he felt over his misjudgment. Once those were completed, he’d been assigned to high-priority missions as if his judgment hadn’t almost cost them the trust of allegiance of a Phaeton bride. His slate had been essentially wiped clean, his penance paid. Kaine and the rest of the council members still trusted him to use his natural instincts to their advantage, unaware of the doubt Axis felt toward these so-called instincts.
He couldn’t brush aside the fact that he’d almost cost Finch his bride. Doing so under the ruse of the traitors plagued him. He did himself no favors by repeating it all in his head. He’d trusted the wrong group of Phaetons. He had acted without the council’s approval. His mission to ferret the truth out of Claudia had been an ill-fated one from the start, considering she’d been telling the truth from the beginning. The conspirators’ anger initially moved him, but he soon realized something was not right before it had been too late. He’d trusted the wrong person, a mistake he was worried he would make again.
Shaking off the turmoil that filled him every time he recounted his past errors, Axis looked around the market where he’d found solace. He was more than a little happy to be back amongst the bustle that allowed him to escape the failures that mentally haunted him.
At first, Kaine and the council had denied his request for leave on the busy trading planet in the Pleasure Sector, a popular hub for Phaetons seeking respite. Axis himself hadn’t understood why he wanted to go back, but for some reason, the idea had appealed to him enough that he hadn’t let it drop. He’d been surprised to hear from Kaine with a reversal of their decision just as he’d been about to walk into the council chambers to plead his case. His leave had been granted on Euphoria with one caveat.
He was ordered to keep his eyes open for anything out of the ordinary.
Axis snorted to himself, remembering that particular conversation with the senior council member. Kaine had either been unwilling or unable to give him any further instructions beside that.
“The council has no further clarification for me?”
Kaine shook his head. “Not at this time.”
“Come on, Kaine.” Axis shook his head as he leaned forward, appealing to his friend. “All I want is some time to unwind and think about things without having to worry about looking around for something the council only wants to describe to me as unusual. Even you must acknowledge that is not enough information for any type of mission, even if it is simply intel.”
Kaine stood, shaking his head. “That’s all I can tell you for right now, Axis. Believe me, I want to tell you more, but until we know for sure….”
“Know what for sure?” he asked, unable to not interrogate his superior for more information. “What could possibly be unusual in the Pleasure Sector, Kaine? That place has anything and everything the galaxy has to offer. Do you know how many kinds of Jalorian candy I was able to find during my stay?” Patting his stomach, he felt for the weight he was sure he’d gained with all the exotic delicacies and sweets he’d gorged on.
“Axis,” Kaine growled, the normal diplomacy in his voice absent. “Just watch for anything unusual.”
Even now, surrounded by the definition of unusual, Axis had no clue what Kaine could have possibly been referencing. He’d only been on the planet a short time and had already seen more shady dealings and aliens than he cared to admit.
His stomach rumbled, requesting more sustenance than the small bit of meat he’d stripped from the almost bare bone in his hand. Craving a taste of something sweet, he cast a glance around. In the middle of trying to spot the stall with his favorite candy, his instincts took over momentarily as his attention was drawn to a small, cloaked shape. He watched the creature weave through the vendor stalls, intrigued by the prickling sensation that tickled the back of his neck.
Tossing away the bone, he followed with curiosity. A figure like that would not normally draw his attention, but there was something about this form and how it moved that reminded him of Paine and Rowe’s bride.
They moved like a human. A female human, he judged.
Ducking behind a row of animal skins, he scanned for a glimpse of skin, fur, or something that would put his mind at ease as he studied his mark.