Page 8 of Commander's Slave
Draken’s eyes darted nervously around the open space before he met Edek’s gaze again. “Speaking of business, I had a bit of a quarrel in town with Teyya a while back. You should know—”
“What did you buy?” Edek interrupted, stiffening as he regarded his brother with disapproval. Teyya was a rival businessman in the town and had a longstanding feud with Draken. The two Kall constantly tried to outbid one another during auctions, and Draken brought home all manner of strange items he didn’t need.
“Well, Edek, it’s notwhatI bought, it’swhoI bought.”
Edek forced the shock from his face and glared at his brother. “A slave? You bought a slave? What would your precious Holy Ones say if they knew?”
Draken had the grace to flush. “Do you really think Teyya would’ve treated the slave better than I? And besides, she’s not my slave. I bought the human as a gift for you.”
A gift. A human.
Edek growled and his hands curled into fists.
Afluxxinghuman.
“What possessed you to think I’d accept ownership of ahuman?”
“Well, I thought…” Draken’s voice trailed off for a moment. “As I said, now is the time for reflection and healing and…” He stopped speaking and gave a guilty shrug. “As I said, the slave is a gift for you, my dear brother. A gift.”
A gift. Edek knew why Draken kept repeating the word ‘gift.’ It was because such a gift—the gift of a slave, whether human or Kall or otherwise—could never be refused.
Edek’s mind reeled, but before he could question Draken further, he noticed the sun was setting behind the mountain, splashing an orange glow through the trees. If he left now, he would have just enough time to pay his wife and sons a visit before darkness fell.
“We’ll discuss thisgiftlater,” Edek said in a distracted tone. “I have something to do.”
In a clearing not far from the house lay the stone grave markers.
One, two, three.
They blended in with the landscape, unmarked as they were. Tall green grass and purple dust flowers threatened to hide the stones. This meadow had been his wife’s favorite place to bring their sons during visits here. Since Edek had grown up here and had no plans to return to the rebuilt Yomma, he’d placed their bodies among the dust flowers. By the ancient gods, he hoped Renna and their sons were resting easy. He prayed their souls were at peace, far from the chaos and destruction that had torn them from this life.
Edek knelt before the stones and closed his eyes for a moment. He recalled his twin sons’ laughter, and he remembered the feel of his wife’s silky hair between his fingers.
Whenever he would return from warrior training each day, Renna would greet him with a sweet smile and kiss his cheek, and his sons would barrel through the house and crash into him, wrapping their arms around his legs. Holy Fires, he missed them, and he would give anything to have them back, even if just for one more day.
Memories tore at the wounds in his heart, and he grieved in silence as the chorus of nighttime insects began to swell around the meadow. They were gone. Gone. And even if he traveled to Earth and slaughtered thousands upon thousands of humans, his vengeance still wouldn’t bring them back.
He considered Draken’s words about reflection and healing.
How?How could he heal from this devastating loss? How could he move on?
And even if he knew how to heal, how to move on, wouldn’t doing so be a betrayal to the very memory of his wife and sons?
Perhaps he was destined to spend the rest of his days in the deepest throes of mourning, with each breath an agonizing reminder that those he loved most were forever absent from this life.
My sweet Renna. My dearest Haans and Xavis. I will never forget you, and I won’t heal, because it’s my duty to bear your loss and keep your memory alive. It’s my honor.
“For as long as I live,” he said in a gentle tone, “I will carry the three of you close to my heart. I will carry you with me always.”
Sighing, he opened his eyes as the last rays of light slipped past the mountain, leaving only a faint orange glow on the horizon. The evening breeze turned cooler and brought the familiar scent of wildflowers, freshly tilled soil, and nectar-richflusummabushes to his nostrils. He breathed long and deep, filling his lungs with the fragrant yet pungent mountain air.
“I’ll be close by,” he whispered to the grave markers. “I intend to live with Draken in our childhood home and I will visit you every day until I draw my last breath. I swear it on the ancient gods.”
He pressed his lips to each cold stone and returned home just as total blackness descended. The stars sparkled and the twin moons, Haans and Xavis, glowed like floating orbs of liquid light. His sons had been named after the moons, and Edek no longer found comfort in the open night, no matter how beautiful the sky.
The warm interior of his childhood home and the smell of cooking food served as a welcome distraction. He navigated through the dimly lit halls to the dining room, figuring his brother had ordered a late meal on his behalf. Sure enough, a magnificent spread awaited him at the table. Draken looked up from a tablet and smiled.
“I had the cook prepare all your favorites. Another welcome home present.”
