14
Alexius
The finest foodin the Vega System tasted like ash and mud. The delicacies offered at the queen’s table were not common on Syrax, at least in the months I’d been here undercover. In fact, under her rule, most of the people on her home world were half-starved and going mad.
Not that she cared about her people. Queen Raya had one love, and that was power.
Power over Velerion.
Power over the new Starfighter from Earth.
Power over me.
I’d tried to stay out of her view for most of dinner, my goal to be both invisible and silent where she was concerned. Unfortunately I was neither now. She looked my way, the gleam in her eye one I didn’t wish to read into very deeply. “I was surprised to hear you were the one to bring in our newest guest, Alexius.”
I took a huge gulp of the dark wine to stall and hide my anger and revulsion. It was almost impossible to remain calm and appear unaffected. My bondmate was in a cell on the subterranean level of this fucking asteroid. Alone and scared and definitely angry with me. “I gave you my oath, my queen.”
She swirled the wine in her glass and stared at me with eyes as friendly as a snake’s. That didn’t bode well for me. If she wanted… more, I’d be expected to give it to her. If there was something that made my cock soft and my balls shrivel, it was Queen Raya.
“Indeed. I do so enjoy surprises. I am shocked that Velerion has gone to such radical measures to recruit more Starfighters.” A slow, evil smile crossed her lips. “It indicates the destruction of their fleet and crew was indeed a devastating blow. I admit, you Velerion traitors are merciless. I must remember to thank Delegate Rainhart personally.”
She lifted her glass of wine to her lips but laughed for long seconds before drinking. Delegate Rainhart? I blinked and fought to listen through my rage, my fingers clenched into tight fists beneath the table. Had the queen just dropped the name of the traitor over fucking dinner? Delegate Rainhart? As in from the Velerion Delegation? Our planet’s most trusted and revered leaders?
A Velerion delegate was responsible for the destruction of the Starfighter base? For the death of my brother and his bonded mate?
Rainhart. I did not know his name, had never met the man, but I would make sure he died a long and painful death.
“Are you listening to me, Alexius? A training program from afar. From the performance the Starfighter gave yesterday… I was impressed. You impress me, Alexius, with your duplicity. Working within my ranks all this time and then delivering the Starfighter to me immediately. Well done. We must act now, before more like her arrive and tip the scales in Velerion’s favor.”
“It is my pleasure to serve, my queen.” I bowed my head in an act she would see as submission, but my motive was simply to hide the hatred in my gaze. Bile rose in my throat, and I swallowed the acid down instead of telling her what I truly thought.
“She looks at you with such hatred now. If anyone ever questioned your allegiance before, they need not now. Jamie Miller of Earth despises you!” She tipped her head and laughed gleefully.
I ground my back teeth together. I’d done this to myself. To Jamie. The only positive at the moment was that she was still alive… and that I had discovered the name of the true traitor. Now Nave and Trax could get the fuck off this rock with no regrets.
A few more minutes and the queen would take her latest batch of lovers to her personal quarters and leave me to the unpleasant business of extracting information from Jamie via torture—or any other means necessary.
Jamie had pretty much told the queen to fuck off. The flare of pride in my bondmate was so deep I almost choked on it. She’d rather die than give up Velerion. On Arturri for less than two days and she was loyal. Devoted.
If I didn’t get us all out of this fucked-up mess, she’d die. We all would. I’d told her I would protect her, and I was doing a shit job of it. I wouldn’t have her drawing her last breath thinking the months-long web of lies were true. I’d kill myself then, my life over. I had to wait, give Nave and Trax time to get into position. I had to follow the plan. To make sure we found our way off this asteroid, not only for Jamie, but Nave and Trax as well.
The queen laughed at something the person on her other side murmured in her ear, and I guessed dinner was over. My patience was rewarded when she set her glass down with a sigh that most likely stemmed from boredom. “Attend me.”
She gave the order to the entire room, but it was her five personal guards who jumped to serve her, pull out her chair, offer her assistance to rise to her feet. It wasn’t because she was weak. No, far from it. It was because she was too fucking strong.
She slipped each of her arms through a guard’s offered elbow and turned to me with the two males flanking her. “You have until morning to get me what I want. The Starfighter must agree to join me. If you fail, I won’t kill her, although she will wish for death—but I will end you.”
Dread filled my belly, as cold and heavy as this fucking rock we were all on.
“Of course, my queen.” I spoke clearly but did not raise my head. She made a satisfied grunt and indicated that her guards should escort her from the room. Her charcoal coat swirled around her legs.
The moment she was out of sight, I excused myself from the table, irritated but not surprised when two of the queen’s remaining guards stepped up to follow me. I could be invisible or quiet no longer, it seemed.
“I don’t need help,” I told them.
“Of course not.” The higher-ranking guard spoke for both of them. He slapped me on the shoulder. My eyes widened at the familiar gesture, but I said nothing. “We are merely to observe.”
“Right.” I had no doubt they would be broadcasting my torture session with Jamie directly to the queen’s personal quarters. I had heard rumors about her during the many weeks I’d spent undercover—the fact that she enjoyed inflicting pain, or watching one of her minions do so, primary among them.