Six paragraphs from LHORA, a sensuous sci-fi romance.
1. As the entourage drew
nearer, Lhora studied the group. There were five of them, all males. Four
obviously seasoned veterans and one younger. One of the older four, the one in
the lead, had that attitude that was easily recognizable. The other three she
could make an educated guess as to who they were. But the younger one? Was he a
trainee? A scribe? Or someone expected to serve the others? She found it ironic
that she might be expected to second-guess each man’s reason for attending, the
same way she and her mother planned to treat them.
2. “I don’t know,” she
admitted. “But I’m betting he wasn’t expecting the Tra’Mell to overtake and
board him. He readied his armament, but he only used it as…as what? A bluff? A
deterrent? Who knows?” She threw an arm out in the direction of the bay doors. “You’re
still under your shields, right? That’s why the Tra’Mell haven’t noticed you
yet. You know they’re listening in on your communications. They know no help is
coming. They’re counting on you backing off. But if you go in and blast those
two ketches, that’ll give the Sarpi the chance to ignite those cannons! He can
blast that destroyer into space fragments! Then all that’s left is for you and
your men to board the Cleeda and take
down the remaining Tra’Mell.” She gasped for breath and waited for the Vadris
to make his decision. He continued to waver, leading her to press one more
time. “Your element of surprise is shrinking with every heartbeat.”
3. Sov snorted in
amusement, but behind him she saw Duren’s hooded expression. She tried to read
him, but his father’s mix of emotions were blaring into her head like fire
alarms, preventing her from receiving him. Resigned for the moment, she
obediently allowed the Coltrosstian to manhandle her until they reached the
brig, where he shoved her into a cell adjacent to the Vadris’s.
4. Duren saw his scowl reflected in the glass. He couldn’t
explain why he was starting to think this, but a nagging thought had begun to
bury itself into his brain. The thought that his father had no intention of
letting his son and rightful heir assume the title of Sarpi. That maybe Sov was
priming someone else to take over the leadership of Coltross. Someone who would
continue to rule over the land with the same unforgiving iron fist because the
Sarpi knew his son would not.
5. “I can’t,” Lhora
responded. “That’s basically all I heard. That the Sarpi had made some kind of
agreement with the Tra’Mell, but he didn’t elaborate on it. But I can tell you
this.” She turned around in her seat. “I was in the audience chamber when the
Esstika met with the Sarpi, the Sarpen, and several of his Vadrises. Sov made
it clear he was there to discuss the Tra’Mell’s foray into our southern
regions. He insinuated that he and the Esstika should join forces in order to expel
them from the planet, but nothing further was said. They had dinner, and
afterwards supposedly chose to retire for the night back on their ship. I
finished my shift and went to the kitchen to eat. When I was done, I was
heading back to my barracks when I encountered the Sarpen. He told me he’d
chosen to take up the Esstika’s invitation to spend the night in the guest
wing.” She dropped her gaze, shaking her head. “The next thing I remember is
waking up on the Sarpi’s ship, and they were on their way back to Coltross. I
was told I was their leverage, but I didn’t know what that meant at the time.”
6. Lhora hastened to
reassure him. “No. We don’t control emotions. Forget what you’ve been told, or
what the Coltrosstians believe, those stories aren’t true. We read emotions. We sense them. We listen
to your heart, to the blood pumping through your veins, and we study the play
of your muscles in your face. We observe your eyes, for through them we can
almost see what’s on your mind. And we hear your voice. Every inflection, the
tone, the volume. We can’t control how
you feel, but we know if what’s spoken is the truth or a lie. We perceive
misdirection and misinformation, as well as when a partial truth is spoken
because some of it has been omitted.” She shook her head. “I’ve known how you
felt about me ever since you came to the dungeon. I know you haven’t lied to me
since you approached me in the Sarpi’s brig. Do you blame me for not telling
you the truth about me, when I was afraid it would change the way you feel
about me?”
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