?”

  “All young men are apprenticed to an older male either in the family or a family friend. It saves on importing slaves for labour.” He chortled with glee.

  “So you do import slaves then?” She leaned forward.

  “Of course. Our population is dwindling, and we created this colony to grow our species, but there are difficulties in locating the necessary females. We do what we must to make sure we survive another thousand years. The women we do obtain that way are respected and cherished as any Enjel woman would be.”

  She listened with interest. “How do you find the slave markets? How do you transport them? Do their families ever come looking?”

  Arthinial leaned back and chuckled. “We could discuss this at length if you would care to stay a while.”

  Deskin snorted. “When I leave, she will be with me.”

  “Unless she cannot find Sarnulia. In which case, we can discuss this at our leisure.” He looked like he was enjoying himself immensely.

  Camios came to the doorway and stated. “There is a selection of gowns, if the lady would care to try them on?”

  Deskin gripped her hand, and she nodded. “Of course I would. Lead the way.”

  With her stomach grumbling and her nerves making themselves known for the first time since she entered her initial battle, she followed the young Enjel down the halls and into the gold bedroom.

  It was time to dress like a lady.

  Chapter Six

  A dozen gowns were draped over every bit of space in the gold room. She stood nervously and looked down at her boots. “I know this isn’t what you expected, but I really need you right now.”

  She looked at the variety of gowns and picked one that would suit her current mood. She stripped to the skin, put her boots back on and concentrated.

  The boots changed their texture, moved up her legs, wrapped around her hips and crept over her shoulders. A gown of two parts, snug across her torso and flowing below the waist took shape. The right side was in the same purple as her uniform and the left was black. The fabric took on a crisp sheen, and out of nowhere, a gauzy underdress of flowing silk appeared.

  “Oh, you lovely, lovely things.” She ran her hands down her hips and turned to look at herself in the mirror.

  The material squeezed her as if in reply to her praise. It even remained on her feet in the form of delicate slippers.

  She folded her clothing neatly into a bundle and smiled as she met Camios in the hall. “I improvised with what I have. Thank you for the selection though, it provided me with understanding of Enjel style.”

  He inclined his head, his expression still confused. “You look lovely, lady. Arthinial will be speechless.”

  “I am just hoping that I will fit in.”

  “You will shine like a star in the night sky.” He bowed, and his short wings fluttered. “May I take your clothing? I will have it delivered to your shuttle.”

  She handed him the bundle and followed him back to the audience chamber where all conversation ceased the moment she entered the room. Deskin was staring at her, his perfect features astonished. Arthinial’s smile was warm, but the look in his eyes was blazing.

  “I believe this meets your request for appropriate attire?”

  She walked up to the men and stood next to Deskin, her hand on his shoulder in a proprietary gesture.

  Arthinial smiled. “It does indeed. You will shame the very moon with your beauty.”

  She felt her cheeks heating and blinked in confusion.

  Deskin calmed Arthinial’s admiration by pulling Jiska into his lap. She sat down with a thud on his thighs and carefully folded her hands in her lap. If she didn’t, she might just deck him.

  As if she was not there, Deskin continued his conversation with Arthinial about the wisdom of having young bachelors compete for the honour of meeting a female. It kept them busy and ensured that the most capable were the ones breeding.

  When Camios announced that it was time to head to the games, she stood with a sigh of relief. It had been too tempting to sit on Deskin’s lap and not relax into the strength of his body. That the action would be highly inappropriate was the only reason that she didn’t give into the urge. She was on duty, after all.

  Deskin offered her his arm, and she followed his cues on how to take it. With her hand curved under his elbow and over his forearm, she walked beside him to the arena with its domed cover.

  The men in her vicinity grew quiet when she entered. The urge to huddle next to Deskin for protection was not something she experienced on a day-to-day basis, so she blamed the gown and the lack of undergarments.

  The prefect’s box for viewing the games was high up and made sure that she was visible to all. Arthinial made a show of kissing her hand as he seated her next to him, leaving Deskin on her other side one tier down.

  Wings ruffled, and the scent of men and feathers was strong in the arena. Arthinial rose to his feet when the gong sounded and addressed the crowd. He gave welcome to all watching, wished all the men a good fight and announced that a contest was being held at moonrise at the Aerie and all were invited to attend the grounds.

  When he sat back in the seat, she hissed at him. “That is cheating.”

  He lifted her hand and pressed it to his lips before she could
yank it back. “The moment I saw you dressed as an Enjel woman, I knew that I had to do everything I could to win. Your gown alone will make you a target, your skin will glow in the shadows and your hair will catch the starlight. There is no way you can make it in and out to reclaim one female.”

  She smiled tightly. “Watch me.”

  The fights were amazing, half on foot, half in the air. The warriors of the Enjel were power, grace and devastating accuracy. It was something Jiska kept in mind as the light began to redden and fade.

  As the games concluded and everyone filed out, she looked to Deskin, and he nodded. “Are you ready?”

  She sighed. “No. But at least I know getting in won’t be a problem. It is getting out that will cause the difficulty. I am ready for it.”

  He gave her arm a squeeze, and with Arthinial, they walked the half kilometre to the grounds of the Aerie.

  The gardens were lovely in the moonlight, but Jiska’s eyes saw only the distances she had to travel through a thick crowd of Enjel. She was going to have to put the light on full.

  Arthinial smiled. “You may begin at any time.”

  Jiska turned to Deskin, “Be ready to leave.”

  She lifted her chin and strode forward as if she was going to address her own troops.

  The Enjels watched her and made a passage for her, allowing her into the Aerie where she would be available to them for courtship. She lifted her skirts and climbed step after step, searching the levels until she came upon the living quarters. Two enormous and fanged female guards smiled at her and let her pass.

  The first four common rooms didn’t yield a result, but the fifth showed her one young woman who matched the images of Sarnulia. “What is your name?” She moved quickly to the young woman’s side.

  “Sarnulia.”

  “Do you want to be here?”

  She sniffled. “No. I have an arrangement already. I want to go home.”

  “Then come with me, and I will take you there.”

  There was nowhere to jump, and they were too high regardless. They would have to get out the same way Jiska got in. Only this time, folks would be trying to stop them.

  “How are you going to get past them? They don’t let anyone leave unattended.”

  “Stay behind me and don’t look at my face.” Jiska called the light and stared down the two guards.

  The females toppled and fell to one side.

  “There, two down, three hundred to go. Stay close.” Jiska gripped Sarnulia’s hand, and they began their walk through the Aerie.

  Every Enjel or servant who saw them soon found the floor was the most comfortable place to be.

  Stair after stair, tier after tier, they slowly made their way to the main floor of the Aerie.

  “Sarnulia, there is a crowd outside. Stay behind me and don’t let go of my hand. If you can, close your eyes.”

  The guards inside the Aerie fell and then the ladies were out in the open air.

  Jiska stopped when she saw all the men, and she let her power spill out of her eyes and into every pore of exposed skin. The cascade of thuds as they fell to the ground was satisfying, but they were so closely packed that it took quite a bit of picking to find the path that would lead her and her charge out of the mass.

  Sarnulia remained on her heels the entire time.

  Jiska winced when she saw the crumpled form of Deskin and Prefect Arthinial. “Surnalia, I need you to open your eyes now. I have to let go of your hand.”

  “Why?” Surnalia was almost in a panic.

  “Because I have to get my partner to the shuttle, and I don’t see a skimmer around anywhere.”

  She bent and hauled him sideways across both shoulders. She was bent over and could not manage it for long, but for now, she was walking with Deskin and their target. It took twenty minutes for her to walk the entire way to the shuttlecraft. She keyed in the code to open the door and dumped Deskin inside. He groaned and started to wake, but it would be close to an hour before he was competent to do more than talk.

  Sarnulia hustled in behind him, leaving Jiska to face the remaining Enjels. She waited until they had landed and showed them the light. When they were all on the ground and she had collected the parcel of her uniform, she entered the ship, sealed the hatch and started pre-flight checks.

  With her partner incapacitated, and the Enjels coming in for retribution, she decided that getting off the surface would be a good first step. She mimicked his checks, followed her recollections of the toggles, and when she pulled back to begin their climb, the ship slid upward with nary a complaint.

  Sarnulia was nearby in a jump seat, and as she pulled them upward through the atmosphere, Jiska felt relief when Deskin fought his way to the navigator station.

  “You are doing well, Jiska.” He rubbed at his head. “Your power is strong.”

  “That is what I have been told. Hold tight.” She dodged a satellite before asking, “So, where is Sarnulia’s destination?”

  “Back with her family. I will enter the coordinates.”

  He followed his comment up with actually producing the coordinates.

  “Fly us to the first jump point, and we are on our way.”

  She did as requested, but her own after-talent headache was coming on strong. The screens were blurring, and her head was pounding. “I may not be able to fly for much longer.”

  “Why not?”

  “Power has price. This price is my intense fatigue and blinding headache. I need an hour’s rest.” She rubbed her forehead.

  He nodded. “You shall have it. Go and find a bunk. Relax and rest. You did an amazing thing. A woman back to her family and her soon-to-be wife is always an amazing thing.”

  She smiled weakly and headed to the back of the shuttle. “Well, you won your bet.”

  He laughed and took over the controls, increasing their speed.

  She went to the galley of the shuttle and found Sarnulia curled up with a cup of tea. “How are you doing, Sarnulia?”

  She smiled weakly. “We are headed home?”

  “To your home? Yes.”

  Sarnulia burst into sobs of relief. Jiska held her as she released her tension and the stress of the past few weeks.

  Sarnulia wiped her cheeks and apologized. “I am so sorry. I have been holding them off as well as I could, but I was running out of excuses.”

  Jiska held her hand and offered her the same comfort that her mother had offered her so many times when she had been young, confused and panicked by the serious nature of the work forced upon her. Her mother had held her hand and eased her mind, stroking her hair and telling her that if she wanted to run, Jelura would help get her off world if she wanted it, but that if she could stick it out just a little bit longer, the war might end. It was that thought that kept her going, and she offered that comfort to their rescued damsel.

  Her head threatened to split, but she kept herself at Sarnulia’s side until the woman smiled a little more easily. “Pardon my rudeness, but I really have to get some rest.”

  Sarnulia grabbed her hand. “Tell me, how did you do what you did to all those men?”

  “It was something I was born with, just like the colour of my eyes.” She chuckled weakly.

  “Go rest. I have thousands of more questions, and you can answer more easily when you have had some sleep.”

  Jiska smiled, downed a glass of water and went off in search of a bunk. There was a small room that was probably Deskin’s, but she didn’t care. He had already had his nap for the evening.

  Chapter Seven

  Her Masuo was now a bodysuit that was far more snug than the original suit constructed, but it was a supportive kind of snug.

  Jiska rolled out of the bunk and to her feet, stretching before heading to the command area where Deskin was still at the helm. “Morning?”

  He grinned. “Morning. We are on the final approach to Yuthar Station.”

  She looked at him and slid into the navigator station. “Is that where Sarnulia live
s?”

  “No, it is where her family is waiting. They are on their way to a new colony, so the entire assembly decided to wait while we retrieved their missing member.”

  “Wow. How many folk have been waiting for her?”

  “Two thousand. Their ships are covering the station. Look.” He gestured to the view screen, and she was treated to the view of a huge ring in space, rotating slowly and studded with vessels.

  Sarnulia came and stood behind them, happy tears gleaming in her eyes. “I did not think I would see them again. Thank you for bringing me back to them.”

  Deskin smiled and opened the com, getting docking approval for their shuttle and its precious cargo.

  Jiska rose the moment that they made the connection with the station, and Sarnulia raced her to the exit.

  Sarnulia was humming with eagerness. She wiped her hands excessively down her thighs as she waited for the hatch to cycle open.

  “Be calm, Sarnulia. Your family and your fiancée want you back. There is nothing to worry about.” Jiska put her hand on the woman’s arm to calm her and used the other to key open the door.

  Deskin’s voice behind her was amused. “I don’t remember giving you the code.”

  She shrugged as it opened, and a woman who appeared to be an older version of Sarnulia rushed in and gripped her daughter, sobbing with relief.

  Jiska smiled as she realized that tears must run in the family. Sarnulia’s father had tracks running down his features as well.

  Deskin moved up to stand next to Jiska. “A job well done, Ms. Irthano.”

  They watched the family reunite, and when the father asked what had to be traded, Deskin replied. “Nothing. Ms. Irthano managed to extract your daughter with no trouble at all.”

  Jiska throttled down her reflexes as she was surrounded on all sides and caught in a familial hug. She had a choice, fight her way out or surrender to the gratitude. With a grimace, she surrendered for the first time in her life.

  Deskin was horribly amused at her expense, but she would leave her revenge until another time…with fewer witnesses.