I clapped a hand on his shoulder. “Once we have wiped the empire from existence, then we roam the skies for other sectors to liberate.”
Alana would like that, I thought, imagining her by my side as we roamed the galaxy looking for invaders to punish.
Svar gave me a half grin. “I look forward to it, Raas.”
“But first, I need to check on my…on the female.” I’d almost called her my mate. My pulse quickened at the thought of the word. Alana was not technically my mate, and I hadn’t dared to utter the word Raisa, but in my mind, it was done.
Svar nodded, as we walked side by side through the hangar bay doors and began to wind our way up. “You are certain about this, Raas? About keeping the human?”
“Why wouldn’t I want to keep her for my pleasure? Raas Kratos took his female as his war prize. Why should I not have the same to warm my bed?”
“Your change of heart was sudden, Raas. That is all.”
I snapped my head to him, remembering the buzz among the crew after Kratos had taken his female and brought her on board. Before his decision, no female—and certainly not a human one—had ever flown with a Vandar horde. “Does the crew talk?”
Svar hesitated. “The raiders are curious. After Kratos, they suspect these human females might be bewitching their leaders.”
It was said partly in jest, but partly not.
I fisted my hands by my side. If my raiders thought I was being controlled by a female, their faith in me might slip. And a Raas of the Vandar must have the complete faith of his crew to lead them into deadly battles. Hesitation or doubt was the death knell for a Raas and a horde.
“I assure you the female is nothing more than a warm body to sheath my cock—and an eager one, at that.” I forced myself to laugh. “Would my raiders deny me release and pleasure?”
“Of course not, Raas.”
“Our last visit to a pleasure planet was cut short.” I jogged up a twisting staircase. “Maybe if my crew had their own females to entertain them, they would not be so bothered by mine.”
Svar let out a low rumble. “You will not get an argument from me, Raas.”
We both paused when we reached the doorway to my quarters, and I turned to my majak. “I trust you can find a suitable pleasure planet? One that does not entertain imperial soldiers.”
I pressed a hand to my door panel, and it slid open. The scent of food welcomed me, and I spotted the plates of food arranged on the table, the domes removed.
Good. I’d ordered food to be sent up so Alana would not get hungry while she waited for me. Then my gaze went to the empty bed.
“I will leave you to your meal,” Svar said, the smell of the spicy stews no doubt reaching him, as well.
The back of my neck prickled as I focused on the half-eaten bread knot lying on the floor next to one of the chunky table legs. “Wait.” There was no noise from the bathing chamber—not even of arms sluicing through the water—and the soft crackle of the flames echoed ominously off the hard surfaces.
I walked briskly toward the bathing chamber, my gaze taking in the empty room and the placid surfaces of the water in the pools. My stomach plummeted as the truth hit me. Alana was gone.
Running back to where Svar stood in the doorway, his brow creased in worry, I clutched his arm. “She is gone. Did any ships leave while we were with the Valox?”
Svar shook his head. “If any vessels had left without authorization we would have been contacted, Raas.”
I let out a breath. “Then she is still on the ship.”
My majak cocked his head at me. “Why would a female who was running from the empire want to escape our protection, Raas? Especially after we saved her from the imperial intruder.” His gaze fell. “Was she unhappy with your arrangement?”
I clenched my teeth, biting back the anger that he would think I would have forced myself on a female who did not want me. “I gave her nothing she did not want.”
“Of course, Raas.”
I released my grip on Svar’s arm. It was not his fault. He did not know the truth about Alana, or why she might feel she needed to get off my ship. I was at fault for keeping secrets from my most trusted advisor. If he harbored any suspicions about Alana, he had not voiced them to me. His loyalty and his trust were absolute, which made me feel even worse, even though the secrets I kept were only to keep Alana safe.
“We need to find her,” I said, nodding at a pair of raiders as they passed and clicked their heels in salute. “Initiate a ship-wide search and bring her to me when she is located.”
One of the passing raiders stopped and turned. “You do not know, Raas? You have not heard where she was taken?”
Svar and I both pivoted to face him, even as the young raider squared his shoulders as if to brace himself from our penetrating stares.
“Tell me,” I said, my words low and dark as I already suspected what his answer would be.
“The female we saved is in the oblek with our battle chief, Raas. He caught her on the hangar deck.”
The raider bowed his head, but I was already running madly down the walkway, my heart pounding and my eyes red with rage. Svar’s rapid footsteps were right behind mine, but I suspected he chased me not because he feared for Alana. He knew to fear for Corvak.
If my battle chief had harmed my mate, I would tear him to pieces with my bare hands.
Chapter Thirty
Alana
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I spat out the words even as my voice trembled.
Corvak had strapped me to the wall, although
