Saven Disclosure (The Saven Series Book 2) (25 page)

Something crashes into the door, and I feel the vibration under my feet.
“Is that you?”

“Yes! They won’t let me see you! I’m about ready to tear this place apart.”

I place my palms on the wall, wishing I could feel his warm hands against mine. I can’t believe I’m about to say this.
“Stop. You can’t do this. You need to follow through. You know that’s the way it has to be.”

The frantic pounding ceases.

“What? No. I was wrong. I can’t live without you. You are all that matters to me. To hell with the rest of it.”

“So, what? You’re prepared to sacrifice my world and yours so we can be together? We can’t be that selfish. You know we can’t. It’s not possible.”

“Sadie.”

I feel his pain as acutely as he no doubt feels mine. Everything is finally quiet outside. I press my body to the wall as we indulge our connection, letting our thoughts and emotions flow back and forth, surrounding ourselves in the depth of what we feel, until I can’t bear it any longer.
“You need to go.”

“I’m going to fix this, Sadie. And they won’t hurt you. I promise.”

My resolve is weakening and I’m so close to crumbling, to reclaiming my earlier words.
“I love you, Logan. Now please go.”

“Okay. But you need to eat. It’s completely safe. Promise me.”

That’s an easy one. I trust him.
“I promise
.” I’m already walking to the cold food spread out on the table.

Dali comes back into the room to check on me, smiling broadly when she spots me seated at the table, chowing down. After fixing my injuries with some clear gel-like substance, she tells me she’ll return in the morning. Once again, I’m left to my own devices.

The hot temp in the room makes it nigh impossible to sleep, but somehow I manage to snatch a few hours. Logan consumes my thoughts, and my skin is restlessly twitching with the urge to touch him. Our connection buzzes consistently in the background, offering much-needed comfort, and unsolicited torture.

Dali is true to her word, returning early the next morning. She lays out the most incredible array of food, and I tuck in with glee. I haven’t a clue what I’m eating, nor do I want to dwell on that fact. All I know is everything is tasty, and I moan appreciatively, much to her delight. She stays most of the morning, and we spend hours chatting, trading information about our respective planets. I use the opportunity to grill her as much as I can without seeming transparent.

“How come you can understand me and vice versa?” I ask her as we are sitting cross-legged in front of each other on my bed. With every passing second, we relax more in each other’s company.

Her fingers stroke her ear, and she removes a light, clear film, placing it carefully in my hand. It’s slippery to the touch though it looks like solid plastic. She puts it back in place and explains. “It’s a universal translator programmed to translate more than five thousand different languages. The princess organized the Earth module upload at the time she assigned me to care for you. When you speak, I hear you in my native tongue, and I converse in Amarish, but it translates it into English for your ears.”

“Wow. That’s incredible. What other technology do you have?”

“Not as much as you’d imagine. The ongoing war consumes the administration at the extent of so much else.” She shakes her head forlornly. “Instead of investing in technological and medical research, time and money is spent on planning strategies, forging alliances, trying to strengthen our defenses, and manufacturing weapons of mass destruction.” Her hands clench until her knuckles are bleached white.

I angle toward her. “What war?”

“The galaxy has been at war in some form or another for the last two hundred years. There are certain races focused purely on advancement by colonization, and for the last two centuries, alliances have been forged and broken as different races battle for control of the solar system. Our royal family had been at the helm of the conquests for more than one hundred and fifty years, but then the balance of power shifted, and we found ourselves on the outskirts. The last fifty years has seen our empire decimated, and our planet almost destroyed. This alliance with the Saven is the first positive step forward in recent years, but I fear it comes at too high a price.” She rubs the side of her head.

“In what way?”

Her face changes, and she looks engrossed in thought. Pinching the bridge of her nose, she fakes a smile. “Let’s change the subject. My thoughts always turn dark when I think of the mistakes we’ve made. What else would you like to know?”

What doesn’t she want to tell me, I wonder. I decide to switch tack. “What is the exact history between the Saven and your race?”

“The Saven have always pursued their own colonial goals, and there have been many occasions in the past where our two races have clashed. I suppose you could say past relationships between both races were somewhat fractured.”

“What’s changed now?” I fan my face with my hand as tiny sweat beads form on my skin. It’s sweltering in here.

“What the Saven are planning on Earth has everyone uneasy. They were what you would call a ‘superpower’ in years gone by, having claimed ownership of a huge portion of the separate planets in the farthest part of the galaxy. All that changed in the last hundred years. They’ve been consumed in civil wars as they fight among themselves, and as sectors of their empire challenge their rule. They aren’t nearly as powerful as they used to be, and that’s something that suits most everyone. While they’ve been looking inward, there’s been a shift in control in the galaxy, and certain races like the current status quo. Once the Saven assume conscience on a mass scale, they’ll begin looking outward again. King Adjani is already devising new expansion plans with our king. Our planet is crumbling, and our influence has long since waned, so the choice was to either ally with the Saven or ally with one of their enemies. I guess the king felt the former was the smarter choice.”

She rises, and begins pacing the room. I slyly study her. With her hunched physique, and furrowed brow, she’s clearly very worried over something. Though it’s unlikely she’ll confide in me, I decide to continue picking that scab. “What’s troubling you?”

She stops pacing and rests on the edge of the bed. Her concerned eyes meet mine as she speaks in a rush. “How does one assign value to a species?” She expands further at my puzzled expression. “How can a person decide that one species is more valuable than another? Where does right and wrong come into it?”

As I’m trying to figure out the hidden meaning motivating her admission, Logan’s caution regurgitates in my mind. I wonder what skullduggery the Amaretti are planning and if Logan and his father are fully aware of the terms of the agreement they are entering into. While I could be reading too much into Dali’s vague statement, it screams secret agenda, and I don’t like it one little bit. Logan is sacrificing his future for this deal, so any suggestion that it might be a betrayal leaves a real sour taste in my mouth. It also sounds horrifically familiar. Perhaps there is more similarity between our kinds than I’d care to believe.

I speak from the heart. “I don’t think anyone has the right to make a judgment call like that. Each life form is as important as the next, and all life should be equally preserved and cherished. On our planet, the stars—who are the lowest categorized group in society—are regarded as inferior, and the government is happy to trade our lives for those they perceive to be more important. It sickens me to no end. To choose to prioritize and safeguard one sector of society over another is blatantly wrong. It’s immoral and disgusting on every level. No one should have the authority to make those kinds of decisions. Society needs to be equal, like all species should be treated equally. That’s what I believe.”

Dali is quietly contemplative as she listens to me. “If the opportunity arose to save the stars, but at the expense of the rest of your society, would you support or oppose it?”

I don’t need to think about it. My reaction is organic. “I’d oppose it because that’s not progression, it’s regression. It’s got to be all-inclusive.”

She holds her head in her hands, and her skin successively changes color. Whatever’s troubling her is causing a maelstrom of emotions. But she’s obviously done sharing and caring for the day, as she makes her excuses a few minutes later, leaving me in isolation to ponder the whole conversation. Something is definitely afoot, and I need to find some way of warning Logan before it’s too late.

I’ve no idea where my comport is, or what time it is, but it’s safe to assume I’ve spent hours trying fruitlessly to connect with Logan’s mind. Nightfall arrives and another tedious day is nearing a close. Frustrated and pissed off as hell, I eventually doze off.

Dali only shows up at mealtimes the following day, and I’m going out of my mind with boredom. When she reappears later that night, I’m so pleased to have company that I almost consider voluntarily hugging her. Almost.

She hands a small box to me, and I tentatively pry the lid open. At least ten books are stacked neatly side by side, and I hug the treasure trove to my chest with glee. “From Logan,” she whispers in my ear. “He thought you might be bored.”

I semi-choke on my giddy laughter. I plonk down on the bed and examine each book. They aren’t what I would normally pick for myself, but I’m not in any position to complain. It sure as hell beats staring at the shiny walls. A wide smile encapsulates my mouth.

Dali looks at me strangely. “I can tell you love each other a lot. What does that feel like?”

“You’ve never been in love?” I pat the space beside me in invitation.

She kicks off her shoes and makes herself comfortable. “I think I might be.” Her eyes come alive as her skin flushes bright pink.

I attempt to stifle my grin, but it’s a feeble attempt at best. “I’m guessing pink denotes love?” Her cheeks stain red, and I don’t need any special ability to read her embarrassment. “I didn’t mean to embarrass you. Sorry.”

“I keep forgetting you can see. I guess the Amaretti wouldn’t do so well on Earth if every human could detect our emotions so easily. I’ve never spoken to anyone about this,” she admits sheepishly.

“Who is he, and how long have you been together?”

“We’re not actually together, and I haven’t ever told him how I feel, nor has he said anything to me, but I see the way he looks at me, and it’s the same way I look at him. Do you think it means he loves me?”

“Jeez, I’m the last person to issue relationship advice. Logan’s been my one and only boyfriend, and our love definitely hasn’t been smooth. Case in point,” I say, gesticulating around me.

“What is the one thing you wish you’d done differently then?” She looks earnestly at me.

I don’t need to think about it for long. “I wish I had told him I loved him sooner.”

Dali makes a brief appearance the next morning, looming over me while I eat. Anxiety drips off her like slime, but when I probe, she clams up. After showering and redressing in the fresh set of clothes she left me, I lie on my bed and read.

A few hours later, the trumpeting noise outside my window captures my attention. Marking my page, I toss the book and jump up for a look.

Huge crowds are gathered outside again. Images of Logan and the princess fill the screens, and my stomach churns anxiously. I guess it’s D-day or W-day. I snort though there’s truly nothing humorous about it. I know I’m not strong enough to witness this, but my eyes are glued to the spectacle, and I can’t look away.

Voices and footsteps echo outside my room, distracting me. I climb off the bed as the door opens, and a heavily made-up Princess Dalitza enters the room. She’s wearing a white headscarf over a plain white pants and top combo. Not what I was expecting. Then again, if she’d shown up here dressed in a stunning wedding gown, I’d have no problem bringing my eye-gouging fantasy to life.

Leaving the empty doorway wide open, she approaches me with urgency, snagging my hand. “We need to leave, Sadie. Now.”

Glancing beyond her, I circumspectly scan the empty corridor. Now’s my chance. Without a second thought, I remove her hand and blast my foot into her torso, sending her flying backward across the room. The side of her head impacts the bathroom door with a resounding thud, and she slinks to the floor, out cold.

I chew on my lip. Crap. That wasn’t intentional. Dashing to her side, I’m relieved to feel a pulse and detect the slight rise and fall of her chest. I hurriedly rummage for anything useful as my eyes keep check on the door. The coast looks clear. Finding some form of hand-held weapon tucked underneath the band of her pants, I carefully remove it and curl my fingers around the cold, solid metal contraption.

Now, why would she have that?

I extract two beeping square boxes from her pants pocket and turn them over in my hand. While I don’t have a clue what these devices are, I’ve a feeling it might come in handy, so I keep one and place the other back in the princess’s pocket. Standing up, I cast one last look at her. I genuinely hope she isn’t seriously injured.
Why was she here in the first place?
I look at the weapon in my hand. Perhaps she’d come to take out the competition.