I wondered if a bandage—even a fancy alien one—could really heal a cracked bone in my cheek—but I decided to give it a chance and see.
“Are you mad at me?” I asked instead, and then hated myself for asking. “Do you understand why I had to at leasttryand get away?” I amended instead, lifting my chin.
Sir gave me a level look from those full-black eyes of his.
“I understand that I shouldn’t have given you the chance. I trusted you, little one—I won’t make that mistake again.”
His words stung more than I liked. He was acting like I had betrayed him by running away whenhewas the one who had kidnapped me and stolen me away from my home planet!
“Listen to me,” I snapped, glaring at him. “I had to at leasttryto get back home. Do you have any idea how worried my mom probably is about me by now? We lost my dad suddenly—he died of a cardiac arrest—just dropped dead in our driveway when he went out to get the mail one day when I was only ten. Ever since, she needs to talk to me and my sisterevery single dayto make sure we’re okay. You took me away from the people I love—the people who loveme!And you have the nerve to be angry when I try to get back to them? I don’t think so, you gaslighting bastard!”
I was breathing hard by this time and glaring up at him.
Sir was frozen with a bandage in his hands, his eyes narrowed to slits and his mouth thin with obvious anger. For a minute I was sure he was going to strike me down with his crazy mind powers but he only shook his head and spoke in a low, terse voice.
“Do you knowwhyI took you as my pet, little one? Because it wasn’t just for my own personal gratification or my wish to have a pet.”
“Of course I don’t know!” I exclaimed. “You never told me anything except that I was your property and there was nothing I could do about it.”
He nodded—a short, sharp jerk of his chin.
“That was my fault—I underestimated your intelligence and ability to understand.”
“That’s probably a problem you have a lot since you think everyone else in the universe isinferiorto you,” I pointed out. “I mean, just because I can’t blast things with my mind doesn’t make mestupid.”
Then I bit my lip—which made me yelp because it was cut from Shadrack’s slap. I probably shouldn’t be snapping at someone who could kill me as easily as I might swat a fly without even lifting a finger.
Sir saw the look on my face and interpreted it correctly.
“No, speak your mind, little one,” he said in a low voice. “Your propensity to be direct is one reason I value you. And I told you, you need never fear me.”
“All right.” I lifted my chin. “I’ll take you at your word, then. I wanted to get away from you because I miss my family. “And I don’t think you can blame me for that.”
“I don’t.” he said simply. “But I’m afraid I cannot let you go. You see, I took you as my pet because I needed to prove a point in the Court of Splendara the Third and Thirtieth who rules my world, and by extension, my galaxy which is much larger than your own.”
“You took me to prove a point?” I put a hand on my hip, frowning skeptically. “How would havingmeas a pet help you do that?”
“I thought by taking a pet from the most primitive world in this universe, I could prove to my Sovereign that the species of your galaxy are worthy of living their own lives and should be left alone,” Sir said simply. “If even the least of the Twelve Peoples, as they call themselves, can be shown to be intelligent, thinking beings, maybe I can convince her to order others not to exploit you.”
“Wait a minute…” I put a hand on his arm. “Are you telling me that your galaxy is about toinvademine?”
“Essentially.” Sir nodded. “The Pet Finder who took you—he is only one of many who will soon be descending on your galaxy—on yourworld, little one. And he will be followed by hoards of Mind-Controllers. Wholeworldswill be enslaved and made to work for the enrichment of those who are greedy enough and powerful enough to take them and squeeze them for every natural resource they have!”
I stared at him, not wanting to believe what he was saying was true. I’m not sure Iwouldhave believed if I hadn’t heard the words he’d exchanged with Shadrack.
“Is it the, uh, the Overlord of the Southern Continent who wants to do all this?” I asked. “That, uh, what was his name…?”
“Gra’multh.” Sir spat the name with bitterness. “He has ruined nearly every fertile and inhabited world in my own galaxy with his greed—I don’t intend to let him ruin yours as well—if I can help it.”
“So you’re hoping thatIcan change your Sovereign’s mind?” I asked incredulously. “Sir, I’m nothing special! I’m just a librarian slash dog walker--you should have kidnapped a Rhodes Scholar or a scientist or someone like that!”
“It isbecauseyou are ‘nothing special’ that I have hope you can convince Her Majesty to hold back Gra’multh’s greed,” he told me. “As I said, if even the most primitive planet can produce a female like you—one with such intelligence and wit—maybe I can prove to her that all the Twelve Peoples should be left alone.”
I looked at him, not sure what to say. How could I go home now, when the fate of my entire galaxy was resting on my shoulders?
“I…I want to help,” I said at last. “I do, Sir. But my mom—”
“I understand the thought of your mother grieving for you is hard to bear,” he murmured. “What if I sent a whisper to her ear, assuring her that you were all right? I don’t believe that Earth is out of my mental range yet.”