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One of the guards reached out, his fingers dancing over the security pad.
The door slid open with a soft hiss.
My heart hammered, its rhythm loud in the silence that had settled.
“Go in,” the taller of the two grunted, nudging me forward with a shove.
As much as I wanted to rebuke his roughness, I knew better than to incite any unnecessary confrontations.
Steeling myself, I took one final, deep breath, letting the cold, metallic air fill my lungs.
My gaze fixed on the dimly lit interior, and I stepped over the threshold, ready to face whatever awaited me inside.
The door shut behind me with a finality that was chilling.
But this was just another challenge, another puzzle to solve.
I wasn’t going to be defeated, not by Ikhax, not by anyone.
I would get through this, for Kuana, for us.
* * *
The dim room gradually came into focus, revealing the unexpected: a cozy domestic setting, one that could have belonged to a suburban house in the Terran outskirts.
Low hanging chandeliers exuding a warm, golden glow, soft couches and chairs draped with intricate textiles, and a large open-concept kitchen occupying the center stage.
It was disarmingly… ordinary.
“Ah, Violet!” a voice rang out, jubilant and crisp.
Emerging from the open kitchen, Ikhax’s towering figure unfolded, revealing all four of his elongated, tentacle-like arms.
Each one moved with a fluid grace, independent yet harmonized.
His blueish skin seemed to shimmer under the lighting, and his black eyes twinkled with mischief.
“Ikhax,” I acknowledged, standing my ground, though internally surprised by the warmth of his greeting.
He approached with an unsettling grace, his four arms extending.
Two of them embraced me, while I felt another pat my shoulder and the fourth… I could have sworn it squeezed my ass.
I gasped, pulling back a little, but it was hard to be sure, with so many limbs fluttering around me.
“My dear, it’s so delightful to finally meet you!”
He grinned, revealing rows of sharp, pearly white teeth.
The familiarity of his touch and tone was unnerving.
This wasn’t the notorious gang leader I had heard of.
This was an eccentric chef in the middle of cooking a grand meal.
“Uhm, thank you,” I managed to utter, my defenses up. “Your reputation precedes you too.”
Ignoring my stiffness, Ikhax pranced back to his cooking station. “You’ve caught me at a good time. I’m preparing a delicacy from my home planet, Qyrix. Ever heard of it?”
