Chapter Eighteen
Nova
“Every single one of us are just puppets on a string, dancing for the entertainment of the stars.”
“Well it’s better than your plan!” I shouted.
Altair rolled his eyes, twirling his unlit burner between his fingers. “My plan involves our survival. I think that’s ideal.”
“Your plan doesn’t guarantee we’ll even get the haya to the vendors in time.”
“Who cares? Haya is poison. And if Commander I’d suck the stars’ cocks if they had one wants eadi to have it, then we have reason to doubt the benefits!”
“We wish we had cocks.”
Ew!
“Imagine never experiencing an orgasm, Nova Tershetta. Do you understand why we are so bored?”
I’m going to vomit.
“Once, we watched a man vomit because he pushed a cock so far down his throat that—“
“Ew!” I shouted out loud.
Altair tipped his head, raising a brow. “I mean, yeah, but it isn’t that far-fetched.”
“Not you, the stars are being gross.”
“Ooo, what did they say?” He leaned forward on the sofa, letting his chin fall into his free hand.
“They’re being perverts and talking about watching people…” I trailed off, my cheeks heating. Since when was I coy about sex? Yeah, I needed out of that cottage.
“Fuck?” He laughed, leaning back. “Wow, how did I never realize that the stars watch us during sex? That’s jarring.”
“Imagine what it’s like to hear them whisper about it in your head.”
“We’d love to see Azazel Altair at work.”
You’re despicable.
“Tell him what we said.”
No, you’re being gross!
“Tell him or we’ll do it for you.”
Is that a threat?
“Yes, of course.”
You’re more like children than almighty entities.
“Tell him.”
“Altair,” I said, grimacing. He sat up straight, his brows furrowing.
“What? Did they say something bad?”
“No, they—ugh! I hate you all for forcing me to say this!” I pulled my hair, rolling my eyes and groaning. Altair was suddenly smiling, his eyes wide. “They want me to tell you that they’d like to see you at work.”
“As in, they want to watch me fuck someone?” he asked, leaning closer and grinning so wide his dimples cut into his cheeks. “What an honor.”
“Shut up. They just want to upset me.”
“Why would that upset you?”
“It’s gross!”
“Everyone has needs, Tershetta. Even the stars.”
“They don’t even have bodies, how could they have needs?” I was getting frustrated now, because I had a feeling Altair and the stars were enjoying my discomfort. “Stop talking about it. Let’s figure out a real plan.”
“I mean, currently my mind is focused on how I can perform for our dark rulers.”
I couldn’t help it, I lost my composure.
“That’s it!” I closed the book in front of me, turned towards him, and proceeded to tackle him to the ground. His back crashed onto the hardwood, his eyes wide as I straddled his stomach and wrapped my hands around his neck.
“What are you doing?” Was he laughing? Really?
I squeezed tighter, trying to fight against his fingers that slipped under my grip to fend me off.
“I’m trying to kill you so I can focus!”
“Dramatic as always.” His smile grew wider, his hands leaving his neck and sliding beneath his head. I stilled, confused and annoyed and…okay, fine, curious.
“What are you doing?”
“Submitting to my fate. Not even I could complain about dying this way.”
“What way is that?” I asked, sitting back fully and pressing my fists into my hips.
“With you on top of me.”
“Ew, Altair!” Stumbling off him and crawling back onto the sofa, I made a hacking noise.
“It’d be a great opportunity to please the stars before I go, you know.” He sat up, leaning back on his hands and nudging my foot with his. I recoiled, scooting to the very end of the sofa.
“Now, that, we’d love to see. Go ahead, Nova Tershetta. Get him.”
“You’re all sick.” Now annoyed at myself for reacting like a child, I grabbed the large book and plopped it onto my lap.
Then, because I struggled not having the last word, I looked over at Altair and said, “Plus, I highly doubt you’d be able to keep up with me.
I don’t fake it for the sake of the Azazel Altair like I’m sure many of your conquests did. ”
While I knew better than to sugar coat anything with Altair, I did watch for any noticeable change in his demeanor. I didn’t want to bring up Captain Zade. To remind him of that hurt.
Not that it was worth being worried about. Altair’s grin softened into something far more feral, his pupils nearly overtaking his irises. He shifted to his knees, proceeding to crawl towards me like a fucking panther.
“Want to bet, Little Void?” The snake stopped at my legs, looking up at me from beneath his pale lashes.
While I prided myself in the art of not giving a fuck about most men, I did feel my breath speed up when he licked his lips and set his hands on my knees.
“Give me an hour with you, I’ll prove just how good I am at keeping up. ”
“Altair, I swear if you don’t cut it out right now I’m—“
“You’ll what?” He parted my legs, sliding his knees forward and placing his palms on either side of my thighs on the sofa.
“I’ll make you regret ever touching me.” Yeah, that was what I’d do. I’d kill him or something.
“Oh, please.”
Get out of my head!
“Do you want me to stop touching you?”
“Yes.” No.
What was wrong with me? Was I that deprived?
“Liar.”
“Ah yes, because rabbits tend to seek out affection from wolves,” I said, fearful if I tried to defend myself I’d stumble on the words. Altair only bit into his lip, his thumb grazing my thigh.
“Oh, so you want me to be your villain, Little Void? Fine. That’s exactly what I’ll be then.
But don’t pretend like you didn’t ask for it when you’re begging and screaming.
” His words made my stomach flip, lighting my skin on fire.
Stars above, what was going on? He leaned forward, our noses grazing before his cheek pressed to mine and his lips ghosted across my ear.
“Because if I’m a villain, then I’ll be taking what’s mine. ”
And then he was up, his long legs crossing to the door in a mere second.
“Wait, where are you going? We’re supposed to be planning for the mission!”
“Burner break. Five minutes, tops.” He opened the door, shutting it loudly behind him.
“What in the universe just happened?”
“We believe Azazel Altair propositioned you.”
No he didn’t. Not really. He was just messing with me.
“Yet, there you sit, frazzled and notably aroused.”
I am not!
“We agree with Azazel Altair. You’re a liar.”
Standing, I huffed and stomped to the kitchen, opening the cabinet where Altair thought he hid his chocolate drops. Climbing on the wooden countertop, I stood, grabbing the burgundy bag from the back left corner of the top shelf.
“I’m not horny, I’m hungry,” I muttered, shoving a few chocolates in my mouth.
Altair walked in five minutes later to the sight of me still standing on his countertop, my cheeks full of chocolate and Death sitting on my right foot.
“Well, at least I know what you do on the rare occasion I’m gone,” he said, his face serious despite the humor that dripped from his tone.
***
We plotted for hours.
Maitoza had given us four locations, four names, four scheduled times, and one secret phrase—as above, so below. Otherwise, we were essentially on our own the second we picked up the batches of haya tomorrow.
“So we’ll start in the Alzalam District, where we have two drops. Then we’ll move to the Almud District for the third. After, we’ll end in the Sham District.” Altair said, gliding his long fingers across the map. “How long does the shift last?”
“We don’t have to worry about a time limit. It can last a couple of days. My biggest concern is being newcomers in such small villages. We honestly got lucky that they hadn’t pushed more officials across the continent when we went to the market in the Farigh District.”
We stood side by side, leaning against the table and staring at my map.
I’d placed markers where we’d do the drops, adding the names and times.
While the Sham District would be the most dangerous, the Alzalam District presented an entirely different problem.
The villages throughout that district were relatively small, with communities built to be far closer than those in the Sham and Naqi Districts.
Something neither of us could begin to understand, really.
When it came to the Almud District, we expected a relatively easy delivery.
“Well, at least we know that there isn’t a chance we’ll be recognized.” The words were meant as reassurance, but Altair hadn’t liked any part of the mission since the second Commander Maitoza suggested it, and his voice betrayed those feelings.
“Come on, say what you actually want to say. Give me the strategist’s opinion.”
He turned his face towards mine, his lips pressed into a thin line and his eyes half-lidded.
“I think we’re being set up. I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again.
Maitoza knows we aren’t suited for this task.
Can we get it done? Theoretically, yes. But should it be us?
No. Absolutely not. If we get caught, she knows that I’ll be executed at best. I do wonder what she hopes will happen to you though.
Does she expect that the stars will save you?
Is she hoping you’ll leave me behind and be rid of me?
I’m not sure. Regardless, this is needlessly dangerous. ”
“Okay, fair.” I wished I could argue, but he was right.
It didn’t make sense for the commander to send us.
Definitely not together. “So then what do we do to make it less dangerous that we haven’t already done?
We know where the official’s shires are located.
We have a general idea of what to expect from the people in all four villages. ”
As far as I was concerned, we’d done all we could, but Altair seemed to feel differently. There was a hesitance to him that I was so rarely exposed to. A vulnerable side he often hid away.
“It’s not in my nature to walk into something I don’t feel ready for, Tershetta.” His hand lifted, stroking his newly shaved jaw as he stared at the map.