Chapter 2
Havali
He was a scoundrel. A worthless male. Shame and dishonor would surely sully his name for all time, if it was even allowed to be written in the annals of history. He had promised, had sworn to himself, that he wasn’t going to do this, yet here he was.
He just couldn’t stay away from the blood haired human female.
Scarlet. Lovely, perfect Scarlet.
Too perfect and precious for him. Any female was too good for him, but this one especially.
Being one of the rare and much prized humans alone would have made him undeserving of her, but to put his third eye on the one who had become a respected healer, who stood taller and more regal than all the rest, and who had the courage to speak and fight for her people was an insult upon her.
He was less than the mud that dared not sully her precious feet.
And yet, he was here.
Worse than that, he was doing what he did best: manipulating her.
He had deliberately sought her out on the viewing platform the moment before Holotulle’s Ring appeared so they could share in this moment, so that she would forever associate that feeling of wonder and amazement with him.
He wore a color she knew she favored, dressed in a way he knew she favored, even wore a scent he knew she favored.
Because he was a despicable male who had gathered all that information for the express purpose of luring her in. Like a baited trap.
Part of him could argue that learning about the humans was just him doing his job. He was First Guardian, and as part of his job he gathered information for his Dominani. But it would be a lie. He didn't have all that information on the other humans. Just Scarlet.
Only ever Scarlet.
Because he was despicable.
And he was still here despite knowing that.
Because she was a beacon of light and beauty and how could he resist?
They emerged from subspace right on time.
He saw the change in his periphery, but all three of his eyes were focused on Scarlet.
On the way her pretty lips opened in amazement as her eyes sparkled with wonder.
He gave her a moment, let her bask in it for just long enough to be swept away in the breathless majesty of the megalithic structure, before he leaned forward a bit, putting himself right on the edge of her vision.
“Wonderful, is it not?” He asked, his words chosen carefully. Something that could easily translate onto him as well.
He was wonderful, was he not?
There.
Her eyes darted to him and back again. It was an instant.
A reflex more than anything. But he had put his face in her mind in this moment and, in that small way, bound them together in it.
Such small things seemed inconsequential on the surface, but Havali had learned through his life and duty just how powerful such ‘small’ things could be.
Then, because he couldn’t allow himself to be obtrusive and therefore ruin this moment, he stood back and let her marvel in the sheer magnitude of Holotulle’s Ring.
He could agree that it was a marvel – in architecture, design, function, and form.
It took over five hundred standard years to build the base structure.
Another hundred-twenty years for the atmosphere to be properly formed and calibrated, and still another fifty after that for the ring to be properly set in its orbit.
There was nothing else like it in all existence.
It was the home world of the first Coalition species – the secretive and mysterious vitulli.
No one knew where their original, evolutionary homeworld actually was, but it was known that they built Holotulle because it had been destroyed by the collapse of their star and they needed a new world.
But, for all that Holotulle was their home, no one had ever actually seen the vitulli.
They were there, but they were very insular and private.
The leader of the Coalition who oversaw the meetings was the only vitulli Havali knew.
Yet, he knew neither that person’s face, nor age, nor appearance, nor gender. It was a secret closely kept.
The majority of the population of the ringworld was made up of every other Coalition species. They gathered and mingled there. Some seeking out better lives, some seeking out new horizons, others just wanting to live and be part of the wonder that was Holotulle.
Regardless of the reason, the result was the most diverse and beautiful place in the universe.
The ringworld was massive. It completely circled their star in an unbroken loop that was constantly spinning.
The width was perhaps not as awe inspiring from this distance, but it was still fifteen thousand kilolengths, making it as large as an ocean.
Those two facts together meant that the ringworld, in square kilolengths alone, was bigger than every occupied world currently known put together.
It had its own oceans, its own plains, its own mountains and hills and valleys.
Artificially constructed and carefully populated with wildlife that was then left to make it their home uninterrupted for a thousand years, making it a truly wild creation.
It also had cities and space ports, slums and mansions, underground layers, sky viewings.
It had its own weather patterns that were controlled through careful management of the atmosphere.
It was, in a word, unparalleled.
“What is that?” Alanna asked as their ship came in closer, pointing to the evenly spaced parts of the ring that were darker than others. “Are those areas empty or something?”
“No, it’s nighttime there,” he said, answering her question but speaking most directly to Scarlet.
He was rewarded when she looked at him, much longer and more deliberately than before.
He smiled at her and elaborated further.
“The ring spins, but it does so around the sun, not around an internal axis. If it were not for artificial night, there would be no night at all, and the constant sun would make the ring too hot to live upon. Those dark spots are where the night shields have been raised. They provide a false starry sky to enjoy, shade from the sun, and the side facing the sun is covered in panels that harvest the sunlight for energy throughout the entire ring. They spread along the ring on a set schedule. You can see that panel pulling back there. See? Where it reaches only halfway across the ring? That is essentially sunrise. And where the one at the other end is coming down? That would be Holotulle’s sunset. ”
Scarlet’s mouth was open in amazement as her eyes followed his finger. His heart clenched with excitement that she was listening so attentively. Further entrenching him in her mind.
Yes. Equate him with that feeling. Become addicted to him. Become just as addicted to the sight of him as he was to her.
Humans did not recognize their mate on sight, but domini did and Havali knew the instant he saw Scarlet at his Dominani’s Hortii Kristivar that she was his.
And that he couldn’t have her, no matter how desperately he yearned.
He promised himself he would give her peace from him.
Something that should be easily done since she did not recognize him as her mate yet and he knew, from his information gathering, that she did not even want a mate.
Yet, here he was, doing exactly what he said he wouldn’t.
Inevitable. This moment had been inevitable.
Just as inevitable as her finding out what a despicable male he was and turning away from him.
But he could hold back no longer.
Even just one moment with her would be worth the lifetime of sorrow that would follow without her. It was better than nothing at all.
“That district there is where we are heading,” he continued, pointing to one of the sections that was still partially covered. “Ships cannot land at night, due to the shields, so we will have to wait a bit. But that is the district where all Coalition business is done.”
“Amazing,” Alanna breathed, her smile widening. “I have to go tell Peony! I promised.”
She turned on her heel and ran away, back into the ship proper.
Peony was heavily pregnant – her tiny body showing it sooner than a domini female’s would.
She was also getting nest anxiety much sooner and didn’t want to leave her room that often.
It was thankfully too soon in her pregnancy to worry about her giving birth – no matter how large her belly was becoming – as that would have been difficult to manage.
Atem, her mate, had to be here at the meeting, and she couldn’t leave his side due to pregnancy related separation anxiety. They had to weigh her separation anxiety against her nest anxiety. Since being without Atem would be worse, they risked the nest anxiety that came with moving.
Technically, First Voice Survii could speak for Atem at an ordinary Coalition gathering. However, Atem was going to be asking for the introduction of a new, undeveloped species, and such a massive endeavor required his personal attention.
Which was why Survii wasn’t here and, instead, Havali had come along. First Voice could act in Atem’s stead, but Havali would be useful in a more clandestine way. He might have more information on Scarlet than he typically gathered, but he still gathered information on almost everyone.
Because he was a despicable, manipulative male, even to his mate. And Atem would need his abilities if he was going to convince the other Coalition members to his side.
“Are we going to be staying on the ship while we’re here?” Scarlet asked, pulling him from his self-flagellation with a small thrill that she was willingly asking him questions. It wasn’t much, but it was something.
“No. All Coalition representatives and their entourages are given lodging, courtesy of the High Imperium, within the Coalition District. The Coalition embassies are spread all throughout the district, including private buildings and grounds. We will have plenty of space, and Tuvo will work with the High Imperium’s security to ensure our safety.
” Please let her feel safe. Even if he couldn’t protect her from himself, he wanted her to feel protected.
“The High Imperium is…?”
“Essentially, if Atem and the other representatives are kings of their planets, he is the emperor of this gathering of kings. His power isn’t necessarily much greater, but he does have the honor of calling meetings to order and setting schedules.
Things like that. It’s a small advantage over the others, but there are those that still want to curry the High Imperium’s favor.
When they speak, people listen, so it’s good to have their ear. ”
Scarlet snickered. “Politics turn out to be the same the universe over.”
“Indeed. Any advantage is an advantage, no matter how small.”
She gave him a side grin. “Is that from the Omoni Otorsi?”
He started in surprise at her assumption. “Actually, no. You think that to be great wisdom?”
She laughed, shaking her head. “Sorry. I’m just used to every other domini I know spouting off little quotes from that book all the time.”
“It is a valuable text, to be sure, but it is important to think for yourself as well.”
“Yeah. I think so too.”
His heart stuttered when she smiled at him. They had a point of agreement. Something else to bind them. They were sharing a grin.
“Have you been here before?” She asked, turning to look out of the viewing platform again.
Another question. More personal this time!
“I have. On a few occasions, vi Dominani asks me to accompany him here. The representatives usually have aids or family or councils that follow them. Though they are the voice of their people, few of them actually hold total power.”
“Few of them?”
“The High Imperium does not dictate what role a representative serves on their planet, only that their planet presents a singular person for that role. With rare exceptions.”
“Like?”
“Well, there is a species where the males are always born twins and share everything, and therefore speaking to one is speaking to the other. They are allowed to have two, since their two still represents a singular one. There is also a species whose females form groupings around a single male and no one female is allowed, by their laws and instincts, to speak without her sisters being in agreement. Theirs is a matriarchal society and their representative was allowed to be the group since the group speaks as one and males do not serve in roles of leadership. But most representatives are singular entities.”
Scarlet looked thoughtful. “There’s a lot that’s different out here.”
“Indeed. Our differences are fascinating. And amusing. Our first attendance at this meeting as a species was quite hilarious. The First Domini would often attempt to fight the other representatives to settle disputes, as is our way.”
To his delight, Scarlet laughed. Just as he hoped. The ringing sound filled his heart with pride. He had brought mirth to his female.
“I imagine that didn’t go over well,” she chuckled, looking back at him.
“It did not, in fact. She nearly started two different wars, insulted the representative of a very peaceful species, and terrified four others. It was bedlam on her first day and the High Imperium themselves had to intervene to prevent pandemonium.”
“I hope the first human representation goes better.” Though her tone remained playful, Havali heard the undercurrent of unease she was trying to disguise.
“You will do a superb job,” he reassured her, making sure to infuse his voice with warmth. “You are such an intelligent and capable female. A credit to your species. You will do wonderfully.”
She turned to him, her smile fading, her eyes widening. His stomach dropped.
Had he said something wrong? It wasn’t unprecedented. Tuvo had once remarked on Hattie’s size and insulted her so badly she stopped eating. The last thing he wanted was to make a similarly unintentional insult and drive Scarlet from him the way Tuvo had Hattie.
Before he could beg forgiveness, ready to blame his ignorance on his species, she suddenly smiled.