Chapter Seven
Synge glanced at the late-afternoon sky and the dwindling sunlight. Darkness would be descending soon, making visibility nearly impossible without using the transport’s exterior lighting. His trip to the city had taken a lot longer than he’d expected. The more he was away from Ricka, the guiltier he felt. He regretted leaving her alone so long, especially with the way Teah had treated her. He’d hoped to make it up to Ricka by giving her a tour of the property and helping her feel more comfortable with her new surroundings. Now the outing would have to wait until tomorrow.
The possibility of Molock tracking her down also weighed heavy on his mind. On occasion, creatures from the jungle ran into the perimeter barrier and caused issues with the field. Sometimes the interruption went unnoticed for several days. He needed to check the outlying security system and make sure everything was still operating properly.
Anxious to check on Ricka, Synge left the transport and hurried into the dwelling. He intended to apologize for his irrational behavior and share the meager and less than hopeful news about her friend. He also wanted to find out if she thought he’d brought her to Tarron to use as bait and dissuade any of her misconceptions. His foot had barely landed on the first step of the staircase when Teah and Arno appeared in the nearby gathering room.
“Synge, we need to talk,” Teah said.
Her demeanor and the tone of her voice had changed dramatically since their earlier disagreement. If he hadn’t desperately wanted to see Ricka, he might have heeded the instincts urging him to be wary. “Can it not wait?”
“No.” Even though Teah jutted out her chin stubbornly, she continued to speak in a non-abrasive manner.
Exasperated, Synge groaned and followed Arno and Teah when they urged him to enter the adjoining room where his uncle kept his literary collection.
As soon as they were inside, Teah said. “Your possessive nature with Ricka is not natural. You could have taken her with you today and left the responsibility for her care with the commander. You have never shown enough interest in any woman to bring them to our home. Yet with this female, you chose to risk your welfare and ours to keep her safe... And you invoked the rite of challenge.”
“Are you trying to make a point by telling me what I already know?” Synge snapped. His aunt wasn’t one to concede an argument, and he hoped she wasn’t rehashing things just so she could win this one.
Teah’s dark gaze softened, and she placed a concerned hand on his arm. “Did you not consider the reason you are making irrational decisions concerning Ricka is because she might be your mate?”
“Yes,” Synge said. He’d considered the notion a great deal. Even more so after Ryos had mentioned the rules governing a claiming. “And if she is my mate, are you still going to insist I remove her from our home?”
“I will admit I may have been hasty in my reaction,” Teah said, glancing at the floor.
Synge grinned. It was the first time he’d ever heard his aunt come close to saying she was wrong out loud. “Will I receive a cuff alongside my head if I tell you I accept your apology?”
“No.” Teah held up her hand. “But you will receive a cuff if you do not make things right with Ricka and complete a true joining.”
“I will do my best,” Synge said.
“It is obvious your Ricka is unaware of Tarron ways, which will make things more difficult,” Arno said. “If she were Tarron, she would have already recognized the mating bond.” He flashed Teah a wry smile. “Do you remember when we...”
Synge cleared his throat to stop his uncle before he shared graphic details about their courtship, or worse, decided to give him advice on how to proceed with Ricka. He’d witnessed the chemistry between them. But would it be enough to overcome the distance between them, to build the level of trust required before entering a sacred pool and completing the binding ritual?
There was a pool in the jungle not far from the landing area on the southern part of the property. He’d passed by the sacred waters many times, though he’d never thought he’d ever use them to do his own joining.
Arno’s expression sobered. “You will also need to finish what you started with the Klorthon. In his culture, a male is ridiculed if they are unable to keep what they have claimed.”
“I am aware,” Synge said. It was one of the reasons he’d chosen to bring Ricka here in the first place. His familiarity with the surrounding area was an advantage. He’d spent a large portion of his youth hunting on these lands and in the adjoining jungle. He rubbed the nearly healed wound beneath his shirt. Besides, he owed the warrior for his injury and longed for the opportunity to repay him.
“Then you are also aware that if he gets anywhere near Ricka, he will make her suffer for being the cause of the challenge.” Arno was an intelligent scholar and would know better than most about the Klorthons.
The walls in the room where they were standing were lined with shelves containing books and documents. Many of them pertained to the cultures of the different species inhabiting the planets in their quadrant.
“I am,” Synge said, heading back to the gathering room because his uncle’s unsettling comment had spurred his need to see Ricka.
As soon as he reached the bottom of the stairs, he heard scratching and whining coming from the upper level.
Over the years, he’d learned to distinguish between the different noises his pet made. Mogran was definitely upset about something. And after witnessing the cat’s protective behavior, Synge assumed it pertained to Ricka. A heavy weight settled in his chest as he took the stairs two at a time and shoved open the door without knocking. Before he could step inside, Mogran rushed past him. There was no sign of Ricka anywhere, not even in the adjacent bathing room.
At first, he thought the Klorthons had managed to breach the property’s perimeter security, which wasn’t possible, not without sounding alarms and alerting his aunt and uncle. Long claw marks scored the wall near the window. When Synge examined it closer, he noticed that the glass wasn’t broken and the lock had been released from the inside.
Some of the smaller branches on the large tree outside were broken, and it didn’t take him long to figure out that Ricka had found a way to escape. He knew she wasn’t happy being left behind, but she didn’t seem like the kind of person who would risk bodily injury without a good reason.
Had something happened between Teah and Ricka after he left? He hurried out of the room, intent on getting answers when his aunt shouted from the foot of the stairs. “Synge, you need to come down here. Something is wrong with Mogran. He is upset and scratching the front door.”
He hurried to the lower level and found the cat pacing back and forth, his growls low and feral. Synge had never seen the animal that agitated before. So agitated that Arno and Teah had backed away from him.
“Easy, boy,” Synge said, easing forward slowly. Mogran stopped moving and whimpered, then pawed at the front door.
“What is the matter with him?” Teah asked.
He glanced at his aunt. “I think he is trying to find Ricka. She was not in her room. I believe she climbed down the tree.”
“What? How can that be?” Teah asked. “She was there earlier when I brought her clothing.”
Synge narrowed his gaze. “Did you discuss anything that might have upset her?”
“No.” Teah shook her head. “She said she was tired and wanted to sleep, so I chose not to disturb her any further.”
“How long ago did you see her?” Synge asked.
“Shortly after you left,” Teah said, reaching for Arno’s hand. “You must go after her.”
Synge slammed his palm on the sensor mounted on the wall near the entrance. The instant the door opened, Mogran rushed outside and headed toward the side of the house with the three of them trailing behind him. The cat frantically sniffed the ground around the tree. He stopped to hover over a specific area, then threw back his head and howled.
“What is it, boy?” Synge stroked his fur and knelt beside him to study the ground. There were splotches of red on several of the gray border stones. He lowered his head and inhaled. Ricka’s scent was everywhere, mingled with the smell of blood. “She has injured herself.”
“I am so sorry.” Teah twisted her hands together. “When you called to say you were running late, I should have checked on her again.”
He pulled the older woman into a hug. “The fault belongs to me, not you. I am the one who brought her here. She was my responsibility, and I should never have left her alone.” He took a step back and placed a comforting hand against his aunt’s cheek. “Do not worry. I will find her.”
The other transport was still sitting in front of the dwelling, which meant Ricka had taken off on foot and was probably heading for his ship. Her injury would make it easier for Mogran to track her. The jungle areas were dangerous for someone who knew nothing about his planet. There were many poisonous plants and smaller creatures that could pose a threat. Thankfully, she couldn’t get outside the perimeter of his property, where the larger beasts roamed. Deadly animals ready to make her their next meal.
“Do you want us to help with the search?” Teah asked.
“No,” Synge said. “I would like you to stay here in case she comes back.”
“Understood,” Arno said.
Synge patted the cat’s head, then issued a command to find Ricka. Mogran growled and took off running.
“Please be careful,” Teah said.
“I will.” He nodded at Arno and headed for his transport.