Page 97 of Border Control
I chuck my chin at the smudges of gray underneath us. “What are those?”
“All ancient cities.” His hands harden into fists. “They were ruined by wars over resources. Now such events are behind us.”
“How long ago was that?”
He tips his head from side to side. “A hundred Earth years or so.”
I press my nose to the glass. Fairly recent scars, as these things go.
“Once, Oloria was a jewel, a bountiful planet with clean water, fresh food and livestock, like the farm. But when we pushed our nature too far, it faltered. Males persevered, convinced they were masters of the planet. Females preserved what they could, but it was too late. Then males went to war and made everything worse.”
His story is backed up by the skeletal remains of twisted metal and the endless sand dunes stretching out to either side as the ship flies lower, but I've always questioned all evidence.
“Is that the story you've been told?”
He turns his head with a frown. “It's the truth.”
“Says who? The females?”
“Yes.” He falls into silence as the ship slides smoothly through a cloud bank, but I can hear his mind ticking over, a churn of uncertainty. It's a murmur in the background, like having a TV show on for white noise.
It's not so loud with just him, and his mind is calmer now he's not trying to be everywhere at once protecting Nevare and helping Arik. He does a lot for his wave brothers.
I hope they appreciate that. When Dom gets back, I’m sure they’ll be glad to see him, especially all in one piece.
“It's going to be okay,” I say out loud. “I'll just go in, tell them you're under my protection, and ask to see the All-Mother. Shara, isn't it?”
“That's correct.” His hand moves toward my back, then away.
My stomach cramps with nerves, but it quickly eases. Dom's probably taking that from me. I open my mouth to tell him tostop, but we're nearly there. I think, anyway. A glint of gold winks along the horizon, getting bigger and bigger.
He takes a deep breath. “When we land and you open the door, move away from me. Whatever happens, you'll be safe.”
“Dom, I've got this.” I try to project confidence with every single bit of it I have.
With a smile, he presses a kiss to my forehead. It's a homey, absolutely endearing gesture I see little old gentlemen do with their aged wives on their arms as they grow old gracefully together. My cheeks warm as I let myself rest against his hard chest.
The ship shudders. Hard. My heart leaps into my throat, breath hitching mid-inhale. The warmth drains from my skin; I’m suddenly cold all over, hands slick with sweat as my fingers dig into his scales. My pulse pounds in my ears. All that projected confidence splinters, leaving me with a raw jolt of fear. My vision narrows, black creeping in at the edges. I can’t seem to pull enough air into my lungs, every breath too shallow, too fast.
But it’s too late. The city takes shape, a sprawling set of towers arranged in semi circles, all gold, tan and mahogany. There's not a single piece of greenery in sight, small crafts in bright colors zipping underneath us like hummingbirds, jumping from building to building as if they're sampling nectar.
I can’t show weakness now. I stand up straighter, lean away from Dom so I’m standing on my own.
The ship slows, wavering as it gets close to a wide open space in the center, and a blast of guttural sounds burst from its speakers.
“I'll answer that on your behalf.” Dom strides to the pilot's console, tapping a button and responding in his own language.
“What did you tell them?” I ask once he straightens up.
“That you're an important female here on business, and I'm a returning exile.”
“Dom! What the hell.” I barely resist the urge to tear at my hair.
“It's the truth.” He swivels to face the open door to the dining area and luxury lounge seats, staring at the entry door.
The ship hisses as it settles, then all the lights on the console flicker off one by one. Only the soft purr of the engine remains.
“Right.” I straighten my shirt with a tug and slide Shade in my breast pocket. “I'll ask to speak to their leader. Yes.”
