Page 21 of Asmodel
“Oh, is that a new Lumiview Prism?” Talira exclaimed as she retracted her claws and fisted her palm over her chest. “I heard it not only responds to your commands, but can analyze your intentions and provide you with information you never thought to ask.” She tilted her head back with a twinkle in her eye. “I don’t suppose you brought me one?”
Jaltaar’s sheepish grin made Izzy chuckle. The boy was busted.
“I promise to work on getting you one, mytsuki.” He caressed the whiskers on the side of her face, his expression filled with tenderness.
“I’ll hold you to that.” Talia’s tone lowered as she nuzzled his paw before giving Izzy her full attention. She stepped away from Jaltaar but kept a grip on his paw and put her other one over her heart. “I am Talia of the House of Cyndor from the village Nekojin.”
For the first time, the tension pinching Izzy’s shoulders loosened. “Hi!” She gave a little wave. “I’m Isabella Pilar Ramirez Torres. But please call me Izzy.”
Talira gave a brief nod. “I am honored.” Her whiskers fanned out. “Are you really a human from Earth?”
“Yep,” Izzy rocked on her heels with her hands behind her back. “That’s me. A good old-fashioned human from Earth.”
Talira eyed her up-and-down. “You are a strange, but graceful-looking creature.”
Izzy stopped fidgeting and scratched the side of her jaw. “Thank you. I think.”
“Were you harmed by the crash?” Talira nodded at the smoldering wreck behind her. “You don’t look like you’re hurt.” Her vertical pupils widened, making the midnight blue of her eyes all but disappear. “How is that possible?”
Izzy shrugged as Jaltaar answered.
“As I said, I have something to show you.” He held out his Lumiview device. “I recorded the meeting I had with the Dominion Collective led by the Supreme Alpha Regent Korvax himself.”
The long fur on Talira’s tail waved in the air as she thumped it hard on the forest floor. “You met with Alpha Regent Korvax?”
Izzy stilled. Wow. Sounded like Talira wasn’t a fan of that person.
Jaltaar nodded with downcast eyes. “Yes.”
The hurt tone in his voice made Izzy raise her eyebrows.
“He didn’t have a choice since I’m the commander of the largest squad in the palace guards.” He looked up as a shadow crossed his face, his whiskers drooping.
Talira gasped. “I can’t remember the last time you told me he talked to you.” The fur under the coils covering her neck expanded, several strands peeking out. “It must have been really important.”
“Watch.”
Jaltaar’s claw poked at the device’s face. It hummed as an image projected in the air with astonishing clarity. The scene unfolded in an elaborate, spacious chamber. Cold, blinding-white marble covered the room, with gold, silver, and bronze etchings outlining the moldings on the ceiling and floor.
On a throne made of dark wood and platinum sat a male scikvak. He had the same orange stripes Jaltaar had, except his navy-blue fur was more prominent than the stripes. He leaned forward with his paws gripping the armrests while his tail, complete with a ball of midnight fur with orange stripes, wagged back and forth in sharp bursts. His fire-orange eyes narrowed on the strangest thing Izzy had ever seen.
It looked like a woman made of living crystal. She appeared sculpted from a translucent, crystal-based material that captured and amplified the soft light of the room. It was easy to see her in all her glory since the creature didn’t have a stitch of clothing on. All over her was a mesmerizing array of sharp, geometric crystal shapes, each facet meticulously carved to reflect and refract a spectrum of fiery hues, from the softest amber to the deepest orange, mimicking the warm glow of a setting sun.
Instead of hair, the creature had a crown of crystal spikes emanating from her head. Each one glowed and cast a halo of light around her, illuminating her surroundings with a warm, golden light. The spikes varied in length and shape.
Izzy shivered at her untamed appearance.
But it was her alien face that held a mesmerizing masterpiece of exotic elegance. High, sweeping cheekbones created a slender, elongated silhouette. Her large, pupilless eyes commanded attention, intense with a fiery light that flickered and danced like flames.
Izzy sensed a sharp, fanatical gleam in the crystal person’s gaze.
“You dare threatenme?” The rumbling question came from the scikvak sitting on the massive throne in front of the crystal woman.
The surrounding guards kept still as they focused on the alien.
“Good Supreme Alpha Regent of Pantherion Prime.” The crystal woman gave a respectful bow, but the gleam in her eyes screamed insolence. “I am offering you an unheard-of opportunity for you and your people.” She straightened and gestured to the crowd behind her. “Not only will Lord Baelon allow all zaltrixan to exist, but he is offering you the chance to rid yourselves of the inferior pardalions, leaving you sole control of CeluriaVO.”
The Alpha Regent glared at the female and tapped an extended claw on the ornate armrest with one hand while he rested his chin on a closed fist. “So, what you’re saying is you want us to retrieve a human female in our protected wilderness that you caused to crash here on CeluriaVO. How do we know she even survived?”