She shook her head, not understanding what it was. The prisoner took her arm and pulled her forward.
"Noooo," she said, and tugged away. "Our bargain is over. You're free. I'm going my own way; you go yours."
He looked at her hard, then slung her over his shoulder in one smooth movement. She was about to object when the disc beneath his feet levitated and launched them into the air. Kiera grabbed the prisoner's tunic, staring in horror as the ground dropped from beneath them. She squeezed her eyes closed, praying.
They hovered through the air, at last reaching one of the ships, where a doorway yawned open to reveal the damp yellow light and grey corridors beyond. The prisoner stepped into it, the disc soaring away once more. She sucked in deep breaths, on the verge of hysterics after the freaky trip from cliff to spaceship. Her head spun from the journey.
When he did not immediately set her down, she began to wiggle. The prisoner's arm was locked around her. He paid no attention and continued to stride down the corridor.
He was kidnapping her, taking her far away to a place Evelyn would never find her. She'd never see home or Evelyn or earth again! Even Romas! She would gladly put up with the man if he rescued her!
Where would the prisoner take her? He could be from some other planet, one far enough away that Romas would never find her!
A door opened, and the prisoner entered, setting her down. Her head spun as her blood dropped from her head to her body, and she sat heavily.
"Wait!" she shouted at him as his blurry form moved away. "Where are you taking me? We had a deal!"
He ignored her. The door closed behind him. Kiera made out a bed beneath her and gripped her head with a grimace. She was a fool, the greatest of them all!
With a groan, she dropped back onto the bed, her head pounding. She was doomed. He would take her to a planet with larger tarantula-cats, where she would be trapped in some room like this for the rest of her miserable life! All because she was too stubborn to ask Evelyn to leave. No … all because Evelyn fell in love with an alien … no, all because Romas was an alien!
* * *
A'Ran, dhjan of Anshan, strode from the room in which he'd left her into the secondary control deck, a small room lit up with scenes of space, the planet, their destination, and the internal corridors of the craft. Ne'Rin stood staring at one screen with interest. Wondering how much he should say, A'Ran's gaze went to another screen first, the one listing the details of their unsuccessful peace mission. He'd known it would fail, but the elders of the Planetary Council had called in their last favor. He was relieved it was over with in so short a time; he had more battles to plan and more potential allies to recruit, now that the Council was done with its stranglehold on him. He owed them nothing after his mission, which cleared a path for him to do what he must to regain his throne. He'd contact Jetr when they were clear of Qatwal to let him know everything had gone as he predicted.