Page 7 of When the Universe Sings

I wondered what he was searching for that he needed someone who could climb andadapt.

“I am happy to loan Juniper to you, Asher, you know that,” Lunastra purred.

My stomach twisted and acid crept up my throat.Loan.

A snort slipped through the mask. “In exchange for a senator’s ransom.”

She shrugged. “My gem makes the house plenty of credits. I won’t take a loss for your benefit, not where my belongings are concerned.”

I had spent most of my life as an object and I could not say if I preferred to be treated like a pet here onDaskquahversus expendable work stock on Ebyd III. Then again, I liked being fed, liked a soft bed and privacy, and I liked the thought that oneday Lunastra might grant me what I wished for. Though I wasn’t naïve enough to actually think it would happen. Lunastra was as much beholden to the whims of powerful rulers as I was to hers.

When Captain Ruciyah didn’t respond, she clicked her tongue and rose to her feet, tugging me along with her. “Take her or don’t, Asher, it doesn’t much matter to me. Dearest, run along and get ready for your next performance.”

I nodded and turned to go, but his voice rang through the room. “Wait.”

Lunastra’s hand curled around my shoulder, turning me to face them again, her lips curved in a satisfied grin. The captain rose to his feet. “Have her ready tomorrow morning for departure. Pack light. The credits will be deposited into your account the moment she steps onto theKuxatana.”

Without another word he strode from the room with heavy footfalls, his cloak slipping across my ankles as he swept by me. When the door shut with a hiss, Lunastra rubbed the space between my shoulders and ushered me toward the door.

“What is it he’s looking for?” I whispered.

My mistress pursed her lips, her silvery brand catching my eye as she raised her hand to smooth her hair as if she was afraid it was out of place. But she said nothing as she guided me down the hall, her palm on my shoulder dipping to the curve of my hip as we passed various patrons and other yeskas. Though she nodded at each client, her smile seductive, there was a tightness around her eyes I did not usually see.

She didn’t speak until we entered my chambers and flipped a small switch on the control panel. The hum of the cooling system filled the room. “Do you know anything about the planet Akahzyr?”

Frowning, I shook my head. She circled at my back to release the clasps on the gown so it fell in a pool of soft fabric onto thefloor. In another moment, my dressing gown slipped over my shoulders.

“It’s a Class Two planet near the Outer Rim of its quadrant, mainly known for its deep mines and fuel-rich sands. But it is its people who are the most valuable part of the planet. They have the unique”—her voice trailed off for a moment in thought while she drifted to my dressing table—“abilityto control the world around them. It’s a power they develop starting at birth due to the high level of electromagnetic radiation from their atmosphere. They harness those powers to move objects, or increase their strength. It’s said they can even summon electricity or energy to defend or attack.”

My mouth twisted into a grimace but I knew better than to interrupt her.

“I heard once from a client they have mates they believe are fated by their goddess to be theirs for their entire lives. All it takes is to catch their scent or even merely see them and they become…obsessed. Irrevocably changed by that person, in tune with their desires, their emotions, even their thoughts.”

A scoff of disbelief slipped through my defenses before I could stop it. Lunastra pursed her lips, watching with her silver eyes as I made my way to the vanity and sat down, clasping my hands between my knees.

“I thought Captain Ruciyah was Quinzyr.” I swallowed, my throat aching, and sipped from one of the small flasks of fresh water the staff left.

“He is, but what he is looking for isfromAkahzyr.”

Something the entire universe was looking for, he’d said. Something important enough he was willing to hire one of Lunastra’s yeskas to get it—and pay a fortune in credits.

“There was a sacred stone within their planet, one the Akahzyrians worship. It’s said to hold the secret of their power, or maybe it was an extension of their power, I’m not sure. I’veheard different accounts. But about twenty or so cycles ago the stone was stolen and since then every mercenary, smuggler, and senator has been trying to get their hands on it.”

My eyebrows flicked up. She relaxed her arms, hands spread wide in front of her as if to receive an offering.

“If someone possessed that stone, they would possess the power of the Akahzyrian people. It is a weapon that could wipe out entire species and render planets into dust and that annoyingly handsome captain is going to sell it to the highest bidder.”

I blinked. Flames danced in the forefront of my mind, the screams of my people loud in my ears. When I closed my eyes against the image, I saw that male standing in the center of the flurry, his arm swiping toward the home tree.

Burn it to the ground.

My people had been destroyed in an hour at the hands of mercenaries searching for something, though I’d never discovered what. To think that a weapon could be created that couldrender planets into dust?It was horrifying.

Lunastra closed the distance between us, cupped my face in her hands and tilted it up to hers. She stroked my cheeks tenderly but there was a fierceness in her eyes tinged with fear. “I want you to join Asher’s crew, dearest. I want you to help him find the Akahzyr stone, and then I want you to bring it back to me so it can be destroyed. Do that for me and I will provide you the means for the revenge you seek.”

CHAPTER

FIVE