The girl looked at it warily then glanced at Lily, as if for permission. Lily nodded and Carmeela took it, unwrapping it with grubby fingers.
“There will be water. Enough water to sink your body into. And colors. Every kind of color you’ve ever seen, everywhere,” a middle-aged human female offered. “And art. Artists from all over the galaxy will go there to create beautiful works.”
The child spoke for the first time. “What is art?”
The woman smiled. “Art is when you make something you love, just because it’s beautiful. Just because you want to.”
“Why?”
“For others to enjoy. Or for your own enjoyment. It could be something you look at, or listen to, or watch.”
“I made a house, once, out of mud,” the child said. “They said it was forbidden.”
“You see?” The woman sounded triumphant. “On the planet we’re going to, it will never be forbidden. You can make whatever you like.”
“Will my mother be there?”
“Yes,” Lily said immediately. “Your mother will certainly be there.”
She held her breath to keep the tears from choking her throat. It had to be true—every promise they’d made. It just had to be true. She would give anything to make it true.
~.~
Rok and his crew disembarked onto the landing dock of Zander’s palatial pod. He had requested permission to land on the basis of having urgent news about Lily, the sister of the prince’s mate.
The Zandian guards met them and bowed as if they were honored guests. He hid his surprise and returned the bow, following the males briskly through the halls to the Great Room, where Zander sat on a raised dais. He wore a white tunic and pants, made of a finely woven material that probably cost more than twice what Rok’s ship had. A ceremonial sword hung at his waist. The prince’s copper-haired mate and her mother stood nearby, and the four male advisors from his previous visit flanked him, also dressed in white.
He bowed to the prince and went straight to the vecking point. “I had her and I lost her. She’s on an Ocretion death pod. I need your help to get her free.”
Zander surged to his feet and stepped down from the dais, responding to the urgency in Rok’s tone. “What death pod? Where?”
“Outer limits of the territory.”
One of the advisors, the huge, battle-scarred warrior named Seke, moved closer to Lily’s mother, Leora, in what appeared to be a protective stance. The woman, whose beauty shone as bright as her daughters’, had gone pale, and she clutched the back of Zander’s unoccupied throne with white knuckles.
Zander addressed one of his advisors. “Daneth, contact the authorities and attempt to purchase her. Tell them I will pay any amount.”
Daneth bowed. “I will do my best, my lord.” He swiftly exited.
Zander paced a few feet then stopped and rubbed his face. “Tell me.”
“She was on Jesel, captive of other humans there. I bought her.” And tortured her. Pain seared his chest. He had mistreated her. After everything she’d been through, he’d used her a sex slave, had caused her to suffer in the belief she was on her way to her death.
Lamira’s green gaze locked on him, and he felt certain she read his thoughts, knew his sins. “She knows you’re coming for her,” she murmured.
A shudder ran through his body.
If ever he believed in a vecking destiny, he knew this was his. He would rescue Lily. It was an impossible task, but he would do anything and everything he could to get her out of there. She was his destiny.
“I wish to use some of your battleships.” He’d never been one to pussyfoot around.
Zander folded his arms across his chest, mistrust evident in his gaze. “What is your plan?”
He didn’t have a vecking clue. “All six of us can fly.” He indicated himself and his crew. “We’ll attack and force the death pod out of territory. There’s a unincorporated planet not far from there. If we can get them to land, then I’ll storm the pod and rescue Lily.”
“That will never work.”
He glanced at Lamira, hoping she’d entreat her mate, but she remained silent, breath held, watching them both.