Worlds Collide by Tracy St. John

Author:Tracy St. John [John, Tracy St.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Carina Press
Published: 2018-10-01T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Seventeen

Jape lost no time flying Velia to the temple. Feeling her sitting stiffly on his lap as he piloted the dartwing was torture.

The entire flight was only a merciful five minutes at the most. During that short space, he grew more confused and angrier than he’d been since the moment Salno had called him to report the collection pod had been taken to the portal on Earth. He’d known it was Velia who’d gone before he’d raced to his home to check, hoping against hope he’d find her there. He’d prayed to the All-Spirit that she hadn’t betrayed him after giving him the most wonderful night of his life.

She’d been missing. A call to Retav had verified she wasn’t with him in the medical dome.

How could she have done such a thing?

He wondered if perhaps she had been dispatched by Ehar after all. But if so, why had there been no report from the men manning the containment field that guarded the village? An Earthling leaving Cas, even with Ehar’s blessing, would have elicited a call to him. If his men were doing their job, they would have stopped her and checked with him.

She’d snuck out, somehow. Skulked like a traitor, keeping herself hidden in hopes of betraying him. It was the only explanation.

She was so tense, sitting bolt upright between his legs despite the wind buffeting her, blowing her hair to whip against his chest, throat, and chin. She’s unhappy with me. Angry.

What of it? She was treacherous, the same as most of her kind. Not to be trusted, especially with the claim that Ehar had sent her to Earth. A ridiculous idea. The head elder wanted the Earth portal destroyed.

Give her the benefit of the doubt until you’re sure.

He wanted to listen to his spirit’s pleas. Most of all, he wanted to believe Velia wouldn’t turn against him. That she was everything he’d begun to wish she might be.

With a sense of hope and dread, he presented himself and the silent Velia at the Elders dome, where he’d met for clandestine instructions twice in the last week.

The female council aide standing at the foyer’s greeting station eyed Velia with quiet but frank fascination. “From my spirit to yours, Jape Ihucas Bolep. Have you a matter to bring before an elder?”

He slapped his hand to his chest hard enough that he wished he hadn’t unarmored after climbing out of the dartwing. Get yourself under control. “I need to meet with the head elder immediately. This Earthling has been using the portal without my sanction. She says she did so under Elder Ehar’s direction.”

The aide gave no indication of what she thought of his growly tone. For all the attention she gave Jape, he may as well have not been there. Her gaze riveted on Velia. “I will relay your request, Head Enforcer.”

She strode unhurriedly past the door where Jape had met Ehar and the anti-Earth faction, gliding to the next doorway. She disappeared within.

Jape glanced at Velia. She stood straight and stiff, as Anneliese tended to do when taking orders.

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