Reclaiming Mystique Read online

  “Really?”

  “Yes, really,” Jace said convincingly because Castor relaxed. “The only time I use my mental gifts with the crew is for health purposes. Nesham, for example, saw me heal Mikhel the other day. I asked him not to say anything because I’m not yet ready to tell everyone who I am. The time is coming, though,” he said with a dark feeling. “I’ve got something to do, something very dangerous.”

  “I’m in,” Castor said.

  “You don’t even know what I’m after,” Jace said with some exasperation.

  “Doesn’t matter. Look, I supported Gabren through his years against the Bylaran king. Do you think I would give you any less than the loyalty I showed him?”

  Jace shook his head. “But you don’t know what you’ll be in for.”

  “Whatever, as long as it’s got plenty of adventure, ale, and soft, willing women.” Castor grinned and sat back in his chair.

  Jace joined him in laughter, feeling buoyed by Castor’s unquestioning loyalty and faith in Jace. He should have known. A man like Castor, one who could accept the Fenturi with ease though raised as a Bylaran to hate them, could do no other than speak and feel his own way through life.

  “You want adventure, Castor?” Jace grinned. “Then you’ve definitely come to the right place. How would you like to be the first Bylaran ever to set foot on Mystique?”

  -10-

  Rovi

  Naria and Carinna looked hopefully at one another in the galley, alone for the first time since they’d been on ship. But before either could speak, Nesham strolled into the galley and took a seat.

  Sighing, Naria grabbed a cup of juice and waited for the large man to speak. Apparently Jace and Koneru had already left to visit Rovi.

  “Captain says you two are to stay aboard ship until we determine that it’s safe for you to leave,” Nesham said after a lengthy silence. Naria watched as he stared hard at Carinna but her sister refused to meet his gaze.

  “But we are going to visit the Motherworld?” Naria asked, too afraid to hope. She had dreamed of this moment since she’d been old enough to understand.

  “Yes,” Nesham said in a low voice. He stared from one woman to the other before standing hesitantly. “Now I’ve got some work to do. You two are to stay here in the galley.” He looked uneasy leaving them alone together but Naria gathered he had no choice. “If you need me, buzz the intercom.”

  He left with a warning glance to Carinna that she thoroughly ignored.

  As soon as he left, Naria turned to Carinna though she spoke casually. “I trust your time on board this ship has been pleasant, Carinna.”

  Carinna looked around her, frowning when she saw she couldn’t close the galley door as none existed. “Yes,” she said absently. “Thank you for asking. And your stay is going well, also?”

  “Fine.” Naria stood slowly and walked to the doorway to look out. No one stood anywhere near the galley. She figured Castor and Nesham most likely worked in the control room, Mikhel still recovering down the hall.

  “All clear?” Carinna asked softly.

  “I think so,” Naria said and glanced at the intercom suspiciously. “But whisper just in case,” she said as she rejoined her sister at the table. The two put their heads together and spoke in low voices.

  “So what do you think?” Carinna asked. “Do you think Father has sent out patrols to find us?”

  Naria blinked. She’d been about to ask Carinna about her odd relationship with Nesham. This new train of thought took her aback and sent a frission of fear down her spine.

  “I hadn’t thought about that,” she said quietly. “But if I had to make a guess, I’d say yes.”

  “What should we do? We can’t stay here or we’ll put everyone in danger. And it was bad enough they found themselves on Dark World in the first place. Imagine Father in a rage,” Carinna said and shivered, worry evident in her dark eyes.

  “You’re right,” Naria said, her heart breaking at thoughts of leaving Jace. For the past few days she’d been in another world, free of her homeworld and the darkness gathering there. She’d been treated very well, if with a bit of suspicion, perfectly normal under the circumstances. And her nearness to Jace made everything that much more precious.

  “I’m not saying we should just leave, but we need a plan,” Carinna said softly, looking none too happy at the prospect.

  “Well, maybe we could use this opportunity to study Rovi. I’m not exactly sure whether we’d be able to leave from there though. We need to see how long we’ll be on Rovi and where they plan to go next.”

  “Okay,” Carinna agreed. “So we wait it out in Rovi. But then what?”

  “Well, I told them I was originally from Seven. Thankfully Seven is in its Light Years,” she said with a sigh. Planet Seven was fairly close to Dark World and yet an entirely different planet. It had seven years of darkness followed by seven years of light. The vegetation during the Light Years would be lush and bountiful, the climate and people friendly and full of energy.

  “So you want them to drop us there? But Naria, that’s awfully close to Dark World,” Carinna said with a frown.

  “Yes it is. Father would never think to look for us there. Besides, getting a shuttle or work on a Nearworld planet will be much easier than finding it on Rovi. Neither of us looks like Koneru,” Naria said ruefully.

  Carinna nodded, a slight grin on her face. “And we have neither his strength nor his ability to fix things.”

  “Right. We’re set then through Rovi.” Naria nodded, feeling better that they’d made tentative plans. “Now tell me what’s going on with you and Nesham.”

  Carinna blushed and Naria’s grin widened.

  “Tell me,” she said again, her voice growing louder.

  “All right, keep your voice down,” Carinna said nervously, looking over her shoulder. “For some reason that I can’t fathom, I feel a constant need to be around him. And apparently he senses it because he’s always looking at me. I don’t think he trusts me.”

  Naria said nothing, just waited for her sister to continue. She’d seen the way Nesham looked at Carinna and thought it had little to do with distrust and everything to do with lust.

  “And then the other night,” Carinna blushed and looked around her again. “He, well, he kissed me.”

  “Really?” Naria sat closer, her eyes sparkling with excitement. She wondered if Carinna’s kiss had been anything like what she’d shared with Jace. “So was it good or not?”

  “It, um,” Carinna’s face had turned as red as her hair. “He made my heart pound and my stomach flutter. Had I not hesitated last night, we would surely have coupled,” she admitted.

  “Wow,” Naria grinned. “So my little sister has been taken in by a legendary Fenturi. I for one think it’s a good thing. Just think how different he will be from the men of our world. I hear the Fenturi are able to give a female such pleasure that she wishes it to never end.”

  “And where did you hear that, oh untouched sister?” Carinna asked sarcastically.

  Naria had the grace to blush. “Just because I’m innocent doesn’t mean I’m ignorant. I read a lot you know. I am a librarian.” She grinned and Carinna laughed softly.

  “Yes, well, let’s not forget your fascination with our blond captain.” Naria felt flustered but she met Carinna’s eyes.

  “He kissed me too. I thought I was dreaming but apparently we tangled together in bed.”

  “You slept with him?” Carinna asked, curious.

  “No,” Naria said hurriedly. “Well, yes. I slept, but nothing else… until that kiss of course. Carinna, he made me so wanting so fast. Is that normal?” she asked, a bit concerned. Perhaps Jace had done something to her mind that she was unaware of.

  “It’s perfectly normal if the attraction is on both parts. And the more he makes it harder to think, the better suited you are to one another.” Carinna nodded. “The Incubus who trained me in the sexual arts did wonderful things to my body. But he left my mind c
old.”

  “Your heart cold,” Naria corrected her. “You know, Carinna. You really are more like me than you think. I believe it’s Mother’s blood running so strongly through us. You may look like father, but you’ve mother’s heart.”

  Carinna smiled warmly, her whole face lighting up. “Do you think so? I used to both pity and envy you, Naria. You never fit in with anyone on Dark World, but you didn’t seem to care. And yet they all wanted to be more like you. I used to envy your exotic looks, wishing the men would want me as they wanted you.”

  Naria stared at Carinna in surprise. “Truly? I used to envy your ability to blend in so well. And you have beautiful hair and eyes, the perfect shayna to make our father proud. Sometimes I used to wish I had been born of two Dark Worlders. But now, in the presence of these Offworlders, I feel so free. More like I belong.”

  “Me too, surprisingly.” Carinna nodded looking thoughtful. “I just hope nothing we’ve done hurts them.”

  “No, we won’t let it.” Naria shook her head. “And just remember, we didn’t force them to crash on our Nearworld. We saved their lives, Carinna.”

  “Yes, we did, didn’t we?” Carinna asked and smiled, her dark thoughts fading away.

  Nesham found the two talking quietly at the table. When he entered, Naria and Carinna quieted and looked up at him expectantly.

  “Come along then,” he said quietly. “We’re going to be here for a few days and Koneru’s found us lodging.”

  Jace looked up as Nesham approached both he and Koneru with Naria and Carinna in tow. Both women wore a light cloth over their eyes to shade them from the bright Rovi sun. Seeing that, Jace stared at Naria thoughtfully. Carinna he could understand having a problem with the bright sun. But Naria had supposedly come from Seven and they’d been in the Light Years for the past two cycles. But shaking off his uneasiness, he watched her approach, taking pleasure in her appearance to distract him from his wary thoughts.

  She wore the overlarge white blouse and tan trousers again today, her dark boots sturdy and practical on the sandy planet. He loved the way she moved, graceful yet with purpose as her long strides brought her to him. He smiled at her and watched as she parted the cloth to let him see the excitement shining in the violet depths of her eyes.

  He frowned, however, at Carinna garbed too lightly for the harsh rays of the Rovi sun. Her sandaled feet must have been burning but she uttered not one word of complaint.

  Koneru, seeing the direction of Jace’s gaze and Nesham’s helpless shrug, muttered under his breath, “I’ll find some more appropriate clothing for our Dark Worlder,” before he left.

  Jace had been waiting with Koneru in a small town established primarily for alien visitors to Rovi. The streets were teaming with all manner of System inhabitants awaiting their ships’ repairs. Luckily Koneru had found a distant relative for them to work through, an honest and hardworking Rovi with the hands of an artist, or so Koneru said. The ship would be repaired in a few days. In the meantime, since Vembi was too far to shuttle, Koneru had suggested relaxing on Rovi. Not exactly a pleasure world, Shevu of Rovi did at least boast a few entertainment locales and a decent inn where they could spend their nights.

  Oddly enough, Jace noticed as he looked around, for all the eclectic mix of patrons busting about the busy sand street, Naria and Carinna clearly stood out as being the most beautiful women around. Jace could feel the interested stares directed their way, no doubt in contemplation of the delicate curves of Carinna’s sparsely clad body.

  Jace grinned, noticing the bland expression on Nesham’s face in contrast with the fierce glowing of his eyes. Apparently Nesham had staked a claim over Carinna, whether he admitted it to himself or not.

  “Mikhel?” Jace asked.

  “Castor will bring him down once he drops the ship off,” Nesham explained as he turned to glare at two hulking men staring at Carinna and Naria.

  Jace nodded. He looked up with relief as Koneru left a small building and returned to them carrying some clothing. He handed a dress of a light but dense material and a pair of boots to Carinna, giving both she and Naria dark glasses to wear as well.

  “You can change inside,” Koneru motioned to the small shop. As Carinna thanked him and moved towards the shop, Nesham positioned himself near her and watched over her protectively until she returned.

  “Good, maybe now we can settle down and relax,” Jace muttered as he watched Carinna return looking much more comfortable. Her skin now lay under the long dress, her feet no longer open to the harsh Rovi sand. She wore dark glasses and smiled as she noted Naria’s approving glance.

  “You look much better.” Naria nodded. “That was very nice of Koneru. And thank you for the glasses,” she thanked the Rovi. He shrugged away her gratitude and moved them towards the inn.

  Jace watched Naria more than he watched the crowd around them. Though he couldn’t see her eyes through the glasses protecting them, he could see the clear expression of wonder on her face as she stared around her.

  He smiled thinking she looked very young at that moment. “You like Rovi?” he asked.

  “It’s amazing,” she murmured breathlessly as she watched a pair of Meklens fighting in an alleyway, a group of Rovi children bouncing behind a large gray skinned woman instructing them on what appeared to be a school lecture. Several native Raks, dark skinned and dark haired people from planet Rak, led their Vesh to trade. The Vesh were a hardy species of horse that made Rak a rather appealing planet for traders. The Vesh existed easily on the arid planet of Rak and for that reason were in high demand, able to adapt to any climate.

  Jace watched Naria gasp as a Vesh passed her by. “Surely you’ve seen such things on Seven, Naria,” he mused. “Is Rovi really so different?”

  Jace had been to Seven several times over the years. And though he admitted that he didn’t want to go back during the Dark Years any time soon, he had seen plenty of travelers and Offworlders on Seven to know that what Naria saw on these street should not have overly surprised her.

  “Of course,” she said distractedly. “It’s just that at home I was often working in the library. I didn’t get the chance to observe many of our System peoples outside of the many texts it was my duty to care for.”

  Again she mentioned being a librarian, Jace thought. Perhaps she could help him. “Naria, you said you were a librarian, correct?” She nodded. “What can you tell me about the Cazeth?” he asked, not expecting an answer.

  The few people that had actually heard of the Cazeth didn’t know much more than the legends. That’s why he’d been so excited to find information on the Cazeth from the Meklens on Pith. Supposedly his contact had had more on the Cazeth than general rumors—he’d had information about their home world.

  “What do you want to know?” she asked, her attention still fixed on a pair of haggling merchants and a small blue creature waving six arms at them.

  “Everything,” he said firmly, his eyes narrowed when she turned to him suddenly.

  “This is very important to you, isn’t it?” she asked, staring at him now instead of the crowds around her. He nodded and she sighed. “Very well. For all you have done for me and… well, for me, I owe you at least that much. Perhaps we can find a place to sit where I can explain what I know?”

  “How about the library?” he mentioned as they passed a loud pleasure establishment. He noted Koneru peering at the place with interest before he returned his attention to their small party.

  “A library here? Fine,” she answered, her voice sparking with interest. “I’d always wanted to visit a Motherworld library,” she murmured softly.

  “Good. Koneru? Get us settled in the inn, four rooms,” he said softly. At Koneru’s stare, he looked askance at the women. “We’re not leaving them untended through the nights.” Koneru grinned as another loud brawl emerged from the pleasure club, only a short stop down from their inn.

  “Fine. I’ll take Nesham and Carinna. We’ll wait for Castor and Mikhel as well.
Should we wait for you?”

  “No. I have Naria helping me on some research I need to do. We’ll be a while. Have Nesham watch Carinna. I’ll meet up with you for our evening meal.”

  Koneru nodded and parted with the others heading towards the inn. Jace grabbed Naria’s arm and weaved through the crowded street. He turned down an alleyway and they moved at a slower pace as the loud sounds of the crowd left them.

  “So busy,” Naria breathed, her gaze moving over everything. She ran her hands over the solid rock of the narrow alleyways as if in wonder.

  “Yes. Shevu is one of the busier towns in Rovi. It caters more towards your everyday pilots and ship-wielders than some other towns. I wouldn’t normally come here but we were getting to the edge of the SpaceStalker’s run.”

  “You’ve been to Rovi before then?” Naria asked him, her attention again fixated on him. Jace could feel her probing stare through the dark glasses she wore, almost like a caress upon his face.

  “Yes. I’ve been everywhere in the System, Naria, even Dark World,” he said with a smile and she grinned back at him, her full lips curved with joy. Jace found himself enjoying their forced time on Rovi. He’d at first been anxious, eager to gather whatever information he could find to further his plans. He didn’t know why but he felt in his heart that time was running short for Mystique. He’d been gone for over a decade but he’d always felt linked to his world in his mind. Now, however, he began having odd flashes of panic, as if Mystique itself called to him for rescue.

  “So this is it,” Naria said, bringing him back to the present. She sighed and pushed her glasses up on her head, squinting at the large building before her. Jace pulled her with him, ignoring the jolt of heat touching her brought.

  “Come,” he said as they walked up the stairs. “I know a place where we can sit and talk.”

  He brought them both past a little blue man sitting in a busy desk in the middle of the entryway.

  “He’s an Informa,” Jace told Naria as he noticed her stare. “Not everyone in the System is familiar with them. An Informa has the ability to gather information from a myriad of details the normal human has trouble digesting. Within a minute of meeting you, an Informa knows just about everything about you. And they have an entire library of information up here,” he said tapping at his head.