The First Starfighter by Grace Goodwin (lightweight ebook reader txt) 📕

for a moment, then only shrugged. “It’s only a game for humans.” He turned his head and looked to me, his dark eyes meeting mine. “Right, Jamie Miller of Earth? As I always said, it was only a game to be played. Nothing more.”

My mouth fell open at his words. The sound of them was laced with disdain. Vacancy. But the sentences spoken made no sense.

“Alexius, since you know her so well, you will lead the interrogation,” the queen ordered. “See it done by morning. Then kill her.” She looked to me, her head turning like the snap of a whip. “You are the first Starfighter, Jamie Miller from Earth. Not the only.”

“I would accept your invitation to dine with you, my queen, before I begin the interrogation.” Alex lowered his head in deference to her order, and I wanted to scratch his eyes out. And kiss him. And cry. But I did none of those things.

“Of course.” She turned and walked off, her coat swirling about her ankles. The two guards followed behind. Alex gave me one last intense look, then followed. The laser bars turned back on, and the hum returned, leaving me alone once again with my thoughts.

I was stuck on the only things Alex had said. It was only a game. He didn’t believe that. In fact, he’d been adamant over and over that it was the complete opposite. So what had he meant, and why had he said it?

14

Alexius

The finest food in the Vega System tasted like ash and mud. The delicacies offered at the queen’s table were not common on Syrax, at least in the months I’d been here undercover. In fact, under her rule, most of the people on her home world were half-starved and going mad.

Not that she cared about her people. Queen Raya had one love, and that was power.

Power over Velerion.

Power over the new Starfighter from Earth.

Power over me.

I’d tried to stay out of her view for most of dinner, my goal to be both invisible and silent where she was concerned. Unfortunately I was neither now. She looked my way, the gleam in her eye one I didn’t wish to read into very deeply. “I was surprised to hear you were the one to bring in our newest guest, Alexius.”

I took a huge gulp of the dark wine to stall and hide my anger and revulsion. It was almost impossible to remain calm and appear unaffected. My bondmate was in a cell on the subterranean level of this fucking asteroid. Alone and scared and definitely angry with me. “I gave you my oath, my queen.”

She swirled the wine in her glass and stared at me with eyes as friendly as a snake’s. That didn’t bode well for me. If she wanted… more, I’d be expected to give it to her. If there was something that made my cock soft and my balls shrivel, it was Queen Raya.

“Indeed. I do so enjoy surprises. I am shocked that Velerion has gone to such radical measures to recruit more Starfighters.” A slow, evil smile crossed her lips. “It indicates the destruction of their fleet and crew was indeed a devastating blow. I admit, you Velerion traitors are merciless. I must remember to thank Delegate Rainhart personally.”

She lifted her glass of wine to her lips but laughed for long seconds before drinking. Delegate Rainhart? I blinked and fought to listen through my rage, my fingers clenched into tight fists beneath the table. Had the queen just dropped the name of the traitor over fucking dinner? Delegate Rainhart? As in from the Velerion Delegation? Our planet’s most trusted and revered leaders?

A Velerion delegate was responsible for the destruction of the Starfighter base? For the death of my brother and his bonded mate?

Rainhart. I did not know his name, had never met the man, but I would make sure he died a long and painful death.

“Are you listening to me, Alexius? A training program from afar. From the performance the Starfighter gave yesterday… I was impressed. You impress me, Alexius, with your duplicity. Working within my ranks all this time and then delivering the Starfighter to me immediately. Well done. We must act now, before more like her arrive and tip the scales in Velerion’s favor.”

“It is my pleasure to serve, my queen.” I bowed my head in an act she would see as submission, but my motive was simply to hide the hatred in my gaze. Bile rose in my throat, and I swallowed the acid down instead of telling her what I truly thought.

“She looks at you with such hatred now. If anyone ever questioned your allegiance before, they need not now. Jamie Miller of Earth despises you!” She tipped her head and laughed gleefully.

I ground my back teeth together. I’d done this to myself. To Jamie. The only positive at the moment was that she was still alive… and that I had discovered the name of the true traitor. Now Nave and Trax could get the fuck off this rock with no regrets.

A few more minutes and the queen would take her latest batch of lovers to her personal quarters and leave me to the unpleasant business of extracting information from Jamie via torture—or any other means necessary.

Jamie had pretty much told the queen to fuck off. The flare of pride in my bondmate was so deep I almost choked on it. She’d rather die than give up Velerion. On Arturri for less than two days and she was loyal. Devoted.

If I didn’t get us all out of this fucked-up mess, she’d die. We all would. I’d told her I would protect her, and I was doing a shit job of it. I wouldn’t have her drawing her last breath thinking the months-long web of lies were true. I’d kill myself then, my life over. I had to wait, give Nave and Trax time to get into position. I had to follow the plan. To