His tone implied that her steadfastness amused him. She bit her tongue, refusing to give in to his taunts. She had to stop herself from biting too hard, or else she might draw blood.
“We made our agreement when we first heard of your existence on this planet,” Tavar said, his tone changing, hardening. “He would bring whatever human females he could find in the Golden City to us. He told us that there was another, but that the Luxirian Ambassador got to her first.”
They knew about Crystal?
Then she remembered. He’d met with the Mevirax near the base. But why had he told them about Crystal? And Cruxan? What purpose would that serve? Unless…there was an inkling of truth to what Tavar was telling her.
A sick feeling spread in her gut, one that had nothing to do with her pounding headache.
Still, she shook her head.
“He will not come for you, female,” Tavar said. “At least not to rescue you, as you desperately hope. When he comes, it will be to collect on my side of the bargain.”
“And what is that?” she hissed out, glaring at the Mevirax leader, her frustration and confusion overriding her fear.
His smile returned. “Po’grak. What else?”
Po’grak?
What the hell was going on? What was Tavar even talking about?
“Oh, he did not tell you that part?” Tavar asked. “About his hatred for the Jetutian that killed his mother?”
What?
“Jetutian,” she whispered, fear beginning to chill her once more. They were in league with the Krevorags, the ones that had abducted her from Earth. They ran the Pit with them, keeping a steady supply of females from across the universe. Only, human females specifically seemed to be a rare and highly sought after commodity during her time there.
She was going to be sick.
“No,” she said softly. “H-he wouldn’t.”
“Regardless,” Tavar continued, that smile dropping, “Po’grak will be here in a few spans to collect you. If Jaxor shows—”
“No, you were going to ransom us!” she cried out, desperation coloring her tone. Now she couldn’t keep the panic down. “You were going to ransom us to the Prime Leader in exchange for technology.”
That was what Jaxor told her, right? The Jetutians weren’t coming for her. She would be back in the Golden City soon, despite her capture.
Tavar laughed, the sound booming off the cave walls, making her flinch. Out of the corner of her eye, even the Luxirian female seemed to flinch, but when Erin cut her a glance, her expression was unreadable.
“The Jetutians supply us with technology. What use would we have for his brother’s?”
Erin froze, her stomach dropping.
“What?” she whispered.
Tavar’s laugh faded, though he still seemed amused by her. Erin watched as he walked back out of the cell, taking the blue light with him.
“Wait!” she pleaded, walking up to the bars, locking eyes with him through them. “What do you mean, his brother’s?”
Tavar studied her. She wanted to smack the expression right off his face, but her shock froze her limbs. “Are you even certain you are his mate?” Tavar asked, brows raised. “Or was that just another lie he told you? I underestimated him. I should have made him a member of my council when I had the chance, even with the royal blood coursing through his veins, the same blood that doomed us from the beginning.”
Erin couldn’t breathe. The darkness was creeping in from around the cave walls, threatening to swallow her whole.
“Jaxor is Vaxa’an’s brother?” she whispered. “His father was…”
“You know nothing at all,” Tavar told her, looking like he actually pitied her. That look made her skin crawl. “And you still question how you came to be in my possession? You remain loyal to a proven liar, a liar who turned his back on his own blood, and not only betrayed him, but betrayed you?”
The bile was rising. And rising. Her mouth flooded with saliva and then she dropped to her knees and vomited what little food remained in her stomach. The acid made her throat burn.
Tears welled in her vision and she heard their footsteps retreat, the only source of light going with it, leaving her in darkness. She heard Tavar’s laugh echo and a sob crawled up her throat, her chest aching with the memory of his words.
Jaxor.
As she cried, as fear and sorrow and heartbreak curled inside her, making a home, Erin wondered…had she known him at all?
Or had everything just been a lie?
Chapter Thirty-Five
Jaxor was dragged into the command center of the Golden City with heavy chains draping his wrists.