Reclaiming Mystique (SpaceStalker Saga Book 2) (27 page)

“Yanvi, you say?” Krital asked quickly, his eyes staring holes into Demise’s carefully constructed front.

“Yes, but nothing to get our hopes up about just yet.”

“You’ve sent your demons to Yanvi, haven’t you?” Krital asked in furious tone.

“No, not exactly,” Demise said allowing a hint of unease to show in his eyes. He flashed it very briefly. No need to let Krital know it was all an act.

“Master will hear about this,” Krital said coldly and fled the room, his large cape swirling like the red anger in his eyes swirled in the dark abyss of his emotions.

Demise sighed his relief as Krital finally left. He hastened into his private chambers only to find Ceck pacing in frustration, waiting for him.

“My lord,” Ceck said in relief as Demise entered. “They are not far from Vembi. If we move hastily we can intercept them before they land on another world again.”

“Do we know where they are headed?” Demise asked.

Ceck shook his head. “No, my lord. We only know that both Carinna and Naria are on board and apparently not harmed.” Ceck coughed into his large claw and looked at the floor.

“Ceck?”

“Apparently Carinna has taken up with a Fenturi.”

“An Offworlder?” Demise asked in astonishment. He recalled that his daughter had dallied with an Incubus not a few years past and had been pleased. But to mate with an Offworlder? Then his fears grew as he thought of Naria.

“We are not sure of Naria, sire.”

“Come,” Demise said darkly, his wings fluttering and shaking with displeasure as they left the chamber. “I go with you on this next venture.”

Naria sighed as she rolled over on the bed to find it empty. Jace had been avoiding everyone since he’d explained his grand plan the night prior. She could feel in her growing heart that though he dearly wanted the companionship and the support of his crew, he feared losing them to the Cazeth, and with good reason.

The Cazeth, though shaped like men, had black voids where their eyes should have been and red wings of flame. They saw nothing save the potential disorder and chaos that they might cause around them. They had been spawned in Wern, the chaos moon of Dark World. And for a time after they had escaped Wern, they had been successfully imprisoned on Lysst.

Then Orsan had joined them on Lysst and days later the small party of Cazeth had disappeared, lost in space. Hundreds of Searchers had been sent to bring them back. And yet those that returned saw nothing of them. Other lost Searchers had been presumed dead, for no Dark Worlder could live long separated from Dark World. The planet protested its inhabitants’ departures, creating a longing so intense that death would indeed be preferable to a life without Dark World.

Yet the pull did not affect all of its natives, true blood or not. Carinna and Naria, for example, had no urge to return. And the Cazeth, in their thirst for power and dominion, had settled on Mystique in contentment.

Naria wondered how Jace had been so patient as to spend the past ten years building his strength in preparation for a coming battle. She frowned. As strong as he no doubt was, he might be able to defeat Orsan alone. But with the other Cazeth present? He would not be able to defeat all of them.

An idea had been forming in her mind for some time since she had learned of Jace’s plan to fight the Cazeth. However, she knew it would take every ounce of courage she possessed to go through with it. She sighed and thought about her life, and about Jace.

She had not known him long, but the time she had spent with him had been magical. Perhaps she confused the glorious feeling of freedom with her feelings for him? She shook her head. No. Her feelings for Jace had nothing to do with freedom and everything to do with that elusive feeling of love that she had been searching for her entire life.

He cared for her, accepted her, even as he had been imprisoned and tortured by her father. She grimaced at the thought of that conversation. He had not yet approached her about her slight lapse in explaining her connection to Lord Demise.

Naria placed her hands behind her head and stared at the ceiling in Jace’s room. What to do… She could ignore Jace’s plight and go with him into sure death, spending her remaining time in this life as happy as she could be at his side. Or, she could relinquish her freedom and do something that might save his people and ensure his victory, and his life.

She felt her eyes pool at thoughts of losing Jace to the Cazeth. And at the same time, she acknowledged that she had never really had Jace to lose him. Whereas she felt sure that she loved him, he had never said or given her any reason to suspect that he felt such feelings for her.

Naria sniffled and wiped at her tears. Feeling sorry for herself would not help Jace or his crew. And what of Carinna, she asked herself? Her sister had not been this happy in her entire life. Naria had seen the loving looks her sister shot Nesham, had seen the Fenturi return them to her sister as often.

That made her smile. Carinna might not have wanted to admit it, but Dark World didn’t suit her. Nesham, however, did. Naria could envision Carinna with child, Nesham loving and laughing with her on a mystical planet. Naria blinked, the vision so real that for a moment she had thought it the truth.

No, she couldn’t abandon her sister’s future now. Naria grimaced. If only she could have said one final good-bye to Jace, had one final moment to love him. But he needed space, she knew.

She quickly dressed in her old clothing, grimacing at the black cloak and dress she donned. Then she concentrated and became a Wraith. She floated through the doors and headed towards the shuttle. She noted everyone sitting together in the galley save Jace and Koneru. She found Koneru sitting in the control room, Jace sitting by himself in his study, pondering the stars.

As she entered through the closed door, she watched him sadly. She loved him more than she thought possible and would miss him terribly. But she could help him. He had given her a wonderful time free of the darkness of her world. She could do no less than give him that same light of freedom.

He turned and stilled, sensing her presence so she quickly left. Then she sailed down the corridor and down the stairs. She glided into the shuttle and quickly released the craft into space. Once away from the SpaceStalker, she shut off all communications and shot quickly away from the ship.

Father
, she broadcast loudly.
I am here
.

“Jace?” Koneru said urgently at his doorway. Jace turned and studied the Rovi with a small frown. He had been vaguely uneasy lately. “The shuttle’s gone.”

“What?” Jace asked in surprise, not expecting to hear that.

“And I can’t find a trace of Naria on board.”

Jace jumped to action, running to his room on winged feet. He cursed upon entering and hurriedly joined the others sitting in the galley. No one looked upset and Carinna seemed oblivious to anything as she listened to Nesham and Mikhel speaking about the Fenturi.

“Carinna?” Jace asked harshly. She turned her startled gaze to him and everyone fell silent. “Where is your sister?”

“She’s,” Carinna paused and looked inward. “Oh, Stars!” she said and stood quickly. “She’s left the ship!”

“But why? What’s she after?” Nesham asked in confusion.

“Oh, no,” Carinna said fearfully, her gaze drawn to Jace’s worried face. “She’s called for Father.”

“What does she think she’s doing?” Jace cursed and shouted. “She doesn’t want to return to Dark World, does she?”

Castor suddenly spoke. “Jace? She did mention yesterday that her father could help you with the Cazeth.”

“Aye, she did,” Mikhel murmured.

Then Carinna cringed as she heard what Jace did. She stared at him in astonishment before she explained to everyone, “Father is here and he’s got Naria. And he’s not happy,” she said in a soft voice before she burst into tears.

Nesham gathered her into his arms to comfort her while Jace glared out the window of the galley into the darkness of space. He stormed out of the room with Castor and Koneru hard on his heels. He entered the control room and immediately set to track the shuttle.

“Well, Captain? What now?” Castor asked, his arms crossed as he regarded Jace.

“Now we find that dark haired demon so I can shake this nonsense out of her,” Jace muttered angrily.

Koneru nodded. “Right.”

“Naria.” Lord Demise shook his head as he stared at Naria. She could see his relief replaced quickly with anger. She grimaced as she saw his wings flare, taking up most of the space inside the small shuttle. Behind him stood Ceck and two other Thirst demons. They looked uncomfortable but Naria didn’t feel any sympathy for them. They should have stayed on Dark World and let her be free.

“Father,” Naria said softly and looked away from his angry gaze to stare at the floor. The dark ship he and the demons had been traveling in lay docked to the shuttle. He had appeared just moments after she had broadcast her message, surprising her with his rapid response.

“I am very disappointed in you, Naria,” he said with a glare. “Ceck, take the others back to the ship. I need have a few words with Naria,” he ordered. Once the ship had cleared, he turned seething black eyes back on Naria.

“You seem no worse for wear,” he said softly. Then his eyes flared with flames and Naria backed away warily. He grabbed hold of her arms in his large claws, clutching her to him tightly.

Surprised, Naria felt him hug her to his chest before he set her apart from him. By the Stars, she thought, he had been worried!

“Don’t ever do that again, Naria,” he said as he paced in front of her. “Not only did you take hundreds of years from life, but you have Master very displeased with you and your sister.”

Naria swallowed audibly. Master was a creature to be feared. She had met him but once and once had been enough.

“Now where is your sister? And more to the point, why and how did you leave? Were you captured? Or did you, as is thought, help those
Offworlders
,” he said in distaste, “escape?”

“Father,” Naria began, running a weary hand through her thick hair. “I didn’t mean to hurt you. I just don’t belong on Dark World.”

“Nonsense,” he interrupted.

“No, Father. You know the truth. And Carinna doesn’t belong there either. You know in your heart I’m right, Father.” She could see that he stubbornly refused to acknowledge the truth of her words. “Father, neither Carinna nor I have any desire to return to Dark World. We feel no compulsion, as you do,” she pointed out.

“But you are a demon, Naria,” her father said with frustration. “It is your home.”

“Father, I am of your blood, and Mother’s as well. My Offworlder blood has always been stronger. I am sorry, but I must yield to the light in my being.”

Her father’s face tightened in anger and worry. “Have they done something to you? I swear, when I get my hands on that blonde I will kill him,” he said in a dark voice.

“No!” Naria cried. “Father, I helped his crew escape. Carinna followed me and got caught by the transport. And she now has a mate,” Naria said warily, knowing it not a good time but deciding to let it all out.

“A mate?” her father roared. “She is demon, by darkness, not a Fenturi!”

“So you know about him?” Naria asked curiously. “How did you get here so quickly, Father?”

“No, Naria, not this time,” he said and pushed her down into a seat. He loomed over her. “You will explain what has happened in your absence.”

Naria slowly explained their escape from Dark World, careful to keep Carinna’s involvement free. Then she explained their stay on Rovi and Vembi, leaving out the more intimate details about her time with Jace. Evidently she didn’t do such a good job for her father’s eyes narrowed every time she said Jace’s name.

“This Jace, he means something to you,” her father said.

“Yes,” she said softly, not knowing that her eyes softened as she thought of him.

“But Naria,” Lord Demise said. “This Jace is an Offworlder you have known only a few weeks. How can you feel for him?”

“How long did it take you to realize you loved Mother?” Naria asked quietly. At her words, her father stared at her in shock. Never before had Naria questioned her father’s feelings for her mother. A Demon Lord did not love, she knew, and yet her father did.

“I know you loved her, Father,” Naria said quietly. “It’s in your eyes every time you look at me.”

“Oh Naria,” her father sighed and sat next to her. “I don’t know what came over me when I met her. I only know I had to have her, had to see her all the time. It was awkward and wrong and yet, I couldn’t get enough of her.”

“And when she died?”

”I both hated and thanked Xeche for taking away my one weakness. But I have never again felt what I felt for your mother, and what I feel for you,” he admitted.

“It does not make you weak, Father,” Naria said and smiled.

“It does, Daughter. You were wrong in running away. You should have come to me and talked to me.”

“Would you have let me go?”

“No,” he said and grinned slightly. “But I would have tried to understand.”

“But I could not let you kill them, Father,” Naria said, referring to the
SpaceStalker
crew. “And it is both for them and for you that I have called you here.”

“Naria?” he asked.

Just then the
SpaceStalker
came into view beyond the shuttle controls. Before Naria could blink, Jace stood before her and her father, a blaster in hand pointed directly between her father’s eyes.

“Well, well, well,” Jace said without expression as he stared at her father. “Lord Demise.”

“My prisoner,” her father replied smoothly, standing to face this new threat. Naria could feel his will building as steadily as she could feel Jace’s growing. The tension in the small cabin grew and Naria knew that if she didn’t intervene, one of the men she loved would die, not to mention that the ship would be blown to pieces.

“Stop it, both of you!” Naria cried and stepped between them. She couldn’t tell who looked more startled, Jace or her father, but she refused to move.