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Devile’s gluttonous stare ate up JayJay’s oil slick skin. “Ginger, tell me how you feel about me bringing the bloodroot fungus to Tern and ensuring the hellsna’s eradication.”
How am I supposed to answer that?
“Ah…g-good…”
Devile’s voice transformed to a deceptive sort of casual. “Have you initiated the steps to claim Inmate 141 as your mate?” The hunger in his eyes as they raked over JayJay’s skin raised alarm bells in my head.
“That’s kinda personal, isn’t it?”You pompous asshole.
JayJay lurched, the back of the chair nearest him crushed under his fingers. What am I missing? Something isn’t right. Myeyes fixed on JayJay, who was holding himself back for some reason, his forest-green eyes pleading. Think Ginger, think.
I turned toward Devile. His guileless expression didn’t fool me. The covetous look screamed of his true nature.
Did he want me to claim JayJay as my mate?
I glanced at JayJay. Sweat shone on his forehead and a pained expression marred his beautiful face. More importantly, did JayJay want me to claim him? A second hand timer ticked a loud countdown in my mind.
Confused by the desperation flooding his deep green eyes, I stepped backward until I stood at his side. Everything hinged on my response.
“Yes.” I stood tall, confident in my decision on the outside. “I’ve initiated the process to claim JayJay as my mate.” Had I just proposed to JayJay? Inside, nerves assaulted my senses, and I feared my knees would buckle. I didn’t even know his last name.
Devile dipped his head. With hands clenched, his devilish gaze snapped to mine once again as if preparing to maneuver a new piece on a chessboard.
JayJay’s rattle turned to a rumbling purr, and a second later, he scooped me into his arms against his chest. The thud of his heart stampeded like a hundred horses under my ear.
“Did you mean that?” His raspy words caressed me, warming my insides.
With one hand, I palmed his smooth, velvety cheek, and nodded. “Yes.”
Devile spun on his heel and stormed back inside the meeting space. “There are important decisions to be made.”
23
Reluctantly, I stepped awayfrom Ginger and returned to the conference room. After inhaling Ginger’s sweet scent, the bitter tang of javae sharpening the air bit at my nostrils. I sat in my unadorned chair and tipped my head in solidarity toward Sisip. More composed, she stood at the head of the table, pointing out locations the hellsna frequented on the projected imagery to Yurst, Devile and D’irk.
Devile’s gaze landed on my wrists and stayed there, his expression twisting into something devious. His intense focus made it clear he had no interest in Sisip’s plans. I forced my hands to relax on the table, fighting the tension and itch thatbuilt under Devile’s stare. If I scratched, it would draw even more unwanted attention.
A pattern was emerging at the base of my hands, wrapping my wrists in bands as thick as my thumb. Although faint, distinct spirals and whorls indicative of linnea leaves now circled my wrists. Remarkable.
Devile slammed his hand down and slopped javae onto the deep blue table cover. “Enough. Tuga, my bodyguard, and Inmate 141 will enter the hibernaculum and wait for the hellsna to return. They’ll then administer the bloodroot fungus, and I can be free of this tiring planet.”
Sisip stood, her chair stuttering over the uneven rock floor. “That strategy poses an unnecessary risk to life. We’ve had success luring them out into the open.” Her ears twitched in erratic jumps and pauses, and her voice grated, the polite veneer worn thin. “If we lure them, it leaves more room for the team to escape unharmed should the plan fail.”
Ignoring Sisip, Yurst clasped his hands under his chin, gazing at Devile. “A most wonderful plan you’ve devised, and in so little time. I must commend your efficient directive. There’s no doubt you are an esteemed tactician on Yagras.”
Blanting idiot! I shifted my arms under the table and dug into my itching wrists. After ridding Tern of hellsna, Yurst was the next problem on my list. Bonic would guide us on how to govern without an ass-kissing mayor.
Wait. Did Devile say Tuga was on Tern? “Tuga’s here?”
My question went unanswered as D’irk stood elbow to elbow with Sisip, his sharp teeth flashing against his deep brown skin. “I second Sisip. Going into the hibernaculum is much too dangerous. It’s an unknown variable. The only one who has been in there is JayJay’s dorat, and she can’t talk.”
D’irk took a deep breath and composed himself. “While your plan shows merit—the element of surprise could work—certainlyyou would consider your man’s safety and JayJay’s in the execution.”
Devile rose, more than a head shorter than me, and clutched his armrests with an iron grip. Yurst jumped over the arm of his chair, too heavy for him to maneuver, and rushed to his side. I remained seated, shocked that my old friend Tuga was here and that he and I might fight alongside each other once again.
Devile’s furious gaze traced my wrists. “A dorat has claimed you?” he hissed, not bothering to hide his anger and dismay. Whenever a dorat claimed a Rock Dweller on Yagras, a certain measure of prestige followed.
A breath louder than a whisper, Devile spoke syllable by syllable as if to a youngling. “Hear me now. I will release the bloodroot fungus to Tern under my conditions. I’m more than happy to return to Yagras with it still in my ship’s stores.”
