The Alpha Centaurians: The Beginnings

Chapter 5

                                              SKYE

I've been summoned to the judging. A large, blue room, filled with chairs, and rightfully named, for the cause. The blue room. No chair is without a bottom, some stand against the walls. In attendance with the King, I'm in between Nelan, and Balen. I'm focused on reading Nelan to distract me from the whippings, the men and women crying out in pain. Attractive, despite the scary eyes, which doesn't seem to frighten me as much. I can feel him reading me, and a glance in his direction shows him watching me.

This man's relentless in his hawk-eyed gazes, always watching me. His scrutiny makes me uncomfortable, and according to him, he can take me whenever he wants, but he prefers that I submit to him. My hand in Balen's, I tense when Rylan's name is called, and he's escorted out. Standing before the King, his eyes never leaving mines, my heartbeat speeds up at the King's words. "Rylan, do you accept your mate's judgment of thirty lashes, for her treasonous act?" If I were the fainting type, now would have been the time. Thirty lashes, the King's a sadistic bastard.

He's bound between two posts, and my breathing becomes erratic. The crack of the whip resonates even louder as I close my eyes, I can't watch this. My heart's heavy with regret and pain, and that he's having to endure such a barbaric act. He's not verbally crying out, but I can hear his inward agony. By the tenth lashing, I can't take it anymore. "Stop this!" The King's blatant dismissal of me, by giving me an annoyed look, before continuing to watch the whipping, sends me into a rage.

Using my power of telekinesis, I have the whip in my hand, and the assailant knocked backwards into one of the posts. The rooms in an uproar at my audacity, or is it my power? "Skye!" Balen's at my side. "He's had enough." I say calmly, the royal guards surrounding us. "Perhaps you would like to take his place?" Nelan says. Cracking the whip at his head, he dodges it, with a swift move to the side. "Perhaps you would like to take his place." I state, through gritted teeth. His face void of expression, I'm ready for him to make a move. I may not can best him, but I'll damn sure try. "Outraged, the King is halfway out of his seat, spewing an insult. "You insolent wretch!" With a lifted hand Nelan stops the guards from attacking. I'm so angry that I'm shaking, and Balen has to wrench the whip from my grasp. "Take her away!" The King yells. "No, she's right, he's had enough." Nelan says quietly.

"She attacked a royal..."

"All is forgiven, you may go." He says calmly.

The man's a mystery, but I have no time to concern myself as to the reasoning behind his generosity, and Balen wastes no time leading me from the room.

Distraught, I've refused Balen's attempts to see me. Nelan should have known better, I slammed the door in his face, with a few choice words, after he had the audacity to enter my rooms, without my permission. My requests to see Rylan denied, I'm at my wits end, when I receive his request via telepathy to attend the celebration with him tonight.

Soaking in the bath for an hour, I swear it's the most relaxing concoction, that I've ever had the privilege of using. I have to take some back home with me. Entering the ballroom, my attention is drawn to Rylan, and the woman beside him, his mate. The drink to stifle my sexual urges isn't working to well, and seeing Rylan, I think of his promise made a few days ago, when I was in his rooms. The way his tongue teased mine, I've got to have another one of those drinks. Watching her, watch me through those animal eyes like Nelan's, I'm comforted by the fact that she can't give him children. I'm sure Nelan's lips never moved, but I can hear his cynical chuckle inside my head. I would block him, but he's not the only one tinkering around in my mind. I feel the others, the people in here, accessing and appraising. Tired of our little stare down, I turn my attention to Rylan.