Page 85 of When Eden Falls

In a heartbeat Rooke was aiming his handgun at Dybgo, prompting a platoon of Akquarian warriors to appear out of nowhere, swords drawn. Two had their curving blades touching either side of Rooke’s throat, but he didn’t flinch. His stare remained defiant, formidable.

“Stop it!” I demanded, stepping forward. “This isn’t helping!” I turned to Dybgo. “If you don’t know where our ship is, who will?”

Still staring aggressively at one another, Dybgo gave the nod to his warriors to disengage, prompting Rooke to lower his gun.

“We’ll head back to the fortress,” Dybgo said calmly, avoiding me entirely. “Havav may have an explanation.”

Rooke growled. “You mean hewillhave an explanation.”

Dybgo ignored him and ordered the crew to turn the ship around.

I looked back at the deserted beach, at Oz, who was scowling behind me, back to Rooke, who was holding his head in his hands. He growled, cursing several times. “Are we ever gonna get off this rock?”

C h a p t e rT w e n t y – T h r e e

Havav was waiting for us in the throne room, leisurely lounging in his large rock and sharded glass throne. Armed guards lined the walls, but their presence didn’t deter Rooke. Before the ground to ceiling doors had closed behind us, he started shouting.

“You need to tell me what the hell is going on? Dybgo has implied you aren’t the only intelligent species in these parts, so start talking!”

Havav exchanged a look with Dybgo before laying his eyes on my raging commander. “I assure you, your ship was seen in its original position, by my scouts, not two evenings past.”

“So, where is it now? If you don’t have it, who does? I’m under the assumption you’ve been keeping important information from me. Information I have asked you about several times!”

Havav held his palm up. “Calm down, commander.” He looked at Dybgo again and said, “Fetch Llexzus.”

I watched Dybgo pause for a moment before passing the message onto a guard standing near the doors. Dybgo’s eye caught mine and I saw a flash of shame hiding there. I realised, he had purposely lied to me when I asked him, weeks ago, if any other forms of intelligent life existed here. My esteem for him was slowly dwindling. Nux, I’d been foolish to believe I could trust any of these people.

Rooke stepped closer to the dais. “Are you going to tell me, or are you going to make me stand here and guess?”

Havav’s nonchalant expression infuriated me, so it wasn’t surprising to see Rooke’s shoulders tighten. The tendons in hisarms bulged as he squeezed his fists together. I could sense the steam fuming out of his ears from the rage and exasperation boiling up within.

“I believe the Igknamai have your ship,” Havav replied with a sigh.

Rooke laughed, glancing back at me and Oz. “The Igknamai? You mean the horror beetles can move a spaceship?”

“Not the Igknamai you have encountered, no.” All three of us stared, wide eyed at the pious leader. Havav began picking at invisible pieces of dust on his coral jacket, holding his reserve. “There are creatures who control them. Highly intelligent beasts with a savage, murderous nature. I didn’t inform you of them because I didn’t think it necessary. You were safe here. They never venture this far. They send their beetles to do their dirty work. But to move your ship…” He glanced up at us, scanning each of our faces, letting us conclude his statement.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Rooke asked, his tone deep and full of frustration.

“Like I said, you are safe here. We have our own…protection.” Havav must’ve noticed Rooke and I glance towards Dybgo. “Among other things, Dybgo maybe my best warrior, but even he cannot fend off hordes of Igknamai alone.”

“Havav, please stop talking around the subject!”

“If you can call upon some patience,” Dybgo growled from behind us, “you’ll see what he means any moment now.”

Rooke snapped at the general, “I believe I have been patient enough!”

Dybgo glared back, and Havav hushed them, trying to ease the tension.

The double doors shrilled open and a grumbling, obnoxious voice reverberated around the room. “You called, your regalness? This better be important, I was about to be in the middle of something tender and wet.”

We turned towards the voice, and I stiffened at the sight. A tall male, with a physique identical to Dybgo’s, strutted into the room, an air of arrogance and unrighteousness surrounding him.His long hair was as black as night, far darker than Rooke’s, with an almost bluish hue to it. It was braided back in the same way the Akquarian males wore theirs, exposing small, strange, pointed ears. He was dressed in dark leather armour, stark against his pale skin. His smirk was devious, wicked, as his eyes scanned the room, exchanging a few snarling Akquarian words with Dybgo, before landing those eyes on me, sending razor sharp chills down my spine. His eyes were black, rounded, and unusual. A shimmer of turquoise pulsed through the dark iris, circling the pupil. They were odd, nonhuman, reminding me of the Igknamai who had eyed me up for dinner a few weeks ago.

He closed the distance between us, and the air suddenly felt heavy, unbreathable. I backed up into Oz, who placed a comforting hand on my shoulder, stabilising me.

“You have guests,” the new male said, turning to Havav, who was descending the shallow steps of the dais.

“I do. So behave,” Havav replied sternly. He turned to Rooke. “Commander, may I introduce you to Llexzus. He is our valued means of protection from the Igknamai.”