He gave me the backpack that he’d carried all this time, and I started rummaging through it. My things were a mess, and some of them were missing. I found the oils, though, and I hoped they helped Ta’sha. It was a shot in the dark, but it was the only idea I had. As I put a few drops on the tips of my fingers and rubbed them on Ta’sha’s nostrils, Thev stood up. I heard voices, and at first, I thought the Nakkoni were freaking out or were mad that Thev had lied to them. Ta’sha stirred, and I rubbed some oil on her temples. I should’ve done the same for myself; maybe it could help with my headache.
There was shouting, and I heard weapons being drawn. I looked up and realized we were surrounded.
Now, if the Zokunians looked interesting with their green skin and tusks, and the Nakkoni looked rather scary with their scales and tails, the aliens that were blocking all the entrances to the cavern looked like something out of my worst nightmares. They were massive, burly, and they had boar heads. Round, gold rings pierced their snouts and ears, and their eyes were dark and menacing.
“Widians,” Ta’sha whispered when she saw the look on my face. “They’re Widians. Nasty creatures.” She winced as she sat up.
“Easy. You took a hit to the head.” The blood poured out of a gash on the side of her head. I rummaged for my first aid kit, but she stood up and joined Thev before I could stop her.
“I was waiting for you,” the leader of the boar men said as he stepped forward.
He was bigger than the others, and he was dressed in expensive clothes, and covered in shiny armor. He must’ve been the captain.
“At first, the plan was to kidnap this one,” he pointed at Ta’sha with his gun, “And make her tell me where she’s hiding her personal art collection. I’m a collector myself, you see.” He motioned at the glittering pile that was his treasure. “But then I realized who she was. Ta’sha Sturmblut, heiress to the throne of Zo’kun. I knew someone would eventually come for her. And then, I could ask for a generous price. And, of course, for her art collection, as well.”
“The throne of Zo’kun?” one of the Nakkoni said. He exchanged a glance with his brother, and then they both looked at Thev, who was paying them no mind.
“I hope you know your plan will never work,” Thev said. He was calm and collected.
“I see you brought a human slave with you. I heard talk about a ship full of them breaking in the atmosphere and crashing on the planet. I was thinking of going hunting myself, but now I’m glad I didn’t let my crew take care of this particular business. So, new proposal – I will have the human, plus whatever riches the Kingdom of Zo’kun can spare, and your sister’s art collection. And then, I’ll let you take her home. I’ll let all of you walk away, even the Nakkoni, who will first have to empty their bags and pockets.”
Ta’sha took a step toward the pirate, and Thev had to grab her by the arm to hold her back.
“You’re delusional. Just because you knocked me unconscious when I had my back turned, like the coward that you are, you think you have a chance to get what you want? You don’t know what you got yourself into, Widian.”
“I beg your pardon, princess. I believe you don’t know what you got yourself into.” He spread his arms wide and motioned at his men. “You are surrounded. We outnumber you. This has been my plan all along. I made everyone believe that I was on my ship, in space, minding my pirating business, when in fact, all my men were here, waiting for me to bring you in. And then we all waited for him to make an appearance.” He turned to Thev. “You must be her brother, prince Thev’rar Sturmblut. I am glad you came yourself and didn’t send a lowly guard.”
“It is my duty to protect my sister.”
At that, Ta’sha did something I didn’t expect. She sighed and rolled her eyes. Then she smiled at Thev and teased him.
“You really shouldn’t have come, big brother. You know I can take care of myself.”
“I know. That’s not why I came.”
She cocked an eyebrow.
“I came because the king is dead, and you have to return home, sister, and become queen.”
She stared at him for a moment, mouth agape. She hadn’t expected him to say that. I tried to read her expression, but it was hard. Thev had told me that since their mother died, Ta’sha’s relationship with their father had deteriorated. And that was why she’d left home to go on adventures and find alien, unique art for her personal collection. Now, I couldn’t tell if Ta’sha was sad at hearing about their father’s death, or indifferent.
She hung her head, and I had my answer. Even though she and the king had had their differences, she was sad that he’d passed away.
“Did he suffer?”
“No. He went peacefully, in his sleep.”
She nodded. “I will come home.”
The pirate huffed. “This is a very touching moment, but may I remind you that you’re not going anywhere unless you pay me what I’m owed?”
“We don’t owe you anything,” Ta’sha said, pouring vitriol in her voice.
“Funny.” The pirate ignored her and tilted his chin toward me. “Let’s start with the human female. Universal breeders are hard to come by, and I must admit I’ve always dreamed of having my own.”
I broke into a cold sweat at his words. The look he gave me made me sick to my stomach. I took a few steps back, until I was positioned between Thev and Ta’sha, and the two Nakkoni. To my surprise, the lizard men stepped forward, and I ended up behind them. If the Zokunians got robbed, then the Nakkoni got robbed too, and that didn’t sit well with them. Still, they were four, and I counted at least a dozen of the pirate’s men.
This was more than a nightmare. This was hell.
“She is not a slave,” Thev said. “She is my mate, and you will not lay a finger on her.”
My heart skipped a beat. He’d just called me his mate. What was going on? What did that mean? Not that I didn’t like it, but... if he said I was his mate, then I wasn’t going to see Earth again anytime soon.