Page 4 of Fire Forged

The temptation to release, to be free

Is a barrage on one’s control or one’s psyche.

How to find meaning is a conundrum.

To fight, to kill is as dooming

As to love, to thrill in the dull hum of existence.

Nerx huffed at his words.Well, that said it all about his state of mind.He scanned the holographic poem on his O.D.I.then archived it.No one would read it other than himself.He ran his fingers along his brow, checking for the telltale lines of his perpetual glower.

His males hurried past him, carrying panels, beds, and tools, all to aid the arrival of humandamu.Etterian life had altered after Prince Enyl found his Dar Eth among human women.The species from Earth was weak, emotional, lacking control, and often petty.Still, the women smelled amazing, the softness in their curves and expressions.No, for him, he wanted a Dar Eth who was harder in character, didn’t fear him, and made him laugh.The latter would need to break through the control he’d mastered since he was adamu.The void each Etterian carried had begun to expand within him far sooner than anyone he knew and with reason.

He shoved aside the fleeting memory of Kyerx’s face.

The darkness that day had engulfed his soul had been the void.Father had ignored him when he’d asked about it, but Medic Skyl had answered his questions in private.So he wore his scowl to deter the sharing of laughter, joy, anger, anything that could cost him his soul.

“Hello,” a small voice whipped Nerx’s gaze down.

He frowned at the miniature human female staring at him with her huge blue eyes.She was so thin, and she clutched something filthy in her tiny hand.It looked like dirty brown fur from a kreso and appeared to be missing an eye.

What summoned a pang of compassion were the circular scars on her arms.At the abuse she must have suffered, he scowled at the anger exploding in his chest.

“Hello,minus susa.”He softened his tone, not wanting to frighten her.

“Are you the captain?”she demanded, her gaze fixed, determined despite the tremble in her shoulders.

“Captain?”Nerx repeated the word, disliking the bitter taste of it.

“Uncle Kanzo says this is a large ship, and a ship has to have a captain.”At her announcement, she gave him a firm nod.

Nerx exhaled an exaggerated sigh.He didn’t have the time nor the inclination to explain the Etterian rankings to an uneducated human femaledamu.

“Yes, I am the…captain.”He cringed at the lie.Since he was the acting ‘captain,’ he wasn’t speaking an untruth.Then against his better judgment, he continued, “I am called a sub-commander.”

She studied him for a moment, then raised one dirt-smeared hand.

“Up,” she said.Nerx stared at her little fingers then glanced around, in search of someone to remove her from his presence.

Since Etteria had adopted abandoneddamufrom Earth, Nerx had expected to meet their caregiver first.He’d spent the last hour overseeing the restructuring of an officer’s quarters for their use.Yet, the female was nowhere to be seen, with only this demandingdamu.

“Up,” she said again.

Only then did he recognize the emotion in her eyes—fear.

Something within him shifted, and he found himself lifting her.She was so small and light that he could hold her against his chest with one arm, which he did, just under her backside.She snuggled against him to rest her head above his collarbone.

The swirling warmth in his chest registered…Trust.The level of faith she had in him, a stranger, was awe-inspiring.She expected him not to drop her but also to keep her safe.

While holding her, he instructed his males as they remodeled a few officer’s quarters to suit the needs of the human offspring.He kept his jaw on the crown of her head to ensure she was secure.Each time he brushed his chin across her hair, her sweet scent rose.Her presence offered comfort he hadn’t known he needed.Her breathing became calmer.Her hand slumped.She must have fallen asleep.Yet nothing drove him to put her down, to locate someone to see to her needs.She’d chosen him, not anyone else.

“It’s a good thing Lily only naps for about an hour.”A human woman smiled at him.He blinked at her exquisite purple eyes.

Thedamuwas called Lily?He liked it.

“I’m Olivia…”

He gestured to the modified area.“Please take a moment and assess if this will suit your needs?”He activated the door and waited for her to enter the main room.

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