Page 12 of Loving the Alien Spy

An ember inside me surges to life. Lindsey also isn’t saying she doesn’t want there to be. No, I cannot let myself think that way.

“Am I wrong?” Tell me I’m not.

Lindsey tosses her hands up once again. “No. I mean, I don’t know. I’m not Bohnari, and even though Olivia and Quinn are mated to two of them, I don’t really understand how it all works. The mating fever and being what you guys consider mates or heart’s fire or whatever. I mean, I know the obvious physical changes like the darkening skin and the changing eye color. But beyond that?”

Gods’ blood, there is so much more than that. So much more.

“There is no need to concern yourself with anything beyond that.”

Lindsey’s mouth falls open, and I can’t draw my gaze from it.

“You’re kidding, right? Are you seriously going to stand there and tell me not to be concerned over something that affects my entire life? My entire existence?”

She curls her lip, nearly slams down the plant she’s still carrying onto the table, and storms away toward her friend. They weave through the market until they’re gone from my sight. I should go after her, but it’s better this way. Fuel Lindsey’s dislike of me—of Bannik—so she doesn’t wish, or hope, for things I can’t give her.

“There’s no escaping it,” a male voice advises from nearby. A familiar voice.

Janik—with Mak at his side—is at the neighboring booth, which displays an array of fine fabrics in bold, beautiful colors.

“Your heart’s fire,” he clarifies, as if I didn’t already know what he meant. “The kanet powder is useless to you now, but I suspect you’ve discovered that on your own.”

In that regard, Janik is correct. I don’t acknowledge the fact, though.

“I have nothing to escape.”

His laughter booms through the market, turning curious gazes our direction. “If that is what you believe.” With a single stroke of Mak’s head, he and the phinnek walk away.

I stand there a moment longer before turning my attention to the Bohnari selling the plants and flowers. I pick up the most recently held one. The vendor scans a code displayed on my wrist comm and removes the credits from my account.

“See that this gets delivered to the female called Lindsey.” With those brief instructions, I leave the market and head to the barracks to think about what I’m going to do.

Beyond the perimeter of the square, far fewer people walk the streets. Everything around me becomes quieter as I travel down narrow passageways carved between buildings. One side is cast in shadows, while the other side is blinding with a reflective light that bounces off the shiny copper surface of the wall.

A scuttling sound comes from just up ahead. My pace slows, and I remain alert and ready for whatever it might be. Someone trying to ambush me for my alleged betrayal, perhaps. I’m not wearing my guard’s uniform, but it wouldn’t matter, considering I’m not allowed to carry a weapon with lethal capacity. Little does anyone know I am a lethal weapon. Slowly, a shadow shifts and moves. From out of a darkened doorway steps a Bohnari.

“Greetings, Bannik.”

“Ryvik.” I nod in acknowledgment.

The male before me organized and meticulously planned—down to a single detail at the exact tick—every rebel raid that occurred under Janik’s command. I have no reason to suspect he was not the mastermind behind the recent massive attack orchestrated by Mohneek and Orvak.

“I’d been told you had returned to guard duty,” he notes.

“Yes.”

Ryvik grins, but something about it sets my teeth on edge. From my understanding, he’d been one of the more than one hundred former rebels who swore fealty to the queen.

“That is very loyal of you,” he remarks.

“Like you, I gave my allegiance to Queen Veroneek.”

“Yes, like me.” He strides forward and begins to pass by when he stops. “Loyalty is important after all. Enjoy your next shift rotation.”

With that, he exits the passageway onto the main street and takes a right turn. I remain standing in this same spot long after the sound of his footsteps disappears.

Chapter 8

Lindsey