Page 5 of Star Claimed Omega
She reached the final hallway.
Two guards slouched at a heavy metal door, their uniforms grimy, buttons missing, and a haze of blue smoke curling around them like lazy ghosts.
Their eyes were pink-rimmed, and their crooked and cracked grins split their faces as they straightened.
‘Your Majesty,’ one said, a curl of yellow teeth flashing.
She studied them for a moment, hit with a stab of compassion. ‘Are your families well?’
They nodded eagerly, babbling out names, ailments, and recent skirmish wins.
One of them kissed her red-gloved hand in a muttered homage.
She winced, loathing their misguided veneration.
They opened the door.
Smoke rushed out in a thick wave with acridity, tobacco, and dark sentiment.
She coughed once, then stepped inside.
A hoarse, grating voice rolled out from within the cloud. ‘You’re back, niece. A failed campaign, it seems.’
‘We tried but -.’
‘Shut it. I have reports on what happened. It was a shit show from all accounts.’
She bowed her head and braced for her punishment, then blinked when it did not come.
‘I’ve decided to pull you from your ship for now. It’s time to insert you into the real freakin’ situation. You’re better off when you’re surrounded by real people and veryfokkin’ genuine stakes instead of hiding away on your gunship, from me and from your ultimate clan duty. Your next assignment is at hand. Your most important one to date.’
She took an inhale, panic blooming in her stomach. ‘Which do you speak of?’
‘You know the one. The time is nigh.’
A nameless emotion twisted in her gut at the affected buccaneer accent.
Dread flared behind her eyes, a flash of flight instinct, before an agony burst through her skull and down her hands like fire poured through her veins.
There it was, the torment he thought she deserved.
Her knees almost buckled.
She gritted her teeth and forced herself upright, refusing to tremble, to scream, to give him the pleasure.
‘Do as commanded orshedies,’ came a hissed snarl.
‘Sawa!.No need for theatrics, uncle,’ she hissed. ‘I have no choice but to do your bidding.’
‘Indeed you do, indeed you do,’ the wheezing voice chuckled as her feet were compelled to move, lurching forward against her will.
2
Chapter 2
SANTIAGO
Santiago Alvarro moved through the lower decks ofLa Última Sombrawith the natural, unhurried stride of a man with little care in the world.
