“I’m from Vulcan,” she said. “No, Tatooine.”
He shook his head. “Tell me.”
“Screw you.”
He closed his eyes, and joined his hands together in front of him, like he was praying.
What now? Mal felt the air charge. It was like static electricity before a storm. Energy skittered over her skin, making the itching worse.
“Tell me what I want to know,” his voice was deeper, more resonant.
He was doing something. She felt a heavy pressure start to bear down on her. The energy was pushing against her, squeezing.
“No,” she pushed out between her gritted teeth. She saw a red glow on his hands and her heart squeezed. “What…are you doing?”
“Pulling energy from my planet’s magnetic field. Zhaltons have evolved to be able to manipulate and use it.”
“What?” she breathed.
“Don’t pretend you don’t know.”
“I don’t,” she bit out.
“Answer my questions.”
The pressure was starting to hurt. She felt like she was caught in a vise. She imagined shoving the pressure away, flinging it off her like an old coat.
Suddenly, it eased and she saw the overlord stiffen. His gaze narrowed on her.
“I’m not your enemy, Overlord.”
He dragged a chair over in front of her and dropped into it. He looked a little tired.
Ha, take that scary, handsome, alien king.
He scraped a hand through his dark hair. “You have a strong will.”
“My stepfather used to say I had a head like a lump of rock.”
A flare of amusement in those silver eyes. “I concur.”
“Ha-ha.”
“What’s your name?”
“You first,” she countered.
He was silent for a moment. “Overlord Rhain Zhalto Sarkany, ruler of the planet Zhalto.”
“Wow, that is a mouthful.”
He looked exasperated. “Rhain, woman. My name is Rhain.”
“I’m Mal. Mallory West, but I prefer Mal. And all I want to do is find my friend, Dr. Poppy Ellison. She’s a scientist, not a—”
“A warrior like you.”
Mal shrugged. “I can fight, but I’m actually a pilot.”
“What I see is a perfectly designed trap. Female, injured, and destined to stab me in the back.”
She huffed out a breath. “I kind of do want to stab you. Maybe in the eye. Look, surely you saw that my ship isn’t from your planet?”
“My enemy is smart and cunning. He could’ve planned that.”
“Who is this bad guy I’m supposedly working for?”
“My father.”
“Ah.” She sank back in her chair. “Daddy problems are the worst.”
A muscle ticked in Rhain’s jaw. “My father is a powerful warmonger.”
“Yikes. I never knew mine, but my mother met a good man when I was little. After she died, he raised me.” Grief hit her. She wished Rusty was here. He always had good, gruff advice.
“You grieve for him?”
Her head snapped up and she looked at Rhain. “Yes. He died recently.”
The king cocked his handsome, rugged face. Power emanated off him, and she saw it shifting in his eyes. “You pushed off my power before. You have some Zhalton abilities.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about. I just wanted you to stop whatever the hell you were doing.”
He leaned closer and she picked up his scent. He smelled vaguely like something woody, with a touch of fresh pine.
Great, her captor looked good and smelled good. Lucky her.
“I can’t take the risk, Mallory West. Zavir, my father, keeps sending his creatures to kill my people.”
“Like that beast I fought?”
“It’s called a hexid.”
“Hexid. It smelled…wrong.”
“Yes, they are created by the Zhylaw. My father’s allies. They use technology to corrupt different creatures and expand their lives.”
“Expand? You mean they’re dead?” She grimaced.
“Mostly. They’re holding onto life by a thread, but they are mostly mindless. They follow orders but when not controlled, they hunt and attack wildly.”
Mal ran a hand over her head. “And if these creatures slipped the Zhylaw’s leashes?”
“They’d become ravenous killers. Just a few are able to take down hundreds of fighters in a bloodbath.”
Shit. Mal released a breath. “I want nothing to do with that. I just want to find Poppy and then find a way home.”
Rhain paused for a moment. “A second larger bit of debris fell in the Badus Mountains.”
Mal straightened. “You asshole. She could be hurt—”
“The Badus Mountains are filled with lava pools, geysers, noxious gases, wild beasts.”
“I don’t care!”
“It is also the heart of where the hexids are coming from.”
Goddammit. “They have a base there.”
He nodded. “My father sent a dangerous warlord here. His name is Krastin.”
“I have to go.”
Rhain steeled himself. “Admit you work for Zavir, and tell me your mission.”
“No!” she jerked in her chair. “You know I have nothing to do with your asshole father. Let. Me. Go.” She gritted her teeth together to stop a scream of frustration. Dizziness swamped her.
Suddenly, a window shattered. What the hell?
Rhain studied it, his brow creased.
She blinked. She hadn’t done that. Right?
“I can’t take the risk of freeing you, Mal. We have too many unanswered questions.”
“Argh.” She jerked on the binding. It tightened, her fingers going numb.
Rhain rose.
Even spitting mad, she took a second to admire that powerful body, the strong thighs, the flat stomach, and the muscled arms.
Quit noticing what he looks like, Mal.
“Tell Tavith when you’re ready to talk.” Rhain strode out, shooting her one last unreadable look.
Asshole.
Mal slumped back against the chair and the energy band loosened. The feeling rushed back into her fingers.
She looked at the window and her vision blurred a little. Her skin felt like it was on fire.
Ugh. She needed a decent night’s sleep. She could hardly help Poppy if she couldn’t even walk. Mal blew out a breath. How the hell was she going to get away from Rhain, who could wield energy with a wave of a hand? Could all Zhaltons use it?
She fought back her skitter of unease. It didn’t matter. She wouldn’t let anything stop her from finding Poppy. As Rusty had always told her, courage was being scared to death, but saddling up anyway.
Tomorrow. Tomorrow, she’d wait for her chance to escape. She had to find the Badus Mountains.
Hold on, Poppy. I’m coming soon.
Chapter Five
Rhain sank back in his chair at the large table. It was crafted from a hunk of polished black rock from the Emerys Gorges in the southern reaches of Zhalto.
The Duke of Jadirel was droning on about the security of his farms. Across the table, the Count of Bentlae looked ready to launch across the polished surface and argue. Both men loved to contradict each other, bicker, and outbid each other on business deals. It stemmed from a centuries-old feud over a stolen bride.
Shifting, Rhain caught the gaze of the Countess of Naveri. She winked.