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Johnna glances at her with a wrinkled brow. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, why only those of us from the bottom tier?”

Johnna stops in the middle of the street—staring at Quinn—so we all do the same.

“Because regardless of what you might think, not everyone from the upper tier agrees with the way our world is run. Some of Eloise’s closest friends on Tavikh were from the bottom tier. What better way to stick it to all those rich assholes who think they’re above everyone because they have more credits than they could ever spend in their lifetime than to give people—give women—a way to leave? Especially to go to a different planet where those same women will be worshipped by males and who have all the control because they need us far more than we need them. Does that answer your question of why you?”

Damn, I guess it kind of does.

When no one says anything else, we continue walking through the city until we wind up in the market square. Bohnari and various other species of aliens stare at us in the same unnerving way they had when we traveled from the spaceship to the dormitory complex. Like we’re the aliens. I get that the only human they’ve probably seen is Johnna—and maybe her friend Eloise—and while we may not all look alike, we’re not that different from each other.

I’m assaulted by so many varying scents and sounds. From a nearby booth a Bohnari haggles with the vendor over the price of a vibrant swath of cloth. We continue wandering, taking everything in, until Olivia stops at a booth displaying handmade jewelry and picks up a stunning necklace to show Quinn, who takes it from her. Once more, the two of them bicker like a pair of siblings or best friends. This time it’s about whether or not Quinn should buy it. I only listen with half an ear until eventually, we move on—still empty-handed.

So many beautiful things are sold here, but I still haven’t purchased anything by the time we’re finished. Alik has given all of us plenty of credits to live on, but a tiny inkling of dread continues to ask what will happen if they ever run out. Alik’s assured us that will never happen, but I’m not ready to trust in that just yet.

“Horek? What brings you to the market?” Johnna asks suddenly.

I turn and clock the Bohnari commander who guided us from the spaceship to the housing complex earlier. The one who we lovingly teased Quinn about admiring the entire way. Lindsey and I share a knowing glance, and I try not to grin.

“Patrolling,” he replies. “A rebel was detained inside the city limits and I am making sure no more managed to sneak past the guards.”

There’s a short beat of silence.

“What do you mean by rebel?” Olivia side-eyes him. “No one told us anything about rebels.”

Johnna and the commander share a look that has Olivia snapping her fingers in front of his face. “Excuse me, but no silent communication with each other please. It’s rude.”

“Olivia,” Quinn hisses beneath her breath.

Liv glares at her. “Don’t ‘Olivia’ me. You know I’m right. No one mentioned anything to us about rebels when we boarded the ship to come here. If there’s some kind of civil unrest happening on Bohna, don’t you think we should have been made aware of it?”

She makes a valid point.

“There is a faction of Bohnari who reside in the rainforest outside of the city that are unhappy with the way Alik…leads. They have been making their disappointment known with increasing frequency. No violence has occurred, nor will it. Patrols of both the city border and within the perimeter have been increased to make sure no harm comes to any of our citizens.”

The four of us glance at each other before Olivia speaks up again. “So what you’re saying is we’ve landed on a planet filled with political conflict?”

The commander’s gaze bounces over each of us before it settles on Quinn. “Yes.”

I throw up my hands and release a rough groan in a harsh expulsion of breath. “Are you fucking kidding me?”

Chapter 3

Alik

I stare at the image reflecting back at me in the hygiene room and breathe slowly and steadily in order to abate the fever burning through my veins. The double dose of kanet powder I recently inhaled is not quelling the flames licking at my insides. Whatever is happening to me, it’s getting worse. I’m not sure how much longer I’ll be able to hide it, especially from Horek. My cousin has already been studying me far too intently.

Every Bohnari male is struck with the mating fever upon reaching maturity, but the kanet powder we trade for with the Tavikhi cools the fire that runs through our veins. The few of our previous generations who were able to find a mate are lucky. Fucking their females is an even better cure than the doses of kanet powder those who are unmated must take.

I run my hand over my face and turn at the sound of someone knocking at the main door. Staff run around my room preparing my clothing for the welcome banquet my mother is hosting for the new females who have arrived as brides.

If not for the promise I made to her that I would attend for a brief time, I would remain within my suite of rooms and avoid socializing altogether. The humans have now been made aware I’m royalty, and I have no desire to be bombarded by females who think they can snag a prince for a mate.

Wearing only a pair of trou, I step fully into my suite to find my cousin. I wave off the staff. “You’re dismissed.”

Once the two of us are alone, I proceed with business. “Any updates on the rebel?”

Horek shakes his head. “Nothing. It’s back to being as quiet as it was before he snuck into the city yesterday.”