A grin spread over the female’s face, a terrible grin that displayed all her sharp teeth.
“It had to be today, Terri. For days I have attempted to catch you alone so I could properly complete my oath. Now I am out of time. Veral is preparing to leave Argurumal tomorrow. Today is my destined day of my vengeance. They are coming!” the female chuffed happily. “I sent all my data and captured vids to the council. They know you are here, and they have evidence of the house’s treason against them. I will be spared as a loyal Argurma, but they will destroy this house. But for your daughter, I think I have a different plan now. I will show her the ‘mercy’ that was shown me.”
She dropped Terri as she pulled Harahna free of her sling. Fixing a thick, sticky patch over the tiny symbiont, she carried Terri’s daughter over to the dorashnal and laid her on the floor beside the animal. Her daughter hissed, her vibrissae snapping ineffectually, but the female just smirked down at her.
“The council will find her to be an interesting specimen,” she remarked.
Horror welled up Terri, and she rolled onto her belly, fingers scraping against the rock as if to crawl across the floor as she desperately tried to draw air into her starving lungs. Her nanos rushed to repair her throat, but it wouldn’t be soon enough.
Malraha strode over to her again and lifted her up effortlessly, carrying her toward the pool.
“There is going to be an accident, Terri. You fell in and drowned. Veral will suffer at least that much before the council kills him. That will be good enough.”
Terri struggled helplessly, her legs kicking out and arms flailing. The blows made impact but did not so much as make the Argurma flinch. The female’s smile widened at her effort, and Terri knew that they had arrived at the edge of the water when she stopped walking and pressed a kiss at the top of Terri’s head in painful mimicry of Veral’s affections.
“Goodbye, Terri.”
Water surged around her as she was plunged into the dark depths and held down. She flailed in the cool liquid; tiny bubbles swirled around her as she struggled. She felt the weakening of the binding over her symbiont, but her lungs burned.
Her breath escaped her in a sudden burst of bubbles, death staring her down through the shadowy outline of the face of the Argurma holding her under and the two burning blue eyes staring down at her with hate.
32
“Veral, you have a guest. A strange female who claims to be of your house who demanded entry,” Mahame said serenely, though he caught the faint puzzled pull of her brow. “She arrived with Anahal to vouch for her presence with us and Hitani who came with them.”
Veral glanced up at his far-grandmother in confusion from where he was looking at plans on a large data screen.
“You know Anahal?”
“Yes. My friend has kept me informed of all occurrences within the Monushava House since my Goralth went to the ancestors. I have asked her for many lunars to come to us and be safe here since it became known that you broke your programming and mated with an offworlder. I am pleased to see her, although I do not know this Navesha she brings… and one Farhal, which is curious. She insists that it is an emergency.”
Veral straightened and turned toward the door, perplexed. He had expected Navesha to comm him if needed. Why would she travel all the way to the Galithilan—and with a Farhal? Did she bring Vazan with her?
“Access permitted,” he replied.
“I thought you would say that,” Mahame said as she turned and gestured to a male standing by the doorway.
The male nodded and disappeared, returning with two familiar females walking briskly beside him. The large Farhal at her side was not Vazan. The male was bigger, easily as tall as Veral himself, with thick ropes of muscle. Whoever he was, he was armed with blasters and kept close to Navesha’s side, his eyes scanning them all with the wariness of a male who had been born to battle. Navesha’s face pinched with impatience as she rushed past the Argurma escorting them.
The older female smiled but drifted off to the side to join Mahame, leaving Navesha to her purpose with the male close at her side.
“Navesha,” Veral greeted her curiously as he gave a polite nod to Anahal. “I expected a comm, and why do you bring an unknown male here?”
The female’s vibrissae puffed out and twisted, mandibles twitching with unease for seconds before they stiffened and narrowed her eyes at him in challenge.
“Is it fine for you to mate with an alien and not for anyone else?” she snapped. “This is Gargoluk, and he is mine. We might not have any hormonal mating bond, but we chose each other. As an ex-mercenary, he adds to our house.”
Veral stared at her thoughtfully and then the male. There was certainly a ruthless quality about the male’s gaze that spoke of experience. Even his tusks had a razor edge to them as if they had been carefully sharpened.
“Ex-mercenary… What is that you do now?”
“I cook in the market,” the male snapped. “I have no desire to be a guard, and I know my way around a kitchen and feeding people. Is that a problem?”
Veral’s vibrissae twitched in amusement. “It is admirable to have a position that requires considerable patience and skill.” He cocked his head once more at Navesha. “That does not answer the question of your presence here.”
“I tried to comm, but I could not get through.”
Larth let out a raspy sigh at his side.