Page 27 of When the Universe Sings

“Thanks, it’s just a bit finnicky and I only get one shot at this.”

Nodding, I tried not to move as he bracketed me in. The quiet of my mind cracked as hot breath swirled the strands of my hair fallen from my braid. Slowly, I forced my shoulders to release as I stared straight at the symbols running vertically across the screens. But I couldn’t understand it, even with the Federation insignia appearing every few moments.

The only thing that kept me from flinging him back was that he didn’t seem to notice our proximity. Maxtalen muttered under his breath about firewalls and theMaker-damned backdoorsand something about Captain Ruciyah I couldn’tunderstand. After another few minutes he sighed in relief, his head dropping to my shoulder.

A muscle ticked in my jaw.

“We did it,” he breathed, rolling his forehead back and forth.

The hands on the desk slid to my arms and suddenly the stale air was too thin to breathe. Perhaps this was merely a sign of friendship amongst his people—a people I didn’t know the name of. My instincts told me to run, to jab my elbow up into his face and get as far away from here as possible, but he was a part of Captain Ruciyah’s crew. I had a mission and if I hurt Maxtalen everything I was working toward would be in danger.

I would have to find another way to ruin Captain Ruciyah and I wasn’t sure that was possible outside of this current plan.

“You’re a lifesaver,” Maxtalen murmured and my skin crawled at the flutter of his lips on the back of my neck, right above my brand. “You know, I never thought I’d be lucky enough to be here with you like this.”

I jerked back, heels digging into the floors, but it only turned me to face him. His cheeks flushed and one of his hands slid up to cup my face.

“I saw you, you know, over half a cycle ago before I joined this crew. You were always so beautiful up there, swinging in those silks. Maker, and I never had enough credits to even have your mistress consider even a few minutes with me.” A grin tugged at the corner of his mouth while ice crystalized the blood in my veins. “But I knew if I just had time with you, you’d feel the same about me too.”

My mouth opened to say something,anything. All those practiced words Lunastra had taught me to say to clients if they somehow approached me. But they were swallowed in the next moment by his mouth on mine. His grip was tight on the back of my hair, tongue pushing sickeningly between my teeth. Thescent of stale tea and the musk of his body made me gag as he pushed closer.

So I bit down until the tang of his blood washed it all away.

CHAPTER

NINETEEN

Maxtalen’s screamssounded like a wounded animal’s as he wrenched back.

I hadn’t had time to bite down enough to sever his tongue, but dark blood ran down his chin as it did mine. His eyes went wild and I only had a moment to brace before his fist came crashing down. I jumped up enough to dodge the hit at my temple, but pain exploded across my mouth, my blood mixing with his into a strange brown.

Here was the reminder I’d needed. I’d grown too complacent with those on the ship, forgetting what I’d learned far too young: no one could be trusted in this universe. Everyone wanted something and Maxtalen hadn’t wanted my friendship. He’d wanted to possess me like a trophy on a shelf.

I could only blame myself because I should have known better than to walk into this room and sit on that chair. But I’d gone too deep within myself, so deep I’d forgotten everything and everyone in this galaxy were monsters.

Including myself. And I’d make sure he knew that before this was over.

He cursed, but the words were garbled. I reeled from his blow, fingers splayed wide across the desk. Hands curled around my waist and I didn’t fight the instinct this time as I threw my elbow back, connecting with his face in a satisfying crunch. Maxtalen wouldn’t have anticipated I would fight back—not with how pleasure yeskas were viewed. But what the pampered members of the Federation didn’t know was that deep down inour bones we were all survivors, hardened past the point of any recognition. We might as well have been those cursed beings from the Outer Rim, abandoned by the Federation and left to fight over the scraps.

My satisfaction at his wail of agony was short lived as his fingers dug into my shoulders and my face hit the counter with a slam. Empty cups and plates fell to the ground, shattering around us. I bucked, pushing on the desk with all my strength as I thrust my head back. I caught the edge of his jaw and he stumbled away, allowing me enough space to stand.

The room spun and blood slipped down my face from a gash in my hairline. I blinked to clear my vision, ducked as Maxtalen came crashing forward, but the space was small, barely more than a closet. Though I dodged his initial grab and ran toward the control panel for the door, he gripped me around the hips and threw me into the shelf.

Searing pain rippled across my side as the jagged edge of a pipe tore through my back. I screamed. The whole left side of my body flashed with crackling heat, adrenaline pulsed through the crooks of my arms, but I was frozen in place. A satisfied grin pulled at his cheeks, though it was warped by his mangled nose.

“I have been waiting…almost a full cycle…for this,” he wheezed, closing the distance between us and pressing himself against me.

A cry tore through my lips, louder than I’d ever heard it, as if I was screaming for someone but I didn’t know who. White light blazed against my lids and pain tore through my shoulder until I wasn’t sure I could stand it. My blood roared in my ears, my knees turned weak, and I was still screaming even though my vision hazed. My wail cut off with a gurgle. There were hands on me, drawing me closer, sickening breath mingled with blood on my face. Muttering about everything I’d feared most.

A hiss.

A groan.

I pushed, scratching until wetness coated my hands, until I fell to the floor, splashing into a mix of our blood.

Nearby, Maxtalen sobbed, the sound disgusting in its fragility. But I could only gasp for air, rolling onto my back to stare up at the ceiling. A tremor racked through my limbs, the halo orb shimmered, and my toes grew cold in my boots. Someone else entered the room, their rough whispers slicing through the wheeze in my chest. Bone cracked, followed by a whimpered plea.

“You piece ofsalpah, you’re dead, do you hear me?”