Shura, the Confident E-Book

Nova Edwins

• Herausgeber: Black Umbrella Publishing
• Kategorie: Gesellschafts- und Liebesromane
• Serie: Horgerians
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 77

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2024

Beschreibung

It was only supposed to be a short trip to Leto 5 to run a few errands. Instead, I get involved in a bar brawl and a wild chase, and then I nearly fall to my death. Miraculously, I make it back to my spaceship—with a thief in tow who brazenly tried to steal my swords. A thief with a shaved head, scarred hands, and one big secret: "He" is actually a woman... Slightly dark sci-fi romance with a happy ending.

Leseprobe

SHURA, THE CONFIDENT

HORGERIANS

BOOK 4

NOVA EDWINS

A DARK SCI-FI ROMANCE

CONTENTS

Free Prequel

Shura, the Confident

Prologue

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Epilogue

About Nova Edwins

FREE PREQUEL

Planet Earth as I knew it no longer exists, and I have no choice but to leave. However, I have only one chance of starting over: convincing someone with a spaceship that it's worth taking me with them.

When I hear the rumor that a Horgerian man will be leaving for his home planet Horgerion fairly soon, I decide to throw myself at him—shamelessly.

There are a few minor obstacles, though:

I'm not the only woman with this idea.

I know nothing about Horgerians or the planet Horgerion.

And when I find out that Horgerians like to eat human flesh, it's already too late ...

This short story contains a touch of the apocalypse, an unexpected savior, and a desperate heroine who is prepared to do (almost) anything.

click here to download for free

SHURA, THE CONFIDENT

It was only supposed to be a short trip to Leto 5 to run a few errands. Instead, I get involved in a bar brawl and a wild chase, and then I nearly fall to my death.

Miraculously, I make it back to my spaceship—with a thief in tow who brazenly tried to steal my swords. A thief with a shaved head, scarred hands, and one big secret: "He" is actually a woman...

Slightly dark sci-fi romance with a happy ending.

PROLOGUE

DAVINA

I grabbed the bowl of noodles that was served here every night and pushed my way past the other children, retreating to my usual corner.

I hastily wolfed down the meagre portion, using my fingers instead of the spoon to save time, staying ready to fight in case Camryn tried to steal my food again.

Keeping a steady eye on my surroundings, I noticed the newcomer immediately.

Ungoll, the director of the children's home, led a huge Crocorlian inn. I didn't like the way he looked at the children, and what I liked even less was the fact that the pockets of Ungoll's overalls were bulging suspiciously. The silhouettes underneath the fabric suspiciously looked as if someone had given her a large sum of credits so that she wouldn't keep too close a count of how many orphans she was housing.

The Crocorlian began to wander through the dining hall, eyeing the boys and ignoring the girls. While he made his selection, Ungoll waddled out through the door. I already knew we wouldn't be seeing her again any time soon.

"You," he grumbled, pointing at Simion. He was a small and skinny boy whose head had recently been shaved just like mine because of the lice on the second floor. According to Ungoll, shaving our heads was the easiest way to fight off the annoying, itching critters—shaving our heads and burning our bedding and pillows. We hardly had any blankets left, and we'd probably only get new ones right before winter.

I didn't take my eyes off the Crocorlian until he stood in front of me. By then, he had already selected a dozen or so boys. He eyed me intently, scrunched up his scaly eyelids, and leaned forward. "Show me your hands."

I didn't want to, but I was neither stupid enough to resist nor to tell him that I wasn't a boy.

"Small hands." He gave a sort of satisfied growl. "Small hands are perfect for pickpockets."

My heart began beating faster and I wanted to object, but it wasn't as if life here in the orphanage was pleasant.

"Do you want hot food every day?" he asked me. "Your own room? Earn credits?"

I stared at him because I was pretty sure he was lying. It sounded too good to be true. Still, I nodded slowly. "Yes," I whispered, because my voice didn't sound like a boy's.

"Good, then come with me. The first hot meal is already waiting."

On board his spaceship he said that his name was Dimno. He claimed that he was the biggest gangster on Leto 5.

And he had indeed lied, of course.

That very evening, I lay in a dormitory with three dozen boys, hungry and freezing. So far, at least no one had noticed that I was a girl.

My hands hurt because Dimno had beaten them with a stick. I hadn't been fast enough in training, and whoever failed training, didn't get any "amenities," as he called them—food, drink, bedding.

Staring into the darkness, I fought back tears and tried to ignore how cold I was. There was only one solution. I would have to become a much better pickpocket. Quickly.

1

SHURA

Every time Bram hit the wooden block with his practice sword, I jerked. He was skillful for his age, twirling the child's sword between his fingers and delivering precise blows. Still, I wished he would stop, because I could barely understand his father.

Trying my best to ignore the noise, I looked at Leiv again.

Many men in the village were jealous of him because he had offspring. I didn't get it. I would much rather have had a pretty toy warming my bed at night than a drooling, diaper-wearing noisy nuisance.

Leiv obviously saw it differently, because he watched Bram as if his hammering of the wood with his sword was somehow charming. "Very good," he praised his son, stroking his head.

Bram beamed at me. "Have you seen everything, Shura? Or do you want me to show you again?"

By all the heavens! Anything but that.

"You're very skilled," I said, looking at my list. "That's all, Leiv? Is that all you need?"

"No." He looked at his son briefly before motioning for me to give him the list. He wrote something down and pushed the list back in my direction with a smile.

Chelion, it said in his clumsy handwriting. Apparently, the sweet made of spun sugar was supposed to be a surprise for Bram. What child didn't like sweets?

I probably would have given my right hand for some Chelion as a child, but my older brother Kuldrir, who had raised me, had never been enthusiastic about sweets. He still wasn't. After all, there was a reason his byname was "the Cold."

Bram decided that despite my answer, he just had to give me a demonstration of his rather loud skills again, so I claimed that I was late and made my way to the spaceship. My ears were already ringing from all the noise.

Bram threw himself against my legs, smiling at me broadly, and wished me a safe journey.

Children. I really didn't understand what the others saw in them. Nevertheless, I dutifully patted his head and made him promise to continue training in my absence—not that the trip would last long.

When I reached the square in front of the village, Huzoga was already there inspecting the machines.

"You're early," he said, letting his eyes wander over me.

Instead of complaining about Bram, which would be uncalled for, I simply shrugged. "Borcat and Kuldrir don't want anything, and everyone else already had their lists ready. It was a quick round."

Huzoga looked at the position of the sun in the sky. "As far as I'm concerned, we can leave early. I'm ready."

"After you." I followed him through the open cargo hatch into the spaceship.

He sat on the captain's chair and fastened his seatbelt, glancing at me to make sure I was seated and buckled up as well before he started the engines. It was just a quick trip to Leto 5, the closest space station. We would complete our tasks, spend a few standard hours there, and then return to Horgerion. We had done it countless times before. Huzoga and I regularly went on these errands together, so there was little point in talking—especially considering that neither Huzoga the Heartless nor I was particularly talkative, and we both appreciated the silence.

After securing the ship in the docking bay of Leto 5, Huzoga held out his hand and I gave him the list. We had divided the tasks fairly and would both have to go to different districts to get everything. Apart from the stale smell that lingered everywhere on Leto 5 and the perpetual artificial light that was always a bit too bright, nothing on the space station had ever given me any trouble. This was a standard supply run through and through.

"Are four standard hours enough?" he asked, raising his head.

"Yes," I said.

"Good." He nodded and trudged off with his broadsword on his back.

I felt for my own weapons, even though the weight alone clearly indicated their presence. While Huzoga's sword was broad and bulky, I preferred two narrower blades.

The universe seemed to be kind to me today, as I quickly finished my errands and still had three full standard hours to spare before we would fly back.

Stowing the goods in the cargo hold, I thought about what I wanted to do. While I was here, I could visit Sereia—one of the most sought-after whores on Leto 5 and the prettiest female I'd ever seen. I always enjoyed seeing her.