Book 9: Zerconian Warriors
Alice came and sat beside Sophie and took her hand in hers. “God, you’re freezing.” Alice held her hand between her warm ones. “Don’t worry. When they don’t find anything, they’ll realize they don’t have two legs to stand on. I’d sure like to know who the hell is accusing you of being a spy though.”
So would Sophie.
She could feel Macon and Toriq staring at her. She didn’t look up, not wanting to see the accusation in their eyes. She was almost starting to feel guilty, damn it.
Perhaps because while she wasn’t a spy, she was keeping secrets.
Big secrets.
“Macon.”
Largan stepped back into the room and handed something over to Macon who studied the small metal object.
“What is it?” Alice asked.
Macon’s gaze grew impossibly colder. “Where was this?”
The warrior who handed him the object looked over at Sophie. “In her belongings, stuck in one of her shoes.”
“What? I don’t even know what it is. It’s not mine.”
Macon snorted.
“Macon.” Alice sat forward. “What is it?”
“It is a sound amplifier and recorder.”
“What? Like a bug?” Alice asked. “Pretty big for a bug and don’t you guys sweep for bugs regularly?”
“We do. But this is not exactly like a bug. A bug can only record conversations within a few feet, this object can record within a five mile radius. It doesn’t have to be placed in a room, it could be outside in a tree or on a roof or in a shoe.”
Macon stared at her.
“I’ve never seen it before in my life.” But she knew he didn’t believe her, and why would he? It was in her shoe for God’s sake. Her stomach bubbled with anxiety.
“Because it records so much feedback it can only record for short periods at a time before it needs to be cleared.” He handed it over to Largan. “Take this to Annabel and have her check to see if there is any data on it. If she was smart, she would have cleared it, but I have not determined that she is all that intelligent.”
Ouch. That burned.
God. They really thought she’d done this. What was she going to do? How would she prove she was innocent and who was setting her up? Would they interrogate her? She wasn’t on Earth now. She didn’t get a lawyer and a phone call. Where would they take her? What did they do to spies here?
The buzzing in her ears grew until she thought her head was about to explode. “I-I need some fresh air.” It felt like the walls were closing in on her, she could feel her panic growing.
“You go nowhere. Stay seated.”
Uh-uh, not happening. Sophie stood then immediately wished she hadn’t as she started to sway.
“Sophie!” Alice’s voice seemed to come from down a long tunnel. Sophie’s breath came in rapid pants as dark spots danced in front of her eyes. Shit. She was going to faint.
She fell back into the seat, and Alice pushed her head between her legs then rubbed her back. But it wasn’t Alice’s voice that cut through her panic and cleared her mind.
“Take long, slow breaths.” The low voice was soft, but the command was clear. “In. Then out. Follow me. In. Then out. Good girl.”
She breathed in deep then let it out slowly, thankful as her head stopped spinning and her nausea faded.
“Thanks. I’m okay now.”
The warm hand didn’t move for a moment, and she started to panic a little when it abruptly lifted up. “You may sit up.”
Yeah, that’s what she’d been planning on doing, without his permission. As she sat and looked up, surprise filled her.
Toriq.
“Thank you,” she whispered quietly.
He frowned. “She’s pale. Call the healer.” He turned away and stalked across the room.
Coldness filled Sophie once more as she stared at his back. He couldn’t even bear to turn around and look at her.
Because he thinks you’re a spy. They all do.
Lord only knew what they did to spies here. She really didn’t want to find out. She knew they’d once thought Annabel a spy. And they’d been right. But she’d been saved from whatever they’d had planned for her when Macon mated her. What would happen to Sophie? She didn’t have a mate to protect her.
“Soph, I’m home! Do you know the door is…” her sister came to a stop, her voice trailing off as she stared around at everyone. “What the fuck is going on?”
Shit. Things had just gone from bad to worse.