I looked at Mikoh. “You clearly have anger problems.”

The shipmaster laughed, and so did Surkah; even Mikoh’s lips twitched.

“So that’s why you’re posted outside this room,” I said in understanding. “And why you keep popping in? You’re guarding her?”

Mikoh nodded. “We just tell the Hailed Mother my assigned job of jra is to protect Kol and Surkah just to appease her. She loves all her sons, so their safety matters just as much, but Surkah is my only real charge. Kol does not need protection; it would be an insult to his Elite status to suggest otherwise.”

I assumed the Hailed Mother was the title of the Queen—Surkah’s mother.

“Who is Kol?” I quizzed. “And what is an Elite status?”

“I am Kol,” the shipmaster replied. “And being an Elite means you’re a highly skilled warrior, and part of the Guard that protects the people. It is the highest status a warrior can obtain. To be a member of the Guard is an honour.”

Oh.

I couldn’t look the Maji in the eye—his gaze was too much—but I allowed my mind to repeat his name over and over.

Kol.

I cleared my throat. “Well, I’m Nova. It’s… nice to meet you all.”

“That is a stupid name,” Mikoh informed me.

Surkah grabbed a little black object from the top of a machine next to her and threw it at his head. He avoided it easily, but couldn’t dodge the elbow Kol rammed into his side. Mikoh growled and rubbed the spot.

“Iamui!” he bellowed at Kol.

I looked at Surkah. “What does that word mean?”

“It is an insult that does not translate well,” she whispered. “It means waste canal.”

An asshole.

I snorted and looked back at Mikoh, who shoved Kol and demanded, “What was that for?”

He sure didn’t talk to Kol like he was his prince.

“What is our mission?” Kol rumbled, his glare terrifying.

Yeah, what is your mission?

Mikoh straightened up. “The mission is perfectly fine. She—”

“Doesn’t like you because you’re being insufferable.”

“I apologise,” Mikoh grunted to the shipmaster, not to me. “It is because of Surkah’s presence; I’m growing … impatient to have her.”

I looked at Surkah and saw she rolled her eyes.

Kol clapped his friend on the back. “Four more moon cycles and she is yours, my friend.”

“That is when my lifelong prison sentence begins,” Surkah whispered to me.

The others heard her whisper, which told me how good their hearing was. I laughed when Kol had to restrain Mikoh, who looked like he wanted to paddle Surkah’s ass. She grinned at him, a flash of amusement in her beautiful pink eyes over his annoyance. She clearly liked pissing him off, and he wanted nothing more than to rip into her because of it.

“You have a beautiful smile,” Surkah said to me.

I blushed. “Thank you.”

“I am glad you are no longer scared—”

“Iamui!” Kol suddenly bellowed, cutting his sister off. “That broke the skin!”

“It was payback for your elbow. I think you cracked a rib!”

I screeched when a ground shaking roar filled the room. I jerked my head in the direction of Kol and Mikoh and was horrified to find them both on the ground, beating the ever-loving shit out of one another. I’m talking hard punches, kicks, headbutts, and it even looked like there was some biting going on. I could have sworn I saw red liquid smeared on Kol’s arm.

Did Maji bleed red?

My instant reaction was to flee and protect my life but being bound to the bed meant I couldn’t move a muscle. My heart pounded against my chest as fear and worry consumed me. Before I realised what was happening, my eyes rolled backwards, and I began to lose consciousness.

“Nova!” Surkah gasped.

I felt a hand on my head then a delightful shiver ran the length of my body, and a relived sigh left the one touching me.

“She is fine,” Surkah said, exhaling a deep breath. “She just… fainted.”

I heard Mikoh’s humourless laughter.

“And you say humans are the salvation of us Maji?” he sarcastically asked. “Watching us grapple has caused her to lose consciousness. They’re not meant for us.”

I practically felt Surkah’s growl.

“Sister,” Kol rumbled. “Watch over her. She is going to need all the rest she can get if she is to stand with us… and Mikoh, if you bite me again, I will break your nose in a place it will not heal correctly.”

“Your sister has a better chance against me than you, friend.”

“One more word, Mik. That is all I need.”

“Look at the bright side, my prince, the human fainted out of fear this time and not because of your ugly face.”

I heard more roaring, Surkah’s sighing, and the sound of my own heart beat before I blacked out completely.

When I awoke, the room was not bright anymore. There was light, but it was dimmed, and it was quiet. Too quiet. I lifted my hand to my face and rubbed the crusted sleep out of my eyes. I lowered my hand back to my side and released a gratified sigh. My body felt so relaxed, and I knew it was because of the bed I was lying on. I smiled and lifted my hand back to my eyes and rubbed at them again. I paused mid rub, though, and opened my eyes to look at my hand.

It’s free.

I quickly sat up and lifted both of my arms and bent my legs. The black straps that tied me to the bed earlier were gone, and they left no marks on my skin, even though I had struggled to get them off. I looked around the room and found it empty. No Surkah, no Mikoh, and no Kol—the mysterious shipmaster I couldn’t bring myself to look in the eye for more than a couple of seconds. I turned to my right and let my legs dangle over the side of the bed. I gripped the bedding and carefully lowered myself to the floor.

I was extremely surprised to find the floor of the medical room was heated. I had heard that the rich and powerful had heated floors and walls to protect them from the soul-splitting cold on Earth during the harsh winter months, but never did I expect them to feel so wonderful. A shiver ran up my spine, and a sigh of delight left my lips.

This feels good.

I shook my head and focused on my main objective. I needed a weapon, and I needed one now. My eyes scanned the room, and I could see nothing that I could use to defend myself. I shifted my stance and momentarily lost my balance. I accidentally bumped into my bed, causing a thudding noise. I jumped when a bright light suddenly filled the room. I squinted, looked up, and saw the door to the room was open, and… Mikoh was standing in the way.

“What are you doing?”

Lie, Nova.

I swallowed. “Stretching my legs.”

Mikoh flicked his eyes to said legs, and I wished that the gown I was wearing was longer.

“You have stretched them, so get back into bed.”

“Don’t give me orders.”

The words were out of my mouth before I could stop them.

Mikoh took a threatening step forward, and before I could think of anything else to say, I jumped onto my bed. Mikoh laughed at me and leaned his shoulder against the doorway panel. He watched me with obvious amusement while I watched him with fear. He was huge.

Seriously. Fucking. Huge.

He was taller than Surkah, who was a giant herself, and the same height as Kol, who towered over his sister with ease. I fully assessed Mikoh while he was silent. His eyes were blood red with licks of silver streaking through, his skin was a pale blue, and his hair was jet black. M

ikoh’s hair was cut short, tight on the side and a little long on top. Just like Kol’s, minus the braids. His uniform was black, and the armour plates were a shiny black, which told me they were a solid material of some kind. He didn’t have a gun in a holster; instead, he had silver dagger blades strapped to his thick thighs.

He scared me to death, and he knew it.

“Are you tall for a human?” he randomly asked me.

I raised my eyebrows at the unexpected question.

“No, I’m not. I’m considered short by most.”

Mikoh nodded in understanding.

“You’re defective. I assumed something was wrong—”

“I’m not defective,” I angrily cut him off. “Some human women are as tall as Surkah, and some are shorter than I am. It is the same with human males. We all come in different shapes and sizes. Don’t discriminate.”

Mikoh features hardened. “Your tongue is dangerously close to being cut off.”

I stared at him, not knowing what to say back to his threat, but then he laughed and confused me even more.

“What is your problem?” I asked. “Why do you hate me?”

He furrowed his brows.

“I don’t hate you… I just don’t trust you.”

“You don’t trust me?” I spluttered. “I’m the one who was kidnapped by your people, and now I’m being held here and ordered to stay in this bed by you. Who shouldn’t trust who here?”

Mikoh lips twitched. “You’re fierce for such a little being.”

I narrowed my eyes. “If you call me little one more time, you’ll be sorry.”

This caused Mikoh to laugh. Loudly.

I heard a little commotion outside the room, and I watched as Mikoh leaned his head back and looked down the hallway to see what was making the noise, and whatever it was had caused him to sigh.

“It is too early for you to be growling at me, darling one.”

Not what, the sound came from who, and I had a good idea who that person was.

“I have tended to my other charges alone, yet I find you here. It is barely sunrise, and you’re bothering Nova again,” Surkah’s voice bellowed in a low tone. “I don’t care that she is the only human who does not whimper in your presence, you can’t bother her just because she impresses you. You’re asking to be attacked by me, Mikoh.”

Tags: L.A. Casey Maji Science Fiction
Source: readsnovelonline.net