Lydia
“You’ll have to banish me,” I respond to Dalox, who is leaning over me as I glare up at him. “Because I don’t know where he went.”
“He is your mate,” Dalox growls.
I swallow back my retort. Deus doesn’t know who his mate is, and it may well not be me. If I say it out loud, it might just be true. The last thing I want.
My emotions churn. I feel like I’m on a spin cycle ready to be wrung out and put out to dry. My skin feels tight, my stomach like I want to throw up, and my head like it wants to explode.
“He was doing as you asked.” I say, eventually. “He had no reason to leave.”
“And yet you are here,” Driok says.
Maggie gives me one of her looks.
“We needed some time apart,” I say. “I needed some time away from him. I’ve…not mated before…and it’s all very new to me.”
Both warlords narrow their eyes.
“I’ve told you about Lydia before,” Maggie interjects. “You know what I’ve said.” She transfers her look from me to Driok, who visibly wilts.
“What have you told him about me?” I ask, suddenly angry.
“I have told him you are a delicate little flower who needs gentle handling,” Maggie growls. “Which is true, isn’t it, Lydia?”
She glares at me, her back to Dalox.
“Er, yes?” I reply. “I mean, yes. I’m not an easy female to be with. I was badly treated when I was taken from Earth.”
I push out the tears which have been sitting behind my eyes ever since I heard about Deus. Now seems the right time to shed them, even if I was doing my level best not to.
Dalox growls under his breath, moving from foot to foot and not meeting my eyes.
“Those who took the humans from their planet should pay for what they have done.”
“And the humans shouldn’t be banished,” Maggie pipes up. “Should they?” She gives Driok a pointed look.
“I doubt the female is complicit in whatever Deus is up to,” Driok says to Dalox. “My mate is correct that she should not be banished.”
“You do not know where Deus is?” Dalox says to me with a resigned air.
“I don’t know.” I sigh.
“Would you tell us if you did?” Driok says, trying to be clever.
“That would very much depend on his reasons for disappearing, wouldn’t it?” I reply. “If I thought for a moment he was in danger, I would tell you.”
Driok huffs out some smoke.
“If I thought for a minute he was in danger from you, I wouldn’t tell you,” I add, giving him a smug smile.
“A delicate flower.” Driok turns his gaze on Maggie, who shrugs and gives him a grin.
“That’s my girl,” she replies.
“Just one thing,” I pipe up. “How did you know Deus was gone?”
“His life-force signature is no longer registering on our instruments,” Dalox rumbles.
“You were tracking him?”
“What do you take me for? A sarkarnling? Why would I not be tracking the biggest troublemaker this side of the galaxy?” Dalox gives me a smile which is far more fang than anyone would like, probably even his mate, Gillian.
“Dalox tracks all of us.” Driok sighs as if this is the biggest non-secret in the entire universe. “On this occasion, it seems he had good reason to.”
“I presume you will have seen how hard he worked yesterday for Dexx?” I suggest.
“Dexx has advised me of what he did. He has also said a number of his warriors were approached by Deus to see if they would be interested in coming under his control,” Dalox intones.
The ice in my stomach grows heavier.
“Under his control?”
“It seems he was wanting to rebuild his sector and his crew.” Dalox watches me carefully. “To what end, it is unknown. But Dexx’s warriors are loyal to him, and they reported back.”
I don’t know what to say. This is entirely news to me. I keep my face as emotionless as possible, but I know my silence isn’t helping Deus.
Nor is it helping me, given the way Dalox’s face darkens.
There is a commotion by the door, and to my ultimate relief, my friends bustle through, babies in tow, and several warriors come in behind them carrying packages.
“Don’t mind us,” Gillian says. “We’re here for Lydia.”
I can tell immediately Dalox has absolutely no idea what to do in the face of this onslaught of human females and sarkarnlings. He snarls at the warriors helping them, but it does him no good as the items are put down, and the warriors beat a swift retreat.
The noise continues as everyone talks at once. I get hugs and waves while Driok and Dalox attempt to re-establish some sort of order.
They fail, of course.
“Are you staying? Scarlett asks Driok sweetly. “Is he staying?” She redirects her question to Maggie.
“I think not,” Driok replies, backing away to the door, followed, albeit with less good grace, by Dalox. “We have what we came for.”
Gillian goes to Dalox and whispers something in his ear. He still has a face like the coming storm, but he dips his head and leaves.
“What did you say to him?” I ask as she rejoins us.
“I told him if he wants to share my bed tonight, he’d better stop bullying you.” Gillian grins at me. “It’s not a good look.”
“I wasn’t being bullied.” I sigh. “I can’t tell them what I don’t know.”
“So you really don’t know where Deus is?” Kerra asks.
I look at Maggie, who is doing quite a good impression of an angry hen.
“That twat has abandoned her…” She starts.
“Look,” I say, loudly. “I am the first to admit I wasn’t sure what Deus saw in me. I still don’t know if he really is in rut for me, or if…” I dash away those damned tears again. “But I want to believe, with my whole heart, he isn’t attempting to betray the Sarkarnii or me.”
The events of last night come closing back in on me. Deus’s weird behavior, the new information he was attempting to recruit warriors—it all points to one thing. He wanted a new life, and he didn’t know how to start it. Revenge has been at the very heart of all he is for a long, long time.
What happens when revenge isn’t what you want anymore? You try to make sense of your new reality.
“Why?” Scarlett challenges me.
I look around at my friends, their concerned faces turned to me.
“Because I think I was wrong about him last night. I don’t think he was talking about her at all…his mate, Dylia I mean. I think he meant me…I think he thought I was her and he was finally saying goodbye.”