Not knowing what else to do, I fumble to fasten the restraints across my body, struggling to figure out how they work.
“Six, five, four…”
Oh, what I would give to just wake up from this nightmare.
“Three, two, one…”
An invisible force crushes my body back into the seat. I can’t move. I can’t breathe.
My last thought? I’m so terrified right now that I might actually need a bathroom.
ChapterTwo
SUTEK
“Let me get this straight,” I say slowly to Prince Rist, raising an eyebrow. “You want me to kill the critic and make sure no one finds the body?”
We stand on the hotel’s expansive balcony, overlooking the meticulously manicured gardens below. Their sweet floral scent is drowned out by the earthy mustiness of the nearby jungle—a constant reminder that we are unwelcome settlers on this planet. Sticky humidity clings to my skin, causing beads of sweat to roll down my back.
The prince brings his face behind ruby-red hands, his talons rasping against his thick skin.
“No! How are you not getting this? It’s so simple! If the critic arrives early, I just need you to take care of him,” my prince says to me slowly, his large black eyes staring at me intently in an unblinking manner. Behind him, his long tail flicks back and forth, showing his irritation.
I open my mouth to respond, then snap it closed again. I really have no idea what he’s asking of me exactly. In matters such as this, it’s important to be correct. Deadly important.
“I think we are getting our comm’s crossed. You do realize who you are talking to, correct?” I ask as I fold my arms across my chest. “Are you asking me to take care of him or to take care of him? Because my skills run more toward eliminating problems, not wining and dining them.”
Prince Rist holds up a finger between us as if he’s about to make some grand point. He hesitates, obviously realizing the problem in this discussion.
“Subtlety is lost on you, isn’t it? Okay, fine, I admit telling an assassin to ‘take care of someone’ isn’t the best phrasing. But in my defense, you now work in security. It’s simple. Just show him around the hotel and make sure he’s comfortable until the rest of the staff arrive. Give him the five-star treatment, so to speak.”
“Oh, is that all?” I raise an eyebrow. My own tail smoothly drags back and forth across the floor. Unlike the prince, I am pretty comfortable, even amused, with our current predicament.
Prince Rist’s eyes narrow at my insubordinate response. I’m one of the few he trusts to be honest with him, especially after the events that led us to settling on planet Cardonia. He heaves an overly loud sigh. “Look, he might recognize me, okay? My face is plastered all over the HoloNet. So far I’ve only communicated with the critic through written word via Implant, so it’s been fine up until now. You only need to do this until the grand opening, alright?”
The prince has a point though—an infamous royal greeting guests would certainly attract unwanted attention. Until we can defend our new home properly, it’s best for him to keep a low profile.
The young male flings his hands in the air in exasperation at my silence, huffing out a breath, taking my pondering as denial. “It’s not like I can ask Taruk! He’s about as refined as oxumi, and that’s if we can even convince him to show up. So you’re the only option. We need this review, Sutek. You and I both know it.”
It’s my turn to sigh. I want to tell him no, but the thing is, Taruk is even less suited to the task than I am. The male currently prefers to spend his time with animals rather than his own species. I haven’t seen him for weeks, so I’m not even sure if he still lives on the hotel grounds. Neither of us voices it, but we are both concerned about our friend’s welfare. He hasn’t been the same since the “incident”.
I have no choice but to accept. The last thing Rist needs is another thing to worry about, especially a problem I could easily solve by simply not being lazy.
“Gee, thanks,” I say, trying to keep a straight face. “Happy to be your last resort.”
Everything was going according to plan until this critic insisted on arriving before any other guest. At least he’s been apprised of the situation, now fully aware that staff will not be present upon his early arrival.
Still, I can’t help but think it would be easier to just take the critic on a nice jungle hike. No one would ever find the body. No one would ever know.
“Sutek...” Prince Rist’s voice is low with warning, as if he can read my mind. He cannot. Our species does not have that capability. “No disappearances. No killing. No drugging. Not even unplanned vacations! Just make conversation, understand?”
I huff, crossing my arms across my chest. Easier said than done.
“Look, once we’ve done this one task with the critic, it’s going to be smooth operating from here on out.”
Suddenly, a deafening boom cracks through the air, interrupting our conversation. We both drop into battle-ready crouches, scanning for the threat. In the distance, a small ship flies through the atmosphere, trailing smoke and flames on its entry.
“You just had to jinx it, didn’t you?” I say to Rist with a sigh.
