Page 2 of Ruarc
Eventually, reality intruded. First was the rising Einar demanded that I allow him into my chambers to treat Kallen’s injuries. They all thought I had neglected her, and to everyone’s disapproval, I promptly refused him entry. Truth be told, what he nor anyone else knew was that I had waited until Einar and Slavic were both busy in other parts of the ship with the other females before breaking into the med lab. Stealing several of the stem shots that Einar kept sealed and locked away may not prove me worthy of her, but she is still mine to care for, and so no locks were going to stop me.
As Kallen got stronger, we argued constantly about her need to talk to Slavic and the others. But I refused to allow her to speak with them until she first told me what was so important. Of course, she refused, saying I would not believe her … and she was right. I have given her no reason to think otherwise. The last time she asked to talk to the others, I got so angry I locked her in our room and walked the halls until the next rising.
I have fought against a lot of enemies in my life, but this battle against her is tearing my soul apart. My body and heart crave her; this bond pulls me in her direction to the point I cannot beaway from her long, but my mind whispers all the reasons why this is wrong.Why am I wrong? My heart calls me a fool.
Lost in my own thoughts and crushing disappointments, I make my way to our room only for her to come in behind me moments later.
“Ruarc, you must take me planetside. I know you doubt my words; you all do, but I swear by the gods they were there. You three must have missed something. I must go, myself. If one of the scouts sees me, they will come out if they are hiding.”
“You are not going anywhere!”
“You do not own me, Ruarc. Frack, you do not even want me. So, I cannot see the issue here.”
“We have no idea what is on Deapra. You are safer here until we have more information.”
“What information? I have told you everything.”
“The frack you have! I saw the drag marks, Kallen. You were not the only one supposedly taken. How many others did you sacrifice so that you could live?”
The moment those words escape my mouth, I wish I could take them back. Tears gather in her amber eyes, and I see her memories consume her from the inside out. For a moment, I feel the horror she endured at the hands of those bugs before she cuts our bond. Shaking her head, she looks away from me.
“How dare you speak to me like that! I have done nothing to deserve the constant scorn I receive from you. Above all others in this universe Ruarc, you should value me the most, but you have made your opinion of me clear. I will not beg, and you will not listen. You are willing to forsake everything we have beenblessed with because of your own foolish pride and the distrust you have for all others, and I have no way of convincing you that you are wrong. We will both suffer because of your denial, Ruarc. I hope when you finally see the errors of your ways, it is not too late.”
Before I can respond, she turns away.
“Slavic said he wanted to meet with all of us in the dining hall shortly.” Her words are so low I barely hear them.
She is out the door and gone before I can say anything else. Closing my eyes, I reach out with my gift to stop her, but nothing happens. Am I finally losing the horrid ability the Aynar gave me, or is this further proof she is my Starshine and immune to my control? I believe my brothers cannot be controlled or manipulated by me because of our shared lifegivers DNA. It is too much to think about now with everything else happening, so I will tuck it away for further evaluation.
I take a moment to settle my thoughts before heading to the dining hall. I need off this ship and away from her before her tears finally weaken me enough to react.
CHAPTER 2
KALLEN
Fighting what feels like constant tears, I fall against the wall just outside the quarters I share withhim.The sudden weakness in my legs takes me by surprise, and I barely catch myself before I hit my head. For just a moment, it felt like something was trying to keep me inside that room with Ruarc, but it must have been another effect of being held captive for so long. All my life, I hoped that one rising I would find my mate. The one male who would love me more than all others, but in all those dreams, it never occurred to me that he would not want me. Pushing off the wall I straighten the wrap I made for myself out of some scrap fabric Falon brought me before walking down the corridor and into the dining hall to meet the others.
Entering the room, it appears all are already gathered, and I quickly grab the closest open seat. Ruarc walks in last, and I know everyone can see the snarl on his face when he looks around, especially when he realizes he must sit next to me. Humiliated, I put my head down, ashamed, and heartbroken all at the same time. It is one thing to treat me like I am dirt under his feet when we are alone, but to do it in front of everyone else is beyond embarrassing and dishonorable.
Slavic is slumped in his seat, and you can tell his thoughts are heavy, but Ruby is leaning into his side, offering him what comfort she can as he brings all of us up to speed. When he realizes that we are here and all eyes are on him, he sits up straight, his features hardening even further since he takes the position of being the oldest and Captain seriously.
“Brothers, for the ones of you that were not there … there was nothing. The settlement is exactly where Kallen said it would be, but there is no trace of any life, and it appears to have been abandoned for quite some time. Possibly even rotations. Kallen, do you have any idea how long you were held captive by the Velgriddix?”
“I really do not know, Slavic. It was hard to keep track of time on that vile ship in the constant darkness. The last thing I truly remember is one moment Shanakh, Ashga, and I were all working in the fields, planting the last of the seeds harvested from the previous growing season. The next Velgriddix were on the ground, and we were surrounded so quickly that it was a blur. They marched through the fields, throwing some out of the way, only to grab others. It was almost as if they were looking for someone specific.
Most ran into the forest, and I was just getting ready to step through the wood line myself when I heard a scream behind me. Looking back, I was horrified when I saw one of the younglings in a Velgriddix’s grasp. Without thinking of the consequences, I grabbed a branch lying on the ground and ran toward it. Between my momentum and the fact that they did not expect us to fight back, it dropped the little one. I remember yelling,Run!
Distracted, the next thing I knew something pierced my side, and I was falling to the ground. I could hear others screaming, but I could not help as everything slowly started to fade awayafter that. Now and then, I would wake up randomly, but I have no idea how long I was in and out. When I finally awakened, I was so hungry I was dry heaving. I vaguely remember Ashga rubbing my back before an odd smell surrounded us once again. It took several times for this to happen before I realized they were gassing us so they could move us to different locations.
The three of us were all in the same cell together at first, but they did not keep us together for long. It seemed like every time I woke up I was in another place. The last time it happened, I ended up in that bug nest, and I never saw any of the other females again.”
Ruarc’s condescending laugh has all of us looking his way and of course, he has a sneer on his face as usual when it comes to me. “How do you expect us to believe anything you are saying, Kallen? It seems to me that all you have done is lead us on a fool’s errand!”
Chaos breaks out as Slavic, Einar, Bikar, and Falon jump to their feet with outraged roars, talking over the top of each other in their anger.
“YOU … DARE?!”
A chilling silence falls across the entire room at Murgul’s broken roar. Menacingly gaining his feet, he stalks across the room until he is looming over Ruarc, his tail whipping back and forth behind him, similar to an angry feline, and those deadly-looking claws have slipped from the ends of his fingers.
