I gripped the iron railing in front of us, weariness sinking into my bones and making my vision hazy. I was living proof that the Vandar were not impervious to pain or defeat—and I despised myself for it.
Chapter Six
Juliette
I jumped up from the side of the pool, water streaming down my legs and puddling around my feet. I glanced around but saw no towels or anything I could use to dry myself. At least my dress wasn’t wet, except for the hem. Holding my arms out for balance as I padded barefoot across the slippery floor, I held my breath and peeked from the arched doorway.
I’d expected to see the imposing Raas storming into his quarters, but it wasn’t him. It wasn’t a Vandar warrior at all. I squinted through the dim light from the fire as a small alien placed domed plates on a low table next to one of the pallets on the floor.
“Who are you?” I asked, too curious to let the creature leave without knowing.
He yelped as he spun around, a hand pressed to his heart. “Don’t scare me like that!”
“Sorry.” I walked closer to the alien, who couldn’t have been more than a boy. But like I’d first thought, he wasn’t a Vandar boy. “I didn’t mean to startle you.”
The alien with brown, nubby horns poking through a mass of dirty blond curls gave me a tentative smile. “It’s okay. I shouldn’t have been so surprised. I heard you’d been taken to the Raas’ quarters. I guess I forgot for a moment.” His gaze went to the bottom of my dress, dripping water on the floor. “You know there are some clothes you could wear in the bottom of that.” He pointed to a series of doors and drawers inset in the black wall nearest the bathing area then made a face at my long dress. “That doesn’t look practical.”
I ignored his comment about my dress. It didn’t make sense on a spaceship, but it had been practical on my planet. Instead, I eyed him back. “You aren’t Vandar.” Not only did he have horns, but he also wasn’t wearing the battle kilt of the Vandar. Instead, he had on brown pants that reached slightly below his knees and a loose, cream-colored tunic. He did, however, like the Vandar, have a tail.
“Nope.” He pulled his tail up into one hand and fiddled with the furry tip nervously. “I’m Neebix.”
I hadn’t heard of the Neebix, but I nodded as if I had. It was embarrassing to admit I hadn’t heard of many other species aside from the Vandar and the Kimitherians who were natives of my home world. Since my planet went to great lengths to keep us isolated, there was virtually no contact with other species. Thinking or talking about the universe beyond our small planet had never even been encouraged, and my lack of awareness of other aliens made my face burn.
“Is it customary for Neebix to be on Vandar ships?” I asked.
He grinned widely and shook his head. “I think I’m the only one. You can’t just up and join a Vandar horde if you’re not born into it.”
I held his gaze for a moment, hoping that would prod him into explaining more. When he didn’t, I asked, “So how did you manage to get on? I’m guessing you weren’t a stowaway, as well?”
He giggled then glanced around and twirled the fur on his tail faster. “I don’t think anyone’s dared to sneak onto a Vandar warbird before.” He looked at me with a mixture of deference and suspicion. “Or wanted to.”
I didn’t explain that I hadn’t wanted to stow away on a Vandar warbird. Saying I’d gotten on the wrong ship would not impress anyone, although I was sure it wouldn’t stay a secret forever. “Okay, so you didn’t sneak on.”
He lowered his gaze to the floor. “I was taken from a pleasure house on Terrentela Prime. Raas Vassim saw me there and saved me.”
I swallowed down a lump in my throat, sizing up the boy as being no more than ten human rotations. “You mean you were working there?”
He shifted from one foot to the other, not meeting my eyes. “I hadn’t started. There was an auction for my…” he hesitated, “first time, but the Vandar arrived and Raas Vassim bought me outright.”
Outrage replaced my discomfort. “He bought you?”
The boy’s face snapped up. “To get me out of there. He told me I could be one of the apprentices on his horde ship, and I’d never have to do anything like that.”
“Oh.” I was taken aback by how quickly he’d sprung to the Raas’ defense. “So you like working here? As an apprentice?”
The smile returned to his face. “Oh, yes. I might be the only apprentice who isn’t a Vandar, but they don’t treat me any differently. Raas Vassim won’t allow it. When I get to the age of maturity, I can choose to become a raider in his horde, or I can return to my home world. It’s up to me.”
“Why don’t you want to go back home now?”
He shrugged one shoulder. “I don’t have any family left, so I wouldn’t have anywhere to live, or any way to take care of myself. Once I’m trained up, Raas Vassim says I’ll be man enough to make my own way in the world, or fight by his side.” He puffed out his small chest.
If the Raas was so willing to give this child a choice, why was he holding me? He’d actually purchased this boy, yet he had no problem giving him the option to stay or go.
“What’s your name?” I asked, sensing that the boy was comfortable talking with me.
“Baru.”
“So, Baru.” I
