Delivered by the Defender (Kindred Tales)

Valen felt her words like a knife twisting in his guts. He’d been having the same thoughts, of course, though he was trying to suppress them so he wouldn’t be paralyzed by the horror of the situation.

“I’m working on getting the footage from the holo-cam that surveys the gate she was taken from,” he told them, his voice sounding choked in his own ears. “But the spaceport officials refuse to give it up unless I get a warrant from the High Court. I’ve called in every favor I can think of, but so far it hasn’t come through.”

“We need to speak to the Emperor,” Tolern said with certainty.

“Do you think so?” Valen raised his eyebrows. “I’ll admit, his Majesty was much taken with Selena, but we all know how capricious he can be. He’ll favor someone one moment, and forget them the next.”

“Which is why we need to speak to him while the gala is fresh in his mind,” Tolern said. “Jessica and I will go to the palace at once,” he told Valen. “You tell the spaceport authorities to expect the warrant and be ready to send the footage to your home viewscreen—that way we can study it in detail. We’ll meet you back at your domicile.”

Valen felt a sense of relief. If anyone could get the Emperor to throw his weight behind getting the warrant, it was the silver-tongued Tolern. There was a reason he had been appointed Ambassador to such a notoriously difficult planet, after all.

“Thank you, Brother,” he said fervently. “Your help is much appreciated.”

“I can do no less to help a female in trouble—especially one who is so dear to my mate.” Tolern hugged his wife to him and Jessica buried her face in his chest.

As he watched the other male comfort his mate, Valen felt a stab of pain. Gods, if only he could be holding Selena like that right now! Instead, he had shoved her away and now look what had happened!

But I couldn’t break my vow! I made it to the Goddess herself!

His vow to never call a bride was the last of his worries now, though. First they had to find Selena—then he could worry about everything else.

Goddess, he prayed as he parted ways with Tolern and Jessica, Let her be well! Don’t let anyone hurt or molest her! Let us find her and save her before it’s too late!

63

“I’m afraid it’s too late for you, honey.” Veelah shook her head as she came to sit beside Selena, who was still curled up in the corner farthest from the male’s holding cell.

“What?” Selena lifted her head. “What are you talking about?”

“Talking about how you refused to suck off Big Horn,” Veelah said, matter-of-factly. “I’m afraid he’s been over there tellin’ everyone exactly what he’s gonna do to you, just as soon as they load us all onto the transport for Hammerdown tomorrow. And it ain’t pretty.”

Selena’s heart started racing. Looking up, she saw that the huge Ma’shorkan was still staring daggers in her direction. She looked away hurriedly.

“Why are you telling me this?” she demanded. “It’s not helping me feel any better, you know.”

“Oh, I know, I know.” Veelah nodded and clucked her tongue sympathetically. “Look, I have something here I was saving for myself—just in case my old Master won’t have me back and I can’t find a new one in Hammerdown,” she went on. “But I think maybe you need it more than me.”

Reaching down to her thigh-high skirt, she found one of the silver buttons that ran the length of it—a smaller one than all the rest, Selena saw. She twisted it off and handed it to Selena.

Selena cupped the small button in her hand and looked down at it blankly.

“What’s this? Why did you give me a button?”

“Oh, that ain’t no button, honey—it’s just been painted to look like one,” Veelah told her. She lowered her voice and spoke in Selena’s ear. “That there’s a kill-pill. Fast acting, painless poison, guaranteed to off you, right quick. You take it and five solar minutes later, you’re dead.”

“A kill-pill? For committing suicide?” Selena tried to hand it back to her. “I don’t want to kill myself!”

“I hate to say it, but maybe you oughta consider things a bit a’fore you decide that,” Veelah said, shaking her head. “You really don’t want to know what Big Horn has planned for you. Believe me, honey—death is better.”

“But…” Selena started.

“You think on it.” Veelah rose and patted her shoulder. “Sometimes there’s only one way out,” she said sympathetically. Then she went back to sit on the bench, leaving Selena alone with her thoughts…and the tiny silver suicide pill still cupped in her palm.

64

Maybe she’s right. Maybe this is the only way out.

Selena stared down at the little silver pill cupped in the palm of her hand. It glimmered in the harsh overhead lights, mesmerizing her with its seductive shine. A kill-pill, Veelah had called it. Painless poison that worked in only five minutes. Maybe she should take it and end everything right now…