Prince of Luster (18 page)

“That was only for me. Only me,” he muttered as he held her possessively within his embrace.

“Y-yes.” She panted before confirming, “Just y-you.”

He closed his eyes and held her in a fiercely possessive embrace. For a long time he neither spoke nor moved. All he knew was Nova and the feel of her soft body against his. It was all he wanted. Nothing else in life mattered. Not the fame of heritage, the money he’d earned, nor the medals won. She was everything.

Eventually, she pushed her body up and gazed down at him. He saw the tears in her eyes and knew she’d never been with another like she’d been with him. He wasn’t surprised when his own vision dimmed.

He put his hands on either side of her bald, scarred head and brought his forehead against hers. “Nothing in my life will make me give you up. From this moment on, you’re my next breath. You are the blood that runs through my body and every dream I ever had. I don’t know what just happened, Nova, but the Creator brought us together for one reason. I’m more certain of that than anything else in my entire life.” He paused to make sure her gaze locked with his. The next words would never be uttered again. Not for anyone else. “I love you, little thief. No one anywhere in any universe is ever going to part us. We’ll leave this place as one. I’ll give you the life you deserve, and no one will get in our way. Not some petty, greedy dictator calling himself governor. Not some hostile race bent on killing everyone who opposes them. I swear it on my life and my honor, Nova. I swear it!”

She broke into a soft sobs, and he pulled her head his shoulder.

“I love you, Marcos. I… I was falling in love with you the first time I saw you in the marketplace. You’re either the bravest man I’ve ever known, or you’re seriously looking to get killed. Either way, my life is yours. I don’t want it otherwise,” she said as she pressed kisses against his chest.

He lifted her chin with his fingers and nuzzled his nose against hers. “The words are said. We’re one. You will have my name and all that I own, Nova. We
are
one. You saved my life. But more than that, you saved my soul. You’ve shown me what real love is, and from this day forward, I’ll never be parted from you. Never.”

She wrapped her arms around him again and snuggled back into his embrace.

He knew then that he had to tell her the truth. But not just this moment. Not when they were so close.

That she’d be angry about his heritage was certain. But he’d make love to her and whisper apologies until she accepted him. With gentle words of love—done while begging forgiveness—all could be made whole.

Nova wasn’t a hard person to understand. She just wanted to be free. She wanted to be loved and accepted for who and what she was. She wanted her pet and a small portion of land, no more.

He’d give her that and all the love she craved, equal to the powerful, magical gift her body had bestowed.

For this moment in time, all he desired was peace in her arms. Then he’d tell her everything. After that, all they had to do was stay safe until Darius arrived. They could then leave this cursed, colorless planet far behind and embrace the golden future ahead.

• • •

Prometheus and Adaman looked up when two human guards and one Limaxian warrior raced into the governor’s chambers, breathless and agitated.

“What is it?” Prometheus snarled. “I thought I told you we weren’t to be disturbed while dining.”

“Our long-range scanners, sir. We’ve picked up an enforcer ship at the outer edges of this system. And it’s the Lusterian flag ship …
Titan
.”

Adaman stood quickly, knocking over the contents of his goblet as he did so. “W-Wasn’t that once the name of the heir’s battleship? Wasn’t Darius Starlaw the former commander?”

One of the human guards nodded in agreement. “Some time ago, Commander Starlaw took up a commission as the chief enforcer over Luster’s capitol city. But he’s temporarily back in control of the
Titan
for some odd reason and has hailed us. He wants to speak with you immediately. I think he means to land and send a cadre of enforcers into the colony.”

“H-He c-can’t,” Adaman stammered. “I’ve issued an edict against their landing.”

“Sir—”

“He’ll be looking for his brother,” Adaman manically uttered. “That’s why he’s commanding a Lusterian battleship again. But when he can’t find his sibling, he’ll place anyone suspected of harming him under arrest. He’ll t-take us before the k-king. And wh-what if his brother really
is
dead and the enforcers find his remains? We’ll be put to death!” He raised shaking hands to his face.

“Shut up!” Prometheus commanded, then turned to the human guards. “Tell the commander of the
Titan
he’ll have to wait to land; that we cannot guarantee his safety since we’ve experienced civil unrest among the colonists. Warn him that he and his men might get caught in the fray. Ask him for a three-week waiting period. He’ll have to abide by this request. He’s already risking an interplanetary incident just by showing up after Forrell forbade any enforcer landings. He won’t wish to be labeled an invader.”

“Th-then why let him land at all?” Adaman began.

“We need to acquiesce in some small way … to deflect suspicion,” Prometheus explained as he turned to his own warrior. “Has the
Titan
been able to detect our warships?”

“No, sir,” his Limaxian brawler responded. “Our ships are still hiding behind the nearest two moons, and that position will keep us well out of scanner range. As always.”

Prometheus stroked his jaw with one appendage. “Give the following orders: Tell our warriors here to hide themselves. Command our crews to take all the precautions we normally would when an enforcer vessel is within orbit. Now go.”

The Limaxian bowed his head and lumbered from the room.

Prometheus turned to the human guards. “Tell the captain of the
Titan
that the governor will respond with further instructions shortly. Keep your wits about you, or you and everyone on this planet will die before this day is over.”

The guards glanced at their governor.

“He’s not in command, I am,” Prometheus bellowed. “And if you value your lives, and the lives of your families, you’ll do exactly as I say.”

The guards nodded and quickly left the room.

Adaman slowly sank back into his chair. “All your men and mine now know the second-born prince was the one you tortured in the marketplace. They’ve been searching for him for weeks, and haven’t found a single scrap of evidence that he’s alive or in the company of some Wiccan healer. We’ll have to do as I originally intended and deny he was ever here; say that we know nothing of him at all. It’s the only way I can keep from being taken into custody. As ruler here, I’ll be held responsible.”

Prometheus snorted in disgust. “Because of your human guards’s tactlessness, I’ll wager even some of the population now know we’re looking for the man I burned and had thrown in the pit. My warriors tell me they’ve been asking too many questions.”

Adaman picked up a napkin and wiped the sweat from his forehead. “I-I’ll do as I planned once we found out who you so ignorantly confronted and attacked. I’ll order my guards and constables to warn the citizens. They must keep their mouths shut. Even if he lands against our will … and if our luck holds and no body is found … the king will have to relent. After all, he isn’t supposed to send his people … especially not his son … to spy on peaceful planets. Our agreement with the Constellation League makes such actions illegal.”

Prometheus snarled at Adaman and waved an arm in complete dismissal. “You fool. Nothing you do will work once they can’t find Marcos Starlaw. The king won’t ever admit his offspring was actually spying. He’ll say he was sent to trade for gems, just as the son claimed. Or that he came on his own accord, without any permission from his sire. There’s no law against him using any name he chooses so long as he isn’t a criminal. And even if the king and the heir are so stupid as to initially believe that the younger brother never landed here for some reason, Darius Starlaw will certainly return to the last place where his younger brother was
supposed
to be. And he’ll want answers as to where his sibling went. The only thing we can do now is lure as many of the
Titan
’s crew into the marketplace as we possibly can. I’ll have my men hiding there. As soon as I give the command, the
Titan
’s ground crew will be attacked at the same time the
Titan
itself comes under fire in space. All the enforcers will be taken out at once.”

“Creator’s blood!”

Prometheus nodded. “Yes … the loss of his first
and
second son will devastate Dar Starlaw. It will put him at a complete mental disadvantage. He’ll have a lot of explaining to do as to why either of his progeny was so far from his post. Especially since the enforcers weren’t allowed to visit this sector for months.”

Adaman gasped. “That’s insanity! How will you explain the deaths of all those enforcers and the destruction of their vessel? The king and all the allied planets in our pact will hold me responsible. They’ll s-send an entire fleet here to investigate. And
you
… you’ll be hiding in space, gathering your warriors. You’ll be waiting to kill them and then
me
. You’ll start a war and Delta Seven will be in the middle of it. I’ll have nowhere to hide.” He waved his hands in denial. “I-I won’t do this, Prometheus. There has to be some other way.”

“It’s too late for alternatives, you human swill. I’ll give you one last chance to save your worthless life and those of the other humans on this dung-heap of a planet.”

“If there’s a way to hide my relevance in this matter, name your price,” Adaman whispered. “I’ll do anything.”

“After killing all the enforcers, I’ll take the gems that have been mined and leave … for the time being. Let no one communicate from this world; let no one leave it. You spread the word that if one hint of a problem finds its way to Luster, I’ll know. I’ll destroy this planet and all its inhabitants.” He paused and nodded. “If, however, we take out the
Titan
and its crew successfully, we’ll establish orbit again, and things will be as they were. Your people get to survive. Deny that any enforcer ever set foot on this world or contacted you. Do this my way, or your world burns! It will be your word, and that of your people, against the League. What can they do?”

“The
Titan
will surely have time to send a distress signal, even if the ship and all its crew are destroyed. And the next enforcer ships to arrive will be ready for battle. They’ll have perceived our actions as an act of war against the Constellation League. Have you never thought of that?”

“We’ll attack before they can send any message.”

“But if they do—”

“Assuming that happens, months will have passed until allied forces can rally. By that time, I’ll have contacted my home world. I’ll have gathered a fleet that’s strong enough to withstand anything the Constellation League can put together.” He snorted as he moved closer. “What did you think all those gems were paying for?”

“Great Creator … y-you eventually mean to attack Luster itself. That’s what this was all about! You’ve just found an excuse to do it sooner.”

Prometheus slowly nodded. “When it’s over, only those who’ve shown me they’re worth keeping will survive. Only those with a purpose.”

Adaman put his head in his hands and wept.

“You see … though the king is desperately trying to hide the fact, I have it on very good authority that the League’s fleet was decimated during the battles with the Warlords. While the League is very close to replenishing losses, it won’t be back to full fighting force by the time I have my armada purchased, outfitted, and under command. Even now, Limaxian generals have been sent Delta Seven gems. The wealth from their sales is quickly building our military might to invincible status. No one will be able to stop us. Luster will be mine … and its throne as well. It’s a race between the Constellation League and me. We’ll see who builds their ships the fastest. But I intend to win.”

“Humanity is doomed,” Adaman whispered, “and it’s my doing. A-All I wanted was money from the sale of the gems. I just wanted the respect I’ve worked for all these years. Not this!”

Prometheus shoved the man cruelly. “Don’t be so pessimistic, Forrell. Give me what I want, and our deal will remain as it always has. I’ll still need wealth to run my fleet and pay my warriors. I’ll still need miners to find the gems and bring them to the surface. I refuse to inflict manual labor on one of my warriors when such tasks are better accomplished by the human subspecies.”

“What must I do?” Adaman sadly asked.

“As I command. Be assured that Luster’s present ruler, along with his allies and their families, will be destroyed. Limaxians will take their rightful place, and I will be the new king in this part of the galaxy. Serve me and survive.”

“Your genius knows no bounds,” Adaman groveled as he bowed his head. “You know that, to mitigate their presence against my wishes, the Lusterian ship will have come with no backup from allies. They’ll surely be alone.”

“Indeed! This has all worked out much better than I could have ever hoped. The deaths of Darius
and
Marcos Starlaw will put me on Luster’s throne sooner than expected. Without their beloved heirs to bolster it, Luster will crumble.” He shrugged. “At first, Starlaw’s coming here greatly upset my plans, but fortune has a way of favoring the bold. All one must do is think and plan. There’s always a way out of any dilemma.”

Adaman stared at him for a moment. “And … if there’s even a remote chance that Marcos Starlaw survived?”

“Instinct tells me he did. There was no reason for my men or yours to have lied when they couldn’t find his remains. Still, he can’t hide forever. It’s likely he’ll surface when he hears, from some source or another, that I’ve killed his brother.”

“And then?”

“When he makes his presence known, I won’t put him to the plasma again. Not here. I’ll make an example of him, in front of the people of Luster. As the last survivor of his family—a family I’ll destroy soon enough—his death will mark the fall of a very old empire. I’ll make it a spectacle to be remembered.”